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Dec 23, 2024

Honolulu Marathon Runner Comments

Back to Honolulu Marathon Information & Reviews

Course 4.0

Organization 3.7

Spectators 3.9

Number of comments: 203 [displaying comments 21 to 31]

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S. W. from CA (4/25/2014) "Glad I did it, but would never do it again" (about: 2013) 6-10 previous marathons \| 1 Honolulu Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 4 If you want to run a marathon and then have a nice relaxing vacation after...make sure you book a flight to Kauai after the race! Or at least head to another quieter part of Oahu. Waikiki is busy, loud, crowded, and very touristy. Several local businesses accept Yen so we starting calling the race the 'Little Tokyo' Marathon. I'm a 4+ hour marathoner and I wasn't looking to PR. If you want to run Honolulu for time, train for heat and get close to the front. It was one big 30,000 runner wave at the start and many runners had smartphones or cameras and were taking pictures. I saw one guy take a pic of the 1K sign and thought 'is he going to do that for all 42?' There were a lot of tourist runners. I had to run around droves of people walking and taking photos. The COURSE - mostly flat except at mile 23-24 around Diamond Head (ugh) and scenic after the sun came up and you could see. Best part was the final couple miles down to the finish! Worst was the heat and humidity, even with the very early start. ORGANIZATION - mostly good with lots of aid, water, and ice cold sponges. They were prepared for heat. The shuttle was really fast and efficient. Start was a MESS but they did have fireworks! The streets were wide the first few miles so it wasn't too crowded even with a single wave start, but they had early water stations on just ONE side of the street&can you say STAMPEDE! Worst part was the finish line. You mean I just ran 26.2 miles and I need to walk WHERE to get my medal? It was like trying to find a piece of cheese in a maze, and yes it was on the OTHER side of EVERYTHING. The FANS - they were scattered along the course, slightly less than LA Marathon but better than Surf City, and they were loud and full of encouragement. The best turnout was all through Waikiki and the big loop at the turn around point. HIGHLIGHTS - visiting Pearl Harbor on Dec-7, the post-race 'Becado' cheeseburger at Teddy's in Waikiki, five peaceful and relaxing days in Kauai, and crossing Honolulu and Waikiki off the bucket list!
D. P. from Virginia Beach, VA (12/18/2013) "nice race, but not great" (about: 2013) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Honolulu Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 2 FANS: 4 This was my 33rd marathon, including large and small races. The race line up was very confusing. My friends and I couldn't even find the corrals. Crowds were everywhere. We weren't even sure we were in the crowd for the marathon, there were no fences to separate spectators from the runners. The pre race logistics were poor, not specifying where general parking was, where the exact start was, descriptions were broad. The expo was disappointing, not many vendors and seems like most of it was geared towards the Japanese participants with the signage in Japanese mostly. Plus, the set up of the booths were not set up in logical rows, so I am sure booths were missed. The course was good, pretty in some parts, challenging and friendly. There was plenty of water stations which were needed and the sponges were great. The medal was sub par. I would have thought for a big marathon like this it would have been a good looking one with a great ribbon. I like the finisher shirt, but usually at this price you would get a t shirt pre and possibly post marathon. There was a lot of Japanese people screaming into microphones, which was hilarious. The finish line was also confusing, medals being a distance from the finish. I had to ask several people where to go to get it and the food tents seemed to be for the Japanese as well as the gimmicky tents. I felt like I wasn't in my own country. So, having said all that I would not recommend it to my friends for any other reason than getting another state.
