Barefoot runner leads age group winners

Barefoot runner Chong Nam Lee crosses the finish line of Run Saipan’s 2nd Annual Grotto 10K ’23 last Saturday in Marpi.(MARK RABAGO)

Barefoot runner Chong Nam Lee led the age group winners in Run Saipan’s 2nd Annual Grotto 10K ’23 last Saturday in Marpi.

The 65-year-old completed the 10-kilometer run from the Grotto to just past Kalabera Cave in 50:25 to rule the 65-and-over division.

Lee said last Saturday’s conditions were great for running a 10K run, especially in Marpi.

“The weather was great for this running event and thanks to Edward Dela Cruz Jr., president of Run Saipan, and volunteers from Run Saipan for the perfect preparation. It was a really fun running event in Saipan.” 

As for his preference to running barefoot, he said the benefits of barefoot running are plentiful and could be better accessed via YouTube. 

Fellow barefoot runner Chang Whan Jang came in second in a time of 1:34:05, while Gerald Alm completed the Top 3 in 1:20:51.

In the boys under 17, Yung Jun Lin was the first to cross the finish line in 52:17. He was followed by Landen Taflinger and Kazuki Kamegai in 57:40 and 1:00:29, respectively.

Addalee Taflinger was the lone competitor in the girls under 17 and finished in a time of 1:00:15.

Participants of Run Saipan’s 2nd Annual Grotto 10K ’23 pose for a group photo after the event last Saturday in Marpi.(CONTRIBUTED PHOTO)

In the 35-39 age group, Fuli Ding, Kerri Baur, and Prativa Pandey finished 1-2-3 with times of 1:00:30, 1:02:08, and 1:46:14, respectively.

Rick Baur topped the men’s 40-44 division after reaching the Grotto in 51:26. Travis Spaeth was second in 58:11, while coming in third was Joshua Castro with a time of 1:17:36.

For the women, Megan Dame was first after tearing the tape in 59:29, followed by Kathleen Tolentino and Robyn Spaeth in 1:02:51 and 1:04:34, respectively. 

In the 45-49, Isao Usui was numero uno among the men with a time of 1:00:24. Jess Gariguez and Paul Manglona completed the Top 3 in 1:00:14 and 1:00:24, respectively.

Rosemarie Chisato and Mei Hua Jin were the only women entered in the group and they finished with a time of 58:45 and 1:11:20.

In the men’s 50-54, Raymund Tolentino finished first in 56:54, followed by Christopher King in 1:06:32.

Jessica Ortizo topped the women’s division in 57:26 with Malou Carlos second in 1:06:53. Elizabeth Church was third in 1:08:57.

Saipan Community Church pastor Stephen Dame won the men’s 55-59 division after finishing in 59:35, while Lydia Tan did the same in the women’s age group after submitting a time of 58:44.

Marie Sablan, meanwhile, won the women’s 60-64 after completing the run in 1:27:33.