MPRRC Oahu Perimeter Run Stories

2003 Race Story

Race Leg	Runner	Distance	Accumulated Distance
3	Janet	2.66	2.66
11	Janet	4.49	7.15
15	Janet	5.83	12.98
23	Janet	3.38	16.36
29	Janet	2	18.36

Story by Janet Foote

It's difficult to describe an event in which one jumps out of a van, paces with nervous energy for five minutes, waves and yells frantically to an approaching runner, swiftly grabs a vacuum cleaner attachment, and takes off for a two to six-mile run until seeing a bunch of vans with runners in reflecting vests milling around and spotting the one runner yelling and waving arms, deftly handing off the vacuum cleaner attachment to that runner, and then finally being able to cool down, find a restroom and ask the all-knowing driver about your time before climbing back in the van and driving to the end of the next leg. For the next leg or many legs, one just climbs out to cheer on teammates and witness the vacuum cleaner attachment's journey around the island. And then it is time to for one's own run again.
The event was the 32nd Annual Oahu Perimeter Run which traveled slightly under 134 miles, counter-clockwise around the island of Oahu. All teams started on the hour between 6 pm and 11 pm Saturday with the times staggered to ensure that even the teams expected to be the fastest would not reach Kaena Point (a potentially treacherous leg of trail running) until sunrise, about 6:40 am. Each relay team consists of seven runners with each runner set to complete five legs of the course. The course record of 12 hours and 21 minutes was set in 1990 and it doesn't sound all that fast until one realizes that the time works out to an approximately five and a half minute pace for each runner over the entire course. In 2003, two teams openly stated that they were going to try and break the record.
The team for which I had been recruited was the "Dust Eaters" - a name that might make our use of a vacuum cleaner attachment for a baton sensible. Okay, I admit it - I kept joking our baton "sucked", but in reality it was great. It was easy to hang onto, didn't get all sweaty, and was tapered so each runner could hang onto it in an area that was comfortable for his/her grip. Our team was a "mixed masters" group: four men and three women whose combined ages were under 425 but older than 325 years (or average age greater than 46 years). Five of the runners were Perimeter Run veterans, Stacey and I were both "newbies" to the event. The team also included three crew who drove the two vans, cheered, navigated, stopped at Starbucks, estimated times, cheered, provided water, wrote down times, communicated via cell phone, drank coffee, cheered, coordinated runner drop-offs and pick-ups, drank cola, watched for our approaching runner, cheered, cussed traffic, consulted maps, cheered, and finally arrived for a team photo after more time spent searching for a parking spot while the rest of the team cheered the team anchor racing to the Kapiolani Park finish line. Our estimated time for the Perimeter Run was 18 hours and 39 minutes, about an hour faster than the predicted time of the two other teams competing in our same division. We started at 9 pm Saturday evening, thinking that our competitors had started at 8 pm. Some of the team members also knew runners from an all-male masters team ("The Middle Ages") who were also starting at 9 pm and who were eyed as competition throughout the race.
Georg, our fastest runner (and in the final count our runner with the most consistent pace), got us off to a great start. Then we were piling into the two vans and heading for Starbucks (important to "fuel" our all-night drivers while there was still a coffee place open along the course) and the hand-off for the start of leg three. That was my first leg - 2.66 miles in length of which 0.9 miles was a single hill. Although this hill was the longest one of the course, there is one hill that the veterans dislike more, one about a half-mile in length that comes up late Sunday morning in town of Waipahu. The veterans were saying the Waipahu hill was hot and ugly; they just didn't like it. Shortly after this discussion took place, the various team members were discussing the lengths of the various legs. Stacey and I noted with interest that we had the legs with the worst hills and the legs that were longest in length. We were learning what being a "newbie" was all about. That first leg for me went quickly between worrying that I was following the course, crossing the street from a lady trying to calm a handful of leashes holding barking, yapping dogs, and then trying to concentrate on figuring out which was our van and runner and exchanging the vacuum cleaner attachment. Although each van was required to have the team number clearly marked on the back with reflecting tape and of course runners from each team are watching each approaching runner to pick out their own for a clean and quick baton exchange, it's not initially easy to determine which van and runner are yours in the excitement of finishing a leg during the race. The start and finish of my first race leg were in well-lit neighborhoods; this would not be the case on all the legs.
There were several race segments before my next leg, so I got the chance to view the race from the van and watch some of the other teams. We saw an all-women's team, each wearing a bridal veil. We thought they might have the team name of "Seven brides…" (as in "seven brides for seven brothers") but later found out they were the "Runaway Brides". Their baton had been fashioned to look like a bridal bouquet. The Runaway Brides ended up beating us by almost an hour and a half but they were still a half-hour behind the fastest women's team, "Femme Fatale". Part of the fun of the race is seeing the different team names and "batons" (there is also a baton competition). At least three teams were exchanging Barbie dolls - or portions of the Barbie dolls (maybe she couldn't take the mileage) - in various states of "clad".
The majority of the race teams were military, so sometimes it's difficult to determine if initials used for team names actually have meaning or what story lies behind the chosen name. Team names included: "Seven Bodies, No Brains", "Not So Young, But Still Dumb", "Fleas On The Run", "Just Finish", "Sedulouss Seabee Seven II" (I wouldn't even ask), "The Screamin' Wahines", "Nightingales" (-you had to see them - they were all wearing nurse's caps), "Seven Silly Fools Run Around the Outside", "We're On Crack", "Aberrant Lucre" (huh?) "Prime Beef", "Hope2finish", "Running With Scissors" (I really liked that one), "Boldly Going Nowhere", "My Poi Knees" (great name and hilarious baton!), "Meanderthals" (one of our competitors), "Bodies in Motion, Brains On Vacation", "Soccer Is Evil" (all high school students - great performance!), "Catch Me If You Can", "No Speedos On Board", "Co-Ed Naked Linguists", and the winners of the team name contest and team baton contest (you had to see it to believe it) "Sharks With Friggin Lasers Attached To Their Friggin Heads". Yes - their "baton" was a rod shoved into the mouth of a glow-in-the-dark rubber shark that had mini laser lights attached to its head.
