OAHU PERIMETER RUN-OAHU PERIMETER RELAY by MID-PACIFIC ROAD RUNNERS CLUB

Oahu Perimeter Run waiting along the Wai'anae Mountain Range at Kaena Point for my next leg.

My favorite race of all time was the 27-28 February 1999 Mid-Pacific Road Runners Club's Oahu Perimeter Relay, also known as the 134-mile Oahu Perimeter Run.  I was the team captain for our 7-man military team, so I volunteeered to take the most milage (over 26 miles) since I had just completed the Honolulu Marathon on 13 Dec 98 in 3 hours 41 minutes.  Our 7-man team placed a respectable 16th place out of 53 men's military teams in 16:53:13 thanks to our van support drivers and our secret weapon in the pick-up van:  an on-board massage therapist!

The Oahu Perimeter Run was challenging but we also got to experience the natural beauty of the entire island.  Although the race started out near the Zoo,  I began my first of five 5+ mile legs along Kawaikui Beach Park between Diamond Head and Koko Head Craters along Kalanianaole Highway (72) oceanfront.

Oahu Perimeter Run waiting along the Wai'anae Mountain Range at Kaena Point for my next leg.

  My most memorable stretch of road was watching the orange full moonrise out of the ocean along Sunset Beach.  My second favorite point was waiting along Kaena Point on the Ewa/Wai'anae Mountain Range for our slowest runner who ran the two treacherous off-road legs on the rocky nature trail to come around the bend.  This is where we saw the biggest waves, schools of dolphins swim by and a breaching whale.  That was just before the hottest part of the race for me, in the sugar cane fields between Barbers Point and Ewa Beach, baking in the hot morning sun.  The third best leg for me was along Pearl Harbor.  The other two legs were in the middle of the night along the North Shore and Kaneohe Bay which were generally peaceful and quiet without any other runners around me, which was a relaxing experience to take in the clear Hawaiian night sky and ocean views as I chugged along.

Our team's pick-up van at Kaena Point during the Oahu Perimeter Run.

Each of us except the Kaena Point runner were experienced in marathon running and we divided up the legs pretty well.  As a relay, each of us would run for about 30-40 minutes and then rest for about and hour while the pick-up van leap-frogged ahead to the next drop off point.  Our team was able to utilize our trained message therapist to keep from locking up after each leg with a good rub down.  We also had great driver teams, including the Command Sergeant Major, who had to stay awake the entire 17-hour ordeal.  the drivers also doubled as our photographers and safety officers.  They kept the van well-stocked with food and cold drinks, especially bananas, bagels and Gatorade.

The race was well marked and well planned.

Big winter waves at Kaena Point during the Oahu Perimeter Run.