750m swim. 40k bike. 10k run…read more This really kicked my ass. By the time it was time to run, my legs were jello but I kept pushing through and kept sucking down those gel packs. I'm a rooking when it comes to the triathlon world so I had no idea what to expect. But after picking up my packet, the contents inside had everything inside to help answer most if not all of my questions. It included racing tips, course maps, racing rules, a swim cap and a free jamba juice coupon. On race day, checking in was a breeze. The volunteers were all super helpful and did everything in a good mood...even though it was 430 in the morning. For the bike/run portion, cops were at every intersection halting traffic as racers came through. If it weren't for them, most of our times would have been screwed up...but this must be a normal thing for most triathlons as they are timed events. All in all, this was a wonderful event. I can't wait until next years as I hope to improve all of my times.

Super fun beginner's triathlon!!!! The swim leg is shorter than a typical Olympic distance…read moretriathlon. The bike leg and the run leg are relativity "flat" with some small hills. I entered this year's 2016 Tinman triathlon with an all female team in the relay division. We all contributed our best in our respective legs and together, we came out in 1st place!!!! WHOOOHOOOO. 750 meter swim at Queen's beach to aquarium and back 25 mile bike ride from Kapiolani park to Lunalilo Home road up Heartbreak hill and back 10K run from Kapiolani Park to the Kahala mall gas station and back

Hawaii's first ESPN jersey fun run is officially in the books!…read more This was a really great and fun event! If you're an NFL fanatic, then you would've liked this event as much as I did. I really enjoyed myself on this event. The crowded sea of fans in their favorite team's jerseys and attire was a great sight to see. It was like a pro bowl type of atmosphere.. without the Game & NFL players of course! The Parking: The gates opened up at 7:30am for early bird entry. Arriving at the lot was pretty quick and finding parking was a breeze. The Activities: The pre-show activities was a fun filled environment. Lots of keiki games and a bunch of prize giveaways! The post-show was awesome! There were live bands playing and also former players signing autographs. I got a few pictures and autographs with former UH - University of Hawaii players. Colt, Nate & Rocky to name a few. There was also Teilor Grubbs (Grace Williams aka Danno's daughter) from Hawaii 5-0 and local commercial stars as well. The Race: The race began at 9am just as planned. The course of the race (which was just a 3k run) started off at the DD gates and it looped around the stadium, thru the locker rooms, down onto the field, back thru the lockers, up the spiral ramps, a full lap around the upper deck sections, back down the spiral ramps and around the stadium again and finally finished where the race had started. What a way to shed some sweat, right?! The course was good fun though. There was alot of obstacles in between the course that made it such a fun run! Overall, this event was hands down a 5 star experience! It was for a good cause too. I hope they keep this race/event running (pun intended) in Hawaii for many of years to come. Big mahalos to Yelp for the invitation!

This fun run was absolutely a "fun" run! ESPN 1420 did a wonderful job putting this event…read moretogether. It was a perfect event for families and for the sports lovers. I seen all types of jerseys, baseball, UH, pop warner, even a Mexico football jersey. Being that it is still football season and Super Bowl is tomorrow, majority were wearing football jerseys and repping their favorite team. It was a good mixer because when you saw someone else with your favorite team on, you acknowledge each other, cheer, high five them and even start conversations with them on how long they have been a fan. The run itself was an easy, short 3k. Some walked it, but kids (having loads of energy) ran that thing. We ran through the locker rooms, up the spiral, across the top level of the stadium, down the spiral, through the home teams locker rooms and across the other end of the stadium. We also got to go through an obstacle course on the field, throw footballs, kick soccer balls and hit baseballs. All of it was loads of fun and we even broke a sweat! I will definitely do this again next year if they bring it back. It was a fun way of getting my morning cardio.

I enjoyed this event, but never got a chance to run the actual triathlon; just the 5k event, and…read moreI've ran it twice! The first time I was 3rd place overall, and the second time I was 1st place overall. Big props to an event like this, for having so many races going on all at once. They have a 5k, 10k, Sprint, Olympic Triathlon; not to mention the youth, and kids races also. Great event, and it is very well set up; the volunteer support is great, and also everyone that participates in this event gets a finishers medal. Anyone looking for a triathlon on the island of Oahu; this is a very great one, and well worth training for. My advice is if you're an elite athlete pay attention to the route; study it! There are many cones to follow, and if you take a wrong turn you may get disqualified. Other than that, enjoy! Aloha!

