By MATT GERHART
By MATT GERHART
Tribune-Herald sports writer
University of Hawaii at Hilo cross country coach Jaime Guerpo probably could have used a runner like Chris Gregory back in the day.
Gregory had already ran 2 miles from his home just to get to the Vulcan XC 5K on Saturday morning, and he didn’t find much more competition or company — except for Guerpo riding a golf cart as the pace-setter — as he traversed the Naniloa Volcanoes Resort Golf Course.
“I did the course as a cool down for my run home,” Gregory joked before doing just that.
And while nobody was close to catching up to him at the UH-Hilo benefit, Gregory finds himself caught in a bit of a Catch-22.
When he races against Billy Barnett, such as at the EMS 5K on Aug. 3, he finishes second. When he doesn’t go up against Barnett, Gregory usually wins. However, the self-professed “time Nazi” often finds it hard to get motivated and ends up displeased with his times.
That was the case Saturday, and his winning effort of 17 minutes, 37 seconds on the wet grass paled in comparison to the 15:45 he ran on the pavement a week earlier at the EMS run. Barnett was 14 seconds faster.
“Search any local race in Hilo. I go to almost all of them, and if Billy doesn’t go, I usually win,” Gregory said. “I have Billy’s (phone) number, and I always tell him when a race is coming up. Since I moved here three years ago, it’s been my goal to beat him. I’m unsuccessful at this point.
“The best shot I have is in a 5K, because (Billy’s) a distance specialist. I am, too, but he’s completely a different animal.”
Stephen Hunter (18:30) finished second Saturday and Andrew Langtry was another 30 seconds back in third.
Gregory was leaning toward not entering any of the three events at the Volcano Rainforest Runs on Aug. 17. He has, after all, had a busy summer.
Last Sunday, a day after the EMS, he won the “Pedal Till Ya Puke, Run Till Ya Ralph” 6.5-mile climb to the top of Kaloko in West Hawaii. Barnett wasn’t on hand to challenge him, so he instead drew inspiration from the bikers ahead of him on the course.
“If someone else is working as hard as you are, and you feel like you have a shot of beating them, it’s motivating,” Gregory said.
At the State Aloha Games five weeks ago on Oahu, Gregory entered his first steeplechase, an obstacle race with hurdles and water. He fell on the second lap and dislocated his shoulder, finishing the race with his arm sticking out sideways. After having his shoulder popped back into place, he promptly finished two more races that day.
Gregory still can’t wash his back, but said, “If my daily activities are limited, I don’t care. As as long as I can run.”
After doing his undergraduate work at Florida State, Gregory is on schedule to graduate from the UH-Hilo pharmacy school in May.
In the meantime, he’s hoping to get another shot at Barnett, perhaps at the 30K Waipio Challenge in October.
Guerpo’s down to just a women’s program, but he was encouraged by the strong turnout of Big Island Interscholastic Federation cross country runners, including Hilo High’s Carmen Garson-Shumway (22:10) and Mehana Sabado-Halpern (22:11), the top two female finishers.
“It gives our program hope,” Guerpo said. “It’s a good recruiting tool, with all the runners from Hilo, Waiakea, Kamehameha, Keaau.”
He’s got eight female harriers on his roster this season, though only three — 2013 Hilo graduate Kaylee Rapoza; Waiakea graduate Vandy Okinaka; and Keri Fujiwara of Waipahu, Oahu — were in town Saturday ahead of the start of practice Aug. 19. UHH will host its annual Pacific West Conference run Oct. 12 at Naniloa.
“Our program right now is pretty stable,” he said. “The university is getting better at allocating money, so we can give out some scholarships.”
