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Sunday's Peaman Plunge and Plod Biathlon marked the 92nd Peaman and the 180th Frozen Pea Productions event. As we count down to 100 Peas and 200 Frozen Peas I can't help but reflect back on how much has happened since the beginning in 1987.

Getting the results out promptly and correctly has always been a
challenge especially since no applications or entry fees are collected. Our unique sign-out procedure definitely simplifies things for the participants but from the timing side it can make things rough. Believe it or not the results used to be done manually which at times took me almost a week to finish.

Today, thanks to Jim Lovell, Mark Greenleaf and the rest of the JTL Timing Family, the Peasults are done on a computer which still takes quite a bit of time but has everyone spit out with the swim, run and total times within a couple of hours. To me this is amazing since one person could be an individual, who's also on a relay team that was finned, wore inline skates, and also included the family dog.

The other big area which has seen a huge change is in the participants. It has been really fun to see so many different people come and go over the years and it's been especially heart warming to watch the little Pea Wees grow up and get faster and faster each year. Who knows, someday we may even have an Olympic champion who got their start at one of our fun, family
oriented Pea events.

Speaking of the Olympics, one of our original Peaticipants, Gary "The Worm" Grubb, who now lives in Salt Lake City, Utah, returned to Kona for his first Pea Event in years. It was good to have The Worm back in Kona, even for just a week.

Another Pea back in Kona for a visit was Diane McGill who was also one of our regulars in the early days. Both Grubb and McGill were happy to see that even though many of the faces have changed the spirit of community play has remained the same.

Sunday's fun started off with a 1/2 mile plunge in the calm, cool waters of Kailua Bay. The usual lead group of Mike "Chipmunk" McCary, Dietrich Lawrence, Jim Wee, Mark "The Stork" Mader, and Moose Mullahey quickly pulled away from the frothy soup of the pod and headed for the turnaround.

The group stayed fairly close together until the final stretch where relay swimmers Chipmunk and Lawrence edged ahead. The Chipmunk clocked in first at 12:47 with Lawrence a stroke behind at 12:49. Wee, the first individual, was next at 12:56. Mader at 12:57 and Moose in 13:03 completed the strong top five.

Of the leaders, only Wee was an individual, so with a quick change into some shoes he was off on his four mile plod down Ali'i Drive and back. It was almost a full minute until John Pink, the second individual exited the ocean at 13:52. Hot on Pink's heels was last year's runner-up James Cotter in 13:56.

While Pink and Cotter gave chase the leading individual lady Heather Bell ran up the beach in 12th overall at 14:03. Kelly Hoyle in 14:09 and Devonee LeCompte at 14:38 were her closest pursuers.

Back at the front, Wee's lead was short lived as both Thomas Pavel, who passed Cotter in the transition, and Cotter went streaking by. On the short uphill by Huggo's Cotter was able to pull ahead of Pavel and maintain his lead until the turnaround.

As Cotter headed back to the finish Pavel was hanging on close behind with Eric Glaus and Cullen Burgess closing in. Soon Glaus, who had the day's fastest run, had worked his way up to second and was now gunning down Cotter. Fortunately for Cotter, his lead of 1:39 over Glaus following the swim was enough for him to cross the line first at 38:12.

Glaus, who covered the four mile run, which includes the transition, in 23:02, was next at 28:37. Pavel held off Burgess for third in 39:04. Burgess followed at 39:29 with Kalani Scott a few strides back in 39:33. Burgess led Scott by just three seconds after the swim and then gained only one more second on the run.

The ladies race saw the swim leaders fall back during the run while Jennifer Nelson simply ran away from everybody. Nelson finished in first for the ladies and 15th overall with her time of 45:20. Mouse Kelley scampered her way from seventh following the swim all the way up to second at 49:08.

Four time defending series points champ Ysabell Thomas was a close third at 49:58. Ginger Thomas took fourth at 50:12. Closing out the top five was Esra Lynch who ran strong for a total time of 50:34.

Rani "The Road Runner" Tanimoto continued her record breaking streak in the finned division. Both her run of 26:23 and her total time of 41:39 easily took down the old bests of 28:59 and 44:22. Kohala High School's running champ Bobby Sheetz blazed to the men's finned title with his time of 46:54.

Amber Aquirre and her canine teammate Pua joined Tanimoto in the record books with their finned, inline skate, K-9 division victory and a new record time of 47:04. Amber had to add the inline skates because little Pua was running too fast.

The chickpea relay team of Paloma Vidgen and Julie Frobisher took the Split Pea title with their time of 43:35. Moose Mullahey and John Herbie Herbold took the men's crown and second overall at 46:27. Dave Kinsey and Jay Freeman were a close third at 46:39. Sean Murphy and his son Brendan earned the Sweet Pea Stroller division victory with their time of 52:46.

While Brendan has a few years to go until he can become a full fledged Pea Wee, Sunday's group of young and young at heart took on the challenge of a 250 yard swim and a one mile run. Blair Foster and Stephanie Okumura led after the swim but during the run it was all Jantzen Oshier as he blazed the mile in 7:26. Jantzen's fast run brought him across the line in 12:45.

Kiana Scott ran her way up to second overall and first for the young ladies at 15:37. Okumura and Foster tied for second at 16:12. T.J. Foster in 16:14 and Micah Sandusky at 16:26 rounded out the boys top group.

The day's final and most prestigious honor, "The Perpetual Pea" was passed on from the Okumura Family to one of our most enthusiastic and dedicated Peaticipants, Tori "El Torito Loco" Smith. Although he is fairly new to the world of Pea Events, Smith's enthusiasm and great attitude are a definite boost to many in the Pea Family.

Next up on the Frozen Pea Schedule will be the 8th Annual Craig Leepfrog Kona Beachman 10-Mile Mosey and 6th Annual 2-Mile Silver Fox Trot on Sunday April 14th at 7:30 a.m. Both run events are out and back on Ali'i Drive. Inquisitive Peaple can call 324-PEAS for more info and maybe even a few sarcastic comments.

In the more immediate future this weekend looks like a good one to enjoy N.C.A.A. Basketball's Championship Week and get ready for the ensuing March Madness of the Final 65. If hoops on T.V. isn't your thing the aerobic activity begins again on Sunday March 17th with the Lanihau Center Leprechaun Run. The event consists of a one mile dash, a 3.1 mile run, and a 6.2 mile trek. Call 325-0287 for more details. Let's Go Bows!!!

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