Jonathan Lyau
Occupation: Candy Wholesale Distributor of A. C. Lyau Company
What school you grad? McKinley High School ‘82
College: University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, BBA in Business Administration
Location: Honolulu, HI
A sophomore at McKinley High School, Jonathan Lyau saw an ad for cross country in the school newspaper. He thought it sounded interesting so he tried out for the team. That decision would then lead him to become a state high school 3200m track champion, the winner of countless local races, and one of Hawai‘i’s top runners. He was inducted into the Honolulu Marathon Hall of Fame in 2009 and in the inaugural class of the Hawai‘i Running Hall of Fame in 2021.
In 2022, he became the first person from Hawai‘i to run a marathon in less than three hours in five different decades (1980s, 90s, 2000s, 2010s, 2020s).
Lyau started Personal Best Training, a coaching service to help runners reach their goals with personalized training plans and holds free group runs for the community Tuesdays and Sundays at Ala Moana Beach Park. He currently coaches girl’s cross country at ‘Iolani School, where he’s been for the last 16 years. He has previously coached at Kamehameha Schools and McKinley High School. He is also the founder and director of Aloha Cross Country Camp, a summer youth running camp now in its 15th year.
His wife Kelli – whom he met through running – is a math teacher at Kamehameha Schools and formerly taught at Mililani High School. The two just celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary this year with their children, Sierra, 20, and Spencer, 18.
Q: What are you up to these days?
A: Both of my parents passed away in the last two years so I have been much busier with all the business responsibilities. I've also continued to run and coach. I turned 60 this year so I have set a lot of running goals this year. In July, I traveled to the USA Track & Field National Masters Championships in Sacramento and won the silver medal in the 5000m event in the 60-64 age division. I am now training for the Chicago Marathon in October with a goal of running under three hours as a 60 year old. If I accomplish this, it would give me six age-decades (teens, 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s) of running a marathon in under three hours, which very few people have been able to do.
Q: What makes you #PublicSchoolProud?
A: I never thought of myself at a disadvantage going to a public school while at McKinley High School. I had great teachers and I felt prepared after I graduated. My family all attended public schools. My wife graduated from Kailua High. My daughter graduated from Kalani High and my son attended public school through the 6th grade. We all had good experiences and learned a lot. My son now goes to a private school, but we feel that his time in public schools prepared him well and introduced him to many excellent learning experiences.
Q: Name of teacher or mentor you’d like to thank?
A: It would be a cumulative thank you to all who patiently helped me understand the different subjects and also my coaches who developed me in a positive way and enabled me to continue to enjoy the sport of running to this day.
Q: Favorite subject in school?
A: Social studies. I found it interesting learning about different societies, cultures and history.
Q: What advice do you have for students?
A: Don't let anything hold you back. You need to take some risks to succeed in life. Don't be a follower. Set your own goals and reach for them. Once you reach a goal, then continue to set other goals. You will realize that your life will keep progressing in a positive direction.
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