Team Better Than Coffee tops ’23 Ekiden

From left, Aaron Pamintuan, Elizabeth Sawyer, Rob Mojica, and Kosuke Sato of Team Better Than Coffee sprints to the finish line first out of nine teams in Run Saipan’s ‘23 Marianas Ekiden Relay race last Saturday in front of the Club Elan parking lot of Hyatt Regency Saipan.(LEIGH GASES)

Out of nine teams, Team Better Than Coffee topped the third edition of the Run Saipan’s Marianas Ekiden ‘23 Relay race held last Saturday morning from Micro Beach in Garapan to just before Pacific Islands Club Saipan in San Antonio and back.

Led by team captain Elizabeth Sawyer, along with a strong and speedy lineup of Kosuke Sato, Robert Mojica, and Aaron Pamintuan, they finished the 21-kilometer run in 1:48:36.

Sato, Sawyer, and Mojica ran the first 5K increments of the race before Pamintuan ran the last 6K leg, with his team by his side in the last 1K leading to the finish line.

Pamintuan said that Sato gave the team a good 10-minute lead, “so that was a big help.” 

Participants of the Run Saipan’s ‘23 Marianas Ekiden Relay race pose for a photo at the finish line in front of the Club Elan parking lot of Hyatt Regency Saipan last Saturday. (LEIGH GASES )

This year’s teams were randomized and according to the team, it was their first time to actually meet up and race with each other. The team collectively said that it was fun and that everyone carried their own weight. Also, “the energy is higher. When you’re running alone, it’s a mental battle with yourself, whereas, when there’s three of you, you guys are battling it together—so it’s much easier with a bunch of people with you,” said Pamintuan.

Sawyer, who has been on island for only a month and a half, said for her part, “meeting three new people is a privilege.” She said before this race, she joined the American Red Cross Run for the Red 5K and looks forward to joining more races in the future.

Moica, for his part, said that he thought he was the slowest on the team but he tried his best to match their pace, while Sato said that winning first place this time around was great. In last year’s Ekiden, Sato’s team won first in the noncompetitive division. 

Second to them is Racing MATT-ers! consisting of Marjorie Daria, Adam Walsh, Terra Allen, and Tiana Cabrera with a time of 1:51:05. 

Third was Lost In Pace, only a few seconds behind with 1:52:01 (Sarah Ashley, Philip Santos, Rosemarie Chisato, and Matthew Furan).

Over the Hills was fourth at 1:56:59 (Gerald Alm, Elizabeth Church, Shigeki Tenorio, and Chong Nam Lee).

Almost Ed’s Team came in fifth at 1:57:27 (Kathy Ruszala, Evelyn Pangelinan, Shelia Mabutas, and Rick Bauer).

Mind over Miles placed sixth with 1:57:56 (Robyn Spaeth, Ricky John Santiago, Jessica Ortizo, and Travis Spaeth).

Heart and Soul placed seventh with a time of 2:04:27 (David Hidalgo, Malou Carlos, Tina Ngao, and Simon Necesito).

#TeamJoggernauts came in eighth with 2:08:45 (Pamela Villadores-Walsh, Joshua Castro, Kurt Song Song, and James Abuy).

Last place was Beach Road Streakers with a time of 2:08:36 (Ann Bang, Angela Taflinger, Brad Ruszala, and Chad Taflinger).

Run Saipan president Edward Dela Cruz Jr. said after the race, that he wanted to create a relay race for distance runners based off the Northern Marianas Athletics’ Christmas Island Relay race.

When asked who he thought would win the race, he said “I did not expect anyone for first place. When I looked at all the teams that got completely randomly drawn, I was trying to estimate everyone’s 5K times a few days ago and I just couldn’t figure out who would be first place at all. This was completely random.”

He also said that factors of terrain including the construction on Beach Road, residential areas, and potholes, were definitely tough on the runners. “They had to navigate through that tough terrain, especially with low visibility, so it depended on people’s judgements on how fast they were going to go. I had no idea who would win first place.”

For next year’s race, Dela Cruz said that it will go back to 2021’s format in which there’s a competitive and noncompetitive division. For those who want to compete in the competitive format, the team should consist of two men and two women. There will also be an open and youth division. 

He then thanked everybody who lent a helping hand in the race including Northern Marianas Athletics, volunteers of Run Saipan race staff, Triathlon Association of the CNMI, Saipan Tribune, Marianas Variety, KSPN 2, and the runners.