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May 3, 2024

Maui Oceanfront Marathon Runner Comments

Back to Maui Oceanfront Marathon Information & Reviews

Course 4.0

Organization 3.9

Spectators 3.1

Number of comments: 65 [displaying comments 11 to 21]

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

B. J. from Atlanta, GA (2/6/2016) "So much fun!" (about: 2016) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Maui Oceanfront Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This was the race we chose to check Hawaii off our fifty state quest, based on comments from previous years and the perfect timing for our Hawaii vacation. So much fun. January is whale season and wonderful time to be in Maui. Although we didn't see any whales on the course, many other runners did and the course is beautiful in and of itself! 5am start necessitates head lamp, but keeps the temperature reasonable. Aid station volunteers were wonderful. Only improvement I can suggest is post race. There was not enough water for even mid-pack finishers and I never found other drinks - would have appreciated some electrolyte drink and/or chocolate milk. 'Snacks' were not appealing: no bagels or bananas. That said, still highly recommend. And attend the cruise that evening if possible - that's when we saw our whales :)
Christopher Lee from Florida (1/21/2016) "Outstanding" (about: 2016) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Maui Oceanfront Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 This is a great marathon. All that was under the control of the race director was done with perfection. The shuttle buses were on time. There were plenty of water stops which were staffed with enthusiastic young people. They made up for the lack of spectators. The stops had plenty of water, cliff bars, sports drinks, even nuts and raisins. The course ran along ocean cliffs. They were beautiful but runners were exposed to the full sun and Maui is warm and humid. But they even had cold towels to help out. I recommend the post race dinner cruise. We saw whales and had a chance to compare race experiences. All in all, this is on my list of must do marathons.
Amy Frederick from Clarksville,TN (1/17/2016) "Great choice for Hawaii Marathon" (about: 2016) 50+ previous marathons \| 1 Maui Oceanfront Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 I chose this race based on reviews for this marathon compared with other Hawaii marathons. This one was highly recommended to me. Weeks leading up to the race, the race director was super communicative about various details about the race. Some people may have been annoyed by it, but I didn't mind it. It was very helpful for me and had good tidbits of information. There were a couple of options for packet pick up and I chose to pick mine up the second day. Pretty simple process. No expo of any sort here. Just pick up your bib, t shirt and go. T shirt was a decent tech shirt and they offered men's and women's sizes, which was nice. Also, they gave marathoners license plate frames too, nice touch. You also had the option to buy marathon stuff from years prior or a headlamp if you needed (the race started at 5am and it was dark so definitely a requirement for the race, though if you didn't have one, it wasn't the end of the world). The course is point to point so the option I took was I stayed at a hotel near the finish (Lahaina Shores Beach Resort, highly recommended) and walked the short walk to the parking lot where there were buses to take us to the start. Easiest option in my opinion. I think if you parked at the start and opted for the bus at the end to take you back, it was $10. Plus, staying near the start in Wailea seemed more expensive than staying in Lahaina where the finish is. The buses were prompt in getting us to the start line which I was grateful for because there wasn't a huge line for the porta potties yet. I would also recommend bringing a few dollars because the race starts right near a little grocery store that was open, which was a pleasant surprise for me because I was a little hungry by the time we got there. There was a nice ceremony prior to the start (they offered an early start and regular start). The RD also recognized some milestones and people who were finishing their 50th state. We had a nice 'shell' take off and off we went. The course started through Wailea, past hotels and stuff. Not super exciting, but eventually got along the highway where you had nice views of the ocean. I even saw a couple of whales which was nice. It was warm from the beginning but nothing too crazy. It did eventually get warm and there is very little shade cover. There weren't a lot of spectators along the course but I thought there was an adequate number of aid stations which had water and an Ultima sports drink, which didn't taste the greatest but it got the job done. Some aid stations had Clif bloks or gels. I was a bit disappointed that only one aid station had fruit but oh well. Eventually around mile 