2025 is in the Record Books. Pouring rain. Flooded streets. Great vibes from spectators cheering us on and having great homemade signs along the way. Finished the 10K in 2:03:59 official time. Not bad. Great merchandising and marketing. I'm planning to return next year. This time I think I have family running with me. read more

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Just ran the Honolulu marathon with some friends. We traveled far for this race and it was the most disorganized marathon we ran so far. From the expo which doesn't do justice to the size of the race, to the organizers NOT planning for rain at the end of the race, and telling runners to move as quickly as possible after running 26.2 miles. Are you all ok? Runners need to stop and rest for a bit, drink water, get some food and then they can leave. This was an absolutely mess in the rain and the most unkind people kicking out of tents with nowhere to go except the rain. This marathon has NO views either, just run around city and neighborhoods which was disappointing. We were expecting to have as many views as possible and run by the ocean. Regardless of what the reviews say, we wont recommend it until organizers think of the runners and not themselves read more

Honolulu Marathon is one of those Marathon that does not have a cut off time. So you can finish at night and you still consider a marathon finisher and you will get a medal. That is one of the reason that a lot of people come to join the Honolulu Marathon every year, we do have a a lot of oversea Runner every year especially some Japan. The run route does have a few hills especially at the end when you come back at mile 24 or so. Honolulu Marathon is one of the marathon that starts at 5 AM because we are in Hawaii and get hot when the sun comes out. AlsoC the start line is not at the same location of the finish line, you it require shuttle bus to get there. I have been doing this for 16 years. You should try it. Recommended. read more

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Every year Honolulu Marathon is a big draw around the World to come and run in the most beautiful place Honolulu . This year I was a cheerleader for my good friend since the Honolulu marathon route is always right on Kilauea Ave. What a beautiful scenery all the runners can experience beautiful sunrise in Kaimuki. Congratulations on the Honolulu Marathon Another successful year read more

The Honolulu Marathon is the people's marathon. The finish line stays intact and there are staff/volunteers who will cheer and applaud for every last runner/walker who has not dropped out of the race. Many people have done this marathon multiple times- some have run the marathon every time it's been run. I was fortunate to have completed one marathon many, many years ago and can at least say I finished it. Checked off one more bucket list item. It's hard to describe being part of a large mass of humanity- moving forward when the gun goes off near Ala Moana Center in the early morning hours of Sunday. The beginning steps of what will be many steps towards completing 26.2 miles. Although I did end up walking the race more than jogging, at least I can say I completed it. A personal accomplishment that I am happy I was able to do. This first race since the start of the pandemic is a special one in so many ways and by going down to watch and cheer on the runners near Kaimuki Middle rekindled memories of what it was like for me. Much mahalos goes to the staff, volunteers, sponsors and everyone who makes the marathon run as smoothly as can be. The people's marathon- the Honolulu Marathon, a treasured and unforgettable experience. read more

Honolulu Marathon - 2021- going down Kilauea Ave, making the right turn from 18th Ave Makai. - Races & Competitions Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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This was my 2nd Honolulu Marathon...it was also the 50th anniversary of the marathon itself so why not attempt a repeat and also make a short getaway at the same time. Held in early December (usually during my birthday weekend), I started training about 4 months out to prepare for the big day. This would be our first big formally-organized race for the past couple of years, so we were curious how things would compare to the last time. Now that we knew what to expect such as the logistics, expo, race route, etc we thought this would make things easier. For the most part, we were right! This race has amazing volunteer and crowd support. The course passes through some very scenic and iconic locations. The fireworks at the start are breathtaking. The various Christmas decorations along the way are an added bonus! The enthusiasm from other participants sets the mood. The finisher certificate and tabloid pick-up (at the finisher expo) is a nice commemoration of your accomplishment (I've never seen this at any other race). Perhaps the only major stressor was the start line shuttle pick-up at the Honolulu Zoo on race morning. Even though we got there fairly early (at 3:15am for a 5:00am start), there was already a very long line that snaked through and around the zoo parking lot. After staying in line for about 15 mins, we saw no shuttles and the line did not move. At that point, we actually considered getting a rideshare. Luckily, the shuttles came but they were not consistent and they were 'bunched' up...and it was approaching 4:30am...race starts at 5am. Long story short, we made it but no time to warm-up or mentally prepare. Cue the starting line fireworks! read more

So so fun. Was a beautiful marathon. Did it with my brother and it was a blast. Lots of supporters and volunteers that helped make it a great event. First time I've had Soba noodles in the middle of a race. Also had to hobble to the medical tents a few times and the medical staff / volunteers were super helpful and motivating with making sure I don't get seriously injured. Also I think I got a personal record number of shakas from others so that was pretty rad. Signed up for next year! read more

This review is from the spectators view as I did not enter the marathon. I drove past the finish line around 2:00pm, around the 9 hour mark as only one side of the road is reserved for the entrants. My only complaint is I felt sorry for the people still in the marathon due not enough traffic control. For example, at the intersection of Poni Moi Rd and Diamond Head Rd, walkers/runners had to stop for cars at the crosswalk intersection before they could continue on, some off duty police or crossing guards would help the walkers/runners. The tent by Diamond Head was vacant, it would be nice to have lots of volunteers or a band cheering on the walkers as people this late in the marathon are giving their all to complete the coarse. The marathon has no time limit, if everyone is fitted with GPS, marathon volunteers could track the last walkers and follow them with bicycles/balloons, flashlights/spotlights, high visibility clothes to warn drivers of walkers still on the coarse, offer quiet support. It seems if you are in the 9 hr to 17 hr walker group, the hoopla that is reserved for the 2.5 hr - 5/6 hr finishers are gone, the first wave of volunteers are tired and there are no second wave of volunteers that say start at 2:00pm to 10:00pm to support/cheer/hand out water to people still walking. read more

Founded by former Honolulu Mayor Frank Fasi, since 1973 the Honolulu Marathon is the 4th largest marathon in the US, taking place each December. There is no time limit & this particular marathon attract participants not only for the sake of competition but also the quest for personal longevity and an enhanced quality of life. & where else can you run while having prestine views of Waikiki beaches & the ocean? This year drew almost 30,000 participants & I was so happy to see familiar & new faces alike since the pandemic! Here's my journey during 2nd run of the Honolulu Marathon: -Starting line: Queen St & Ala Moana Blvd -Chinatown Flores building: on your left -Honolulu Hale & @honolulucitylights: on your left - @alamoanacenter & the Santa statue! -Waikiki Beachwalk: on your right (had brunch at @westmancafe last month, check them out before they close this location!) -Waikiki Beach & Kapiolani Park: on your right -Diamond Head hills before passing Kaimuki Middle on your right -Kahala Mall: on your left before entering the Kalaniana'ole Hwy stretch -Hawaii Kai: you'll soon turn around & double back -Diamond Head hills (again): once you see the breathtaking view of the ocean on your left, it's all downhill which is an awesome feeling! (My phone died on me) -Back at Kapiolani Park where it's homestretch towards the finish line! I highly recommend & challange anyone to run this next year, might see you there! read more

Honolulu Marathon - Right before the starting line. - Races & Competitions Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

