Whenever Ed Ignacio is closing in on a finishing line, like at the Hilo Triathlon, his wife Maricar doesn’t start cheering until she sees his handsome face.
Whenever Ed Ignacio is closing in on a finishing line, like at the Hilo Triathlon, his wife Maricar doesn’t start cheering until she sees his handsome face.
This is a story about the other Ed Igancio, 38 years old, an X-ray technician at Hilo Hospital, and a 1995 Hilo graduate.
He ran cross country and track for the Vikings, and started competing in triathlons shortly after he got married in 2008.
The other Ed Ignacio is also from the Big Island, originally from Laupahoehoe, and well-known for wearing law enforcement tactical gear in races.
The 46-year-old Oahu FBI agent runs for awareness, mainly to have a memorial for officers killed in the line of duty.
The line of confusion for Maricar Ignacio, who works in healthcare, is that both go by Ed Ignacio, both are from the Big Island, and both are handsome.
What’s a public address announcer to do, but get things wrong?
“They always get Ed mixed up with my Eddie,” Maricar joked.
Her Ed finished the 2nd annual Hilo Triathlon — a 1.5 kilometer swim, 40k bike and 10k run — in 2 hours, 30 minutes and 55 seconds for seventh on Sunday at James Kealoha Beach Park.
Oahu Ed was 73rd in 3:37:52, getting out of the water in 38:14 He was 1:23:00 on the bike and 1:36:38 on the run with his 50-pound gear. The other Ed was 31:10, 1:12:33 and 47:12.
Maricar’s Ed and Oahu Ed know each other because people with the same name have a magnetic pull, and in Hilo it’s a Kevin Bacon two degrees of separation thing, where everybody knows everybody.
“We’ve been in about three events together, and we’ve met before,” said Maricar’s Ed, whose sense of humor is only topped by his good looks. “We met through the races because we would always get mixed up. But I’m more handsome.”
Last year, the handsome Eds both competed in the inaugural Hilo Triathlon, which featured nightmarish rough water. (On Sunday, the ocean was gentle and polite.)
Maricar’s Ed was 32nd in 2:42:55 while Oahu Ed was 75th in 3:02:53.
Oahu Ed will be the race director of the inaugural HLEFM Triathlon on Oct. 24 on Oahu.
“What he does is commendable. It’s honorable and he’s running for awareness,” Maricar’s Ed said. “I have no problem being associated with him.
“I run to have a healthy lifestyle and inspire my wife and kids (Ava, 8, and Axel, 5).”
He’s completed seven triathlons: Hilo twice, Lavaman three times, Honu once, and one on Oahu.
“My goal is to stay healthy and try to get better and faster,” said Maricar’s Ed, who’s waiting for an invitation from Jimmy Kimmel’s Handsome Men’s Club.
To donate to Hawaii Law Enforcement Memorial Foundation, visit https://www.crowdrise.com/2015ironmanworldchampionship/fundraiser/edwardignacio