Pros: 1. Course had mile markers and six passes at aid…read morestations that had water and Gatorade 2. Orange cones throughout course but only one to distinguish between the three distances 3. One stretch along diamond head that showed the beach, one inland 4. Aid station volunteers were helpful 5. Times race with early enough time before it got hot and humid (5:30 start) for half 6. Plenty of police to guide the route and stop cars and even an escort at the head 7. A tiny metal turtle luck charm 8. Orange slices and pocari sweat at the finish 9. Big cheers at the sprint finish! Cons: 1. Mostly through residential streets so not much to see in terms of scenery. Quite a boring course. A trail half here would be awesome. 3. No snacks at aid stations 4. Quiet race. No music at the start at the park and minimal support throughout race but quite zen so it's fine 5. Thin race shirt worse quality than 3 dollar swap meet. Just super thin cotton with white print. No thought into design. 6. Basic print medal usually reserved for low end races that cost 35 bucks in Cali. The medals looking at from 10 years ago looked best with an actual flower shape and well designed. It'd have been much better to do one thing well, like a good medal, than to do many of the other things poorly, crap shirt, crap medal, crap stations, crap mc. 7. There really wasn't an expo as only one local run shop showed up, the run lab and some old swag from previous races for sale. I'd much prefer a trail race through the mountains inland with views at the top. This one needed a much better course. This one had 400 feet of vert but a really flat vibe

This run course is nice bc it's Hawaii. The event is very unprofessional. Their site states that…read morefamily/friends can track the runners but there was no such tracking device on the runners and nobody knew until I asked around. Event lady stopped the music to find out if aid station workers showed up. As finishers arrived, nobody knew if they were 5mi, 15k or half marathon finishers. We were all confused. Maybe they should have different bib colors? Or even some commentating? The lady had no music, barely said anything to acknowledge the finishers and after finishers, the park was underwhelming. People got Gatorade or water and then went home. It was so silent, no music or much going on.. Also, that event lady said very little for like 40 min and then emphasized that only racers eat the snacks and throw your trash in the trash cans. That was it. I think she's raking in the money at over 100 dollars per racer at about 1,000 running it, it's a racket. Unorganized and yellow shirts about being mean and now I know why. She does three of these events. You'd think by now she would have it dialed in.

Race organizers do not communicate well and do not respond or call back to your inquiries. This…read morecomment is not on the race itself or the experience. The course has always been fun.

The Hapalua - Hawaii's Half Marathon…read more I recommend this half marathon for beginners, intermediates, and even running pros because it's fun. This marathon is well organized and a big thank you to all the volunteers. The race starts at the Duke Kahanamoku Statue, heads past the Convention Center, and ends at Kapiolani Park (near the zoo). The course if fairly flat until you get to mile 10, which is uphill towards Diamond Head. I did this race with my wife and her family, which made the race even more special. Because the race was out and back, we're also able to see each other throughout the race. I had a "good for me" pace going until the one of the runners in front of me stopped and I literally ran her over. She was okay and was not injured, but still I felt bad. She wanted to wait for her husband, and I waited with her. I'm not going to lie; this was my excuse to take a breather. After exactly 8 minutes (felt like 20 minutes), we were both back to running. Everything was smooth until miles 10 to 12 when the course is mostly uphill. This was a beast and a lot of people, including me, walked it. I found myself walking majority of miles 11 to 13 and remember that runner I accidentally knocked over? Well, she ran past me on mile 11. Medals are earned and given immediately after the finish line. After the finish line is a cold shower, which I have never seen at a race before. Post race fuel includes malasada, moon pies, bananas, wafers, gels, and water. Huge plus! Overall, great race. I'd do it again.

This was a 5k night run at Kualoa Ranch. Some people (probably because they didn't read the…read moreinstructions didn't register) didn't get a headlight. If you didn't have a light, it probably was a little more challenging as this was at night, hence the name "Nite Run." Right from the start one of our friends got injured as she didn't see the cattle guard and her foot went through the metal bars making a huge bump on her shin. What was messed up was that the other cattle guards were coned off to avoid them and to go around but not the first one. I felt bad for her but when she said she was going to suck it up and still do it I kicked some dirt on her and said see you at the finish line. I'm joking, I just kicked some dirt on her. Like I said the run was a 5k. It was for the most part on a dirt roadway. There was a pretty steep part that kind of kicked my butt. I thought I was going up Koko Head for a minute. Argh, Kill me now! lol They said there were supposed to be some kind of brain test or something as well as strength test which they had. I believe they went over the question and what the correct answer was supposed to be but what looked like a place they might have had someone asking you a question, there was no one, no one anywhere which was a little disappointing. Maybe next time they will have something. Another thing that was disappointing was that you didn't have to do the strength test and made it optional. One was you had to grab a sandbag (maybe around 10lbs) and carry it and go under a couple of beams. Next one was walking on rope (around 20'). It did get bottle necked as some people took forever to cross and when some fell they ran back and tried again. The wait time was around 12 minutes or so. They had at least 5 different lines. They also had another type of obstacle course... If you remember the movie Pretty Woman when they were on the Polo Field and the announcer says to "avoid the Steaming Divot." That's right, there were horse manure here and there that you had to hopscotch around. As most know Jurassic Park was filmed there and one part of the course you could hear dinosaurs in the background. Just thought that was cool of them. Maybe if one came out I would of ran faster. I heard that they ran out of some headlamps and t-shirts but was able to get more by the time people finished. Water stations were around the course. Free water, gatorade. At the end they brought out some free desserts. Had a couple of food vendors, music, Mc, and acrobatic act. Pretty fun event, especially when doing it with cool people.

