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Dec 13, 2026
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The JAL Honolulu Marathon is a road marathon held on the second Sunday of December in Honolulu, Hawaii, with the start on Ala Moana Boulevard and the finish in Kapiolani Park. It was first held on 16 December 1973. The race starts at 5:00 am with a fireworks display and has no time limit and no limit on the number of participants, and there is no lottery or qualifying time. The route runs through downtown Honolulu, past Iolani Palace and the Christmas lights, and through Waikiki, then climbs up and around Diamond Head. It continues through Kahala to Hawaii Kai, turns back toward Kahala and Honolulu, passes Diamond Head again on the ocean side and finishes in Kapiolani Park near the bandstand. The organisers call it the fourth largest marathon in the United States. The course records are 2:07:59 for men, set by Titus Ekiru in 2019, and 2:22:15 for women, set by Brigid Kosgei in 2017. Other events on the same weekend include the Kalakaua Merrie Mile, the Start to Park 10K and, in spring, the Hapalua half marathon.
Typical climate for the race month — an estimate, not a forecast or a race-day record
December in Honolulu is warm and fairly humid: average highs are around 28°C and lows around 21°C, with rain on about nine days of the month, and the start is at 5:00 am in the dark.
The Race
Honolulu
The first Honolulu Marathon was held on Sunday 16 December 1973. A 24-year-old University of Hawaii medical student, Duncan Macdonald, took time out from studying to win it, among 167 runners aged 8 to 58, and 151 of them finished. That first course began at the Aloha Tower, curved around Diamond Head and out to Hawaii Kai before returning to a finish at Kalakaua and Monsarrat avenues.
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02:07:59
Titus Ekiru (2019)
Entry fee, registration dates and lottery rules are not confirmed here yet. Check the official registration page.
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