My very last Yelp review for 2018... choosing a bucket list item that I was able to accomplish in 2018... the Honolulu Marathon! So glad that I was able to run my 2nd ever marathon in Honolulu. 4 stars!!!! To me, Honolulu is one of the most beautiful cities in the world. I can never get tired of visiting Hawaii, so why not run a marathon all over Honolulu! It's the perfect runcation! The course starts right in front of Ala Moana Beach and winds through Downtown Honolulu to pass sites such as the Aloha Tower, City Hall, Chinatown, and Iolani Palace. After a warmup of about 5 miles, the course then heads to Waikiki, where one passes by the Ala Wai Canal, Waikiki Beach, and of course the countless high-rise hotels and condos that line Kalakaua Avenue. After Waikiki, the course goes all the way around Diamondhead, where one sees the best ocean views of the course. Yes, the Diamondhead part of the course is the most challenging, but definitely the most breathtaking given the spectacular ocean views. After Diamondhead, the course goes all the way to Hawaii Kai, where one can catch a glimpse of Koko Head. The course then loops back towards Diamondhead where the finish line at Kapiolani Park awaits. The Honolulu Marathon course is definitely deserving of 5 stars! And it's not just the course that makes this race worthy of 5 stars. The staff organizers and volunteers, race website, the email communication leading up to the race, the pre-race expo held at the Hawaii Convention Center, the fireworks at the start of the race, and the free shuttle to the pre-race expo as well as to the start line are also 5-star worthy! So why just 4 stars overall???? The Honolulu Marathon is the 4th largest marathon in the United States with over 25,000 runners. There were designated corrals at the start line in which runners were expected to line up according to their finish time, but the race organizers relied on the honor system, which so many runners (even walkers) did not follow. No one checked so why not just go as close to the start line? To make matters worse, there were no staggered starts for each corral. Once the elite runners crossed the start line, everyone else followed them so a terrible bottleneck of thousands of runners packed like sardines started running together at the start line. So not only do you have to start running at a much slower pace at the start of the race since there's just too many people around you, you'll probably end up having to weave through slower runners and walkers, which wastes much needed energy for the race. Also, there are sections in which the road becomes too narrow for such a massive number of runners, such as the loop around Diamondhead. During the race, I witnessed at least 3 runners accidentally fall due to contact with other runners! Sadly, not feeling safe during a marathon run is more than enough for me to downgrade to 4 overall stars. My only other marathon, the San Francisco marathon, strongly enforced corral start times as well as started each corral of runners with staggered starts. These race features made the SF race so much more pleasant but more importantly safer! The Honolulu Marathon staff can definitely learn a lot from the San Francisco Marathon staff. If you run the Honolulu Marathon, it's still an amazing experience given the course, but just be very careful and mindful of the runners around you. It's definitely a 26.2 mile run/jog/walk in paradise, deserving of 4 stars!!!! Thank you so much to the organizers, staff, sponsors, and volunteers who make it possible. Will I do it again??? The goal is to come back even stronger in the 50th running of the race... I'll conquer you then Diamondhead!!!! read more

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For my 1,500th review, I picked somewhere special. Bucket list: run Honolulu Marathon, checked! Registration for main lander was available late January. Be sure to register within 3 days to take advantage of the lowest price. They were still accepting registration two days before the race, but always good to save money. Cost for 2018 race was $70. Information: download their official app to help you understand the logistics. They will also sends you several emails. I read past participants reviews here and some complained about post race activists at the park. I came the day before to learn where everything is located and it was easy to find where I needed to go to get food and finishers T-shirts. Bib pick up: offered for three days. Very well organized. # of vendors are smaller compared to other large race. Mostly geared towards Japanese visitors. Nothing much was included in the race packet. Race Day: my hotel was near the finish line. A free shuttle bus operates from 2am to 4am to the start line. I was warned how busy they get after 3:30am. I got there around 3:15am and waited just about 5 minutes. Restrooms near the bridge to cross over to the start line had a long line but further ones didn't have any lines. Color coded corral made it easy to follow. They kept making announcements every 5 minutes how important it is to follow the correct corral both in English and Japanese. I thought it was pretty organized. 5am fireworks are spectacular. I didn't realize how close they were. It was really nice. Race: gets pretty hilly near the diamond head. Earlier is easy but coming back around mile 23, I ended up walking. I saw three gel stations but we were advised to pack our own and I carried 5 of them with me. Volunteers had some food for runners. I liked four of sponges section. I sprayed water from my head to helped me cool down. I also tried Sato's cool spray. Not sure how it works but helped me keep going each time. It could have been just in my head. View of the ocean was very nice. Post race: I really liked cold shower. My running pouch was water proof and I just went in and got myself totally wet. I also liked they had bags of ice. I sat on the ice bag for a while and it really helped me with pains. They have lots of sponsored VIP tents, they were all for Japanese visitors. Japanese runners also had special support from sponsors. I suppose those are included in their registration fee. Overall, where else can you run in such a nice weather in December? Great race to end your year. I enjoyed the challenge and views of ocean. Official and unofficial volunteers were very cheerful and great aloha spirits. read more

Honolulu Marathon - Come the day before for photo opps. - Races & Competitions Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Expo 2022: The Expo was finally back in its entirety instead of using the small 4th floor ballroom, it was in Kamehameha I Ballroom one of the largest ballrooms in Hawaii Convention Center. It was well organized with plenty of volunteers as the marathon bib numbers were lined out on the left and the Start to Park and Kalakaua Merrie Mile were on the right side. Since it was the 50th we got a decal included with our clear clothing bags as we picked up our bibs and shirts for the 10k and 1 mile races. The Mizuno Official Merchandise area was crowded, lots of products sold out in the first day of the expo and the best deal was half off of their wave riders 25 running sneakers which for women sold out in the first day of the expo. I did get some shirts, towels, bag and Mizuno wave rider 25 running sneakers at the expo since the deal was too good to pass up on it. The other local and mainland vendors were at the expo from Running Lab Hawaii, Lilikoi Wear, HI Dow, Massage Gun Vendors, Daiwa, Phiten and more all with good discounts and were selling out of their products as well. So get there early if you want anything good at the expo and be prepared to spend money even with good discounts it can add up to be a lot quickly. Two people fainted in the Mizuno area from the heat and humidity requiring EMS medical attention while waiting in the hour plus line to check out. They used to have a Waikiki shuttle that would take you to and from the expo but that hasn't returned yet post pandemic. Kalakaua Merrie Mile 2022: Kalakaua Merrie Mile is always a fun and short race especially seeing all the cute costumes that people wear from dinosaurs, blue dinosaurs, hula girls, Mario and Luigi, and more. There's plenty of children with their parents that do this race as well. It was fun and easy to do, I would highly recommend it. The best part was all the drinks and snacks at the end from moon pie, coconut water, and pressed fresh pineapple juice from Lanikai Juice. I drank the coconut water when I got home, used the moon pie as my breakfast for the 10k race and finished the pineapple juice after my 10k race. We also got to see Elite athletes that had a couple US Olympians run the race after we were all done with our mile race. So much fun! Honolulu Marathon Start to Park 10k 2022: I got to the shuttle pick up at Honolulu Zoo at 2 am on the first shuttle out they used the tourist double decker buses decorated with Christmas lights as we were all escorted by a few solo bike HPD officers to the Start line near Macy's Ala Moana; it was a really cool experience. It was the first year to have the shuttle to the start that they had post pandemic. We still had to walk about a mile to the actual start line after getting dropped off by the marathon shuttle. I don't know why they put the porta potties and self filling water stations so far away at Magic Island this year, which is another mile from Ala Moana Blvd but it wasn't as convenient as years past when they had them lined up closer to the street making easier for runners to get ready and on the race to use it if they really needed to use the restroom. They need more porta potties along the entire route even the 10k route. All the aid stations were well staffed with plenty of volunteers giving out water and first aid. It's beautiful as always seeing the fireworks at the starting line and Honolulu City Lights all decorated for the holidays. The fireworks were a little too close to comfort only a few meters away in the left side of the street closest to the ocean. I always cover my ears as it gets very loud when running close to it and it did make me run faster to get away from the fireworks being so close to me. We got a malasada and small banana at the finish line after our medals but we had to wait 15 to 20 minutes for the malasadas as they were being made fresh for us. There was only a self filled water station for us to use while waiting for the malasadas and bananas. Then I went on to see some professional Elite runners finish the marathon. Finisher's Monday 2022: Well staffed and simple as everyone is there just to pick up their certificates. The lamination costs 20 dollars per certificate with your race bib. I wanted to do it since it's the 50th Anniversary of Honolulu Marathon and first full race back to normal. They also had a Honolulu Marathon history finisher's shirts area, lots of photo areas and a small Mizuno area of whatever was left from the Expo that didn't get sold also heavily discounted. Overall, I would do this weekend again and do Start to Park 10k and Kalakaua Merrie Mile next year. Thank you to all the volunteers and race staff that help make these races, expo and Finisher's Monday possible! Thank you to HPD, bus drivers and medical staff for keeping us safe, escorting us to the start line, and making sure that we get what we need during the race! Thank you to all the fellow runners that made the weekend fun! read more

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Review for the 10K Start to Park: I recently did the 10K race that's part of the Honolulu Marathon on December 8, 2019. The 10K participants start at the same time as the marathoners at 5am. It was dark when we started lining up, joining an estimated 30,000+ runners and walkers there to traverse the streets of Honolulu. I was excited to do this event since it was my brother and sis-in-law's first time doing a race of any kind and they actually reside in Waikiki. Once our wave took off, there were fireworks to signal the beginning and everyone was in a great mood. I always enjoy seeing cities on foot and this was no exception. A big highlight was stopping to get pics of the Honolulu City Lights display that was along the run course. The weather was just right with highs in the 60s and a bit humid, but nothing horrible. The friendly volunteers at the aid stations were plentiful and there were lots of people cheering the whole way. 6.2 miles of fun cardio await you with a bunch of happy people exhibiting the aloha spirit if you choose to do this race! read more

