For a typical sports event, losing a contender like Abdi Abdirahman to injury the day before would be distressful, if not problematic.

But when they call the Honolulu Marathon the people’s race, they mean everyone … not just the world-class runners.

Yes, a little luster is lost for those who follow the race closely.

But for those interested in the overall event? The fact that Gladys Burrill is not entered is probably more disappointing. "The Glady-ator," now 95, replaced Jimmy Muindi as the face of the event a few years ago, despite the fact that she takes around an eight-hour work shift longer to finish 26.2 miles than the six-time champ.

The marathon serves as the biggest source of inspiration for me every year. They all give me chicken skin. The elite professionals, some who make enough money doing this to feed and educate their hometowns in Africa. The everyday men and women of all ages, nonathletic and super jocks, who have toiled so hard and so consistently to test themselves on this day. The first-timers and the veterans. The barefoot runners and those in the Santa Claus costumes.

"There’s no way to fake it, you’ve got to pay some dues," said Dr. Jerold Chun.

Chun and Gary Dill remain the only two entrants in all 41 Honolulu Marathons.

"We sort of look at each other and appreciate the fact that the other guy was there (from the beginning)," Dill told the Star-Advertiser’s Jason Kaneshiro recently. "It’s not like a competition; neither one of us wants the other guy to quit. … It’s turned into something very supportive."

Chun said Saturday he "absolutely looks forward to it more than before."

Although he said his five siblings have "wised up" and no longer run the marathon, the last remaining active member of the widely celebrated "Hunky Bunch" of six kids and two parents, all runners, continues on in part in tribute to his father, Hing Hua "Hunky" Chun, who died in 2002.

"He really was the reason any of us ran, a reason for me to keep running as long as I’m able," Chun said.

Like Chun, who lives in California, the marathon gives Luella Flores, who lives in Utah, a chance to come home to Hawaii. But this is the first time she’s running Honolulu, and it’s her second marathon overall.

Before taking up running a couple of years ago, the only thing she’d ever done close to athletics was hula.

"It all started with the idea of a half marathon, for fitness. Older women were doing it and that made me think I could," said Flores, who is in her early 50s.

"It seemed like such an unattainable goal," said her husband, Jeff, who despite his skepticism is Luella’s biggest supporter. "I was like, ‘Knock yourself out.’ "

She crushed her own doubts in stages.

"I ran 9 miles," she said. "That is insane. How will I do 13? I did 13. That is insane. How will I do 26?"

Now it’s her turn to provide inspiration through perspiration.

"It’s shown my kids that you can do anything if you put your mind to it," she said.

I mention to Luella and Jeff that Bryan Clay, the 2008 Olympic decathlon champ out of Castle High, is running the marathon again this year. How cool is that? Competing in the same event as a man who recently owned the title "World’s Greatest Athlete."

I just wish Glady were in this one to push him along, too.