This version is an expanded version of the published review in the July 2014 issue of Hawaii Sport…read moreMag: http://issuu.com/hawaiisportmag/docs/hawaii_sport_july_2014_digital As a local, this triathlon is THE triathlon of the year on the island of Oahu! Aspiring triathletes and veteran triathletes train for months for this race. I, myself, dedicated a good 4 months training for this race. I set up my workouts for 5-6 days a week, consisting of two short 5:30AM workout sessions before work (either run or swim), two afterwork brick sessions (bike + run, or swim + run) with Try Fitness team (tryfitnesshawaii.com) and two looooooong 7AM brick workout sessions (one with Try Fitness team) on the weekend. Finally, the day came... The Honolulu Triathlon. Ready or not, I would embark this 1500m swim, 40K bike ride and 10K run with elite athletes, locals, mainlanders, and international participants. This is a wonderful and well laid out course for the newbie, for the out of towner and especially for the long time triathlete that just wants to have fun and be fit with friends. Furthermore, the location allows for a large number of participants, over 1500 participants a year usually. The swim portion was the main reason for me to sign up for this course. It is a long 1500m, but the water at Ala Moana Beach Park is flat. As coral surrounds this area, the water is protected from waves and certain ocean critters. This makes it great for the newbie to try out a triathlon of this distance. The swim portion of this race is a straight line, out and back. We started from Magic Island and then swam almost the end of the park water and then back. The water here is a relatively decent size, capable of fitting a large number of swimmers. The bike portion of this race was relatively easy. The road is a flat out and back. With the exception of a slight incline on the way out to Aloha Stadium, it was relatively flat. Flats are my strengths, so the course was in my favor. The run portion was a bit confusing but yet nice for spectators. Since the park is a bit small, participants had to run around the park twice. On the second loop, participants had to make sure to get a band and place it on the right wrist. This could have been a bit confusing for participants. The upside to running around in a loop was that spectators did not have to move around to watch their favorite participants. I finished the race, tired, hot, exhausted but feeling well accomplished. My first completed "Olympic" distance triathlon was under my belt. Next year Honolulu Tri, next year, we will meet again! Who's up for the challenge?

Just ran the 2012 Xterra Trail World Championship on Sunday, 12/2/2012. Had I known that this trail…read morerace was as amazing and scenic, as well as hardcore, I would have probably said no. Then again, with my extensive marathon resume and my curiosity for adventure and just for something to do on a Sunday, I signed up for this race in mid October not knowing what to really expect. At least it was a half marathon I told myself. 13.1 miles of rugged terrain in the lush valleys of Kualoa Ranch on the island of Oahu, a place where I haven't ever been, except passing by on Kamehameha Hwy on the way north to Laie and Polynesian Cultural Center. It was the first time running this race and my first trail experience in Hawaii. After tackling a 50K trail in Colorado in September (Bear Chase 50K in Lakewood, CO), I kind of knew what I was getting into. Well, not so much after all, it seemed. Maybe I probably should have known better, but surprises were out there for us all on the course. I didn't want to pay $25 for the private shuttle that the race provided, which was basically a rented yellow school bus. They shuttled runners from Waikiki to the race start at the backside of Kualoa Ranch. I got here by city bus, which is really affordable if you just plan ahead. The Xterra World Championship boasts the 21K / Half Marathon as its marquee event, attracting some of the most finest trail runner elites from all parts of the country. They also have a 10K, 5K, and an adventure walk that attracts anyone and everyone to Kualoa Ranch for an epic Sunday. Race registration hovers from $40-$55, so if you want the challenge, might as well register early. I held out and had to pony up for the later fee. It's bittersweet that I have signed up for this race, since the course was just as brutal as the majestic scenery that was the Koolau Mountains that surrounded Kualoa Ranch. It was great that I can notch another half marathon to my list of races, but at the cost of having virtually no trail experience whatsoever and my body and legs are telling me so. The course was basically mostly uphill and the first mile ascended like a bat out of hell and it didn't really flatten out till those grassy downhills at mile 2. There were some reprieve in the course where it kinda did flatten to moderate downhill, which was miles 5-7, but that was it. We climbed back up at mile 8 and snaked through the back of Kualoa Ranch. The biggest surprise was the massive hill at mile 10 and the rugged tippy toe über crazy down hill that you could not even really run, due to it being so crazy you may fall and roll off into the ravine. This part scared me, but I managed to get down one way or another and those ropes helped a lot! It helps also that Xterra allows everyone in, not just elites, so I could have help on the course, if I needed it. The last. 2.5 miles snaked around miles 3-5 of the course and it was a soft downhill to the finish line. Never in my life that I experienced something so powerful and epic that I would consider something like that next year. Maybe maybe not. Thanks to Xterra for keeping the finish line open for the last finisher. Met new friends and 2 yelpers that morning too. It was awesome to see Yelper Zar N. running the 10K and meeting Yelper Chris P. from Kapolei. Big thanks to Chris P. and her husband whom gave me a ride back to UH from Kualoa Ranch that afternoon. I thought of DNF when I came across that tiptoe section of mile 10-ish and I just wanted to cry. Knowing that I paid money for this made me realize that I can do this if I just break it all down and take each step one step at a time. The finish time didn't matter that day. What mattered was that I completed the course and survived. Run more! B+