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This is my 3rd year in a roll doing the marathon and I must say this is probably one of the greatest accomplishments I have done so far in terms of pushing myself physically and mentally. The volunteers are all very supportive and energetic when cheering the runners on. I am very thankful for all of them especially when you approach the hydration stations. I also noticed that the community is very supportive, despite them being stuck at home due to the road blocks. The only thing I would improve is the medical response after the race. They had a medical tent and appeared to have a lot of responders, but when we had an emergency with my gf's brother fainting the response was slower then I would have expected. Seem like we shouted for help for a while until responders came to the scene. I would like to thank the police officers and Japanese tent volunteers that came rushing to help while the ems team arrived. Once EMS arrived they were very helpful. I'm not trying to take anything away from the great help they provided. I just think after the race maybe they need to have more EMS roaming around the park. All in all the marathon was organized very well and I am very thankful for all the support they staff and volunteers provide to all the runners. read more

Honolulu Marathon - No training... it's finally done! Yay! - Races & Competitions Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Three hours into the race my AirPods died. With all the marathons I've done I should have passed the noob phase, but evidently not. I kept giving myself an out should it rain during the race (rained the night before and rained in the afternoon after the race, actually. Score.) and eventually signed up for the marathon a day before the race when the weather cleared. Active duty folks pay $85 ($93 if using card) no matter when they sign up. It was too good of a deal to pass up, even if I had run only three times in the past two months. Needless to say, my knees totally revolted and now I'm broken. Some of my favorite things: - Start time right at 0500. Totally crazy. I'm so used to having a million staggered starts that I almost missed it. - So much food from supporters! The things I ate on the course included: twizzler, donut, champagne, bacon, chocolates, candies, orange wedges, somen (Japanese noodles) - All the icy hot sprays. They provided some much needed placebo effects. - The elders with ukuleles were so cute. Unsure if they were playing together or just randomly strumming. - The costumes! There was a runner/walker with a tuba playing actual music, a man dressed up as Sailor Moon, a pikachu, a Christmas tree. It was all pretty entertaining. - The hollering staff member/volunteer before mile 8; then a runner started hollering and then the volunteer hollered louder and it was comical. - Taiko drums performance - Grumpy cats poster - "You should have pooped when you had the chance" poster - With a live dog: "Tail wagging scientifically proven to increase energy" poster - "All toenails go to heaven" poster - "This is Vaseline. Do not eat." posters from medical station workers. - Sponges to cool down. This is the first time I've seen sponges at a race! Overall this course is beginner friendly with gentle hills, supportive crowds, and no time limit. The scenery is ok if you live in Hawaii. There are gatorade and water stands every 2-3 miles and Gu available, but why would you want to eat that. Medical stations have vaseline but no medications so bring your own OTC painkillers (a Pro Tip I picked up from the American River run when I was in so much pain I literally had to sit down even with the threat of mountain lions, and another runner handed me some painkillers so I can get to safety). Clocks are also sparse, so bring your own watch if you really care about the time. Malasadas, bananas, finisher medals, and finisher shirts at the end of the course! But, like, they're not in obvious spots so I had to walk extra to find these tents. Super easy to walk an extra quarter mile to catch a Lyft. A fun run and I enjoyed it immensely; I don't run the same race twice but I may consider running this one again. read more

Last year when I had the stomach flu, I dragged myself out of bed at 330am to shower and head over to Ala Moana Beach Park. I still had the runs so I carried tissues with me. Although I required numerous bathroom breaks I dug deep and was able to complete my very first marathon in 7h 46m 46s. I didn't train except for completing the Great Aloha Run and hiking often. I was disappointed with myself as I wanted to break 7 hrs. I wanted REDEMPTION this year really, really bad... So when the "early-bird special" for Kama'aina registration took place, I signed up and wanted a second stab at it. I mean, who can turn down an entry fee for only $26.20??? I'll admit that I HATE long-distance running as I am lazy. I am easily bored and don't care to listen to music while exercising. But I do like to push myself as I'll take on challenges. After you register for the Honolulu Marathon, you receive confirmation via email immediately. Then in late-November you receive a letter informing you of the packet pick-up as well as the various marathon related events. The Honolulu Marathon Expo held at the Hawaii Convention Center in my opinion, is well organized. Upon entry the red carpet leads you to the pick-up station where you present your letter and you receive your BIB. You are then led to the computer system to register the microchip on your BIB and asked to confirm your information. Because the Honolulu Marathon attracts more than 20,000 runners and their families from Japan, this Expo pretty much caters to the Japanese tourists. You then get to walk around and check the various vendors for you to gain information and spend your money! All sorts of booths looking to get your attention but I pretty much only go to ones that sold energy gummy candies. They also have complimentary bus shuttle service from Honolulu Zoo parking lot from 2am to 4am to the start area. What a plus for those who don't live in town! After taking part in the Honolulu Marathon the last 2 years, here is my advice: 1) get a good night's sleep before the marathon 2) load up on "good" carbs about a week before the marathon 3) keep your body healthy (illness and injury) 4) keep well-hydrated before and during the marathon 5) eat bananas to prevent cramping 6) get yourself WRIGHT socks, which are made for long-distance running to prevent blistering 7) although this may NOT be for everyone, try running with a friend or set a target during the course** **I am very fortunate for fellow Elite Yelper Arthur S. who reached out to me the night before asking who I was running with. When I advised him no one, he offered me to join him and his GF Hiroko S. and some other Elite Yelpsters (Jayson N. and Arthur T.). Because I didn't train at all, I didn't want to hold them up so it was okay for them to pass me but I did my best to keep up with them. I noticed the "Big Bird Tuba" man, a Japanese runner who carried a tuba decorated like Big Bird and would play the instrument during the course. For a small man carrying a big tuba, he moved FAST so I was encouraged to keep up with him. 8) pace yourself during the course - - I highly encourage you to NOT start fast where you run out of gas at the end. Whenever I had a hill / incline (i.e. Diamond Head) I would brisk walk and as soon as it leveled out I would start jogging again. When the sun came out the course was HOT HOT HOT. I didn't put on any sunscreen lotion and the sun sure got to me. I made sure to hydrate myself with Gatorade and water at the water station and cooled myself off with cold sponges. They did have some energy gels to pass out but for some reason the first station was given a small supply and they ran out!!! During the course you will come across some generous locals who will offer you fresh fruit, candies, pretzels, water, musubis and high-fives!!! How awesome is that??? This year when I crossed the finish line, I realized I had broken 7 hrs. I had signed-up for Sportstats Race Alerts on Facebook and when I saw my official results, I realized I chopped my time by exactly 1 hr and 12 mins from last year. My time this year was 6h 34m 46s. Immediately after the marathon, I got my free food, t-shirt, medal and headed home. Took a shower and immediately took a nap as I was exhausted. When I took off my socks I had NO blisters, compared to last year where I had multiple blisters (including blood blisters) as I wore generic cotton socks. I woke up from my 3 hour nap with sore legs but could walk around with some "burning sensation". I went for a short walk in my neighborhood and the more I moved around that burning feeling was minimized. This morning I woke up with the same burning feeling in my legs but I hiked Makapu'u Lighthouse Trail and in the afternoon I hiked Diamond Head State Monument. Legs held up well. If you set your mind to a goal and believe in yourself, it can be achieved. I am living proof. read more

