In their fourth time running the event, Nikki Hiltz figured out what they needed to finish ahead of everyone in the Kalakaua Merrie Mile, the opening race of the Honolulu Marathon weekend.
As the women’s group of elite runners came to the turnaround point near Kaiulani Avenue on Saturday, Hiltz, who identifies as non-binary but ran in the female division, made their move to the front by passing their peers while hugging the cones marking the turn.
“I just try to conserve as much energy on the way out, and then I know to take the turn tight instead of wide,” Hiltz said. “I’ve learned that in the past couple of years.”
Hiltz held off the pursuit of Weini Kalati and Sinclaire Johnson to win by three one-hundredths of a second with a time of 4:28.65. The 30-year-old — who competed in the Paris Olympics this past summer — became the first runner from the women’s field to finish first in the 1-mile road race, which started in 2016.
“It was ours to take and we just got after it,” Hiltz said. “I think our first (800 meters) was a little slow, but then as soon as we made that turn, we just took off and our last 800 (meters) is when we gapped them.”
With the women’s field getting a 32-second head start — the group’s longest yet — over the men’s field, there was much anticipation that a runner from the women’s field had a chance to be the first to cross the finish line. All three runners on the podium Saturday were from the women’s field, with Kalati and Johnson crossing the finish line second and third with near-identical times of 4:28.68 and 4:28.681.
“It was awesome, not just for me to win, but to go 1-2-3,” Hiltz said.
“We had help (with the head start), but at the end of the day, it’s us doing it and it was really cool. This group of women… we’re really close and you saw it at the Olympics this past year. It’s so much camaraderie, even though it’s so competitive, and I think that honestly helps us elevate to new levels.”
Hobbs Kessler ran 3:56.84 to be the first runner from the men’s field to finish, narrowly missing the podium by sixteen one-hundredths of a second. Kessler made a charge to catch the trio of Hiltz, Kelati and Johnson, but ultimately came up short.
“I was trying everything to run them down that last little bit,” Kessler said. “I needed another 10 meters or so, but I was happy with it. It was a good day.”
As the first finisher on Saturday, Hiltz claimed the $7,500 prize, the highest first place for any American road mile. For them, it’s just the cherry on the top of a race that they and many of their competitors enjoy, regardless of prizes.
“This race is special if you’re first or last,” Hiltz said. “To be on top of the podium — it’s just icing on the cake, but this race is awesome.”
Johnson, taking part in her first Merrie Mile, enjoyed the event’s chase format that had the men racing to catch the women’s group and found the race’s environment to be relaxing.
“We don’t get to do a lot of those in the year,” she said. “A lot of races have a lot of high stakes in them, so this is a more fun event.”
It was a similar sentiment for the Moller family from Santa Cruz, Calif., who participated in the regular Merrie Mile earlier in the day. It was the first time taking part for Jay, Leif, Rachel and Leif and Rachel’s toddler Milly, who are in town to support Rachel running her first Honolulu Marathon today.
“It was like a group thing of support and let our daughter join in on the festivities,” Leif said.
“And earn a medal and hopefully inspire her to be a runner,” Rachel added.
Caleb Easton was the first to finish the Merrie Mile with a time of 4:16.05, and Emma Gee was first in the women’s race coming in at 4:50.37.
