Hilo to Volcano 50K

Published January 6, 2018

6am Start in Hilo, 2 hour drive from Kona, 30 minutes prep. Mighty early Saturday a.m. Luckily, Sis’ husband drove (knocked off a half-hour in the backseat). Balmy dark morning in Hilo. Biggest pre-race dilemma: locating a working bathroom. Might sound like a small thing but being roadside, on a self-support course, for the next 7 hours – not starting this journey without an empty bladder 🙂

[Sibling rivalry? Sis wore Bib 49, her age. My Bib #? 65. Not so funny Sis.]

4 of us running today. Sis & I on foot, Paul & Stephen crewing. Telling ya upfront – could not have finished an all UPHILL 31-mile course without the world’s most amazing crew. Mile 8, 12 & every 2 miles thereafter. SUV parked, trunk open, water/electrolytes awaiting plus a variety of stomach-friendly foods for 2 of the pickiest stomachs on course.

Sis fueled on gluten-free sweets & solids; Kombucha & pickles for me. BEST my stomach has reacted in 3 years.

Hilo to Volcano 50K ultra is a challenging 31 mile route which begins at Moku Ola (Coconut Island) parking area in Hilo (sea level) and ends at Cooper Center in Volcano (almost 4,000 ft.) Runners choosing to run the solo event will need to provide their own support vehicles and return ride. The run is entirely on paved roads, primarily Highway 11. There is a 7 hour and 30 minute cut-off time to finish the run.

Each runner must provide his or her own vehicle escort and be responsible for food, water and supplies. Reflective vest and blinking lights are highly recommended for the first hour. Be prepared for a variety of weather and running conditions. Temperatures range from 40 to 80 degrees.

SUMMER. Just like EVERYTHING in Hawaii, super laid-back Start. Guy in a parking lot told us to start running. Followed a line of bobbing headlamps thru town, turned left at the House of Pancakes, Highway 11 the next 30 miles. Maintained a steady 10-minute pace, lost our crew at the Pancake House. We’d see them again near mile 9.

Cool comfortable start. No breeze, but no sunshine for another hour either. Balmy humid Hilo. Kept reminding ourselves, it could be worse. 6 miles in, not straight UP but a steady grade nonetheless. ‘Nough incline to labour breathing. Smells of morning breakfast in Hilo – Sis corrected me: it’s hash browns not fries, as we passed Micky D’s on the right.

Light rain. Didn’t hit our first ‘walking’ hill ‘til mile 8. Crew break. Aloha ’til mile 12.

SPRING. Rain, stank air/humidity. More rain, another pocket of thick/still humidity. Gaps between island neighborhoods widened, enjoyed our first breeze. Kinda diggin’ the day – course itself though, running alongside Highway 11, not super scenic. Considering we were running in H-A-W-A-I-I, folks could’ve thrown us some landscape.

Soaking sideways rain. Cold & wet. US’ only rainforest. Super happy to see the guys at mile 12. Day’s second costume change: long-sleeved tech shirt & a light jacket. Mile 14: precip reduced to a drizzle, dropped the jacket, elevation: 1000ft.

Solved lotta world problems next 4 miles. Discussed how isolated we were in Hawaii. In case of invasion, no mountaineering escape to the Rockies. No swimming either – 5 hour flight just to the Mainland. Small dot in the Pacific, island only 2 hours wide by car.

Think THAT was dark? Sis went all in. Snipers & feral pig attacks. Both scenarios, she got to stop running. I however had to find help AND drag her body along. Hard to be a Pollyanna, 31 miles along an all uphill highway – elevation: 2000ft.

Straight UP next 3 miles. Walked, pushing with our arms. Goal to maintain a 15-minute mile. Started doing the math. Definitely pushing 7 hours now, maybe 20 minutes at best ahead of cut-off. ARGH.

FALL. Clouds parted, intermittent sun, cool breeze returned. Mile of straight highway at 24. Straight-stretch of road is the new downhill, haven’t ya heard? Sub-13 minute jog – making up ground BUT would have to limit our crew stops going forward.

Mixed it up miles 25 thru 28. Asked Paul & Stephen to take turns walking or jogging alongside. New conversation, new blood. Crew took turns leap-frogging the SUV forward & passing the jog baton. Like I said earlier, BEST CREW EVER!

Ash & Tom drove by at marker 27. FAMILY vacation ❤ Flew in the night before, cost-sharing the condo, overlapped 4 days in paradise (I leave next Wednesday, they’d stay ‘til Friday). Elevation: 3000ft.

Almost missed the hand-painted sign. BIRR [Big Island Road Runners] arrow right.

Volunteer motioned: “2 miles to the turnaround”. UGH – an out-n-back, 4 more miles. Sadly joined the outdoor pooping club – thought this was something Hawaii-exclusive to Sis. Thankful for the large banana leaves 🙂

Mile 29: turn-around pole. Time check. Cutting this REALLY REALLY close. Last half-mile, all downhill. DOWNHILL RAN>

Sis FINISHED her first ultra-marathon. Check, done – officially on Hawaiian time: VACATION. Happy Hawaii 5-0!