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Yelp 365 Challenge x 2 #251/365 Pre-Marathon: Back in January, there was a good deal going on that I couldn't pass up. I figured that I had a whole year to train especially because I was supposed to have run the inaugural Nike Women's Half Marathon in DC, which didn't pan out because I ignorantly thought a person with a bunion can't run-so I pulled out from that race. After my doctor and podiatrist assured me that I can take precautionary measures, I did the Spartan Race and realized that I can run. As I started signing up for a lot of runs, I remembered I signed up for the Honolulu Marathon. I figured I could use the other races and my training to get ready for this event too. The Experience: The Honolulu Expo made it real for me after picking up my packet. I also made sure I bought all the essentials for a marathon from lightweight, dry-wick clothes to making sure I was properly fueled with carb gels/chews and electrolyte mixes. What I learned was that nothing goes according as planned (maybe for seasoned marathoners their plans work) because I changed my whole game plan that morning. See, after researching everything and anything to prepare the best that I could since 26.2 miles is a big distance for me that I have never conquered, I thought I could calculate what I run according to the shorter distance runs that I do...wrong. The night before, I had everything prepared from my clothes, shoes, Bib, safety pins, bagel, etc. However, after Dan dropped us off near McKinley High School and my dad and I walked to Ala Moana Boulevard, I looked in my bag and noticed I forgot the safety pins for my bib, my bagel (and all I had were two multi-grain rolls besides the gel chews and sports beans), and my Ibuprofen. Thank goodness for the businesses that were catering to the Japanese internationals because they had a booth with a box of safety pins! Lining up at the Start Line: Initially, I figured since I am a slow runner who walks in between and my pace improved from 21 minutes to 14 minutes...that I could do that and average a finishing time in about 5 1/2 to 6 hours. It didn't happen-I became intimidated as everyone crowded in revving to go. I looked at my dad who was a seasoned marathoner and I told him that he can run ahead because he suggested running for 30 minutes... THIRTY MINUTES. I told my dad, "Uh...I'm more of the 10-15 minutes? How about this, you run ahead and we'll see each other at the finish line plus we can text each other just to make sure we are okay." And when the fireworks went off, I ran the first mile and during this time-everything I planned I threw out the window. As I shared, I became intimidated because everyone was just running like it was a 10k. I was afraid I was going to gas out early and I wanted to make sure that I finished the marathon. So, I created a new plan of running the first mile...walk the rest and run/walk at the 20 mile marker...after all, the longest I've been running recently is 6 miles. That didn't happen either. Things I learned along the route: -The volunteers at the hydration station and first aid station were amazing -The residents, family members, friends and the community of Hawaii cheering on the sidelines were inspiring especially the lady who held up the sign "At least you're running better than Congress" -Body glide will fade and you need vaseline to lather up your feet to prevent blistering -Bring extra TP because the portapotties ran out of TP and thank goodness for Chevron Kahala -Hydrate with sipping water and/or gatorate/electrolytes instead of gulping it down -Refuel consistently...I ate 2 or 3 beans every quarter mile and drank it with water -It's okay to rest a bit but NOT for long -I learned the definition of "hitting the wall" as I reached the 20 mile marker -It's physically and mentally challenging...the struggle is real (I ran the last mile) -The epic score, "No Sacrifice, No Victory" from Transformers is the best thing to listen to as you are running towards the finish line. Yeah...I was pretty dramatic since I was almost losing my mind because I wanted to give up yet determined to finish till the end and after seeing my family cheering/waving-I started crying because hey-it's my first marathon -You are greeted with a lei not remembering that you were supposed to smile as you cross the finish line, so my picture will be ugly...*vanity* -There's malasadas at the end but I was too tired and in pain and just wanted to go home to shower and sleep -The finisher's shirt and medal is beautiful Overall, from the Expo to the Marathon-everything was organized. Congratulations to all the runners/walkers who participated as well as finished this marathon! Oh, last thing...I signed up for the 2014 Hapalua Half-Marathon...I figured if I hit the wall, I can tell myself that if I finished 26.2 miles, I can finish a half... *insane* read more

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My 100th review on Yelp!! And it goes a little something like this.... Dear Diamond Head, I'm never going to look at you the same. My thighs are killing me! Hawaii Kai, I don't even know where to start. Probably never going to see me running/walking that strip again. Haha! But hey! I discovered a Ross store in the neighborhood! What an experience!! Glad I did it! From registering online (If I recall, Military rate is the same as Kama'aina rate), to the Expo at the convention center, to being at the Start line and watching fireworks, seeing all of the volunteers and supporters up early and working hard for us runners, and getting to that friggin Finish line, the memories will never fade from my mind. It was my first marathon and I'm happy to say I experienced it here in paradise. I mean c'mon. The Christmas lights in downtown, the sunrise at Diamond Head, the beach views from Hawaii Kai, the beautiful million dollar mansions in Kahala (OMG! Wow!), and Kapiolani Park, are all the awesome scenic points from this run. Then there are the awesome supporters! The water stations, sponge stations (nice touch!), medical stations, food from the locals, entertainment (rock bands, hula girls, DJ's, and Taiko drummers and more!), and the photographers. Way to make our experience wonderful. If I were to suggest anything, it would be to add a few more water stations on the Hawaii Kai route. I heard one of the tables ran out of water and cups, so they packed up early. Oh no! I decided not to wear a water pack because I thought the stations along the way would be plenty fine. It was blazing hot out there! The bling! So awesome. I love it! I also heard this years finisher medal is so much better from last years. Glad I earned a good one. It feels like I'm wearing gold baby!! Thank you so much! The neon green t-shirt is kinda cool, too!! The marathon malasada. YES! It was delicious. But again, I didn't have water to wash it down. I wish there were a couple of water stations, like near the finish line and near the food. I could barely walk! Instead, it was way in the back. I didn't discover it until I was standing in line for a Finisher photo. The participants. The nice thing that sets the HNL marathon from others is that there is no time limit and the word "Walk" is included in the title: Honolulu Marathon & Race Day Walk. So, there were 29k participants and such a variety in age. Some dressed up in costumes. Wheelchair participants. A firefighter group. A few Marines carrying their 75lb pack. A dude carrying a 60lb barbell on his shoulders. Senior citizens. First timers. Amateurs. Elite runners. I was so amazed. These are all of the people that inspired me along the way (praying out loud helped, too!). My ride home was an Uber driver. That app came in so handy. He was awesome, too! And it was nice to have a $20 credit as being a marathon finisher since the rate was 3.2x higher than usual due to the activity around Kapiolani. Then there was Day 2 at Kapiolani Park. If you're mobile enough to go back, they have waiting for you a personalized Finisher Certificate (you could also have it laminated for $20) and magazine for free, which listed all of the finishers by time and name. Great souvenir!! Thank you, Honolulu Marathon! Wish I could say I'd do it again, but I think one is enough for this woman. As soon as the run was over, I cried like a baby, could barely move, and swore like a sailor. It took 3 days for me to fully recover, but I still have scars from chaffing. Maybe next time I'll sign up as a volunteer!! Aloha and mahalo!!! read more

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Having that I have done the Honolulu Marathon 5 times already, I figured I would file a review since the marathon has transformed myself from a runner sitting on the sidelines to a Marathon Maniac and a 50 State Marathon Club member, who's trying to do all 50 from Hawaii. With that said, Honolulu Marathon 2007 was my inaugural marathon into the big leagues. I did the Maui half marathon 2007 and came in at 3:01:17. Figured how hard could 26.2 miles be? Huge lesson learned. since I did not run regularly in between Maui and race morning, didn't carb load, and just didn't really do much of anything and it showed on race morning. I came in at a dismal 8:49:48, after sitting down a few times along Kahala Avenue. The marathon is such a self discovery that you would need to WANT to do it within your lifetime, just to prove to yourself that you can do it. The training can be arduious, but the self satisfaction comes during race morning when you're half asleep getting dressed to run 26.2 miles is a blessed feeling. First timers may not feel like that's the case, but being that I am one of those who seek out marathons across the continental US and hopefully the world (one of these days), I can attest to one and all, that it is worth all that pain and discomfort. For the Honolulu Marathon, its my hometown race and the fact of doing the distance with 20,000+ others at a 5am start is something to behold. I believe that the Honolulu Marathon has the earliest race start of any known marathon. Possibly due to the weather conditions, although it tends to be more chill than warm. Then again, it is Hawaii anyway. The only problem that Honolulu Marathon has is Diamond Head. My current goal is to run a sub 7 hour race in Honolulu. I can do it on the US Mainland countless times, but Honolulu remains elusive for me. My best Honolulu would be a 7:10:18, and my personal worst came at 2011, when I twisted my ankle at mile 3, but managed to slug out 23 miles to finish in 9:27:35. I signed up for 2012, just to get revenge on that course and hope to just finish better than I did in 2011. The 2011 experience made me realize that I can do anything when I put my mind to it. A+++++ read more

