Race #155 - Silvia A. Martz Memorial 5k - Honolulu, HI - 12/03/11

It's taken me a week to get around to writing about this race, partly because I've spent all week trying to get caught up with the work I got behind on while on vacation, and partly because there's no way I can do it justice. This was just a small 5k, not unlike you would find anywhere else although since it was in Honolulu, just across the street from Waikiki Beach, it will go down as one of the most memorable and special races I've run. To make things even more special, my son Joe, who we were visiting, also ran the race. He's not a runner so a 3.1 mile race is definitely a challenge for him, but he did great and finished 3rd in his age group. I'm hoping that one day all of my kids will make running a daily part of their life. Hey, you gotta try to stay in shape somehow and there's no better way to do it.

I'm still pressed for time (another race this afternoon!) so I'll shut up and let the pictures tell the story.

We arrived early to make sure we would be at the starting line on time. It's nice to get to a December race with temperatures in the low 70s.


Joe and I warmed up just a little as we waited for the race to start.

The starting line...


Throughout the race I was near 47-year-old Craig Linghor. Up until this point about halfway through the race I was right behind him. I passed him here but we still finished within second of each other. The course was a double loop around 300-acre Kapiolani Park, the oldest public park in Honolulu.

Linda seemed to blend in with the background...

I finished 12th overall and 1st in the 55-59 age group at 20:33. I'd like to run the 5k races consistently in under 20 minutes but realistically that's probably never going to happen. Right now I've got a pretty good streak of sub 21-minute races going and it would be great if I could stay at that level for a while.

Here I'm talking to 54-year-old Ash Dustow, who finished in 17:34. That's fast at any age, and almost unbelievable for someone who's 54 years old. That's equivalent to a 25-year-old running it in 14:57. For the record, my age equivalent time would be 16:41.

I met Halina Zaleski before the race as we were both running around the parking lot warming up. She won first place in the 60-64 female age group. She has the distinction of being the first and probably the last person to ask me if I was "a ringer from the mainland." I'm sure it was tongue-in-cheek, and I just had to laugh.

My son Joe was a real trooper, being somewhat out of shape and running 3 miles. He also managed to get 3rd place in the 35-39 age group. My family accuses me of being competitive (maybe just a little bit) but to have Joe or any of my other kids running circles around me would be a dream come true. Of course it doesn't count if I'm so old I can't run anymore.

Linda made her way to the finish line as she's done more than 130 times over the past three years. I've been amazed how she's stuck with running since we began in 2008, especially since I can't ever remember seeing her run even one time prior to that in 30 years of marriage.

Pretty and fast (pretty fast) Constance Tammon from Oregon made a splash and finished 3rd overall among females (21:46)...

A post-race view from across the street...

Ash Dustow collects is award for 3rd place overall...

24-year-old Warren Nastivar was the overall winner with a time of 17:03.6...

I won the 55-59 age group. Second place went to Chris Mewhort, who would look more like Santa Claus if he weighed 345 pounds, which he did in 2006. His doctor told him to either lose weight or shop for a casket. Since then he's lost 160 pounds and has become an avid runner. I didn't get a chance to talk to him at the race but wish I had met him.

Jack Gubbins won the 85+ age group... Jack is 91 years old! Just running 3.1 miles at any speed is an accomplishment in that age group!


Click Here for Race Results


Click Here for Race Photos on My Facebook Page (96 photos)


Race Rating:

6 - 1-10  Website (Information, results, registration, photo links, etc.)
6 - 1-10  Awards (Quality of medals, trophies, etc.) (1 to 10)
8 - 1-10  Awards Presentation (PA system, winning times, etc.) (1 to 10)
4 - 1-10  Food for Race Participants (1 to 10)
8 - 1-10  T-Shirts (1 to 10 with 5 being average) (white cotton but cool design... I'll wear it.)
4 - 4/6   Part of Race Series (Grand Prix, etc.) (6=Yes and 4=No)
0 - 0/5   Professional Photography (5=Yes and 0=No)
6 - 4/6   Chip Timing (6=Yes and 4=No)
7 - 3/7   Certified Course (by USA Track & Field) (7=Yes and 3=No)
9 - 1-10  Course (1 to 10 with 5 being average)
8 - 1-10  Parking (1 to 10 with 5 being average)
7 - 1-10  Entertainment (1 to 10 with 5 being average)
10 - 0-10  Age Groups (10 if 5-year groups; 0 if 10-year groups)
0 - 0/5   Indoor Shelter from Elements (0 if none; 5 if provided)
4 - 1-10  Bathroom Facilities
0-10  Other

TOTAL - 89

My Stats:

Time:  20:33.5
Pace:  6:38
Age Group: 1 of  4
Overall:  12 of 101

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