Run & Walk for the Whales

Run & Walk for the Whales

Run & Walk for the Whales

( 3 reviews )
100% of reviewers recommend this race
  • Ma'alaea,
    Hawaii,
    United States
  • January
  • 3 miles/5K, 6 miles/10K, 13.1 miles/Half Marathon
  • Road Race
  • Event Website

Christopher McManus

Afton, New York, United States
43 19
2016
"An Embarrassing Victory"
Overall
T-Shirts/SWAG
Aid Stations
Course Scenery
Expo Quality
Elevation Difficulty
Parking/Access
Race Management
Christopher McManus's thoughts:

At the start of the new year, recently completing my second marathon in December, I was slowing building my distance back up to get ready for a half marathon in March. This is one of my favorite races because it helps me get some mileage under my belt, and has a pretty similar course to the half I will be doing.

The expo wasn't anything special as it is a small race. It was easy enough to get my bib and shirt for my friend and I. The shirt was a great improvement from last year's rust orange, it featured a whales tail on the sleeve and bottom on a mustard yellow cotton shirt.The other swag included a water bottle that said "Save the Whales." Again it was a small race so I didn't have any expectations about the expo and swag, which I was stoked for the shirt and bottle. The one thing that did cause some hesitation was the weather at the expo (night before the race). Maui was currently getting southward winds which bring vog (volcano smog) with if from the big island. Not something us Maui runners enjoy breathing in in general let alone on race day.

However on race morning we were blessed with northward winds that blew the vog away and made for great running weather! Our race started at 7:00 with the half marathoners at 6:30, and 5K runners at 7:15 at Maui Ocean Center at Ma'alea Harbor. The first mile took us north up Route 30 which was a minor upward incline. A Little after mile one we took a right down North Kihei Road which is downhill for just under a mile, a great spot to really shave off some time. Leading up to mile 3 was relatively flat terrain, but here's where things got interesting, for me at least. We were approaching an aid station near the end of mile 3, however against my better judgement I didn't bother to stop. The latest signage said Half Marathon Mile 4, and on I went. Then reality sunk in as I realized that I couldn't see any runner a head of me, or behind me, and my watch said that I was more than halfway through the race. I totally missed the turnaround. I turned around without hesitation and began my sprint back to the race. Back at the aid station I got tons of laughs from the volunteers, but I didn't really care. I realized that if I actually stopped and got water I would have realized that this was my turn around. Frustrated with myself I continued my sprint back along the flat road and back to the hill. I planned it out nicely that when I was just getting to the bottom of the hill on my way down I popped a energy chew so that by the time I got back it would kick in. Per my good planning I got the boost I needed and continued to re-pass all the runner I had previously passed already. Once at the top when we hit mile 5 it was all a downgrade hill to the finish. At this point there were a lot of 5K runners on their trip back as well, which meant lots of zig zagging through people. But I I rounded the corner by the Ocean Center parking lot I sprinted into the finish passing another few runners.

Even with my embarrassing mistake I still managed to place 11th overall and a PR too boot! If there was a lesson to be learned it's to never skip and aid station, even though I already knew that.

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