19 or so, is where the course meets up to where the half marathon turn around point was. This made for some congestion on already what I considered a somewhat narrow course as it was, as I had to dodge many of the half marathon runners/walkers. I finished in a decent time (for me), though one of my slower marathons due to the heat (obviously wasn't used to it having lived in cooler temps and then having to deal with warmer temps). I don't feel that it was a super difficult course, though it was hilly at times. I think for me, having to run on the shoulder of the road that seemed uneven probably led to my difficulties on the course. Post race was only OK in my opinion. They had a mister at the end which was nice. I only saw water as being the only beverage offered, some Gatorade or chocolate milk would've been nice (beer even better! Especially considering how often the RD Mentioned it as a bribe in the pre-race emails haha). They had some food available, mainly snack stuff. Some actual food stuff would've been nice (maybe some local Hawaiian seafood or something). They were offering massages which was nice, line was too long for me to wait though. The medal was nice quality too. All in all, I really enjoyed this race. I tend to like the smaller races, so if you need a lot of spectators and a big expo and all that jazz, this race isn't for you. But I'd highly recommend this one, especially if you use this one for your 50th state. The RD does a great job recognizing those folks :)
S. E. from BC, Canada (1/27/2015) "Amazing!" (about: 2015) 11-50 previous marathons COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 5 This was our first trip to Maui and the race was definitely a highlight of our trip. I ran the marathon and my husband ran the 10 km. The race was small but perfect when you are on a relaxing holiday. We found everything was well organized and the spectator support was great...there were a lot of folks out at 5:30 am! I would definitely run this race again even though I had one of my slowest race times.. I think it was due to the whales distracting me as I ran along the coastline . Thank you to the many volunteers.
Jeff Newcorn from Chicago (1/25/2015) "Almost Perfect Destination Marathon" (about: 2015) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Maui Oceanfront Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 I have read the previous years' comments from others about this race and found virtually none of the complaints to be of real concern. The course is magnificent, hugging the coastline for the last 14 miles of the race. The shoulders are wide enough to avoid traffic. There are cones the whole way, alerting cars to be cautious. The camber of the road was a little issue from time to time, but not a serious one. Race director was over-communicative and offered great suggestions of other non-marathon topics for several weeks before the race. He responded to a couple of my inquiries within 24 hours. Packed pickup effortless, and they let our friend pick up the bibs for all 8 of us who ran. If you must have a big Expo, run Chicago or New York. No Expo here. Probably could have added a couple more water stops, especially later in the race at it gets warm. Loved the cool mister at the end of the finishing chute.
K. B. from Colorado Springs, CO (1/24/2015) "SPECTACULAR HAWAII RACE!!" (about: 2015) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Maui Oceanfront Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 This is a well-organized, small race in one of the most beautiful places on the planet. This is MORE scenic than Big Sur, and a heck of lot easier! There are some hills, but I did not really feel them. The course felt easy, the temps were very pleasant, and I did not even really use music, preferring the crash of the waves to provide rhythm the entire way! Be advised that the early start can be really dark - personal lighting is a must for the first hour. Don't worry: the race director communicates frequently with updates about what to bring. He is VERY conscientious. As long as you read your emails, you will know exactly what to do. I stayed in one of the resorts near Wailea. This turned out to be perfect since I was just a couple miles from the starting line. With the early start, this is a great option. Most people coming from the mainland won't have a problem with the time since the time change works in your favor. A bit of personal advice: the waves and surf can be very high in January. I decided to take a dip in the ocean the day before the race, and promptly got body slammed by a big wave right onto my right knee. I got some medical attention, and showed up for the walker start on Sunday morning. Race Director was awesome about my sudden switch to the earlier start because of my medical issue. I wound up finishing the race in spite of my horribly swollen knee. Don't be stupid like me ... but if you are, contact the RD. He's a peach. Final comment is that the course is along a coastal highway on a Sunday morning, and it is not a closed course. You share a bike lane running against traffic. Most people are tracking that there is a race going on, but be prepared for some cyclists and even some drivers who get a little bent out of shape. As always, be watchful, and don't forget to look for all the gorgeous humpback whales frolicking in the waves!