Not a runner at all, but saw that they offered the option to walk the 5k or even just take an…read moreadventure tour, I signed up the hubs and daughter just so we could check out the trails that aren't open to the public. Big props to the race organizers for making everything so easy, from picking up the packet in Waikiki to finding parking on the day of the race! My daughter wasn't happy about waking up so early to get to Kualoa Ranch, but once we got on the trail with the magnificent landscape and cool movie set locations, she was smiling from ear to ear. The Boneyard, with huge skeletons of a triceratops and ape skull, will definitely cut into your race times because you'll want to stop to take pictures! The 5k trail can be a little demanding on the uphill sections but those are few and far between - you'll have enough time to catch your breath and enjoy the scenery. I saw several racers with babies on their backs and little ones in tow, so you can definitely do this with kids. Highly recommend this race - great activity if you've got guests on island at the time!

This 5k/10k is A-OK…read more Great for families, and it's surprising to see just how many keiki show up for this race. The top time in 2013 for males was 37 minutes, but it's not a highly competitive race. Overall field was only 193 runners, which made it very comfortable. Other strong points were the great work by volunteers, smooth organization, and awesome snack table. Cons would definitely be old timing methods and a not-so-scenic route. It felt like we did nothing for 10k but run through people's driveways. Considering this is one of the most spectacular parts of the island, the route leaves much to be desired. Still, a solid run for all-ages.

As published in the Sept 2013 Hawaii Sport Magaine print issue…read morehttp://issuu.com/hawaiisportmag/docs/hawaii_sport_sept_2013_print : Happy 4th of July! There really was no better way to celebrate America's birthday for Independence than to dress up in our Red, White and Blue and run; run for our Independence. The run/walk started at approximately 7:04AM (to stand for 7/4) and runners, moms with strollers, kids and dogs started on their path. My path was the 10K. I rushed up and down a few hills and before I knew it, I was at the halfway point and turning around to finish the last 3 miles! At the end of the finish line were lots of wonderful refreshments and food to fuel my empty stomach! I enjoyed the rest of my day by treating myself with a huge BBQ and a big tummy! This was a very enjoyable race and I hope to be able to do it again next year.

Great team relay race! Very competitive! I ran the very first Honolulu Rainbow Ekiden, which was…read morevery big! The first one was an out-and-back course that started at Waikiki beach; heading towards Kapiolani Park, and back! Now the race consists of a course that starts at Kapiolani Park, and takes runners up the dreaded hill next to Diamond Head, and back to Kapiolani Park. Simple out-and-back fun relay run, but brutal as well, if you aren't a "hill" fan. I enjoyed this race overall, and very glad that I got to experience the very first Honolulu Rainbow Ekiden Relay. I'm not a fan of the new course, but do understand the reasons why they moved the start of it to Kapiolani Park vs Waikiki beach. As for this race, i definitely recommend it, if you love team competition running mixed with fun! No worries if you miss this one, which is in March, because there is also a more scenic one in May named "Honolulu Ekiden Music Relay". Enjoy!

