Click Here: Please visit our Sponsor

Nov 15, 2024

Maui Marathon Runner Comments

Back to Maui Marathon Information & Reviews

Course 4.3

Organization 3.9

Spectators 3.2

Number of comments: 95 [displaying comments 1 to 11]

More Comments: [ < 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 .. 10 > ]

A. L. from Kapaa, HI (4/27/2022) "Needs aid stations with gels and food" (about: 2022) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Maui Marathon COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 1 The course starts near the Sugar Mill by Kahului and finishes near Whalers Village in Kaanapali. If you're traveling to this race from the mainland you'll benefit from the early bus shuttle (last one at 3:30 AM) and start time (5 AM). The main downsides of this race are the course and amenities. The course would be much more scenic if it hugged the coast the entire time and ran from Wailea to Kaanapali. In terms of amenities, there were no energy gels or food along the course.
S. T. from Australia (12/7/2016) "Hot conditions on the beautiful island of Maui" (about: 2016) 2 previous marathons \| 1 Maui Marathon COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 2 The Maui marathon promised beautiful scenery which it didn't disappoint in this regard. On September 18th 2016 it was incredibly hot, hotter than I was expecting, so all you could think about whilst running was how to keep hydrated and cool and certainly not looking at the scenery. Starting at 5am is great as the weather was cool and it was dark and perfect for running so if you can get through the hills, which start around 15km mark,and make it through the first 21kms before the sun comes up your doing well. Once the sun comes over the mountain range be prepared for intense heat, sunburn and feelings of wanting to give up. Many runners were forced to walk and there was definitely no shame in walking in parts of the race. Since the small field of runners were very spread out along the course there was a lot of lonely sections and with the ocean on one side and the traffic on the major road coming towards you on the other side it was tough in parts. Overall the organisation was good, including the 3.15am bus transport to the start, aid stations along the course and massages at the end of the race was well done. The finishers medals were great and I won my age category so I received a different medal which made it all worth it. This was a slow marathon in regards to times, and only about 400 plus runners ran it so it doesn't have that big marathon experience like New York but its a great place for a holiday and the swim in the beautiful warm Maui ocean was well earned and much appreciated at the end of completing this event.
R. R. from TX (9/25/2015) "Hot marathon with OK course" (about: 2015) 50+ previous marathons \| 1 Maui Marathon COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 2 Hot (was told it hit 90 degrees) and humid with little in the way of trade winds combined with the hills to make it a tough marathon. The start was at 5AM to help with the heat but few had any idea it would be so completely dark. Early on, a couple of people dropped things but could not find them and runners ran into them in the blackness. One woman ran into a cone, which was not reflective due to lack of light, tripped and stumbled into the oncoming vehicle traffic. Take a tip from some of the other runs that start in the dark at remote locations with no streetlights or lighted commercial activities, to put on the website if it is recommended to carry a light and runners wear white or reflective clothing etc. It was early so I did not expect many spectators but until the last sections of the race the water stops were dead as well. They were well staffed but just so quiet they were not even saying who had water vs. powerade. Some runners were not aware the start was a few minutes walk from the staging area. A number of runners doing last minute potty runs came out to find everyone gone, but where. They were sorted out, but moments of panic unnecessarily. It was well warned to be careful of the heat-believe it. Many pushed the first half which was cooler and had most of the hills, but were hammered when the sun came out even as the course was flat in the later half. The course was OK but did not have a Maui feel to it. Mostly along highway even with the ocean in view just did not do it when I was thinking tropical gardens, waterfalls and beaches. Loved bright orange/peachy tee shirt which spoke Hawaii to me. The 20 aid stations were real nice so no need to carry your own liquids and almost all had water and powerade. Stop with the little shot- size cups that were at a number of stations. Promote hydrating in such a hot race with regular full cups. Did not get the idea behind the wristband to get into the brew party. I had to wear this thing for two days and during the race so you get one beer and a mini slice of pizza. Besides the runners had bibs with beer and pizza tear offs on them, so what was the purpose and cost of the wristband for when the bib can get you in? Liked the small smoothie and chocolate milk at the end, but there was little other food. The parking for this was terrible. The start area was in the upscale hotel area where to park for the day was up to $40. You also had to park twice for packet pickup as well as the race day. The sponsor hotel should have arranged something like the giant gravel parking lot that was empty near the golf course but was signed for permit only or get towed. All these upscale hotels benefit from the event, I would think to let participants park for the morning would be appropriate. Logistics for the buses were really great, as were start, finish and awards ceremony.
