PIC to host Hafa Adai 5KM in April

Pacific Islands Club will be holding a charity 5K run on April for the benefit of the Saipan Salvation Army.

Dubbed the Hafa Adai 5KM, the race starts bright and early at 7:30am with the start and finish line at PIC Saipan with the halfway turnaround at the former Blockbuster Video store in Chalan Kanoa, which is across the Mt. Carmel Cathedral.

“Once again, PIC Saipan is kicking off Spring with yet another first for the island! We brought you the 100KM Bike Race, we host the Annual Point Break competition each year as well as the Laser Tag Tournament and of course our end-of-summer Annual Palooza Fundraising party. We were the first to host an island-wide Dodgeball tournament so we figured let’s host another first,” said race director Glenn Policare.

He said the Hada Adai 5KM will be different from other running events on island because of the organizers’ use of “holi powder.”

“As the flame trees of Saipan begin to bloom, hundreds of pounds of colored ‘holi powder’ are on their way to Saipan as we speak. The colors of the rainbow will be unleashed onto Beach Road as hundreds of runners weave their way through the various coloring stations we will have set up along the course.”

Policare, however, wants to make it clear that the Hafa Adai 5KM is in no way affiliated with The Color Run.

“This will not be nor is in any way affiliated with the for-profit organization known as The Color Run. This is the Hafa Adai 5KM. While the concept is quite similar, (start the race in a white T-shirt and end up looking like a bag of Skittle!), the race will be a charity fundraising event. Proceeds from the Hafa Adai 5KM will go to benefit the Saipan Salvation Army.”

The race will feature four different coloring stations along the Beach Road route. Participants are encouraged to wear white attire so that the full effect of the coloring stations can be seen post-race. Volunteers will be celebrating each runner’s arrival by greeting him or her with “holi powder.” This is biodegradable mixture of cornstarch and food coloring.

PIC is inviting the entire community to participate. The race fee is just $10 and the first 500 entries will receive a commemorative event T-shirt. For this one-of-a-kind event, PIC Saipan is expecting 1,000 runners.

Post-race, PIC will be raffling more than $5,000 worth of prizes, which include PIC Waterpark Passes, Magellan Lunches and Brunches, along with Room Stays and Annual Memberships to PIC Saipan.

For more information on the Hada Adai 5KM, email Policare at glenn.policare@picsaipan.com or PIC Saipan Operations and Events manager Dennis Tababa dennis.tababa@picsaipan.com. (Saipan Tribune)