2012 Great Aloha Run

We FINISHED!  Dennis' gouty toe aches.  My knee is complaining, but we finished the darn 8.15 miles.  Art is perfectly fine and is happy with his running time.

Aloha Stadium Shuttle buses to Honolulu Aloha Tower

We got up early this morning, picked up Dennis and arrived with plenty of time to spare at the Aloha Stadium near Pearl Harbor.

My brother, Dennis and I were feeling OK.  Art was raring to go.

We caught the shuttle to Honolulu's Aloha Tower.

Aloha Tower lighted up

  
There were a whole LOT of runners, walkers, strollers, etc.  Everyone appeared happy and excited about participating in the race.  (Almost 30,000 runners/walkers signed up for the race.  Over 21,000 actually completed the race.)

The Great Aloha Run is a terrific charity race that supports various needy causes in Hawaii.

It was very dark, but we could see the military marching ahead to signal the start of the race.

Dennis and Art

It was soon time for Art to leave us as he walked to the front of the pack where runners were gathered.  Dennis and I stayed behind with the walkers.

We waited alongside these two gigantic Chinese dragon balloons.

They were very impressive, held aloft on poles by several walkers.

Starting gate

 At 7:00 AM the sun was rising, the Star Spangled Banner and Hawaii Ponoi (our state anthem) were sung and we walked slowly toward the Starting Gate.

This group had the ALOHA spirit.

These soldiers were carrying full packs!

Volunteers manned the watering stations along the way.  I ran into a Zumba buddy at one of the water stations.

Of course, if you drink a lot of water you need to make a pit stop.  Our pit stop cost us 20 minutes of waiting.  Sheesh!

I was pretty darn astonished that we made it to the 5th mile mark.

At the 6th mile, Dennis' toe was starting to ache.  The Motrin I took before the race and the knee brace that I borrowed from mom seemed to help.  However, I could feel my knees getting ready to complain.

Taiko drummers encouraged us along.

And suddenly we were in the Pearl Harbor area and we were determined to finish the race.

There were lots of volunteers motivating us to stay the course.

It was unnerving to see a couple of people on the side of the road who were overcome by what appeared to be heat exhaustion.

Aides were calling for support.

And at last.... there it was!  Aloha Stadium!

Art finished the race in 1 hour 16 minutes.  Dennis and I did it in 2 hours 46 minutes.  (Don't forget that 20 minute bathroom break.)

My times in past were:
2009- 2:56:12
2010- 3:01:21
2011- 2:42:44

Art has been very consistent through out the years and came in 12th in his age group this year.

I can't believe it!  We finished!

For TWO years they ran out of Medium t-shirts so I had to give away the Large size they gave me.  This time, they had the Medium.  Would you believe my brain went to sleep and I collected a Small size finisher t-shirt.  Doggone it!

Art thinks I'll do this again next year to get the right size.  (LOL)

After the race we stopped at Mapunapuna's Mini Garden and bought some plate lunches.

We were so hungry, everything was delicious!

And now that I've posted this, I'm taking a long nap....

Day Before the Aloha Run

We went to the Great Aloha Run (Walk) Expo yesterday and picked up our racing bibs.

We'll be getting up at 3:25 tomorrow morning and leave the house by 4:25.

We'll pick up Dennis at his home at 4:45 and then on to Aloha Stadium.

Photo from 2011 Great Aloha Run

From there we'll catch the 5:15 AM shuttle bus for Honolulu.  The starting gate is at the Aloha Tower.

Art will run the race.

However, it's going to be a challenge for Dennis and me.  Dennis tells me he's got a little flare up of his gout. Wouldn't you know it?  My knees are aching a bit from trying not to be sedentary and doing my computer work/play while standing up and occasionally dancing to Pandora music.  We're both planning to take some anti-inflammatory before the race.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed.  I'd cross my toes, but I don't want to strain them.

Crazy Brother!

When our cousin, Renee had to bow out of doing the Aloha Run due to health problems my brother, Dennis agreed to keep me company for the 8 mile walk from Honolulu to the Aloha Stadium near Pearl Harbor.

"Don't worry, Dennis," I reassured him.   "We'll  just walk a couple of miles and by that time Art will have completed the 8 miles and can come and pick us up.  We'll grab breakfast at a McDonalds or whatever and wait for him there."

I figured I was safe because Dennis has painful gout that sometimes flares up.  He's also had knee problems.  I forgot that he can also... out of the blue... be doggone competitive.  Like I said before, he's probably got his eye on that Finisher t-shirt like Art.

The race is on February 20th, Presidents Day.  When I talked to my sister-in-law Nancy, she said he was training.  

What??!!??  Training?  What for?

"He walked home from the police station yesterday," Nancy told me.  "That's five miles!  He's wondering if you're going to be able to walk a 13 minute mile."

What?!???  I only know for sure that I can walk a mile and a half without collapsing... maybe two.... slowly... and it takes me a half hour!

Aha!  I just thought of something.  How about I walk as far as I can and send him to the finish line?  He and Art can both pick me up at Starbucks while I sip on a frappucino!