J. R. from Cheyenne, WY (12/11/2013) "Warm and Wonderful" (about: 2013) 50+ previous marathons \| 1 Honolulu Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 5 I really enjoyed this race. There were, however, some logistical problems I think that could be easily resolved to make this a great race. 1. The porta-potties were lined up along the road next to each corral making it difficult to get to the road. (Move these on the other side of the canal). Another issue with these which was totally humorous was the ratio of MEN/WOMEN signs on them. In one section there were 8 women signs and 2 men signs. Ratio of men to women in race is relatively equal. I have never seen a race with SIGNS on the porta-potties 2. I was asked twice to move from the corral indicated pace (2:00-3:00) section which I did, but was unable to return when the 3:00-4:00 wave was moved up. I ended up standing behind two guys with full back-packs on (about 500 deep). (Color coded sticker on race numbers might help, else why did we even submit projected times) 3. For mile markers, the first one was easily found, but I did not see another one until 5 miles (glow sticks, lights, etc would help, and yes, I know most participants look for the kilometers, but we are still in the US). I did enjoy the crowd support along the way. Although most of them spoke Japanese, this inspired me more since it was different and more distinct than the usual 'Good Job' and added to the atmosphere of the race. I totally enjoyed the sponges at the different aid stations later in the race. I took full advantage and I believed this help keep my cooler in the warm temperatures. The post-marathon activities were a bit sub-par for such a big/expensive race. Different varieties of food would've helped. I didn't mind going the extra distance for the medal/finisher t-shirt. The water sprinkler (shower) right after the finish line was amazing.
D. L. from Sherman Oaks, CA, USA (4/4/2013) "This is a great race with a great crowd" (about: 2004) 4-5 previous marathons \| 1 Honolulu Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 I actually was in the 2003 Marathon but this won't let me enter that. I loved this event because it was my first marathon and because there were a lot of people on the track going at different paces so you are never alone on the track. Also, the spectators are everywhere cheering you on. Also the scenery and the route can not be beat. It' Hawaii for heaven's sakes!!
Wayne Wright from Palmdale, California USA (1/7/2013) "Hang Loose" (about: 2012) 50+ previous marathons \| 1 Honolulu Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 INTRODUCTION: I am a race-walker with a median marathon completion time of 5:14:54. The Honolulu Marathon was my twenty-seventh 26.2-miler accomplished. COURSE: It was already 73 degrees at the 5 a.m. start, a few clouds, 76 percent relative humidity with a 9 mph wind from the northeast. The long, entertaining fireworks display temporarily distracted us from remembering we were to embark on a marathon. Beginning on Ala Moana Boulevard at Queen Street, we headed off to the edge of Chinatown before circling back eastward toward downtown, passing mile 2, Iolani Palace, King Kamehameha Statue, and City Hall, fronted by a non-traditionally attired Santa Claus displaying the shaka sign to all who passed by. Continuing eastward, we later returned to the place where we started just short of four miles earlier, this time heading in the opposite direction toward Waikiki. With shops and hotels lining the boulevard, Kalakaua Avenue was Waikikis answer to the Las Vegas Strip, but with far less wattage. Things began to quiet down at mile 6, where we entered Kapiolani Park, the site of our finish line festivities. A mile later, we began our ascent on Diamond Head Road. The course narrowed down to one lane, making it difficult for those of us who prefer to charge up a hill rather than hang loose, easily adding a half minute to our pace at this point. The congestion cleared a bit upon reaching the summit, and as the sun rose, we rounded Diamond Head and faced our second ascent as we approached 22nd Avenue at mile 9. Entering the Waialae district, we soon encountered the Kalanianaole Highway at mile 11, which was to be our home for most of the next eleven miles. As we headed away from the city center out to Hawaii Kai, we had access to two of the three eastbound lanes, and the moderate headwind gave us relief from an otherwise difficult weather situation. The flat, asphalt artery afforded us views of Koko Crater as we approached Maunalua Bay Beach Park, where we headed inland and circled the Hawaii Kai marina and returned to Kalanianaole Highway now heading back toward Waikiki, where we would have only the far right eastbound lane at our disposal. By the time we reached the Waialae Country Club boundary at mile 22, the weather started to get warm, and the scant cloud cover did little to help. After two miles of flat terrain in one of Honolulus pricier neighborhoods, we began the ascent of our final hill as we soon came to retrace our steps on Diamond Head Road, which gave us one last spectacular view of the Pacific. After reaching the peak just before mile 25, it was all downhill as we returned to Kapiolani Park and the finish line, which we had a clear view of from 4/10 mile back. A shell lei was waiting for each one of us as we completed this years second largest