Our team captain Halina, had carefully distributed the 35 race legs to ensure that each team member ran close to equal estimated total distance during the race along with giving requested legs to specific runners if there was a preference. Veteran runners are not supposed to complete the same legs that they had run the previous year. We had one runner Tom, who had been doing lots of trail runs and wanted to do the "off-road" portion at Kaena Point. And I believe Sergio requested the final sprint through tourist-laden Waikiki to the finish line at Kapiolani Park. My race legs were 3, 11, 15, 23, and 29. When I first told co-workers that I was going to be doing the Perimeter run I had joked that I would probably be running in the dark somewhere at 3 am Sunday morning. The irony is - I was! My second leg - leg 11 - skirted the eastern side of the island with the Ko`olau mountains along one side of the road and stretches of beach along the other. It's absolutely incredible to be running at a nice even pace, no traffic, moon reflecting off miles of lapping water, slowly gaining on a runner ahead. Wow - this was what it was all about! I actually did pass a couple of runners, but also experienced the rush of having runners from the "elite" teams seemingly fly by to be out-of-sight in no time. We were forty-something miles into the race and teams that had started two hours later at 11 pm had already caught and passed us.
Because of the distribution of mileage, I would be running again after three legs passed and this would be the longest leg of the race. Before I knew it, it was time to claim the vacuum cleaner attachment and I was off and running on a flat, winding stretch nearing the northern tip of Oahu. Shortly after the hand-off, a van cruised past yelling something about "Seabees". Then a beefy runner went by. This was the last person I remember seeing until seeing a teammate alongside our van which had stopped after 3-miles into the leg to see if I wanted water. There was no ocean access along this stretch to reflect the light of the quarter-moon, and no street lights until reaching the beach parks near the end of the leg. It was unbelievably dark. I spent the miles listening to croaking frogs and hoping the roadway remained level and free of potholes. I was glad I was wearing my little illuminated sash - it provided the only light I had. Someone in a dark hooded sweatshirt crossed the road ahead of me and then disappeared into the foliage. I ran on (okay maybe a bit faster right then). We were fortunate to have a great night. There had been a dusting of precipitation (and a brief deluge at one exchange) but no real rain. The earlier winds had calmed, the mugginess was gone, and the night was cool. Although it was now still an hour before sunrise, a couple of roosters egged me on with premature crowing. Soon there were more regularly-space streetlamps, then people and vans. I handed the vacuum cleaner attachment off to Stacey alongside the parking lot at Pupukea Beach Park. I now realize that the instruction information describing this hand-off location is hilarious: the instructions describe the different "rock features" located in the ocean at this park area. This stretch of the course has been pitch-black with eerie foliage lining both sides of the highway, and no ocean in sight. Yet we're to watch for a formation of rocks that look like "three tables" - it's fortunate our drivers know the way and vans line the parking lot alongside the exchange location. Time to re-hydrate and rest, knowing I would not be running again until mid-morning after our runners had completed the final stretches of the North shore, crossed Kaena Point and started down the western side of the Island. After picking up Stacey at the finish of her leg, our van would be driving ahead with the runners who have the first legs after Kaena Point. There is no passable road for vehicles at Kaena Point, and the most direct route to reach the western edge of it requires a time-taking detour.
It's good that we had started for the western region of the island as early as we did, as all traffic was diverted off the highway at one section because of an accident and forced to meander on a more indirect route through town. My plan had been to shower at the beach park near Kaena Point, change clothes and feel refreshed for the "new day" of running. Because it seemed we were cutting it close on time, our driver Brent dropped Stacey and I off at the showers and then went on ahead with the runners who had the next two legs. I couldn't get any water out of the showers. I learned later that there is a "key" hanging that one must use to turn the water on before turning on the showers. I washed off the best I could with water from the bathroom faucet and changed clothes. It felt good to be in fresh clothes even if I didn't get the relaxing feel of water hitting the leg muscles.
We waited for the van - patiently at first and then nervously as the time passed. We saw our runner Georg coming before we saw the van approaching. Stacey was supposed to be the next runner so we hoped the exchange location was far enough to allow us to pass Georg and let Stacey get ready before Georg ran in ready to hand off. We made it with a couple minutes to spare (okay so we did make sure Georg had to run up the entire hill to meet us). Stacey would be handing off the vacuum cleaner attachment to me next. I would be running past the Waianae Boat Harbor from which I often take a boat to go scuba diving, and through the town of Waianae until Maile Beach Park where I would give our "baton" to Carl. Sunday had started with a blast of sunshine - clouds would come in later and cool off the day, but at this point, the sun blazed as I tried to keep a pace through sidewalks and storefronts. It must have been obvious to our team in the van that I was feeling the previous mileage and the change in clothes wasn't enough. Somewhere around the two-mile point of the leg, I was met by the van and teammates offering water. I took the water bottle and walked while drinking before passing the bottle back to my teammate. Once again I was trying to collect my pace and watching the van driving ahead to the next hand-off location. This stretch seemed longer than 3.38 miles; I was glad when it was finished. Now in the daylight we saw new teams we had not seen previously - fast teams who had overcome the start- time deficit during the night and slower teams with whom we had caught-up. Since Kaena Point we had been reaching the various hand-off locations around the same time as one of our competitors. This timing meant we should be an hour ahead of them, considering they started an hour earlier. But we weren't seeing the other team in our division so we worried that their predicted time could be off and they might be considerably faster than us. We were continuing to run handoff to handoff with "The Middle Ages" - the all male master's group that my teammates wanted to beat.
