Big Island International Marathon: Finishing Hilo second nature for quartet

DJ Blinn works at the Big Island Runnng Co., where he can talk about new shoes and beneficial health, and make a new friend faster than a Facebook connection.

When he gets off work, the energetic 66-year-old can turn to his personal fountain of youth — running, either training for a marathon or competing in one.

Blinn is member of the Big Island International Marathon’s Final Four, along with Marie Kuramoto, David Hammes and Cowman.

All four have completed the past 17 editions of the Hilo marathon, and are still going strong with Cowman pulling up the rear.

He turns 71 years old on Monday. Everyone else competes in the 62 to 68 year old age range.

Last year, Kailua-Kona’s Cowman finished in 5 hours, 56 minutes and 6 seconds; Blinn in 5:10:30; Kuramoto in 5:47:51; and Hammes in 5:35:35.

A long time ago, when the four discovered they had a streak going they threw money into a pot. Hammes, a UHH professor, is the treasurer.

“We’re trying to make it to 25 years,” Blinn said. “Then we might have a party and say, ‘Whatever, no pressure.’ But I’m going to keep going until the wheels fall off.”

Blinn, who’s from Fresno, Calif., visited the Big Island 21 years ago, fell in love with the place and made it his home.

He ran his first marathon in 1981 in Davis, Calif., and two years later set his personal record in 2:48:50 in Oakland.

On Sunday, it’ll be Blinn’s 114th marathon and only eight times he’s broken the coveted three-hour barrier, none in Hilo.

To ask his most memorable race is sort of a trick question.

That’s because in 2013, he and his new bride Yuka, who ran with her veil, crossed the finish line together in 4:28:22. (Last year, she ran a 4:24:16.)

Blinn fondly remembers his wedding marathon as well as his friendly first encounters with his fellow Final Four teammates.

He’s known Cowman the longest since 1982, when both were California sunshine boys. That was when Cowman weighed 210 pounds (about 40 pounds lighter) and logged the original 25-pound horn helmet.

“The camaraderie is fun,” Blinn said. “You meet people from all different walks of life, and there’s one thing you have in common.”

In 1994, Blinn and Kuramoto became friends and training partners when they kept running into each other.

He actually used a bungee cord to motivate Kuramoto, who wanted to set a PR. She did in 1997 with a 3:42 at the Honolulu Marathon.

In 1997, it was the same thing with Hammes. He became a training partner with Blinn, who realized after a decade they were in rare company.

“Running is exercise, but it’s also about all the nice people you meet,” Blinn said. “We’ve become friends, and care about each other. It’s been good therapy being around good people.”

Marathon notes

Defending champions Harumitsu Yoshinaga, from Japan, 2:51:11, and Norway’s Anette Leistad, 3:27:34, won’t be back, offering the opportunity for new winners.

It’s the second year under race director Bob Wedemen, who implemented two pivotal changes last year.

He changed the starting point from Pepeekeo to Hilo Bayfront, also the finish line, allowing the local residents a good morning sleep for the first time in nearly a decade on race day.

It was also a cost-effective move because buses are no longer needed to ferry runners to the old starting point.

The best change was a simple one. There were different color-designation tags for marathon, half-marathon and run/walk participants.

All the finishers were identified, unlike in 2013.

That year, Alaska’s Sam Tilly won the marathon in 2:39:22, and no one noticed. He wasn’t mentioned on the PA system, trucked it to his hotel, and didn’t get his picture in the paper.

The Hilo marathon and half-marathon are qualifiers for the Boston Marathon.

The Hilo half-marathon is the first leg of the 2nd annual Half Marathon Triple Crown Series. The second leg is the Kona marathon on June 28, and the third leg is the Volcano runs on Aug. 22.