J. L. from Portage, MI (10/21/2014) "First Marathon" (about: 2014) 1 previous marathon \| 1 Maui Marathon COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 4 This was my first ever marathon, and it was an unseasonably warm 93 with no trade winds, so the run had a heat index of about 100 degrees. While the island is beautiful, there was insufficient description of the run on the website (which is quite basic). The first 8 miles were relatively easy, at my pace or better. The next 4 miles were killer both in the elevation climb and the heat. This left little oomph left for the next 14 miles, but I was able to warrior on and finish in under the 8 hours needed. As a slow runner, I wish there had been more support for the later aid stations in keeping them stacked with ice, and at the finish line where the massage crew had already packed up and left. The run appeared to be fairly well organized, in a beautiful location, lots of Japanese runners as well as US entries, and worth the trip.
M. M. from San Francisco (10/6/2014) "Well supported but very hot" (about: 2014) 6-10 previous marathons COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 I've run the half for the last 3 years and it's always been my best P.R. Tried the full this year, and was pleasantly surprised by great support. This year was super hot, and without trade winds this distance is a huge challenge. Remember that you are on an island, so this isn't a big city race, but it's very good for the location. Expo is minimal, shirts are historically hideous, but improved this year! Half marathon unfortunately is on all shirts ( no offense) and pops in white so is very confusing. Great race overall, but I'll stick with the half in the future.
M. O. from Denver, CO (9/25/2014) "Great Scenery but Oppressively Hot!" (about: 2014) 6-10 previous marathons \| 1 Maui Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 From what I understand, the race was started earlier this year (5:00 AM) to limit exposure to the heat. Unfortunately, Maui was experiencing record heat over the race weekend! Despite a bit of a surreal start, with an accident at the line, the race was very smooth. There were plenty of aid stations and enthusiastic volunteers. By the time the sun rose in earnest, around 7:00 AM, the heat was oppressive. The course was beautiful, despite running along the highway. The views of the water and of the neighboring islands were incredible. The route through Lahaina was nice to not only have the entire road to ourselves (thus limited vehicle traffic) but also some shade. The finish into Kaanapali was also very pleasant with good fan support. Overall, it was a very good race. Maui is a great place to recover from a marathon. If you plan to participate, spend a good deal of your training in the heat and, if possible, the humidity. The best place to start would be on a treadmill in a steam room!
Lauren Kratz from Iowa (9/24/2014) "Hot hot hot but fine" (about: 2014) 11-50 previous marathons COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 Bummed that the T-shirts said marathon and half marathon. No disrespect meant to the to halfers, but I ran twice as far and my own tshirt color/design would be nice - and not hard or expensive. One more screen costs nothing compared to my airfare. Good work from the New Jersey hubby of Susie who cheered up a storm for us. All the other volunteers were super - especially the one who offered to rub Vaseline on my inner thighs. Xoxo. Walking two or three blocks to get to the start line was odd, but it worked fine.
J. B. from New Jersey (9/22/2014) "Good but could be better" (about: 2014) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Maui Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 3 On vacation and decided to ran half vs doing training run. A lot of good things to say, including wonderful course and ample water stops. Few fans due to pre-dawn start. Suggestions for improvement include: Lose the tents in the starting area-start of half is in finish line area and large tents were set up. Get the tents out of the starting area or move the starting area. Second suggestion, hold traffic on main highway for 15 minutes to allow starting pack to spread out. A lot of runners were forced to run shoulder to shoulder in one lane while traffic whizzed by. Finally, limit race photographer from taking flash pictures during the early part of the race when sky it is still pitch black. Extremely annoying and blinding!
Wayne Wright from Orange County, Florida USA (10/13/2012) "Mahalo, Maui" (about: 2012) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Maui Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 2 INTRODUCTION: I am a race-walker with a median marathon completion time of 5:14:52. The Maui Marathon was my twenty-sixth 26.2-miler accomplished. COURSE: The fire dancer performing during the opening festivities provided a good clue how warm the race was going to be: it was already 72 degrees at the start, high humidity with light wind from the northeast. Starting at the Queen Kaahumanu Center, our pre-dawn course took us on a pair of Kahului neighborhood streets before turning onto the Kuihelani Highway, where we were given one lane of the four-lane divided highway that took us by the sugar cane fields. Before mile 7, we headed south on the Honoapiliani Highway as the sun began to rise. We felt the wind at our back as