HONOLULU (06-Dec) -- About 400 runners lined up with several of the greatest-ever names in the sport of distance running at the annual Honolulu Marathon Legends 5-K this morning at Kapiolani Park, across the street from Waikiki Beach. Bright spirits overcame the grey and soggy conditions as the persistently rainy weather here continued.
The legends included Olympic gold medalist, Frank Shorter; the last American man to win the Boston Marathon, Greg Meyer; three-time ING New York City Marathon champion, Alberto Salazar; and former multiple world record holder, Jim Ryun. Although the race is a fun run with no official results, Meyer was the first legend across the finish line in "19-something" by his own reckoning. Salazar said, "I just did an eight minute pace," while Shorter was observed crossing the finish line in 24:21. Ryun jogged with his wife, Anne, and daughter, Catharine, finishing in 31:23.
The overall winner was Dennis Kurtis, 54, of San Jose, Calif. Dennis is the brother of Doug Kurtis, who famously ran 76 sub-2:20 marathons before retiring.
"I think it was 17:23," said Kurtis of his winning time. "About a minute slower than last year."
After the race, another big dump of rain hit Honolulu forcing the runners to get their photos taken with the legends under one of the big tents which had been pitched for Sunday's 35th running of the Honolulu Marathon. The weather is supposed to improve a bit for Saturday and Sunday, forecasters said.
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