5-kilometer race
1. Chris Gregory, 20-29, 17:37
2. Stephen Hunter, 15-19, 18:30
3. Andrew J Langtry, 15-19, 19:00
4. Timon Skinner, 15-19, 19:03
5. Kaimiola Ho, 15-19, 19:05
6. Ryan Whittans, 15-19, 19:13
7. Anthony Otoole, 20-29, 19:15
8. Jeffery Ferrell, 15-19, 19:23
9. Carlos Valdez, 15-19, 19:24
10. Maka’ala Cruz, 15-19, 19:33
11. Bryn Whittans, 15-19, 19:52
12. Kai Garson-Shumway, 15-19, 20:29
13. Shaun Parker, 15-19, 21:25
14. Levi Albano, 15-19, 21:42
15. Christian Lawson, 15-19, 21:47
16. Hua Uehara, under-14, 22:01
17. Carmen Garson-Shumway, 15-19, F, 22:10
18. Mehana Sabado-Halpern, 15-19, F, 22:11
19. Christian Ogi, 15-19, 22:32
20. Josh Breitbarth, 15-19, 22:38
21. Grant Kunihiro, 15-19, 22:38
22. Sam Bader, 15-19, 22:54
23. Lucas DeRego, 15-19, 22:55
24. Sol Kislig, 15-19, F, 23:14
25. Troy Souza, 30-39, 23:20
26. Crystal-Lynn Baysa, 15-19, F, 23:53
27. Harry Bierman, 15-19, 23:54
28. Stewart Hunter, 50-59, 24:06
29. Elysonne Quila, 15-19, 24:15
30. Maria Fratinardo, 15-19, F, 24:19
31. Nina Bean, 15-19, F, 24:19
32. Charles Fernandez, 15-19, 24:25
33. Joel Page, 15-19, 24:30
34. Todd Shumway, 40-49, 24:32
35. Kahala Huddleston, 15-19, F, 24:37
36. Kauila Wong Yuen, 15-19, 24:39
37. Eric Longboy, 15-19, 24:40
38. Shawn Ventura, 15-19, 24:44
39. Andrew M Langtry, 50-59, 24:46
40 .Lory Hunter, 50-59, F, 25:04
41 .Makena Wagner, 15-19, F, 25:37
42. Charlie Belemes, 15-19, 26:15
43. Edgar Ventura Jr., 15-19, 26:16
44. Kaitlyn Funai, 15-19, F, 26:16
45. Sara Kim, 15-19, F, 26:21
46. Kaley Bannister, 15-19, F, 26:30
47. Eric Tejada, under 14, 26:44
48. Kahakuokahale Lum Ho, under 14, 26:45
49. Jon Kunitake, 60 and up, 26:49
50. Shariah Mae Olomua, under 14, F, 26:57
51. Donna Wong Yuen, 50-59, F, 26:59
52. Chevis Marques, 15-19, 27:07
53. Jordyn Breitbarth, 15-19, F, 27:18
54. Gregory Lum Ho, 40-49, 27:20
55. Scott Provost, 40-49, 28:02 9:01
56. Laurie Schafer, 30-39, F, 28:13
57. Tracy Bolos, 40-49, F, 28:15
58. Smith Kaleohano, 20-29, 28:23
59. Dayne Bolos, 40-49, 28:33
60. Bryan Georges, 20-29, 28:54
61. Skye Ombac, 15-19, F, 29:18
62. Kiana Rae Baruela, 15-19, F, 29:24
63. Roxanne Kala, 30-39, F, 29:25
64. Alexa Bader, 15-19, F, 29:59
65. Jasmine Smeraglia, 15-19, F, 30:32
66. David Hammes, 60 & up, 30:59
67. Marybeth DeRego, under 14, F, 31:23
68. Summer Tada, under 14, F, 31:26
69. Celeste Barcia, 40-49, F, 31:14
70. Joe Barcia, 40-49, 32:15
71. Christen Mae Viado, 15-19, F, 32:42
72. Kim Furumo, 50-59, F, 32:43
73. Alexandra Vida, 15-19, F, 32:43
74. Kayla Araki, under 14, F, 33:26
75. Alysha Medeiros, under 15-19, F, 33:59
76. Sarah Erickson, 15-19, F, 33:59
77. Holly Fong-Blatt, under 14, F, 34:14
78. Christina Schoen, 15-19, F, 34:38
79. Katrina Ombac, 15-19, F ,34:49
80. John Poetzel, 40-49, 35:44,
81. Hayley Barcia, 15-19, F, 35:56
82. Sydney Barcia, 15-19, F, 35:57
83. James Shaw, 15-19, 37:24
84. Maiki Cofer, 30-39, F, 37:54
Keiki 1-mile run
1. Kayla Paiva, F, 10:56
2. Beaudin Schad, 12:44