Homer Alaska - Sports

Saturday morning's rain did nothing to slow participants in the 10th annual Homer Mariner Ironman Triathlon Saturday, an event benefiting the Homer High School swim team and done this year in memory of Val Kirsis. In fact, the event began in the water with a 1,000-yard swim at the Kate Kuhns Aquatic Center.

From then on, it wasn't only rain, but a sheen of sweat coating athletes as they pedaled a grueling 15-mile bike ride from Homer High School, up East Hill Road, across Skyline Drive, down West Hill Road and out to the Fishing Hole. From there, it was a five-mile run to the finish line back at the school.

Leading the pack was Jens Beck of Anchorage. Beck was the first swimmer to leave the pool, the first cyclist to complete the bike ride and the first runner across the finish line. He completed the course in one hour, 24 minutes and 35 seconds.

This was the first year relay teams were part of the Mariner Ironman, with 67 individuals participating, including 12 teams.

Kirsis was known locally for his love of running and his involvement with sports. He died in March at the age of 46, after a brief battle with cancer. Among Saturday's participants were members of Kirsis' family: daughter, Katie, 15, who did the entire event in a time of two hours, 17 minutes and 54 seconds; and wife, Lise, who participated on "Team Val," along with swimmer Mina Gherman, 13; cyclist Shlomo Gherman, 16; and runner Dina Gherman, mother of Mina and Shlomo.

This was the first running race Lise Kirsis has entered. The five-mile stretch in Saturday's event was the farthest she has run at one time. She did it with an average per-mile time of 12 minutes.

Lise, who said running "is not exactly my bag," credited her husband with encouraging her level of fitness.

"It was through his loving support that I ended up going to the Bay Club three times a week and even getting proficient at running. I'm glad we had that time before he died," said Lise.

"It was very humbling for me to be able to feel what my husband actually did. It was his life's work … but this year was the first time I did it. It made me realize that if you spend enough time doing it, you can do these things. It was inspiring."

Seeing Katie, a four-time Mariner Ironman participant, complete the course also added to the meaning of this year's event.

"When your child is like your husband, you can feel him moving into the future through your daughter. It was very heartwarming," said Lise.

The couple's daughter Megan, a swimmer and soccer player, chose to participate by taking care of her younger sibling, Jorens.

Less than a year before his death, Kirsis qualified for the Boston Marathon by finishing the Mayor's Marathon in Anchorage with a time of 3 hours, 10 minutes and 50 seconds. His uncle, Karlis Kirsis, who had never run a marathon, stepped in to take Kirsis' place in Boston. Wearing a T-shirt with "VAL" on the front, Karlis Kirsis completed the 26.2-mile event in 5 hours, 44 minutes and 59 seconds.

McKibben Jackinsky can be reached at mckibben.jackinsky@homernews.com.