Recently did the "Nite Run" at Kualua Ranch. I have to say, I LOVED it! It was not only fun (at…read morenight! Headlamps! Costume contest! Obstacles! Cows mooing LOL!) BUT it was pretty tough!! After doing the Glow Hawaii Run the night before (easy, shorter than advertised) it was nice to be able to really push myself and race. The trail was mostly dirt road but there were areas that were gravel road, grassy areas,etc. Started up a hill, did an obstacle, more killer hill, followed by another hill. Didn't expect that! Race was also longer than a 5k, didn't expect that either LOL! ;) There were a few cow patties and cattle gates so just trying not to break an ankle kept me really paying attention to where my feet were LOL. The whole set up was great. Great food venders, plenty of potties, easy packet pickup and we parked pretty close to the race area so heading back to the car was easy if you needed to put stuff away. NO FEE for parking. Loved that too. So many races make you park far away, pay for parking, pay to "store" your stuff they give you at the race,etc. I loved that I didn't feel nickel and dimed for this event. I purchased it as a Living Social deal and it was easy-peasy to get my tshirt, headlamp and number. LOVED that we were all chipped, gave me more incentive to run and try to get a decent time. They did run out of headlamps w/batteries (LOL) but we got there early so we got ones w/batteries. I'd definitely do this race again. I can't wait until they plan another one!!

Great team relay race! Very competitive! I ran the very first Honolulu Rainbow Ekiden, which was…read morevery big! The first one was an out-and-back course that started at Waikiki beach; heading towards Kapiolani Park, and back! Now the race consists of a course that starts at Kapiolani Park, and takes runners up the dreaded hill next to Diamond Head, and back to Kapiolani Park. Simple out-and-back fun relay run, but brutal as well, if you aren't a "hill" fan. I enjoyed this race overall, and very glad that I got to experience the very first Honolulu Rainbow Ekiden Relay. I'm not a fan of the new course, but do understand the reasons why they moved the start of it to Kapiolani Park vs Waikiki beach. As for this race, i definitely recommend it, if you love team competition running mixed with fun! No worries if you miss this one, which is in March, because there is also a more scenic one in May named "Honolulu Ekiden Music Relay". Enjoy!

From the owner: 60% of our runners are repeaters. Accomplishment, teamwork, fulfillment and bonding are our main…read morekeywords. Unlike other relay events/races, every runner will make a loop back to the starting line which makes it great for everyone to see how your and other teams are doing as well as socialize with other runners while you are there. We also have many activities other than the team event such as fitness check, keiki (kids) run and a food vendor event called WaikiKitchen. It's a great event for all generation to get together and have fun!

What a great event. I attend every year and it is for such a great cause. Hawaii health and harm…read morereduction center hosted this event at the kapiolani park waikiki. There are many booths (mac cosmetics, starbucks, papis empanadas) most places giving out gifts for donations or having games or giveaways, so fun. They have a mc + dj with live performances before and after the walk. The event is a 5k walk around kapiolani park (then around the zoo and back) I am not a fan of walking long distances but i love the booths and all the donations and charity oppurtunities.

I have never been able to make it to the AIDS walk in all the years I have been asked to…read moreparticipate but when I saw my calendar was finally free, I signed up immediately for the Yelp + Wang Chungs team. If you don't know, they have paired up for a few years now and have become the talk of the walk. Everyone looks forward to what the team shirts will be and they are always known to be one of the largest groups. I was excited to join the team of 200+ and show my support for a good cause with some great people. We managed to raise over $18,000 which is epic! Good job everyone! We met in Kapiolani park in our matching blue shirts so we could walk together and create a "sea" with our team. They announced that we actually were the biggest team signed up that year - woo hoo, making records! The walk itself is simply one big loop around Kapiolani Park, only about 2 miles or so. This is by far one of the easiest walks I've done for a cause and I'm mad at myself for not signing up sooner - it only took a few hours out of my day and if you saw how many people were involved and touched, it was totally worth it. Within the park there were a few food vendors selling some snacks. a Starbucks tent and there are also some local businesses set up giving away goodies, raising awareness etc. Thank you to Yelp Hawaii for supporting a great cause and thank you Wang Chungs for the awesome shirts - being a part of a team of excellent people is really what makes a team great.

