Team API fastest in Run Saipan Ekiden ‘24

Team API wiped out the competition in the Run Saipan Marianas Ekiden ‘24 last Saturday and ran first into the new and colorful Run Saipan start/finish line arch.

In teams of four, each runner completed one of the four stages of 5K, 5K, 5K, and 6K in order, totaling the distance of a half marathon.

High school student-athletes Michael Miller, Takeru Jim, Pony Tang, and Andrei Kaithlyn Chavez tore up the new half marathon course that started from the Hyatt Regency Saipan to Marpi and back with a new course record for the Ekiden Relay format at 1:23:00.

Team API stands for Asia-Pacific Invitational—after the high school cross country competition that the team joined in Guam last year.

Jim ran the first 5K leg and clocked in at 19:41 with a 6:20 pace per mile; Tang ran the second leg with a 19:47 time and a 6:22 pace; Chavez ran the last 5K leg with a time of 22:20/7:11 pace; and Miller wrapped it up with a 20:30/5:29 time on the final 6K.

Second place went to Team No Speed Limits with a time of 1:28:00. Sildrey Veloria ran the first 5K at 19:21/6:31; Dr. Lily Muldoon finished at 21:48/7:01; barefoot runner Chong Nam Lee clocked in at 24:49/7:46; and Jody O’ Sullivan topped it off with 22:22/5:59.

Third place was team Go! 50’s with a time of 1:43:00. Akiko Miller had a time of 21:39/6:58; Yuriko Custodio was at 34:03/10:57; Noriko Jim finished at 23:08/7:26; and Kosuke Sato clocked in at 24:10/6:28.

Tang said in an interview that the race was “pretty good. It was pretty cold—no sun, it was a fun course, and the wind wasn’t that strong too.”

As for the early 5am race start, Tang said, “It’s better than running at 6am. It’s colder and dark, so you have more adrenaline.” He added that an extra motivation to run faster was being chased by dogs twice as he was running through Tanapag.

Along with the competitive team race, there were also noncompetitive teams and solo runners R.J. Aquino and Raymund Tolentino who joined in.

Run Saipan president Edward Dela Cruz Jr. said that the turnout was good enough for him. They had 45 participants and said that they filled in their 10-team slot.

The new half marathon course from Hyatt to Marpi and back will be the course for the next few years, said Dela Cruz.

Since this year’s format was that everyone makes their own teams instead of being drafted into one, Dela Cruz said those who want to break the record have to wait for 2026 as next year’s Ekiden will be a draft format.

Dela Cruz then thanked Run Saipan/Northern Marianas Athletics officials, and Marianas High School National Honor Society volunteers, Hyatt Regency, Cha Cafe, Saipan Tribune, and Marianas Variety.