U.S. marathon. Weather conditions at the finish: approximately 81 degrees, partly cloudy, 60 percent relative humidity, and 13 mph wind from the east, with gusts up to 26 mph. ORGANIZATION: While the spacious Kamehameha Hall in the Hawaii Convention Center would allow for otherwise, the expo was small for a marathon of this stature. (On the flip side, one had plenty of elbow room at this venue.) But size of the expo should not be confused for the quality of service provided by the volunteer staff that went out of their way to accommodate the marathon visitor. Also of interest at this expo were the enlarged photographs of some of the more famous (not necessarily elite) runners who have participated in this race over the prior 39 years. No problem with the 2:00 a.m. bus service that shuttled us from the Honolulu Zoo parking lot to the start at Ala Moana Park. All 26 mile and 42 kilometer markers were visible and in the right place. And while it was unusual to be required to venture far from the finish line to obtain ones finisher medal and tech tee, there were a sufficient number of signs to lead the runner to the right location. The next day finisher certificate pick-up in Kapiolani Park started on time and was efficiently executed. FANS: Some observers showed up early to see us tens of thousands at the start and travelling down Kalakaua Avenue in Waikiki, and there were some associated with the Japanese tour groups on hand to cheer us on every now and then. The greatest concentration was reserved for the final stretch on Kalakaua Avenue in Kapiolani Park, to the point where the enthusiastic crowd took much of the course away from the participants. CONCLUSION: Given the 6 hour 9 minute average completion time, one would surmise that this marathon was for the everyman. No other city would have celebrated the 24117th place 14:21:41 finisher with the same amount of enthusiasm as the 2:12:31 winner. And just about every everyman from Japan and the United States showed up to be a part of it. This race clearly demonstrated the aloha spirit, where everyone can just hang loose and enjoy. Mahalo nui loa, Honolulu.
David Madow from Reisterstown, Maryland (12/16/2012) "This is a GREAT race despite many angry comments!" (about: 2012) 6-10 previous marathons \| 1 Honolulu Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 I read all of the comments that so many runners posted over the last many years about this race. Quite honestly, I was so worried about all of the horrible things that were going to take place, that I was about to cancel my trip. But I decided not to and I am glad I didn't. Let me discuss the good and bad. Expo. This was not up to par for a large race such as this. Not many vendors and the main vendor, Addidas Japan pretty much monopolized the entire expo. Why not invite all of the major running and athletic companies and let them compete? It would have been great to have seen Nike, Mizuno, Brooks, Garmin... I could go on and on. Please consider this for next year as it would really help the runners! Go visit Chicago if you want to see a first class expo! The start. Even though there were no corrals, I thought it was fine. Plenty of toilets were appreciated. Good announcers. Everyone was nice and in good spirits. Yes, it was a bit of a cluster f_ _ _ at the beginning but show me a marathon with over 25,000 people that is not. Good job here! Runner etiquette. I am a mid-packer, so my comments should be taken as such. I thought the etiquette was on par with any other race. The Japanese people were extremely polite, great spirited, and I did not experience ANY problems with them lined up blocking the course. The race would not be the same without them so please don't complain! The course. It was nice. Started out through downtown. Fireworks were fantastic. Some areas very scenic, some were not so. Much of it (I think from about mile 11 to 20) was run on an out and back highway. Still was nice and saw some cool residential areas. Mostly flat. Anyone who thinks this is a hilly course has never really experienced HILLS! I was waiting for the big hill at the end coming up Diamond Head and it was tame! Be careful when sun comes out. Be prepared with hat/sunscreen/neck protection. It does get hot. Fans. I must admit, I was prepared for the worst. I read that the Japanese who line the course will ONLY cheer for Japanese runners. That is SO untrue. Whenever I passed a large group of Japanese cheering on the side I would give them a thumbs up and they LOVED IT and gave me even more energy back. They were great. Don't let anyone else fool you... this would not be such a cool race had it not been for all of the energy on the sidelines! Water stations. Not bad. Sometimes got a little clustered up, but again... there were 25,000 people running so give them a break, they were