One moment can change everything…read more.. I can't agree more being a cancer survivor that no else know yourself then you and along with research it does save lives. The Susan G Komen not only have these events to raise money for research but to provide support and resources as I wasn't sure what to do or begin with my issues though thankfully I was absolutely blessed to have my answers. I haven't lost but known some that had battled breast cancer so it all falls very close to my heart. I'm still dealing with the death of my very dearest friend to cancer so this type of event is very therapeutical as I wrote her name at the "We Remember" tent and wished she was here with me as pink is her absolute favorite color. I'm just delighted to have this event moving forward this year as nothing makes things better than positivity and there was so much of that going on here with awareness that we desperately need after a long absence. Cancer sucks so please stay informed and donate! Thank you!

That was phenomenal ladies! One and a half hours of Zumba marathon with four great instructors from…read morecoast to coast. The music was fun, the moves were easy to catch on #Mahalo for supporting breast cancer awareness!

Love this festival! This year it will be in Waikiki at the Thomas Jefferson Elementary School on…read moreKapahulu April 1-2, 9A-4P. Highland games, dancing, music, sword play. Can't wait! Hoping Celtica will be here again!

This was held at McCoy Pavilion at Ala Moana Park in 2014…read more We had an enjoyable Sunday afternoon here at the 2014 Festival. First, you can't beat the price: $1 entry! And free parking. They have a lot going on, but you are on your own to figure out what and when. That is probably my only criticism. They posted nothing online for 2014 (that I could find), so I didn't know what their entertainment lineup was or any other helpful information to plan. We took our chances and arrived around noon on Sunday. They also didn't seem to have any programs or any info onsite - we had to either ask someone or just wander around. That said, we found plenty of interesting things to see and do. One room of the pavilion is dedicated to booths and tables where you can learn more about Scotland, its people, and geography. If you have any Scottish heritage, you can learn a lot about your ancestors. Several clans are represented here, and they can give you loads of information. An inside stage was dedicated to Scottish dancing. We bypassed it to watch the bagpipes and drums on the outdoor stage. Meanwhile, there were vendors selling Celtic jewelry, artisanal preserves, woodcrafts, etc. Food vendors were also scattered around, including bar carts selling Scotch (of course!). By mid-afternoon, a lot of vendors had sold out of their wares. Meanwhile, outside on the lawn, men in kilts were competing in highland games. Caber tosses, throwing of all kinds of heavy things, heaving heavy things over bars - it's actually quite fascinating to watch! After the bagpipers left the stage inside the pavilion, the Housewife Games were announced - and any lady was invited to participate. Three events: frying pan toss and rolling pin toss (distance), and a haggis roll (accuracy). I turned to my festival companions and said "I have to go do that now" and went outside to register. It was free, and I got to fling things! About a dozen ladies joined me in the competition, and some were unexpectedly strong. Everyone was really friendly and chatty and cheered one another on. The gentlemen measuring our throws were really fun and good-natured. I had a blast! And came in as second-runner up, so I won a prize! I can't wait to return next year - I'm going to practice my throwing in the meantime and will be gunning for champion. :)

To experience "Lei Day" on the Island is special. Everyone comes together and Lei Day is a…read morecelebration of Hawaiian culture, or the aloha spirit. There are a lot of booths where you can purchase unique or fresh leis,and tons of food available for purchase. My favorite was taking the time to appreciate the displays of uniquely made leis that were made. All so beautiful!!! The celebration was was at Kapi'olani Park, there was Entertainment throughout the day. Such a beautiful gathering. You can feel the love and warmth of Hawaiian culture. I look forward to joining this years event.

After several days of sketchy rainy weather including storm watches and warnings, a clear and…read moresunny sky with tradewinds blossomed on May 1st 2017 to usher in the annual Lei Day celebration at Kapiolani Park. This event has been held since 1928 and is considered the largest Lei Day event in Honolulu. Beautiful leis from highly competitive folk dotted the Mauka side of the event at the lei exhibit area, eager visitors waiting to see the displays of lei making creativity. The line was long to view the entries close up, but it was well worth the The lei contest exhibit was officially opened by the annual Lei Queen and her court after the judges rated and awarded ribbons for best lei submissions. There were quite a few entries vying for ribbons in different categories. Live entertainment on the bandstand stage ran through the day while the Hawaiian Steel Guitar Association tent provided a nice, shady and cool venue for their own brand of beautiful music part of the day. There were musicians from other countries performing at this tent too. The gentle breeze, beautiful music and shade made this venue a popular destination at the festival. Of course there were numerous food and beverage booths along with non-food offerings as well. Because it was a warm afternoon, the cold beverage offering tents were really doing a brisk business. Information tents, Lei making demonstrations, a nice way to spend part of the day on a gorgeous May 1st. Kapiolani Park is the perfect setting for this event for both residents and visitors alike. Worth checking out if you are in Honolulu on a May 1st.

When planning vacations, I always search online beforehand for any races or runs in the area. So…read morewhen we began planning our next Oahuan adventure, I was really excited to stumble across the Coconut Chase 8k, coursing in and around the beautiful Ala Moana Beach Park just outside the Hilton Hawaiian Village Resort. It was perfect! No scheduled taxis or Ubers needed, no mandatory day-before packet pickups to worry about, just a refreshing beginning to my day with a gorgeous morning run on the island. You can't beat that!