COURTESY OF KAPOLEI HIGH SCHOOL Kapolei High School runner Michael Dain says he learned the value of keeping focused after successfully completing a 3-mile race at the state cross-country meet on the Big Island.

Sock it to ’em!

Cross-country runner Michael Dain
finishes 10th in a state meet running
with just one shoe

It was a cool, brisk morning, the day of the big competition. You were one of just a few representing your team, your school and your community. You did everything you were trained to do to prepare for the race.

Days before, you ate low-fat and high-carbohydrate meals. You ate a runner's breakfast and drank plenty of fluids. When arriving at the course, you stretched and completed a warm-up run. The time had come. You had prepared as much as you could, both physically and mentally.

Kapolei High School Name The Eye of the Hurricane Faculty adviser Leilani Ward Address 91-5007 Kapolei Parkway, Kapolei, HI 96707 Principal Alvin Nagasako Web site www.k12.hi.us/~khshome Mascot Hurricanes Colors Teal, black and silver Enrollment 2,100 (capacity 1,850)

The 3-mile race was set to start at 9:45 a.m. More than 175 athletes from across the Hawaiian Islands would be competing.

As you walked to the starting line, there were butterflies in your stomach, and your heart beat faster and faster awaiting the pop of the starting gun.

You were off. The entire cross-country season culminated in today's race. The course was hard, filled with difficult elements such as hills and forest areas. The terrain consisted of gravel, grass, dirt, rocks, sticks -- it didn't matter; you were here to run your heart out.

You started off strong and paced yourself so that you could finish even stronger. But not even half a mile into the race, someone suddenly stepped on the heel of your shoe. Without warning it flew off.

You started to stumble as you felt the breeze from other runners pass you by. A decision had to be made: Do you stop to get your shoe or keep going? With only one shoe, you quickly decided to continue running.

In the end you were announced as one of the top 10 runners in the state, with a time of 18 minutes and 24 seconds.

Sound impossible?

Believe it or not, Kapolei High School junior Michael Dain is the One-Shoe Wonder who completed the unthinkable. Dain placed 10th overall at the state cross-country meet on the Big Island.

When Michael's shoe came off, his initial reaction was: "What do I do? Do I stop or keep going?" He made the split-second decision to keep running. There were a lot of people behind him, and he knew if he stopped it could mean trouble.

In the middle of the race, Michael Dain saw his coach and called out: "Coach, my shoe! My shoe!"

His coach shouted to keep running and ended up impressed that Dain placed 10th with only one shoe.

Dain returned to Kapolei High School pleased with his performance, as it was one of his best races of the year. He learned that "staying focused can make you achieve your goals. When you're focused you can achieve anything."

And from now on, Dain says he will "tie (his) shoes tighter."

You Asked...

"What would you do if you
were principal for a day?"

Angelina Moefu
Sophomore
"I would require community service for team sports and clubs."

Juliet Laney
Sophomore
"I would increase class competition to energize more class pride."

Daniel Shin
Freshman
"I would change the math program to traditional courses. I'm not so fond of IMP (Interactive Mathematics Program)."

Mindy McPeek
Junior
"As a principal, I would try to ensure that all the teachers were qualified in their subject area."

Ronald Paul Viernes
Senior
"I'd give everyone detention and make them pick up litter."