KILAUEA — Roy Smith came away with a bronze medal for his age division in the Ohana Fit Fest 5k &10k Obstacle Trail Run Saturday.
Not bad for someone who really just came out to support the cause rather than racing the clock.
“I feel better now that’s it’s over,” said Smith, manager of Island Ace Hardware in Princeville.
Through its round-up program, Island Ace Hardware donated $560 to the Kauai North Shore Community Foundation that puts on the Fit Fest.
Smith decided to come out and run in addition to the store’s donation. He covered the 5k course 47:27, a solid effort on a muddy course that required climbing, hurdling, balancing, crawling, and even solving math problems.
“It was fun,” Smith said. “The obstacles were great.”
The Sixth annual Ohana Fit Fest attracted about 250 runners and walkers on a morning that started with rain but turned to sunshine before it was over. A blessing ceremony, games, auction and prizes were all part of the event that had about 70 volunteers.
In some areas of the Wai Koa Loop Trail course at Anaina Hou Community Park, it was more a mud fest than a Fit Fest, but that just made it better for runners like Alyssa Curry and Alexa Hooley.
After they finished pulling a tire tied to a rope through a marshy bog, they then carried the tire back to its starting point, some 20 yards.
“I’m feeling good,” Curry said with a big smile.
As the two charged off with about two miles to go, they were in good spirits and not in the least worn out.
“I’m feeling really motivated and a bit more fit than I thought I was,” Hooley said.
Co-race director Ken Rosenthal said he was “super pleased’ with the conditions and the turnout. Both the 5k and the 10k courses were more challenging this year.
“I think people loved it,” he said. “No injuries.”
Proceeds from the run benefit the foundation, which last year gave $12,000 to nonprofits that included Hanalei School, the Keala Foundation, Hanalei Hawaiian Civic Club, and Rotary Club of Hanalei Bay. Its goal is to promote health and fitness on the North Shore and raise money for nonprofits.
Jill Lowry, executive director of Anaina Hou Community Park, credited the late Bill Porter and wife Joan Porter for making the race possible.
“The Fit Fest is a great example of Joan and Bill’s vision to be a multi-use property, and this is just one really awesome event that brings everybody in from all over the island,” she said.
The obstacles, put together by Mike and Laura James, were a highlight. They included hurdling mesh fencing, climbing pallet boards, walking a board over a pool of water, and zig-zagging through a tree maze, as well as carrying buckets of water, a crab crawl, and navigating a section of tires.
Kyah Hamilton led two young boys, Joshua Hamilton and Tobias Dirks, through the 5k course. They were all laughs and smiles as they crawled under an obstacle of string.
“Just having fun,” she said as she carried Tobias on her back.
Dad Mike Olson of Moloaa encouraged son Archer, 4, as he scaled the pallets.
“He’s doing well,” he said.
Doug Sutter, general manager of the Princeville Makai Golf Club, pushed son Callaway, 2, in his stroller.
“He’s a little disappointed with the speed today because he runs about 5 miles with mom every day,” Sutter said. “And she goes much faster than I do. He’s been saying, ‘Faster, Daddy, faster.’ We’re trying.”
Mina Morita came out after a friend asked her to do the race. While the friend couldn’t make it, Morita did.
She was still smiling after twisting her way through the web crawl and making her way between the towering mahogany trees lining the soggy trail.
Morita enjoyed the course.
“It’s just challenging enough but not too overwhelming,” she said.
Bob Doyle, a past president of the foundation and Anaina Hou, was volunteering Saturday, encouraging runners and walkers.
He and Rosenthal have worked together on Fit Fest since the first one at Pine Trees.
“We’re giving back to the community,” he said. “It’s good to see people come out and have fun and contribute to fitness and wellness of the North Shore.”
Mercedes Villalobos of Koloa won the 5K overall in 25:33, and said she had “a lot of fun.”
She said she’s been focusing on running the past two months, and it paid off Saturday as she led the field across the finish line.
Her back and knee pains disappeared as she trained and began to feel “way better.”
“Now, nothing hurts. I feel way stronger, so I’m very happy,” she said.
Villalobos loved the slip and slide near the finish line.
“Freshwater on my face sliding down, it was good,” she said.
Her employer and sponsor are Capt. Andy’s Sailing Adventures.
“I’m happy to let them know that I won,” she said, smiling.
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Bill Buley, editor-in-chief, can be reached at 245-0457 or bbuley@thegardenisland.com.