You can't beat a good 10km / 5km foot race that's close to home. After all, it's one of those…read moregrassroots running distances that is the gateway to - if you so desire - the half marathon and the marathon. It makes me smile. I discovered Sharon's Bike / Run about 7 years ago, while researching running events on runningintheusa.com website. I searched all distances for Hawaii and came across this event. It starts and ends at the Kapiolani Community College parking lot, so it was close to home for me. No driving necessary. I actually walked it to the start line on the years I signed up, which was a good mile or so. Most Sundays, I would do a long run elsewhere, but to have a short distance race to motivate me to get out the door is a bonus. Not to mention that it's a local race that promotes physical fitness and running as a social thing that makes running and racing fun. For the most part though, the races themselves are small but fun and intimate. Since i am used to the marathon distance, I usually choose the 10km distance, but you're free to choose whichever distance you desire! The run course itself runs from Kapiolani Community College parking lot and runs into diamond head crater. From there, u turn back out to diamond head road and east on Kahala Avenue towards Kahala mall. You stop at one point and return back towards kapiolani community college. That's the 10km route. I imagine that the 5km route u-turns around triangle park. Sharon's Run/Walk/Bike features a cycling event too. While the run itself is fun and addicting, they have 50 mile or 100km cycling events too for the cyclist. I have seen numerous cyclists on race morning and it was pretty cool. For the most part though, the intimate affair of these kinds of events showcase the needs of awareness. Proceeds from the Sharon's Ride/Walk/Ride for epilepsy goes to the local chapters for epilepsy research. It's pretty much a fundraiser but keeps people active with fun athletic events that keeps people active. Sharon's Ride/Walk/Cycle for Epilepsy is named for Sharon Rosenfield, a nurse and a teacher who was tragically killed in 1993 during a cross country bike ride. She was passionate about epilepsy and was an advocate of helmet safety. Honolulu's event is a part of a series of events throughout the year at different locations on the US mainland. Each year, Sharon's Ride/Walk/Run in Honolulu is on the last Sunday in January. As mentioned before, the start and finish line is at Kapiolani Community College. Race morning starts around 4am when cars start coming to fill parking stalls. Race usually starts around 6am or 7am. Prices are usually around $35-$50, depending on when you sign up for this event. I don't know how much the cycling event is, but I am just referring to the 5K or 10K events. Registration for these events are pretty much online, so they accept major credit cards. If you are starting to build and endurance fitness program and interested in running or walking, this event can surely help you see word this running thing can take you. 5 km can be the gateway to longer events and maybe you can do your first half marathon or marathon in a year from then. Who knows! Sky is the limit, as they say. The course is Walmart and the choirs volunteers were very much friendly and well supported anybody that was out there each year that they held the event. I myself love these intimate event just because it help me plan what I am going to do for a workout, instead of just doing my own thing and not being able to associate myself with racing here at Sharon's Walk run bike. If you are in the Honolulu area near the end of July, feel free to come over to this running events or cycling, if you prefer. I myself enjoyed doing the 10 km race every time I sign up for it. The course is self is mostly asphalt roads and they close the roads to traffic on a Sunday morning. Since this is Hawaii, you probably will need to wear sunscreen to protect yourself from the sun. Best bet is to train accordingly and have a good time on race day. It was fun and I plan on doing it again. Recommended if you love to run and do in your age group. Even then, do this race just because you love to run anyway and compete anyway. It's all good! 5.0 stars for the overall experience and ambiance. 5.0 stars for the friendly volunteers and the race location. Run more! Support local! A

As published in the May 2014 print issue of Hawaii Sport Magazine:…read morehttp://issuu.com/hawaiisportmag/docs/hawaii_sport_may_2014_online "Sharon's Ride/Run" was started in 1996 by Dr. William Rosenfeld and Dr. Susan Lippman in St. Louis, Missouri. The event is a memorial to Sharon Rosenfeld, who was killed during a cross country bicycle ride in 1993. Sharon was a nurse and teacher, who cared deeply about epilepsy and epilepsy patients. Today, Sharon's Run/Ride is held across the nation in efforts to raise awareness for Epilepsy and to raise funds for the Epilepsy Foundation. You may choose to walk 1 mile, run 5K/10K, ride 35km/75km/100km. Various distances makes this event fun and friendly to participants of all levels. There was even a Keiki (kids) bike safety course. I chose to run the 10K. The 10K course started at the walking path to the entrance to Diamond Head Crater across from Kapiolani Community College. The race route started along the walking path and went up to where the parking of Diamond Head Crater started, then came back down, followed along Kahala Avenue towards Waialae Country Club, left on Kealaolu Street for about a mile, then back down Kealaolu Street, back down Kahala Avenue, a right at Diamond Head Road and then to Kapiolani Community College where the finish line awaited. With the exception of the hill up towards Diamond Head Crater parking, the rest of the route was very flat. The event was held on an extremely nice and sunny day in late January. This was a casual, fun run (or ride, for some) with many generous volunteers setting up and at aid stations. I hope to participate in this event again in the future.