all working HARD! And the water was CLEAN! People in previous threads said the water was from trash cans. Simply not true. It was held in large industrial sized water containers made for this purpose. It was cold and refreshing. I do not drink Gatorade so I could not comment on this other than it looked like there was plenty! Volunteers. They were awesome. What else can I say other than the race would not go on without them! Porta-potties on course. Could have used more. The last thing anyone wants to do is to wait in a ten minute line. I didn't wait in the lines. Yes, I was the one stealth peeing when I could! One time I peed behind a clothing donation trailer only to find that I wet a few articles of clothing. Sorry! Food on course. I carry my food and gels. There was gel distributed by official race volunteers as well as occasional pretzels, candy, etc by residents. Thanks. Finish area. TOTALLY FINE! When you cross the finish line, yes... you do have to walk a little bit to get your shirt and medal. But it was not a mile like many said previously. Give the race directors a break, this finishers area was actually set up very nicely. Maybe a few more signs would have helped but come on, there was NO WAY to miss the tent that was giving out the shirts/medals. And yes there were real medals. There was plenty of food this year at the finish. I saw bagels, bananas, and these really cool looking deep fried donuts and you could take as many as you wanted. So please don't complain about an apple and cookie. Just not true. Summary. This was an incredible race. I will DEFINITELY do it again. Will skip a year due to the long travel and expense but I will be back in 2014. Hawaii is a beautiful place and I want to give my thanks to the local residents, the race directors and everyone else that made this marathon happen. Sorry about all of the negativity on this forum about the race. In my opinion, it just doesn't seem to add up. See you back in Honolulu.
J. P. from the USA (12/15/2012) "Destination Marathon" (about: 2012) 50+ previous marathons \| 1 Honolulu Marathon COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 Course rating is low as it is filled with throngs of runners who are busy stopping to take pictures, talking or texting on their phones. It's also narrow in places at the start so with 20,000+ runners it becomes a slow slog. I never fought so hard for road real estate in the fifty plus marathons I have run. If there was ever a race that needed a wave start for runners who needed to prove their split times, this is the one. The race organization is fantastic. Great volunteers at the water stops and traffic control. Thank you volunteers. You always make the day! They had ice at many water stops and a fill system for your water bottle that was terrific. Transportation to the race start was efficient and very well-run. Take a light with you to use the port a potties as they're very dark at 4 am and there's no cover in the park. The park bathroom is lit but you're going to wait a very long time to use it so that leaves the plastic box. Everybody is 'in-tune' with the racing tourists and so nice and accomodating. This year was hot and humid so enjoy the destination. It's Hawaii.
P. N. from Texas, USA (12/10/2012) "Glad we came" (about: 2012) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Honolulu Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 5 OK, it was Hot, Humid and Hilly and the start was crowded. And we enjoyed it anyway. Amazingly well organized expo. The ice and sponges at the water stops were very much appreciated. Beautiful weather, lovely scenery, enthusiastic volunteers and spectators and many other activities in the area for friends and family. Highly recommended.
Alex Lee from Ewa Beach, Hawaii (3/8/2012) "My first marathon experience!" (about: 2011) 1 previous marathon \| 1 Honolulu Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 I wanted to say that choosing the Honolulu Marathon as my first marathon was a great choice! I was scared not knowing, because I never ran one! However, because of the support of Mom who did the marathon before gave me great advice. Also, doing the Marathon readiness series helped me a lot! I enjoyed doing this marathon. I think others should as well.
Jase Simmons from Creswell, OR (2/27/2012) "Incredible Experience." (about: 2011) 1 previous marathon \| 1 Honolulu Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Dec. 11, 2011-This was my first marathon. The course was fantastic. The Honolulu Marathon is clearly loved and supported by so many residents of this island who could not have been nicer or more accomodating. Finishing in Kapiolani Park was an awesome experience! It was a priviledge to be there and be part of such an amazing event.

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