Music and cheers fueled an energetic start to the 48th annual Hawaii Pacific Health (HPH) Women's 10K & 5K Fun Run at Kapiolani Park. This year's race had nearly 1,400 registered participants of all ages and skill levels who came together for an event that's all about fitness, fun and female empowerment.
The HPH Women's 10K & 5K Fun Run is the only all-female sanctioned race in Hawaii. The 10K started at 7 a.m., with runners, joggers and walkers making their way up the scenic route along Diamond Head overlooking the ocean, then doing a loop in Kahala before returning to Kapiolani Park. The 5K started at 7:20 a.m. and followed a similar but shorter course.
The races featured everyone from experienced runners attempting to set new personal records to casual runners participating in their first-ever race. There were mothers pushing their children in strollers, runners with their dogs, and women who signed up as a team to power through the course together.
The first runner to finish the 10K was Lisa Swartzfager, who is from the Ala Moana area. The first-time HPH Women's 10K participant completed the 6.2-mile race in 41 minutes and 13 seconds.
"I was really excited to do an all-women's race, so I registered this morning to come out and do it," Swartzfager said.
Sara Sunada was the first HPH employee to complete the 10K with a time of 47 minutes and 33 seconds. She was awarded the Martha B. Smith Award, named after the late HPH executive vice president of Oahu operations and CEO of Kapiolani Medical Center for Women & Children, Pali Momi Medical Center and Straub Benioff Medical Center.
The winner of the 5K was a familiar face. Mililani High School freshman Hailey Taira won for the second year in a row, running the 3.1 miles in 22 minutes and 39 seconds.
"It's very cheerful and energetic, everyone was really hyped up," Taira said. "This race always brings a smile to my face"
In race tradition, all participants received a rose after crossing the finish line. They also received a commemorative medal, a special race T-shirt and a drawstring bag for various other post-race gifts.
- See the full 2026 race results.
Captions
Photo (top): Top three 10K finishers (from left) Andrea Barrameda, Lisa Swartzfager and Rachel Ackley.
Photo (inset): Sara Sunada, the first HPH employee to complete the 10K, accepts a rose just after crossing the finish line; top 5K finisher Hailey Taira.
Photo (bottom): Some of the HPH Women's 10K and 5K runners.