HONOLULU MARATHON
December, Oahu, HawaiiThousands of runners converge on Oahu every year for the Honolulu Marathon, pumping millions of dollars into the Hawaiian economy.
Held every year on the second Sunday of December, and averaging about 25,000 entries, the Honolulu Marathon is the 10th largest marathon in the world and the 5th largest in America. More than 60 percent of the runners come from Japan essentially making it a Japanese race in the U.S.
While the Honolulu Marathon draws runners from about 45 countries and almost every state, all of its sponsors are in Japan. The major sponsor is Japan Airlines.
The Honolulu Marathon is a "destination event," with about 80 percent of the field coming from outside Hawaii. According to a study group from Hawaii Pacific University's Travel Industry Management department, the marathon has pumped more than $100 million into the Hawaii economy each of the past five years.
The marathon is unique with its fireworks start at 5a.m. It is also unique in that there is no time requirement to enter or to finish. The finish line has stayed open as late as 8p.m. some years as the last finisher straggled across with an official time. This tolerance is a major attraction for the Japanese, many of whom walk the course.
The course runs through the Waikiki Beach hotel district and climbs from sea level to 110 feet on Diamond Head Road where there is a spectacular view of the ocean from the cliffs. Sunrise is also a memorable experience for runners at that point.
Many of the points along the course are sites frequented by Barack Obama while he was growing up in Hawaii and attending Punahou School.
Finishers at Kapiolani Park have the option of taking outdoor showers inside the finishers’ chute, or they can exit the chute and walk across the street to Waikiki Beach and cool off in the surf.
Kenyan athletes have dominated the race – the Honolulu Marathon was the first major American marathon to be won by an African man (Ibrahim Hussein, Kenya, 1985). Russian women have similarly dominated. Entries are taken until the day before the race.
The Honolulu Marathon Expo (free and open to the public) is held for several days every year at the Hawaii Convention Center to coincide with the Honolulu Marathon.
For more information on the Honolulu Marathon visit: http://HonoluluMarathon.org
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