May 18, 2024
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☰
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 81 to 91]
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J. T. from New Jersey
(9/23/2004)
 "Great 1st time - but forget 4 hours!!" (about: 2004)
First Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 I just ran this as my first marathon. Awesome group of runners, with a perfect size (about 1,700 runners started), beautiful scenery, lots of water breaks, and good route. I was worried about my knees, but a nice slow uphill in the early part made for a comfortable 1st half of the race for my knees. I trained in East Coast summer heat and thought I was ready, but the heat here is tough during the second half of the race. I STRONGLY recommend for first-timers that you stop running at each water stop and drink at least two full cups of water and still consider bringing a fuel-belt or Camel-Back. I had run 22-miles in heat during training and never experienced the cramps that I had on this race - which forced me to walk for part of the last six miles. The hills look bad on the map but they are not too bad, and early enough in the race. The organizers do a GREAT job. The fans are spread out on the course, so it is you and the other runners for a good part of the race. I would definitely say it is fine as a first marathon, but I would not plan on a four-hour time (which was my original goal). I came in just under 4:20. Had a great time and felt great about what I had accomplished. | |
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j. m. from Honolulu, HI
(8/23/2004)
 "Scenic but very hot marathon" (about: 2003)
4-5 previous marathons
| 1 Maui Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 I ran this marathon in 2003. It starts at 5:00 a.m. but you have to be up by 3:00 a.m. in order to catch the bus to the start on this point-to-point course. The first part of the course you are running in the dark next to some cane fields, but around mile 8 you come out onto the coast for some beautiful ocean views. Some other runners commented on hills, but this course is virtually flat. It did get extremely hot after the sun came up around 7:00 a.m. The aid stations are adequate and are located almost every mile after the halfway point. You can even get a popsicle around the 20 mile mark. Overall a nice marathon, but be prepared for high temparatures and high humidity. | |
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John Kittelson from Seattle, WA
(5/20/2004)
"A gorgeous scenic challenge!" (about: 2003)
4-5 previous marathons
| 1 Maui Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 This was my fourth marathon. I was hoping to set a PR, but after training in Seattle weather the heat was a real challenge. No tradewinds provided for a hot, hot course in 2003. Temps hovered in the low 90's. Wear your sunscreen. Although this is a well organized, beautiful course, I would not recommend it for first-timers. After 26.2 in the heat, the marathon has a new meaning for me. An interesting sidenote is almost half of the runners fly in from Japan. I arrived at the staging area, grabbed a bagel, fruit, sushi and miso soup!!! Many of the Japanese engaged in ACTIVE calisthentics prior to the race. As I was sitting to conserve energy, I commented to an Aussie runner that this must be the first marathon for most of the Japan contingent. They certainly did need that energy at mile 20 in the heat. This was a wonderful race. It is a marathon that is small, is suited for runners, not for the 'walking crowd', and has a scenic view. Most importantly, stay for a week of recuperation in paradise. | |
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D. C. from Austin, Texas
(3/3/2004)
"Incredible Marathon!!!!" (about: 2003)
2 previous marathons
| 1 Maui Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 This was my first marathon and it was all I could have asked for and more! The course was a little hilly but pretty nice, the organization and police protection was good, and the volunteers were unbelievable! Even the cars seeemed to slow down so that running on the shoulder was not dangerous. The only two very minor negatives about this race were the heat and lack of spectators. Even though the race started at 5am, it did get a little hot out there which would have been a bigger problem had I not trained in the heat of Austin, Texas all summer. Also, there weren't that many spectators and it did get a little lonely after mile 18 when you need the most cheering on. In general this was an excellent race with not many people and a great setting for a couple days vacation before and after the race. I recommend it to anyone! | |
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J. C. from California
(10/23/2003)
 "I hope to do this marathon every year!" (about: 2003)
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 The Maui Marathon was simply fantastic. After running my first much larger race (20,000+ entrants), I was excited to try a smaller, more intimate race and Maui was the perfect choice. The scenery was fantastic, the course, though a bit hilly at times, was awesome and the whole thing was very well-organized, especially for such a smaller event. Shuttles, aid stations, enthusiastic announcers, encouraging spectators - it had everything. The smaller size made it feel more special but didn't cause it to lack any of the features/ammenities of a larger race. Fellow runners warned me of the heat and it was hot for sure, despite the 5 am start. Still, the sponges and scenery more than made up for the temperature and didn't prevent me from besting my PR by 40 minutes! Don't let the 'heat alarmists' scare you! This race was very special and unique and I recommend it to beginners and advanced runners alike. Maui, what's not to like??? | |
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T. J. from San Francisco, CA
(1/13/2003)
"Another day in paradise" (about: 2002)
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 It's really hard to find negative things to say about this race. Beautiful, easy course and superb organization. Heat is the biggest challenge, since the second half of the course has no shade at all. The cool ocean breeze makes it comfortable, though, until mile 21-22 when you reach Lahaina. Now trees and buildings steal your breeze but don't offer shade in return. Unless you've been drinking like a sponge until this point, say hello to Mr. Wall. But there's no excuse for dehydration. The water stops (from mile 8 with iced sponges) are closer and closer together as you progress - less than a mile between them which is amazing for a race with only 2-3000 runners. There are 700 volunteers and they are fantastic. I dropped a sponge and a volunteer sprinted after me with a fresh one. If you're out there, THANK YOU! Apart from the volunteers there are virtually no spectators, but you wouldn't expect tourists to spend their Sunday morning on the shoulder of a highway, would you? So instead of cheers, you hear birds, crashing waves, and your fellow runners. Works for me. | |
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A Runner from San Francisco
(12/12/2002)
"Organized, beautiful, HOT!" (about: 2002)
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 Beautiful course, well organized race, enough water and aid stations - definitely a good choice for a first marathon. Few spectators, especially in Lahaina, where traffic was blocked off, so it seemed like a ghost town. Fortunately, water/aid stations were staffed with enthusiastic people, so it didn?t seem to really matter. Start time was 5:30 (will be 5:00 am in 2003), making for a relatively comfortable run for the 2 hr marathoners. However, for us mere mortals, by 8:00 am, temps were in the mid-80s, and there is little to no cover on most of this course. Fortunately, the sun is at your back. Mostly flat course, with the exception of some rolling hills in mile 10-11. | |
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Rich C. from Pittsburgh PA
(10/14/2002)
"Great race but hot" (General Comments)
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 Fantastic course and organization but be warned it is a very hot race and there is no shade to be found. Regardless of the heat this is one marathon not to be missed. | |
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A Runner from Brentwood, CA, USA
(10/1/2002)
"Oceanfront View!" (about: 2002)
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 The Aloha spirit is everywhere which made this race so fun. For those who love running along the ocean (literally along some areas of the course 3 feet away!) then this is for you! | |
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A Runner from Arlington, Virginia
(4/18/2001)
 "Overrated course, but a must do anyway!" (about: 2001)
COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 1 The first half of the marathon was spectacular especially with all the whales jumping out of the water. The second half leaves a lot to be desired because it is far less scenic, there are almost no spectators, relatively little shade from the intense sun and the runners' share of the road narrows considerably (you share the road with the traffic). The hills in the course are tough, especially since you don't realize how much energy you're expending because you're so caught up in the beautiful view. Be very aware of your pace on the hills. It was surprisingly arid, so hydration has to be carefully monitored. It's a marathon that every runner should do once. Of course, moving it from March (the milder whale season) to September (much warmer and no whales) will make it less desireable. |
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