Tag: International Athletics Consultancy

2014 HAPALUA, THE CHASE

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Prepping for Hapalua
7 of 800 Japanese runners ready for Hapalua
First group of Team Hawaii about to start along Waikiki Beach, including winner Eri MacDonald on far left
First group of Team Hawaii about to start along Waikiki Beach, including winner Eri MacDonald on far left

Honolulu, Hawaii — Hawaii’s First Family of running notched another victory today as 33-year-old Eri MacDonald won the third edition of The Hapalua, Hawaii’s Half Marathon in a unique Chase format that pitted the top island runners against three invited world-class runners from Kenya. Beginning 21-minutes ahead  of Patrick Makau and Peter Kirui, Eri ran 1:25:21, which adjusted to 1:04:21 at the Kapiolani Park finish. That was enough to complete the 13.1 mile loop 29-seconds ahead of Big island runner Rani Henderson, 38,  a three-time Honolulu Marathon Kama’aina (island) champion who began in the same group with MacDonald.  The victory garned a $5000 first-place prize.

Long-striding Kenyan star Peter Kirui came roaring from behind to catch all but the top two.  He posted a gun time of 65:45 over the Honolulu course which included two climbs of the Diamond Head crater in the final 6km.  

“It was fun,” said Macdonald,who was a 13-time Hawaii state high school cross country and track champion at Punahou High school. “I ran the first year, and it didn’t go very well, but I started with a good group today, then took the lead coming back down Diamond Head.”  (more…)

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NEW PR VIDEO STARS FORMER MARATHON RECORD HOLDER PATRICK MAKAU

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It is no surprise that the dominance of Kenyan runners over the last twenty years has cut both ways in the sport of distance running.  While records have fallen with increasing rapidity, the marketability of the sport — and its champions  — has also fallen well behind the standard set by the slower champions of the initial running boom.  Now, perhaps belatedly, the fastest runners on the planet have begun to  acknowledge that their role must extend beyond that of simple performer and include a dash of salesman, too, in the offering of the sport to the public. (more…)

KENYAN CHAMPION REACHING OUT TO BACK OF THE PACK

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Perhaps it took Competitor Group’s two-by-four to the frontal lobe to get people’s attention, but now that CGI has eliminated appearance fees and (by running’s standards) appreciable prize purses at its U.S.-based Rock `n` Roll Series, it seems the message, “nobody cares how fast you run if nobody cares who you are”, has gotten through the fastest anonymous runners of the world.

This week International Athletics Consultancy, a European-based sports agency, announced that one of its top clients, two-time TCS Amsterdam Marathon champion Wilson Chebet, is using Facebook to offer advice to average runners prepping for the October 20th race. (more…)

WORLD RECORD MARATHONER PATRICK MAKAU IN HONOLULU FOR LONDON TUNER

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World Record holder Patrick Makau
Marathon World Record holder Patrick Makau

Honolulu, Hawaii — Marathon world record holder Patrick Makau of Kenya arrived in Honolulu last night in preparation for The Hapalua, Hawaii’s premier Half Marathon.  The second edition of The Hapalua will be run this Sunday morning beginning adjacent to world-famous Waikiki Beach.  The race, and its Chase format, will be Makau’s final tune up for the April 21st Virgin London Marathon where he will test himself against one of the strongest marathon fields ever assembled, including all three medalists from the 2012 London Olympic Marathon.

While there are some who might question why an athlete of Makau’s stature would travel so far for a tune up when his marathon is just six weeks away, and chance a major disruption to his training, Makua has always run to his own rhythms, and with evident success. (more…)