Yelp 365 Challenge #122/365…read more After the Great Aloha Run, I had the insane idea to sign up for another run...the 15th Annual Ford Island Bridge Run, which is only 6.2 miles. I figure I would train on the days that I don't attend TRX classes by running around my neighborhood. However, there are times when plans don't go according to your agenda especially for me. And I have that type of personality where it grates on my nerves and it will gnaw at me for days afterwards. For instance, the past three weeks-I haven't been up to par in health. In fact, my coughing is still here but not as bad as before. I've only returned to TRX classes last Thursday. So, for me to expect to do my best on race day...I was setting myself up to having too much of high expectations. Nevertheless, I still got up early plus I was using my running clothes--so all I had to do was put on my contacts, brush my hair, and brush my teeth. Drove to the stadium but the gates weren't open yet, so I drove to SackNSave to pick up bananas and water. Parked in the Aloha Stadium overflow parking lot and ate a banana (I should have ate more as well as whole wheat bread but I didn't). Drank some water and by 6:15, I decided to walk across to Richardson Field and waited with the rest of the runners/walkers to be instructed to line up at the start line. I stretched... Observed... Took pics of my shoes and surroundings... Waved hi to a few co-workers and silently prayed while reminding myself to pace myself. 7:00AM (It begins) Ran slowly on the bridge....first HILL (I HATE HILLS) Off the bridge and rounded the corner to the first mile marker and noticing in the far distance...the runners that were ELITE RUNNERS passing the four / five mile MARKER. And this is what happened... I allowed discouragement to set in...(bad thing for me to do) By the three mile marker...my stomach started burning because I burned up that LITTLE APPLE BANANA, which I had to slow my run down to where I decided to walk for my body to adjust. However, I was allowing myself to notice other people especially walkers pass by me. So, I started jogging really slow. This is when the sun came out from the clouds and blast me with its rays (good thing I had a bottle water). Another thing that slowed me down, (my fault!) was the fact that I was taking in all the historic building surroundings as well as making a note to go to Pacific Aviation to check out the planes! The water stations were at perfect intervals but it was luke warm water. However, thank you to the volunteers who were quickly handing out waters and cheering us on. As we rounded the last circle before heading back to the bridge, I noticed that some cars were impatient and attempting to drive in the midst of runners (boo!) Finally, the bridge loomed ahead and at first I was jog/walking behind other walkers before realizing that I am able to run around them. There were the camera people waiting to take pictures but um...NO, I was actually becoming grouchy because I swear...I hate hills. I had to run the hills on the bridge...then I had to run up the hill to round the corner to get to Richardson Field. I was not a happy person because I allowed discouragement to get the better of me. I was that irritated at everything, that I decided to sprint it just to get it over and done with. The finishing time on the clock was 1:43:36, however, official time was 1:43:00 (I made it under two hours, thank God). But, like a petulant child after accomplishing something, I just headed to the table that was offering water and gatorade. I grabbed my bottles and watched the awards ceremony. Megan Clark (my trainer) at SOHI Fitness placed THIRD for OVERALL WOMEN in this event. How cool is that? Plus, the trophies were koa wood (I think). There was some entertainment afterwards but I didn't stay. I chose to pick up my grandson and rest for the remainder of the day. Overall experience, it was a good run. It would have been a BETTER RUN if I did the following: 1) Eat a little more before the race 2) Understand that because I was just getting over being sick...my timing will be all right 3) Don't look ahead to see the elite runners and get discouraged because after all, I am running for me and no one else... 4) To remember to take my inhaler before stepping out of the car 5) TO HAVE FUN Will I do this one again next year? I think so.

What a fun event! Parking was a bit of a headache so next year I'd go a little earlier. Weather…read morelooked dreary but ended up being just perfect; a little sunny then overcast. The run takes you through all the historical buildings; by the bowfin, behind the air museum and down and around the runway back up and through the renovated living quarters. Everyone was so lighthearted and friendly which made the run really fun. The best thing, though, were the snacks at the end of the run. After making the tredge back up&over the bridge, meadow gold trucks were waiting to pass out popsicles, milk, yogurt &cottage cheese. What a treat. I'd definitely do this run again.