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Expo/Packet Pickup: The expo is pretty tiny and lackluster for a big marathon. From the official merchandise to the majority of the vendors, it is pretty much all geared towards foreign runners specifically from Japan. That's fine with me since I get to practice my very limited Japanese and they get to practice their English. Adidas for the past 3 years has been the official race merchandise vendor and their products aren't all that impressive. They were much better when Nike was the official race vendor. One good thing is that the expo is open starting on Wednesday. Don't forget to bring your bib number that they'll mail to you a couple of weeks before the race. Pre-race: If you're staying near the zoo/Kapiolani Park, catch one of the buses to the starting area near the Ala Moana Center. I prefer to stay at a hotel near the start and just walk on over. This is a good marathon to run before running a marathon in Japan. The majority of the participants are from Japan. Even though there are pacing signs directing runners on where to start in the corral, very few runners follow those directions. But not to worry, the streets are pretty wide and you'll spread out soon enough. Race: The race starts pretty early so that runners can avoid some of the heat and you'll be sent off with a bunch of cool fireworks. Keep in mind that you'll be running a marathon in a tropical paradise where it'll be hot and humid. If it rains, it'll be a warm comfortable rain. The sun won't be out until about 2 hrs into the race. Don't try and run a PR here unless you're well trained in warm weather. The course is pretty awesome with its scenery but would count as a pretty challenging course. Post-race: It gets pretty crowded in Kapiolani Park after the race, but there are plenty of signs to point you in the right direction. So pick up your malasada, banana, and some water. Take a picture with a hula girl around the small pond. Then head over to the middle of the grassy area to pick up your finisher medal and shirt. I wish more races would be more like Honolulu, where you only get a shirt if you complete the race. The shirts then have a little bit more meaning. Then on Monday, stop by Kapiolani Park and pick up your finisher certificate, a paper with the official results, and meet the male and female winners! You can also buy some official race merchandise at a deep discount (usually 50% off). Overall: I love this marathon and would love to run it every year as long as I can afford it. I would give it 5 stars but I've run the New York City Marathon and Honolulu is not quite at that level. read more

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Did the 26.2 and it was a lovely course! Scenic views and easy-moderate hills. The run takes you around Diamond Head into Kahala, then Hawaii Kai and finishing at Kapiolani Park. read more

Honolulu Marathon - Races & Competitions Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

I have done the Honolulu Marathon 5 times. The adrenaline from people doing the race, walk and struggle with you is so amazing. Love the 1,000s Japanese people that do the race as a lot are dressed up in Star Wars costume, wedding brides, to different anime and one runs with the wooden slippers .... and they finish in 6 hours or less. The race usually has 20,000+ runners and I would say at least 10,000 are from Japan but other states and countries are represented with the Kenyans winning the male and different foreign countries for the female division. The race starts at 5 am and they display beautiful fireworks for about 5 minutes. The 2016 finisher medal was the largest medal of them all and heavy too. I did the race in 2010 and there wasn't a medal back then and the 2012 race (40th anniversary) started having the medals. The hardest part is doing the last 8 miles. By the time you go up diamond head, you're at mile 23 and usually the weather is hot and sunny. I've done the race once where it was cloudy. Highly recommend getting water and Gatorade at each water station. Also have some gel or snacks to get more energy for a race that will take most people 5 hours or more. The finisher areas at the end has so many things to taking photos which you get a portrait printed there, malasadas (hot and fresh), Banana, bagels and other treats with water. The video screen is about 10 minutes delayed so you can watch how you finished the course. I would do this race again! read more

So my boyfriend and I signed up for the Honolulu Marathon last year since it wasn't too expensive (we signed up early as kamaainas). This was the third time that we signed up. 2014 was the first year we signed up together. I did train a bit in the first year we tried (2014), and could only get to mile 16 before I had to call it quits because of all the pain I was in. After that, I developed plantar fasciitis. My running still has never been the same, and the plantar fasciitis still flares up here and there. I was very disappointed in myself the first year. Pain or not, I felt like a failure. I felt like a cheater since I crossed the finish line after getting a ride from a friend at mile 16 who took us to the park. I crossed the finish line so I would know what it was like and be motivated to finish next time. I was sad and felt worthless that I didn't finish. The second year we signed up, we got to the expo and that was the furthest we got. I was still disappointed and felling negative so I didn't even want to try. The third year (3016), we were debating should we even do it since we didn't do any training at all. Last minute, we decided that we would just do some of it and walk, if we woke up in time. We went to a bbq and slept at 11:30 pm the night before. Whatever happens, happens. Somehow, we woke up, did the 10 miles we said we would and just kept going. We walked and walked. And guess what? We finished, a little over 11 hours. That's longer than a work day. My legs were jello that day but surprisingly the next day, I wasn't as sore as I thought I would be. I think it's because I stretched and kept moving. I didn't sit or lay down for too long. It may have taken us a long time, but my boyfriend and I did it together. We tried hard and didn't give up. We officially finished a marathon together and each earned our first Honolulu Marathon medal! If you can complete a marathon, you'll feel like you can do almost anything after that. Some tips and takeaways? Train. Don't overtrain, but make sure you train. We may not have trained, but we were swimming, doing yoga and other strengthening exercises which probably helped us. Food. Make sure you bring a snack and enough energetic gels/packets. We didn't know we were doing the entire marathon so we weren't prepared and were out of energy during most of the race. TP. Make sure you pack toilet paper for the race. There will be a lot of bathroom breaks. Support. It can be a running partner, someone else in the race or someone just following your progress. They can help cheer and motivate you. They also can make sure you're ok and get you help if you need it. It's amazing how much a little support can really help you push through. Run. If you can, do some running. 11 hours is a very long time to be walking and is very hard on your feet. Don't give up. Try your best and take each mile at a time. People who do this marathon are very supportive along the way. You entered and were at the start line. That's the hardest step. Listen to your body. If your body is in pain and telling you to stop, stop. No race is worth doing permanent damage to your body. Would we do it again? Yes. Now that I know we can finish. We are going to try to train this time and do some running. I want to thank you to those of you who were tracking me and encouraged me! You were with me and helped me finish that race. Let me say, a lot of things cross your mind as you do the race. You believed in me, even when I doubted myself. I appreciate the support more than you know. And now I know understand why that malasada is so good. ******** You can walk or run. Do it for malasadas. Train and don't give up. read more

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Lost track of how many of these i ran, but i believe I'm at 18! ; ) As far as Honolulu Marathon itself, I've ran it twice, but haven't made it out for my third one as of yet. When i did, i wasn't feeling very well which led to me not even making it out, and parking was a factor in that also because i wanted to get that third Honolulu Marathon medal. A note on parking, its horrible! Ayway, Honolulu Marathon is by far one of my favorite marathons that I've ran. This event is huge, and best believe you will get many laughs along the course. Many of the Japanese runners come out in costumes, that will enlighten your mood, and also make you laugh. The event also attracts elite runners from all around the globe, and prior to the run itself there is a short around Kapiolani Park with the elite runners competing in the race. It's pretty cool, and gives you the chance to pick their brains on why their so awesome : ) One thing that bothers me about this marathon, is that its like a scavenger hunt, trying to find the finishers medal, and t-shirt tent, after finishing the run itself. I remind you that you've just ran 26.2 miles, and the next task is finding the medal, and tshirt tent. Yes, exactly! Very draining, but hopefully things have changed. That's my only complaint, but the rest is all good, such as cold water shower at the finish line, beer, food, finisher photo with a hula girl, and a sweet t-shirt, and medal once you find the tent ; ) Have a blast, and take in the beautiful sights of Koko Head, Hawaii Kai, and Diamond Head; just to name a few of my favorites : ) Enjoy! Thomas G read more

