10-year-old from Japan raises some eyebrows

Is the marathon kids' stuff?

Jim Barahal, a medical doctor and president of the Honolulu Marathon Association, said he isn't certain.

"I've always felt it's a parental decision," Barahal said yesterday. "But I'm not sure."

Running 26.2 miles puts incredible stresses on even well-conditioned, mature bodies. Some question whether children should be allowed to participate in events like yesterday's Honolulu Marathon.

Barahal and HMA board members have discussed installing a minimum age requirement, but Barahal said there are not immediate plans to do so.

Such a rule might have kept 10-year-old Yuka Tanaka of Japan out of yesterday's event. Tanaka put forth one of the day's most remarkable performances, completing the course in 3 hours, 49 minutes and 12 seconds. She said it was her first marathon.

"I just love running," Yuka said through an interpreter. She seemed fine at the finish line, even though Yuka said her longest training run was 10 kilometers.

"She just likes to run. I'm a little bit concerned, but she's always been running from the time she could walk," said her mother, Haruko.

The Honolulu Marathon has a long history of great performances by children. In the first race in 1973, Daven Chun (of the famed "Hunky Bunch") set a world record for 9-year-olds by crossing the tape in 3:19.01.

"(Yuka Tanaka) looked good today," Barahal said. "A decision should be based on facts. I have some doubt kids should be doing it, but I'm not sure that's based on any actual evidence.

"I'm not sure it's as bad as 25 hours of video games a week."

Volunteer Dick Sutton pointed out that some visitors plan family trips around the marathon. If the kids can't run, what would they do with them?

"I guess we could let them play at the zoo," he said.

He's no sIacker: Ukulele sensation Jake Shimabukuro finished his first marathon in 5:24:27 with a smile and plenty of energy left to entertain the crowd.

"There was so much positive energy out there, it was just such a great environment to be in. And the thing that I loved was that I could run in the middle of the street, and not have to worry about cars," Shimabukuro said. "The weather was perfect, and everything was just fantastic. I'm on such a high right now."

Shimabukuro admitted to taking breaks to stretch and rest -- something he's not likely to do next year. "I want to do it again," he said, "and hopefully I can break 5 hours next time."

With barely enough time to shower before he was scheduled to go onstage at Kapiolani Park, would he be able to play with his usual enthusiasm?

"I'm ready," he beamed. "I'm going to open up with my fastest, hardest-hitting song!"

Hu-ray!: Actress Kelly Hu finished her first marathon in 4:56:19 and raised $40,000 for Reef Check Hawaii, which works to preserve ocean reefs.

Although Hu is known for martial arts in her TV and movie roles, she does have some distance-running in her past. As a student at Kamehameha, she was required to choose between training for and completing a 10-mile run or a 2.2-mile swim.

"For some reason, when you're a freshman in high school, it's so much easier, and it was only 10 miles. When you're that young, it's more fun, too, because you're doing it with your group, your whole class. ... We trained for a long time. I walked a lot of it."

Good habit: Sister Andrena Mulligan finished her 66th marathon yesterday in 4:45:17, a bit slower than the 4:24 she ran last month in San Antonio. But the 60-year-old nun didn't mind.

"It was wonderful," said Andrena, a native of Ireland who lives and works along the Mexican-American border in Eagle Pass, Texas.

"Honolulu is definitely the best one. The course is fabulous, because it's not a monotonous, flat one, and I love the early-morning start because I have to be ready for the Irish pub tonight!" she joked.

Next month she'll run a marathon in Phoenix, and four weeks after that she'll complete another in Austin.

During her brief stay in Honolulu, she took time to speak to 500 elementary students at Iolani School's weekly chapel. "It was life-giving for me, too," she said.

New York, New York: A couple of athletes vaguely familiar with each other in the New York City running scene became fast friends when they completed the entire marathon together.

Francisco Rodriguez, 55, a New York City Road Runner Club member participating in his fifth Honolulu Marathon, finished his 148th marathon yesterday with 44-year-old Angela Gonzalez.

Gonzalez, also a NYC Road Runner Club member, won a raffle prize at the club's annual event recently. Donated by Honolulu Marathon officials and Continental Airlines, the package included a free trip to Hawaii for the race.

Rodriguez is no stranger to Hawaii.

"Honolulu is one of my favorite destinations," said Rodriguez, a banker who plans his entire vacation around this event. Last year, he ran 13 marathons, and intends to complete nine this year. He plans to celebrate his 150th marathon in Boston in April.

Truckin': Four-time Honolulu winner Patti Dillon planned to run but was injured. She called the action in the women's race from the pace truck for KKEA radio along with another legend, Greg Meyer.

Meanwhile, her husband, Dan Dillon, was winning his age division and finishing 62nd overall in 2:53:00. It was Dan Dillon's first marathon since Boston in 1985.