Take the money and run

LIHU‘E — Running the world’s longest race doesn’t have to be only about personal achievement. For many participants, running a marathon is a way of helping others live a better life.

Kaua‘i Marathon organizer Bob Craver said the event has raised some $800,000 in the last two editions combined, and is forecasted to raise over half a million dollars for this year’s race Sept. 4.

Team In Training — the world’s largest sports endurance training program — has raised over $1 billion for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, according to Jim McVea, Honolulu branch director of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

McVea said in written testimony to the Kaua‘i County Council that participants choose a race to train for and while training they raise funds that go toward patient support and blood cancer research.

“For the past two years, the Kauai Marathon has been a huge event for TNT,” McVea said. “Close to 200 participants have run and walked the hills of this amazing endurance event, and they have raised more than $600,000 in the fight against leukemia, lymphoma and other blood cancers.”

LLS is anticipating to bring more than 100 participants from around the country for this year’s marathon, and raise at least another $500,000, according to McVea.

The participants have many races to choose from, McVea said, but they chose the Kaua‘i Marathon because of the “high quality” of the event and the incredible support by the local community.

Craver said in addition to the money raised by LLS, two other charities also participated in the event, raising a total of $150,000 combined.

“As far as the marathon benefiting local charities, we have paid out over $25,000 in the past two years,” said Craver, adding that the largest recipients were the Kaua‘i Independent Food Bank ($4,500), Kaua‘i High Project Grad ($5,000), Kapa‘a High Project Grad ($10,000), and other local nonprofits.