Honolulu Marathon - Races & Competitions Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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It was a dark and stormy night and... wait a minute. It was actually the Honolulu Marathon! I was happy that it was slightly stormy to begin with because I was concerned with the hot sun beating down on me. I burn easy. This was my first year running the Honolulu Marathon and man I definitely should have trained more! I usually do a half hour of cardio everyday which I bumped up to one hour a day and it wasn't enough. My day started out super early with participants meeting at the starting line by 5 am. I decided to walk it since I live about a mile from the start line. I didn't want to deal with the mess of finding parking and shuttling it over. In hindsight I should have did it because I would find out later that one mile would sure make a difference! After the start of the race was announced, fireworks started being fired into the sky! I don't know how they got away with it, but the Honolulu Marathon blasted away fireworks at 5 am on a Sunday morning! Good morning Honolulu! I spent about five minutes in awe of the large amount of people and the awesome fireworks and then started on my journey. I decided to walk because I wanted to conserve as much energy as possible for the trip ahead. I thought nothing of my journey until I rounded the corner to get onto King Street. Next stop, Hawaii Kai! The thought of driving to Hawaii Kai daunts me, but walking?! Jeez! It was awesome running into Victoria M, Malia H, Todd S, Chad Y, Paul C, and Ed L along the way. Victoria, Malia, and Todd kept me company. I lost Victoria somewhere in downtown when we made a pit stop at Murphy's Bar and Grill. Once we got onto Kalaniana`ole Highway it started pouring rain with strong gusts and we got soaked from head to toe. It was torture but we persisted. Lori I was on route with a tent, table, food, and drinks! It was so awesome! We grabbed some food and drink and kept going. Malia and Todd stepped into the sidelines briefly and I continued on my trek. I felt a bit of pain in my feet but it was nothing that I could not deal with so on I went. By the time I got to Hawaii Kai, I was running on fumes, but that still would not stop me. Onward I went and continued heading back. On the way back I got texted a picture of some gorgeous food from Lori's tent. My friends were there and they started grilling! Amazing! I couldn't wait to get back to the tent. Once I got back to the tent, I got treated to a sight for sore eyes. Friends that I had not seen for a long time had gathered there including Art T, Susan F, Jayson N, and Roy Y. They sat me in a chair, made me a plate of delicious guava chicken and a marinated burger, and passed me a Powerade and water. I enjoyed this heavenly meal and continued on my way. I was in a lot of pain, but was still able to walk, so I just managed my pain mentally and continued moving. Coming along the homestretch with less than fives miles to go, I worked my way down Kahala Avenue. I was in intense pain at this point and the excessively loud music that I did not care for from DJs on the side of the road made me feel worse. Even though I did not like it, I forced myself to filter it out and inched closer to the finish. Kahala Avenue ended and then I was on Diamond Head Road! Up I went and then when I started down that's when I hit the wall. At Mile 24, debilitating cramps sidelined me. No matter how much I did not care and wanted to keep going, my body would not let me. My legs had stopped working. I spent several minutes massaging and stretching my legs. I had a banana so I ate while I sat. I tried to get up several times. I could not. I tried to use a lifeline by making a phone call. I had no service. I was stuck. Finally, after about 15-20 minutes I forced myself back up through the pain and hobbled forward. I went about 50 feet and got stuck again. I sat back down, and repeated my stretching and massaging routine. I forced myself up again. I failed. I sat down. This happened several times before I could fight enough through the pain to keep moving. At this point my cell phone died. I was on my own. Painful, tiny, slow steps were my new pace. I was a snail! I was moving and that's all I wanted. I eventually made it to Kapiolani Park and the finish line was in sight! About 50 strangers sitting along the sidelines started cheering me on with cars driving by honking and waving at me and pedestrians stopping to cheer me on too. It felt amazing that so many people that I did not know took time to encourage me so much. Before I knew it, I crossed the finish line! First thing I did was fill a cup with water and down it because I had become so thirsty. I picked up my finisher's shirt and medal next, walked to the nearest tree, and collapsed by it. I laid there for a good twenty minutes then got up. With a dead cell phone and less than $20 cash in my wallet I decided my best option was to bus it. I limped to a nearby city bus and jumped in. The dark day turned into a bright one. read more

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Honolulu is the first of many marathons for me. I have a goal of running a marathon in every state. We all have to start somewhere - So I started with a marathon on my home turf. I signed up for Honolulu unfortunately after the awesome Kama'aina $1.00 per mile deal. Which, I won't miss for the following years for myself and my husband. Way cheaper. Let me start out by saying that if you plan on running the marathon - Not doing the walk portion - please train! This may seem obvious, but I just think training is so important and doing it properly can ensure success for a long time coming. So train! Secondly - participate in the marathon readiness races leading up to the marathon to help you train. I personally find I am easily motivated by a race and constantly having one to do keeps me really going. Plus it is always more fun to race then to just go out and do your own training runs. I think so anyways! Let's start with the expo. The expo is actually why I can not give this marathon 5 stars. For such a large marathon - I would imagine the expo to be bigger. Also I understand that a lot of Japanese run this marathon - but that doesn't mean the whole expo has to be Japanese focused. (I am exaggerating a bit, I get that). I just found myself disappointed in the expo. However - that being said picking up your bib was very well organized and that is a plus in my book. On the day of the race - parking is terrible for those driving in. Lucky for me my husband dropped me off near the start and he went on the hunt for parking. The shuttle the Honolulu marathon puts on though is brilliant. As the start time neared the excitement was clearly in the air! One of the best things about this marathon was the fireworks at the beginning. It is so awesome to have that be your beginning to the incredible journey any marathon brings - and each one I'm certain brings it's own unique journey. It was also quite nifty to be running with fireworks going off in the background. The course is mostly flat with the exception of Diamond Head. Twice. First go around not so bad. Second go around - cruel and unusual punishment so close to the end of the 26.2 mile journey! Biggest shout out and the best thing about this marathon (Any, really) is the volunteers! Everyone was well organized and aid stations were constantly working well so that they always had Gatorade and water for all the participants. They were cheering everyone on, high fiving and saying encouraging words. Without the volunteers - none of this is possible. I tried to thank as many of them as I could throughout the race. Remember to thank the volunteers and show them respect! I thought the little things they did during the course made a big difference. Of course like mentioned, aid stations with water and Gatorade were well organized and marked and always ready for the next runner to come in. The gel packs at certain aid stations is a great addition. Although I didn't personally use them as I carried with me what I needed - I know numerous people did and appreciated it! The biggest little thing that made a big difference: Sponges! I had never been so relieved to see a sponge in my life - and multiple times throughout the race - I was in heaven! These ice cold sponges were amazing to rub all over your arms, legs, face, squeeze on top of your head, stick down your shirt, whatever - just to keep you cool. It was certainly a hot and humid day for the race yesterday! The occasional misting was also awesome, but not as heavenly as those sponges! After finishing I did find getting to the finishers tent to pick up my shirt and medal a bit confusing - but that could simply have been the fact that I was also searching for my husband and not paying attention to the signs. Though, even when we met up the signs didn't do a lot of good. Malasadas at the end of the marathon - perfect! I've never had a malasada taste so good! All in all - this is a good marathon. My first of many and I loved every minute of it (except the last 7 or so miles, those were mind over matter moments)! A marathon is not just endurance it involves having incredible strength to push through those tough times and miles. I will always be a long distance runner. I'm sure I'll have numerous more Honolulu marathons under my belt before we know it. My finish time.... 5:47:06 read more

Honolulu Marathon - 2013 medal - Races & Competitions Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

I had a really positive experience with the Honolulu Marathon, being my first and likely last for the time being. Running a marathon is no joke! You start off at 5AM running in the darkness with a huge crowd of people. There aren't any official corrals just flagged areas where you show up and begin the race. It's extremely crowded at first and you do have to weave through folks early on which can get frustrating. They start off which fireworks which is a cool moment and gets you amped as you start the long run. Once the sun rises, it gets pretty difficult. I had trained in San Francisco where the warmest it gets is 70 degrees on a hot day so this didn't translate well in a hot and humid climate. This was probably the biggest obstacle in the race. Every 2.5 miles they do have water and Gatorade stations. It was really important to stay hydrated throughout. I'd chug 2-3 cups of water each stop and had too much in the beginning that I had to make multiple stops at the porto-potties. By 7AM, the sun rises and you start to slow down as the temperature quickly rises and the sun begins beating down on your back but the staff and volunteers do an amazing job to support the runners. At the tail end, volunteers hand out sponges soaked in ice and bags of out ice. I also suggest bringing your own towel to soak up with ice to stay cool. I really appreciated all of the supporters and cheerers along the route. They provide food, water, even beer and an occasional hose spray to cool you down. They had DJs, performers and a crew of musicians playing Taiko drums at various points in the race. I didn't end up wearing my ear buds because there was so much to see and enjoy! Most of the route was pretty flat except for two incline spots by Diamond Head but I didn't think they were too challenging after running in SF. When you do finish, it's the best feeling in the world. A sigh of relief. You're greeted with a medal and t-shirt and be sure to drop by the stall and get you're free malasada! If you've never run a race before I highly recommend starting with the Honolulu marathon! No time limit!! read more

Honolulu Marathon - Sunrise - Races & Competitions Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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So I just completed my first marathon yesterday & I feel so accomplished. This was a great experience and I am glad that I was able to push myself to cross the finish line. I can say that I ran/walked 26.2 miles. The race starts on Ala Moana boulevard fronting the old IBM building, you quickly go through Chinatown, pass through Honolulu City Lights and head into Waikiki. From there you go around Diamond Head, into Kahala and make the long trek to Hawaii Kai and back. The weather was perfect! There was a lot of cloud coverage and some patches of straight sun. I usually run 2-3 miles when I do run, but definitely make use of the expo to pick up some gels and other energy boosters. With my caffeinated gel I ran 9 miles straight. Something I've never done before. The spectators do a great job cheering everyone on and the volunteers who pass out water, Gatorade and sponges are the best. Satohap sprayers you are a life saver! Make sure you somehow put on sunscreen. I didn't and I was burnt to a crisp with some not so lovely tan lines. After crossing the finish line you get your shell lei and medal. Then hobble your way to get your infamous piping hot malasada and other snacks. Trust me, you'll need them. Last but not least grab your finishers shirt and show everyone what you just did! read more

