The Gunstock 5k and half-marathon will be taking place on Saturday, Oct. 17.
“This event has grown every year. Last year we had between 400 and 500 runners,” said Lilia Tollefsen, the director of events, sales and marketing for Gunstock Ranch. She continued, “The course takes runners through the ranch property and through the hills in Laie.”
Cross Country Coach Kevin Schlagg has teamed up with Gunstock Ranch and outside sponsors to put on this event. It will again be part of the Hawaii XTERRA Trail Run Series this year, according to the race registration site.
As a participant in the 2012 Gunstock Ranch half marathon, Jay Clay recounts part of his experience of running this race on his blog. “A good sized wild pig came barreling out of the bush next to us. When I say barreling… this misguided swine charged across the trail just behind us and straight into a simple, crisscrossed wire fence, which it abruptly bounced off of.”
Tollefsen explained how runners in the past didn’t expect the terrain to be so rugged. She stated, “There is almost a mile of slow and steady uphill and it would be safe to expect race times to be a little slower.”
Ashley Manship, a junior in accounting from Utah who ran the half marathon last year, suggested to go practice on the hill behind the Foodland at Sunset beach. She stated, “If you can run that without any problems you’ll feel much better about the hills in this half marathon.”
Manship explained, “It is a really challenging course that will push your body to its limit at some spots, and even make you want to cry at others. It made me cry, but I am also a wimp sometimes, especially since I was running on an injured leg. But that’s why you run: so you can prove yourself wrong and push your body to the limit.”
Coach Schlagg said, “We have people come from all over the mainland to run. They come for the prizes, for the run, but mostly for a chance to run a crazy fun race in paradise. Our hope is to get people who wouldn’t normally do trail running, or even 5k’s, outside their comfort zone and try something new.”
He said it is a “very hard course, but those who do it know they’ve accomplished something spectacular. My favorite part of the whole thing is watching people finish whether the runner is an elite athlete or a first-time finisher, and prove to themselves they can push their bodies to do something hard.”
This is the sixth year the race has happened, according to Schlagg. He continued, “The course record for the half marathon is 1 hour and 19 minutes, by Rivers Puzey (former BYUH Cross Country runner). That’s a crazy time that I’m not sure will ever be beat.” He said usually the people who finish the race first do so in about an hour and 30 minutes.“
The first year, it rained really hard the night before, so there was a usually dry spot that had thigh-high water running through it,” Schlagg explained. “It was great to watch the runners try to figure out how to cross the raging river. Also, we usually start the race with a cowboy on horseback firing a pistol. A couple of years ago, the gun didn’t fire, so all the runners just stood there.”
According to Active.com, where runners can register for the race, “Regular registration lasts from now until October first. Late registration begins October second and online registration closes on October thirteenth, and, if there is still room, people can register the day of the race for an additional fee of $5, but a T-shirt is not guaranteed.”
According to the Student Bulletin, BYUH students, faculty, and staff are eligible for a $5 discount until September 15 if they register at http://www.gunstockhalfmarathon.blogspot.com and use the discount code BYUH.