Longuski gobbles up competition

Keith Longuski, left, and Mamiko Berger breeze past their opponents to rule yesterday’s 31st Annual Turkey Trot Fun Run from Lower Base to the top of Mt. Tapochao.
(Jon Perez)

Keith Longuski zoomed his way to the top of Mt. Tapochao to rule anew the 31st edition of the Turkey Trot Fun Run from Lower Base to Saipan’s highest peak yesterday.

Longuski, whose been winning various running events on the island, bested more than 130 runners including 41 from the open division.

The Commonwealth Health Center physician assistant completed 4.2-mile (6.8 kilometers) in 37:28, shaving more than one minute from the 38:35 he logged when he won last year’s edition.

Longuski’s time was also 2:17 better than 2013 champion Charlie Sendin’s record of 39:45, but still 3:08 slower than the course record of 34:20 set by Eli Torgeson in 2008.

Former Saipan resident Stewart Smith also broke the under 40-minute barrier in 2006 with 36:36.

“I’m sure I’m not the only one who enjoyed today’s [yesterday] run. It was a beautiful weather. Cool with a little rain and overcast skies,” said Longuski minutes after crossing the finish line on the top of Mt. Tapochao.

“The second to the last turn was really the hardest part. The incline was steep and it will really test you,” added Longuski, who slowly broke away from the pack just past the Mobil gas station in Isa Drive.

Sendin—the 2012 winner at 44:54—was second overall at 41:34, which was close to two minutes slower than his 2013 record. He was only about 100 meters behind Longuski but failed to keep up with the eventual champion.

Longuski widened his gap against Sendin after the first turn just past La Trattoria, the old Coffee Care Café in Capital Hill.

“Keith is like a horse. It was really hard to keep pace with him and to also catch him,” said Sendin, who finished ahead of Jack Stewart (43:46).

Mamiko Berger ruled the women’s open division. She ran downhill a few minutes after crossing the finish line showing that she still had enough energy left in her legs following a 41:52 time in completing the uphill run.

Berger’s time was 18 seconds better compared to the 42:10 she registered in her winning return in the Turkey Trot in 2012.

Pipit Ball was more than 10 minutes behind at second place with 52:48, while Neda Earzan came in at 53:00 flat.

Youngster Caleb Wang of Agape Christian School, fresh from ruling last Saturday’s U18 division of the All Schools Cross Country race, came in third overall and top in his age group. He clocked 58:37 in his first try running the tricky and rough course.

“It was really challenging compared to the Saipan Marathon. I walked, which I did not do when I ran the marathon this year, in the final uphill climb. But I will be back again next year,” said the 17-year-old Wang, who logged 4:15:07 to finish 14th overall in the 2015 Saipan Marathon.

Gabrielle Race, who also ruled the girls U18 division in the Cross Country finals, duplicated Wong’s feat to again top her age group. She crossed the finish line in 58:37, which was 5:29 slower of her last year’s winning time.

Shane “Pikaboo” Alvarez, Dave Calvo, and Saipan’s barefoot runner Chang Wang Jang were also among the early morning runners who braved a slight downpour.

“It’s a good way for cardio training and I could use the sweat since I’m already cutting down. This is my second time to run the Turkey Trot,” said Alvarez, who is set to fight Yutaro Muramoto in one of the undercard bouts of next week’s Pacific Xtreme Combat 50 in Guam.

Calvo also conquered Mt. Tapochao’s up and down hills. “At first, it was easy. The climb going up Capital Hill was easy because it is paved but once you start your climb up Mt. Tapochao that’s when all the fun starts.”

Jang, who had been running in the Turkey Trot since its first edition in 1984, had been used to the rocks and rugged terrain of Saipan’s highest point.

“Though I can’t run that fast because of the rocks, I really love running barefoot. The rocks were almost giving me a massage when I jog slowly and for me it helps develop the small muscles at my legs and feet.”

Rintaro Miyawaki and Conatsu Kaga topped the male and female U12 division each, clocking in 48:30 and 49:15. Kaga, the U11 division Cross Country winner last Saturday, also won the U12 in the 2014 Turkey Trot.

Rommel Buenaflor (54:22) and Taro Kubo (47:06) were the first male and female runners in the 30-39 division, while Goshi Sato (42:13) and Sakiko Eda (52:54) duplicated the feat in the 40-49 age group.

Tennis coach Jeff Race and Lorie Hutchison were the fastest male and female runners in the over-50 division with times of 46:34 and 49:14, respectively.

The top male and female in the open division and age group went home with turkeys, while cash and other prizes were given away in the raffle held after the race.