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My review for "running" the Honolulu Marathon comes 2 months late, but better late then never, no? This was my first marathon ever, but I've done a bunch of other races and sports venues so I had a pretty good idea on what to expect. First off, the HNL marathon is not comparable to other marathons on the mainland! How do I know this without having run a marathon anywhere else? From tons of reading and combing the websites. Apparently, a lot of marathoners from other cities and even other countries say the HNL marathon sucks when it comes to food and sustenance. Having done a lot of other races and shorter fun runs locally, I can attest to that fact. What do you get when you cross the finish line? An apple and a cookie!! Oh, lets not forget your T shirt that's strategically placed in the MIDDLE of the park which is hell to get to when your quads are jello! It's saving graces are the start line buses, which take you from the Kalakaua side of the zoo to the start line by Ala Moana Shopping Center, the cool pre-marathon expo with lots of swag and samples, pretty nice finish shirt (I only did Dec 2009 so I can't speak for the previous years), fun and crazy costumes donned by the Japanese at the start line (Playboy bunny complete with fishnet stockings, PikaChu from Pokemon, hula girl, man with wooden "geta" clogs, samurais, a pack of Japanese "schoolgirls"..etc you get the idea) Most people gripe about the Japanese getting all the cool swag and support but I can bet you they paid way more than me. I paid $30 to run the marathon; they probably paid a hell of a lot more. More than 50% of the runners are made up by the Japanese nationals. I have no gripe, let them spend their money in Hawaii while having a great time! I just got my marathon certificate yesterday in the mail stating my finish time when I had long forgotten about the horrible, awful pain my poor feet endured for hours....but the true question remains...would I do it again??? hmmm...must think about that one. read more

This was my very first marathon and I had a great time. I have to admit, I could have trained better for this because I really suffered in the last 10 miles. By mile 20, my legs were all but dead and I was pretty much just walking to the finish line. Thankfully, there were many water/gatorade stations that were reliably stocked. For the most part I was able to get a drink each time I saw a station. Some notes/tips: - There are A LOT of people that attend. We got to the start line later than planned so we could no longer get to our proper corrals due to the mass of people. We ended up crossing the start with a number of walkers and had to do some weaving. I would also advise against taking an Uber to the start line - prices can get super inflated. The starting signal used fireworks and that was awesome. - Pace yourself and run carefully. Two women fell in front of me at different points in the race. And at some point I saw a man getting treated by an ambulance. Be prepared to get a little wet, either from puddles or flash rain. It might help bring your own water and snacks, if you really need it. This race didn't really give out that energy candy. Ice your legs after the run. Two things that really won this race for me: - The medal is simply beautiful. Every now and then I would pick it up just to admire it. - Oahu is also beautiful. I arrived a few days before the race and I'm glad I did. Was able to visit Hanauma bay for snorkeling, climbed Koko Head, and visited other parts of the island. If you're in decent shape and have never been to Oahu before, I'd say just go ahead and do this race. read more

Honolulu Marathon - 2017 Honolulu marathon medal and shirt. - Races & Competitions Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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26.2 miles. That is the distance for a Marathon. Just an FYI. Believe me, I get asked this question quite a bit. +Starting time - 5AM +Starting location - Ala Moana Blvd (next to Ala Moana Shopping Center) +Entry fee - Varies. Local early bird rate (as in 11 months in advance) is $35. Local late rate (as in 1 month before the race) is $245. My piece of advice - don't pay late. +Course - Amazing.....! The entire street of Nimitz Hwy, Downtown (King St), Waikiki (Kalakaua St), Diamond Head Road, Aina Haina (Kalanianaole Hwy), Hawaii Kai Drive, and back is closed for the marathon! Never in my life did I imagine running down Downtown or Waikiki streets (being closed off to cars) without traffic at 5/6AM! WHOO... it was an adrenaline rush!!! +Participants - Roughly 22,000-24,000 every year! With 60% being Japanese. Great for the Hawaii economy. +Finisher shirts - Totally awesome!!! 2010's shirt was an awesome teal green! I loooovvveeeee it! :) +Water aid stands - Seriously, about a million volunteers were at these water aid stands. The ground was suuuuuuper ass wet and messy with tons of sponges and paper cups all over... I literally thought a Tsunami had hit Hawaii at each water aid station... but Thank You to all the volunteers. Without them and the tons of waters passed out, I surely would not have finished the dreadful 26.2 miles!! +Porta Potty - I thought that there was a sufficient amount of porta poties available throughout the course of the race. I don't actually allow myself to use the restroom in any race, so I can't say... But I heard that the porta potties can get quite a bit gross.... I think it's going to be my rule to skip it for future runs as well. +Race finish line - Terrible. The only food served were bananas and cookies... Bananas are pretty decent, but cookies??? I trained for months, ate well for months and ran 26.2 miles to put junk food in my body?? No thanks. And the distance betw the food stand and the Finisher shirts were literally a mile apart!! I got my Finisher shirt and my Finisher Medal. Totally awesome. But where was my food reward???? Tons of tents were set up for the Japanese groups and I could see that they were served their own special foods and had their own special massage sections!! As a local racer, our massage tent had a wait line for 45 minutes!! +Overall - Running 26.2 miles is no joke. This was my first marathon. And I'm definitely proud and happy to be able to say that it was in Hawaii.... I think people like hearing the word, "Hawaii." LOL... But it was such a fantastic event to see over 23,000 people at 5AM on Ala Moana Blvd jamming the streets and with over 13,000 people being Japanese from Japan. These people are the cutest! They come in groups and gather for group stretching poses... During the race, you will see them pose for pictures. I felt super motivated that so many people would come from so far, such as Japan, to participate in such a grouling event. I definitely did not want to let myself down and walk or give up. Needless to say, I ran 26.2 miles!!!! CHEEEHOOOOOOO!! read more

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This is my 100th review!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I was saving it for Morimoto, however, I thought that the Honolulu Marathon might be a more significant event. This is one of the highlights to be in Hawaii in December. This event alone brings in over hundreds of thousands of tourist to Honolulu (mostly from Japan) to be apart of the 26-miles marathon. Honolulu residents also play a big role in this event. Thousands participate in the race and hundreds volunteer to run the water stations, first aid stations, starter line and finisher line. This year, I was there to help at the finish line, it was amazing to see runners dressing up in various costumes. Yes, costumes! Its crazy, I saw people dressed in their wedding dresses, kimonos, Doraem, Darth Vadder, Superman, guys in dresses, and etc. And around noon to 1 o'clock, you see runners coming in with tears of joy. This is a great event to help out at. However, keep in mind that you might be working for over 12 hours, standing in the sun with no water break. Bust as I see the runners finish the race, I keep telling myself, maybe, just maybe, one year, I will run the marathon. read more

More details to come but here is the abridged version Not friendly to Americans (Many people said this to me) Disorganized Dangerous Poorly Managed Bad Course design No running support I'd highly recommend finding another race read more

I was disappointed with the race for several reasons: no energy gels at any aid station despite promises to have them. Since I relied on that promise I only brought 2 gels. They only had watered down Gatorade starting at Mile 6 and not at all aid stations. Out of the kindness of their hearts, spectators were the only ones who gave us any snacks or food. Some motorcycle people gave us pretzels, a kid gave us his leftover Halloween candy, a couple gave us bananas, and another woman on Kahala Avenue gave us orange slices. Why I'm digusted is I know the race is making ALOT of money and they can't even give us anything except water and weak Gatorade (at only some aid stations). They also have a lot of sponsors, so why couldn't they kick in the energy gels they promised. Had I known they were going to flake on this I would have brought my own gels. It seems like the race is only for promotion of tourism. They don't really care if you have a good race or not. In our race packets there was nothing of value in it like Maps or directions-- just advertising for businesses in Waikiki. It was one of the worst races I ever entered as far as race support. There were a lot of volunteers though. What was also irritating was the Satohop Aid stations which is a pain relieving spray that smells like Bengay and volunteers were spraying people's legs and feet with it. You had to run through this nasty cloud of mentholatum. I did not get this sprayed on me because I really doubt it would do jack and I was so sick of that smell everywhere because everyone was covered in it. The only reason Satohop was there was because of the Japanese tourists. I never wanted to do this race because it consists of 90% Japanese tourists which the race caters to. I'm not trying to be racist as I am half Japanese but as I heard someone mention, it was more like a parade than a race. They stop and take photos of everything and you spend a lot of time and effort trying to go around them. Also it is not very scenic compared to other races. However I did get a kick out of seeing a lot of people in costume, Barefoot runners, a Japanese bon dancer running in wooden clogs, and a guy walking on 6 foot high stilts. The post-race food consisted of malasadas and coconut water. Oh yeah to add final insult to injury, the shuttle bus to take you back to the start line wanted to charge $2.50. First of all many Runners don't carry money with them and I think the shuttle should be included in your race dues. Nowhere in their information did it say you would have to pay for the shuttle. This race starts and finishes at a different place which makes it very inconvenient. I parked my car at Thomas Square and walked 1 mile to Ala Moana Beach Park for the start. I didn't trust finding parking by the zoo in the morning and catching the shuttle bus to get there in time. I also didn't want to risk not being able to get to the start on time using Uber with all the road closures. So if I was going to pay $2.50 for the shuttle I would still need to walk a mile to my car after. Instead I caught a taxi right to my car for $16 and it was worth every cent. I really like my finisher shirt and I felt like I earned every thread on it. I really doubt I will do this Marathon again for all of these reasons. My main goal was to inspire several of my friends to enter a marathon for the first time and they did really good so mission accomplished. read more