we had our first glimpse of the Pacific Ocean and neighboring island Kahoolawe as we approached Maalaea, located at the southern end of the isthmus. We would stay on the side of this two-lane road to Lahaina for the next 15 miles, sharing it with the traffic going in both directions. Not really a problem, for by now we were spread out along the course. Up to this point we were on level ground, but that changed beginning at mile 8 when we encountered the Pali (Hawaiian for 'cliff') and started our ascent. We would climb approximately 100 feet over the next three or so miles. At around mile 12, we encountered the tunnel that would signal our descent back to sea level. It also meant we would no longer feel the benefit of the wind to cool us down, and with the sun in full force, it started to get a bit hot. Now traveling westward, we began to see surfers and paddle-boarders with neighboring island Lanai in the background, that is, when we were able to avoid the constant distraction of the traffic cruising by. Being on the leeward part of the island, it was fairly dry, with few trees around to give us cover. At mile 16, we briefly departed from the coast as we entered the village of Olowalu, with our course now heading northwest. The heat started to take its toll as our mile splits were getting longer and longer. At mile 22, we entered the aptly named Lahaina (Hawaiian for 'cruel sun'), detouring from Honoapiliani Highway on Front Street. The protection provided by the homes, retail and dining establishments from the wind made this the hottest part of the course. Leaving Lahaina, we returned back to Honoapiliani Highway at mile 24. Heading north, we could see neighboring island Molokai on our left as we headed to Kaanapali Parkway and Whalers Village, our final destination. Weather conditions at the finish: 84 degrees, moderate humidity, and 9 mph wind from the east. ORGANIZATION: The expo was small and efficientone could retrieve his bib and tee shirt in as little as five minutes and be on his way. No problem with the 3:30 a.m. school bus that took us from the Westin Maui Resort in Kaanapali to the start in Kahului. The only negative that could be found were the misplacement of mile markers 7 and 13 (both were very early) and the absence of mile marker 25 on the course. Very short post-race party, it lasted less than the advertised 90 minutes. FANS: Some Kahului residents turned out to see the runners early in the morning. Some of the cars along the Honoapiliani Highway honked and gave us the 'hang loose' sign. Also, there were some associated with the Japanese tour groups on hand to cheer us on every now and then. CONCLUSION: If you like a true point-to-point course, without detours, loops, or out-and-backs, then this is one of the very few marathons for you. The easygoing attitude and the warm weather of the area will likely prevent you from setting a personal best here, but you will have a whale of a time running in this well established event.
A. A. from Illinois (9/24/2012) "HOT marathon" (about: 2012) 11-50 previous marathons COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 2 I did the Full Warrior Challenge in the Maui Marathon. This means that you run a 10K 6:30am Sat, a 1 mile race 4pm on Sat & then run the full marathon 5:30am Sun. I went to the expo on Fri 12:15pm. It opened 12:00pm. I had ordered XS shirts & usually by the time I get to the expos they 'run out' of the XS shirts. So...when I went there early to get my XS shirts, & of course, they didn't have any XS (VERY frustrating!!!). The small shirts were HUGE (men's Small obviously!!!)!!! I'm not that tiny (like a lot of marathon runners) I'm 5'2 & 115lbs....I tried to find the race director for about 30 min without luck....I got 4 shirts, & I'm NOT able to wear ANY of them!! Also, The Warrior Challenge shirt didn't even explain what the challenge consisted of?!?!?! I think that the events should be listed on the shirt!! I won my age group in the 10K & the medal is HUGE!!! I also won a medal in the mile race & tried to get hold of someone so I could get it while in Maui (which I was there for 10 days)....but the only response I got was that they'd mail it to me (after reading another persons comment on here, I wonder if this will actually happen?!?!?). The marathon was run along the highway which was HOT with minimal shade...even though we were right next to the ocean. I trained in hot weather, but this was too much. I have run 34 marathons, & I started struggling at mile 9. Oh...well... I finished just over 4 hrs & was surprised when I couldn't find anything to eat at the finish line!! I was offered 2 cups of water & that was it!!! I tried to find some salty foods, but had no luck at all!! VERY frustrating!! Luckily my family was there... I spent a lot of money to go to this marathon & was VERY disappointed.....

More Comments: [ < 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 .. 10 > ]

Quick Links

Marathon Search
Upcoming US Marathons
Upcoming International Marathons
Search Marathon Results
Latest Running News
Recent Newsletters
Race Director Tools

Become an Advertiser

Click Here: Please visit our Sponsor

Click Here: Please visit our Sponsor

Click Here: Please visit our Sponsor

Click Here: Please visit our Sponsor

Become an Advertiser

World Marathon Majors

Premium Listings

Verified Accounts

Current Year Results

Boston Qualifier

Recent Newsletters

First Marathons

All Running Calculators

Articles/Advice

© 2000-2024, All Rights Reserved by MarathonGuide.com LLC

Privacy Policy Refund Policy Terms of Use