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Run for the Whales 2008 Race Review
Review By Louis Tomsic The Maui Run for the Whales was held on Saturday, February 9 at 6:30A for the half marathon, 8:00A for the 5K, and 8:05A for the 2K. The morning was another sunny one in Wailea at the Polo Beach parking lot where all the races began. Professional timing was done by Runners Paradise. The race course for the 5K was a rolling hills course where it went along the back roads till traveling for half a mile on the highway toward Big Beach and tehn made the first left turn going downhil and back up hill to the turnaround point. The 5K course was an out and back course with the last 3/4 of a mile being mainy downhill.
This years race had over 200 race participants which is used as a benefit to raise money by the Pacific Whale foundation for Marine education programs for Maui school children. The award ceremony was hosted by Q101 DJ which gave a fun atmosphere.
The post race breakfast included sliced up pineapple, cantalope, melon and strawberries, alond with fruit drinks and assorted muffins avaliable on a table after the race. Many runners ate & had a can of fruit drink while the award cerimony was going on. Prize give aways included shirts and scented soaps.
The race t-shirts were excellent in design showing a whale & the Earth stating "Protect our Ocean Home". The t-shirt color was light green which is a different color from all the white and grey t-shirts at other races. Everyone at the race was commenting how well they liked the race t-shirts. The awards medals were given to the top 3 in each age division with hand made green leis.
I have been running the Run for Whales runs for over a decade now. Although the race couse has changed form starting in the Kihei park with the whale in front of it to this new location in Wailea, the cause remains a good one in saving our planets whales for future generations to come. I noticed the Maui police doing an excellent job directing traffic during the race. An extra benifit of finishing the race was a free massage from the Maui School of Therapeutic Massage. Laura and Tara gave me a relaxing 15 minute massage that helped my legs a lot.
The only thing that I could see needing improvement was the parking situation. I would recommend arriving to the race early so you get a good parking spot and not have to be shuttled from your car a mile away. Last Updated: February 9, 2008 |
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