I can make it... Don't give up. Ohh it hurts. Ow. Ow. Ow. Why in the world would you try to run/walk 26+ miles at one time? Exactly what do you get for all of this? Pride. Respect. An unforgettable experience. A really cool medal & T-shirt. And let's not forget, free bananas and malasadas. Quick tips: Start training ASAP Rest at least 3-4 days before the race. Sunblock -- SUNBLOCK! Drink water/Gatorade at EVERY station. Drink more than one if you have to. Bring a lot of willpower. Watch out for potholes! Really, I've seen people trip on potholes. Training: You should literally start training from the day you sign up. I know what you're thinking, "You must be kidding." I KID YOU NOT. Runners will need a minimum of 16 weeks to train if you're starting off at the bottom. At LEAST 4 times a week. And even that doesn't guarantee you'll make it the whole way without stopping. It just guarantees that you'll most likely make it. My cousin and his girlfriend have already started training for the 2014 marathon. As have I. The Great Aloha Run was a good benchmark. Think of it this way, it's easier to add 2-3 miles a month to your routine rather than 5-6 miles a month, yes? Trust me, you don't want to force an injury on yourself. Your body needs time to recover and build so you can run harder the next time you go out. Event: There are shuttles from Waikiki (near the finish line) to Ala Moana Beach Park (near the starting line) on the morning of the race. It was at the bus stop I realized, "damn... I forgot to put on sunblock. well, no big deal, I should be done by the time it gets super hot." -- Stupid. The porta-potties are ridiculous. Please, use the bathroom at home before you come out. I waited in line for almost an hour just to pee because people decided to drop a deuce before the race. Do not start at the front if you don't have a fast pace. If you get in the way of others, it makes it that much harder for everyone else behind you to take those extra steps to work around your body. It's a chain reaction from that point if they get tired from running between all these people later in the race. Finish line is at the end of the Kapiolani Park/Waikiki Beach parking. If you make it, congratulations! That is one to check off for LIFE! Overall: I want to thank all the ajusshis, ajummas, and volunteers for taking the time to cheer us on. Making us treats. Spraying cold water on us with the hose. I was really touched. I'm still not sure if it was from the pain or just pure emotion, but I wanted to cry as we were running past all the supportive residents. Even though my fingers were swollen and my knee was locked, I wanted to finish. To make their time worth the effort. I'm a fan of the run, but I think it would've really helped if they sent out a training reminder for us noobies. You know, 4-5 months before the race. BY THE WAY... you should start training now. You can join our training program! or... something. Or maybe I missed it? I have no idea. Good luck to our 2014 runners! I'll see you at the finish line. Hopefully with a decent time. read more

One of the biggest perks about the Honolulu Marathon is that there is no time limit. This is great for a lot of folks that can't do the marathon in their hometown that has marathons which require qualifying times for (i.e. Tokyo Marathon, New York Marathon, Boston Marathon, etc.). A lot of people from Japan do this race, it's a great way to have an excuse to vacation in Hawaii! One of the biggest gripes I have with this marathon is that they don't enforce the expected finishing time lineup at the start line. You'll have a ton of people who start at the very front of the finish line and they are walking. Everybody that start behind them and run/jog have to weave around these people, creating stress & frustration, adding mileage and time to your overall race. This is also a fairly difficult marathon. One factor contributing to the difficulty is weather. Marathon race starts at 5:00am. The sun rises between 6:30am - 7:00am. You'll be in the sun from then on. This course has a bunch of hills, small and big ones! About Mile 7.5 go up Diamond Head Road, incline at Mile 9, few rollers between Mile 13 and 20, small uphill at Mile 22, incline at Mile 23 to 24, and up the backside of Diamond Head Road at Mile 24. The aid stations are pretty bare bones. All of them will have water, half of them will have gatorade. There is no food. Bananas, oranges, pretzels are provided by the friendly spectators. One of the good things about the marathon is the spectators. They are all along the course. Helps to give you that boost you need to keep trucking and not give up! read more

For those into fitness, the best experience you'll have every year! This is my second time running and it was amazing. I was super happy to have beaten my previous record of 5:09. This year my record is 4:39! The experience is amazing, tons of support from volunteers and the residents (like around Kahala). The sun rises wherever you are but Diamond Head is very scenic. Also along the highway towards Hawaii Kai because you can see the beach. So the marathon is the usual 26.2 miles. It goes from Ala Moana, towards Downtown Honolulu, back to Ala Moana, to Waikiki, up Diamond Head, into Kahala going to the highway to Hawaii Kai, run to Hawaii Kai and then loop back, back through Kahala and up Diamond, and finally ends at Kapiolani park. Very long route but so scenic. The other thing I like is seeing others run. It's such an inspiration because there are those who are trying to do the same thing you are, either just completing the marathon or beating their personal best. All in all, such good fun and I recommend anybody and everybody to try at least once in their lives! Hey if I can do it, anybody can! read more

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I start running this marathon every year since 2010. Why? Because it's really cheap if you sing up early. After running the marathon, they will email you and let you know when you can sign up for a early entry. Normally from the end of December to the middle of January. These a couple of years, it is only 26.20 to kamaaina. A buck for a mile!! I didn't like the finisher's t shirt of 2014 by Under Armour because it was not dry fit. Hope it's a better quality one this year. There is no time limit for this marathon, so you can walk from the beginning to the end and just enjoy the atmosphere or try to beat the professional runners. I recommend to run this marathon at least once in the life time. read more

Honolulu Marathon - I made it!! - Races & Competitions Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

The marathon is a well organized event regarding street closures and pre-race events. However, they need to instruct runners to not stop suddenly or cut to one side to either take photos or greet friends. Three years ago my coworker was injured by a runner who cut in front of her to greet a friend she saw. Needless to say, she hasn't entered in the last two HMs because of the incident. I'm glad they put it on every year and I'm honored to have participated in the last three. It's worth more than what the entry fee is, but the marathon should provide energy gels to the slower runners, not only the faster ones. They state that gel would be provided, but don't state that it's only for the faster runners. I've learned to bring my own and not depend on the HM, but what about the ones that didn't. In addition, sometimes the gatorade provided is so watered down, yet sometimes sooo sweet and sometimes it's cold and sometimes lukewarm (bleh). There were also points where they stopped providing sponges to slower runners. Last, but not least, is that two volunteers on the route going up Diamond Head were making degrading remarks to runners with funny costumes, including one who cut his hair like a pineapple with a crown, a work of art IMHO. The guy was clearly annoyed at the remarks but did not respond. The HM is a big, high-profile event, why allow a few volunteers mar the event with childish comments? Still, I will continue to run the HM until it no fun anymore and it is painfully fun. read more

I would not run this race again. I believe the only reason it is in the "top" marathons is because of the numbers. I finished with roughly 21,000 runners/walkers/what have you, but apparently 37,000 registered which means many DNF. If that thrills you then it's a great race. Just based on the expo so many people were not trained to run a marathon. -like many have said, the start line is chaos. It seems that many don't have the concept of staggered start based on pace. The entire first mile was spent trying to dodge walkers and slower paced runners-- hidari, migi, ugoki. -also when the fireworks went off I was approximately 500ft from the start line, it still took about 45seconds to even get to the start line. Many of the participants seemed to be more interested in videoing the fireworks than actually starting the race. -water and support was great along the route. The views were subpar. Basically the course is through residential neighborhoods that obstruct the Hawaiian ocean views. Poor form- Hawaii. If you want a better race, run San Francisco. read more