Ed Robins from Philadelphia, Pa (3/20/2014) "Stunningly beautiful race" (about: 2014) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Maui Oceanfront Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 2 This is a very beautiful small to mid-sized (433 in full and 529 in the half) race. It is a point to point race that's run from Wailea to Lahaina. Along the way runners are treated to 17 miles of oceanfront views. Along the way I saw whales! The expo is a modest, simple set-up. If you need socks or gels for the race you can't get them here but you do get in and out super quickly and if you have a question you can ask the Race Director himself. The race director also sent out numerous e-mails in the weeks leading up to the race that were fun and informative. I parked at the finish line and took the free shuttle to the start line. Runners could park and the start and take a shuttle after the race but there was a fee for this option. My big criticism of the race was that when I arrived at the start I immediately went to the port-a-johns and the lines were so long I missed the start. Normally not a big deal but for this race they had a Hawaiian ceremony to kick off the race that I wish I caught. The RD did send out an e-mail acknowledging the need for more port-a-johns so I suspect this will not be an issue next year. The race begins at 5:30 to help with the heat. The early miles have plenty of street lights so footing is never a concern. We are then treated to a cool sunrise over Mt Haleakala. The oceanfront miles are all run along the shoulder of a main road. I've read the other runners complaints that this was unsafe and I honestly never felt unsafe. I felt the shoulder was plenty wide enough and passing folks or even groups of runners was easy. I was not fast enough that I caught up to runners from the shorter events so I honestly don't know if that was truly dicey. My only grip with the shoulder running was at times the slope of the road was a little extreme and I got some painful blisters on my left foot. There were plenty of water stops and all had sports drink. The sun hits runner's backs and I felt my neck was getting a little burned late in the race and I would suggest aid stations having sunscreen especially on the final miles. Post race was great. We were in a park right on the beach and it was lovely. I soaked my legs in the ocean. Can't beat that!! There was plenty of food, drink and space! Runners get a nice short sleeve tech shirt and a good medal.
S. S. from Denver, Colorado (3/12/2014) "Whales breaching, incredible weather, great course" (about: 2014) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Maui Oceanfront Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 My wife and I ran the Maui Oceanfront Marathon this last January. We've run many a race but not with breaching whales as a side show...fabulous! We found this run to be well run, but with a home town feel. Lots of aid stations, a great track and a solid finish party. Great weather, great track and whales...!!!
J. T. from WASHINGTON (3/6/2014) "The pricey, poorly run marathon" (about: 2014) 50+ previous marathons \| 4-5 Maui Oceanfront Marathons COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 1 FANS: 2 I have run this marathon a few times though it is one of the most poorly put together marathon that I have run (have run over 80 and equal number 1/2's). They ran out of teeshirts, they run out of medals. Everything was put together on the cheap. There are few with a more beautiful landscape, however, the money grumbing, skimping leadership is more than I can tolerate. Word has ot the Tahoe is of equal standard. In addition, does it take an email update a week to hear about your personal matters? No more for me!
S. M. from Duncan, BC Canada (2/7/2014) "Beautiful Location" (about: 2014) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Maui Oceanfront Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 I ran the half here although I had registered for the full I did not get all the training in. As others have said running on the shoulder of a busy road with many other runners doing different distances is a challenge and a bit dangerous. The scenery is beautiful as it is Maui oceanfront. I found the heat a bit much towards the end but on crossing the finish line there were showers which were amazing. I stood under them and did not want to get out. That was a great touch. Lots and lots of food. Massages were good and free. Nice atmosphere at this race. I liked it and the race director (Mom) was a character. Nice medal and great shirt and age group award.

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