After more legs, Stacey was gliding up that "ugly hill" in Waipahu. She looked as even as ever. I grabbed the vacuum cleaner attachment from her at the top and rounded the corner towards an area in which several "moth-balled" naval ships are docked. Brent had driven the van along the course in this area before we parked so I would know exactly where to go. Before long I was turning in through the gate onto the "bike path extension" - a flat, paved path ending at Lehua Elementary School. I started strong. I know I slowed as the accumulated mileage of the past night and earlier morning made itself known in my calves and quads. A couple of cyclists yelled at me to make way for them and others following on the path. Two triathlete teams were running in the Perimeter race and then cycling between segments. Although choosing to both run and then cycle between the running legs is an incredible feat, I still felt it was rather rude of the cyclists to be interfering with the running race. On previous legs it almost seemed as if the cyclists were trying to shield their runners, or maybe they were simply completely oblivious to other runners being cut off in their effort to follow or light the roadway for their own runner. I gave them room and kept running. Two teams completed a baton exchange on the path in front of me. It wasn't an official location for a baton exchange and at two miles in length; this leg was among the shortest in the race so it really didn't make sense to be changing runners. Oh well, it seems there are always some who are in their own little race. I had cycled this stretch several times so I expected a hill after a couple of sharp turns near the end. It had been awhile since I had been out there, but I obviously remembered it incorrectly or was thinking of a different part of the path. It was flat and smooth and was my final leg. I was done! Georg grabbed the attachment and was gone in a flash. I jogged a bit to cool down, climbed into the van and we headed off. I could finally actually eat something and not worry that it wouldn't sit well (or would "sit") in my stomach. I got out the sliced oranges and Pepperidge Farms fish. I was riding shotgun and feeling great!
Security concerns have changed access that civilians have to many parts of the island and the next hand-off location had moved a bit from previous years. We missed the turn-off to drive to the location and couldn't locate it on a second pass around. Fortunately our other van carrying Carl and Halina (the next two runners) had already successfully found the site. We drove on ahead to where we would pick up Halina when she finished her final leg near the airport.
The other team in our division was finally spotted. They exchanged their baton about five minutes before Halina passed the vacuum cleaner attachment to Stacey. Our team was pleased thinking we should be approximately an hour ahead of the other teams in our division. Halina had passed The Middle Ages runner on her final race leg. Halina flashed an ear-to-ear grin at everyone; happy to have completed another Perimeter Run. We piled into the vans and drove on. While Stacey was working on completing her last race leg of 3.77 miles, the final two legs of the Perimeter Run were shorter. The vans would be contending with traffic into Waikiki trying to beat the runners to the finish. We dropped Tom off at Aloha Tower and headed off with our anchor Sergio to the final exchange location. The staggered start times aim to funnel teams into a relatively short finishing window so quite a collection of teams were staked-out and pacing the Fisherman's Wharf area, the location of the final baton exchange. We saw the Middle Ages final runner go by as Tom came into sight. Tom had made quick work of his final leg of 1.28 miles, finishing in just 9 minutes and 33 seconds. Another perfect handoff of the vacuum cleaner attachment and Sergio was racing towards Waikiki. We climbed in the van and the chase was on. We commented that Sergio looked stronger than the final Middle Ages runner. We were still ahead of Team Jet # 5, and less than five minutes behind Meanderthals, so if the teams had started as scheduled, we should be coming out ahead.
Sergio was well into Waikiki by the time we caught up to him in the van. We cheered him on out the van windows, although we couldn't tell if the encouragement registered. He was focused on bisecting the slow swell of aimless tourists, having already blocked the periphery chain of autos from his senses. We stuttered our way through the traffic to Kapiolani Park only to be blocked from the parking lot because spaces were reserved for another event. Driver Brent was not a happy camper. He dropped us off so we could witness our team's finish while he worked on his own race to find a parking spot. It was almost 3:30 pm on Sunday and we gathered along the coned finish lane listening to race recounts. We watched as a couple of runners finished. We spotted another runner. Was it? Yes - Sergio was "surging" in. After more than 36 hours without sleep, we grinned at our cleverness. We cheered; Sergio raced across the line! We had handed off our vacuum cleaner attachment flawlessly 34 times, continuously moving it around the island since 9 pm the previous evening. We had officially completed the 134-mile Oahu Perimeter race in 18 hours, 31 minutes and 52 seconds.
The official results were posted online on the following Thursday. The top two teams had completed the final handoff with only 5 seconds separating them. Armed Forces Hawai`i overcame the 5 second deficit behind the Mushroom Track club and finished the course in 12 hours, 32 minutes and 20 seconds. After 134 miles, the first and second place teams finished only one minute and four seconds apart, just eleven minutes slower than the course record. Only one other team finished in less than 15 hours, at 14 hours 54 minutes and 52 seconds. Twenty teams finished in less than 17 hours. A record number of 136 teams completed the 32nd Annual Oahu Perimeter Run. The Dust Eaters finished 55th overall. We finished less than a minute ahead of the Middle Ages and were a minute and a half behind the other all men's masters team. We finished well ahead of the other teams in our division whose official times turned out to be 20:28:04 and 21:08:45. We celebrated via email messages:

Hooorayyy!!!!! We won!!!! And 55 overall ain't bad either!!!
Congratulations!!!!!

Sergio

Not bad is an understatement! You guys beat over half of the MEN's military
teams. I'm not sure what that says about our military or your superior
speed?

Brent

Our team captain Halina and team member Carl who had recruited his wife Stacey to run, were unable to attend the award ceremony the following Saturday. The Dust Eaters cheered for the two teams of elite runners who kept the race from being decided until the final leg, the youth team "Soccer Is Evil" which finished in an awesome 16 hours, 45 minutes and 20 seconds, and cheered for the top Women's, Mixed and Military teams. We clapped and cheered loudly for the crooked tree branch, ace-bandaged around the middle and sporting a baby's shoe "foot" that served as a baton for "My Poi Knees", and like other attendees cheered more loudly for the rod shoved into the rubber shark with the "friggin lasers attached to his friggin head". We accepted medals for our first place finish in the mixed masters division and retrieved Halina's well-traveled vacuum cleaner attachment. Ahh - the stories it could tell. Although three of us won a second official race shirt, what we really hoped to win was the free team entry fee into 2004 Oahu Perimeter race. Racing five legs of varying length and conditions, spread over a night and day, I discovered new things about myself and about running. After eighteen hours and thirty-one minutes, one hundred and thirty-four miles, a couple dozen water bottles, two dirty vans, four very sweaty reflective vests and too many hours sans sleep, we were a team. The Perimeter Race insight was personal, but the experience is shared. Approach any one of us to carry and follow a vacuum cleaner attachment around the perimeter of Oahu and it would be best to stand aside. The Dust Eaters are ready to run.

Last Updated: April 25, 2003