Marathon Details - Kona Marathon

North America Marathons > USA > HI > Waikoloa Village > Kona Marathon

UCC Coffee Kona Marathon & Half Marathon, Quarter Marathon, 5K

Waikoloa Village, HI USA

~~June 25, 2023~~ - CANCELLED

http://www.konamarathon.com

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Results:	2019 \| 2018 \| 2017 \| 2016 \| 2015 \| 2014 \| 2013 \| 2012 \| 2011 \| 2010 \| 2009 \| 2008 \| 2007 \| 2006 \| 2005 \| 2004 \| 2003 \| 2002 \| 2001 \| 2000 Top 3 Finishers by Year

Contact Organizer

Name:	Kona Marathon
Address:	Kona Marathon PO Box 326 Volcano,HI 96785
Phone Number:	(808) 967-8240
Email:	Email the organizers



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Reviews

Course 3.6

Organization 4.0

Spectators 3.1

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Number of comments: 74 [displaying comments 1 to 11]

More Comments: [ < 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 > ]

J. W. from USA (4/9/2020) "I do not recommend this race!" (about: 2019) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Kona Marathon COURSE: 1 ORGANIZATION: 1 FANS: 1 I have run 30 plus full marathons and Kona marathon is worst organised. 1. The course is NOT USATF certified and not for BQ. 2. Timing chip was NOT functional and there was no Gun time recorded. I finished the full marathon and crossed the finish line and received my medal in 2019. I still do not have my finish time. 3. Organizer never returns the email or inquiry. 4. Majority course is along the Highway under scorching sun of 90 degree. 5. Poor organised as they ran out medals for half and quarter marathons, so they gave full marathon medals to all late finishers.
C. M. from Colorado (7/31/2019) "This one has it's plusses and minuses for sure." (about: 2019) 50+ previous marathons \| 1 Kona Marathon COURSE: 2 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 2 I believe every marathon is set up and conducted by GREAT people who make it happen so typically, I have good things to say: It was put together well (for the most part), nice medals, friendly Hawaiian staff and very nice t-shirt design. Downside: It was my last 'state' marathon (to finish all 50 and DC) and NO mention of it when I finished, in fact, they never said my name when I finished. Family told me it was like they only said 'every other' name; There were 'amateur' MC's at the finish which was disappointing, I mean what was this, a HS Cross Country event? Somebody 'lost' my finish time information? 'I' had to go up to the MC's and have 'them' make an announcement about my finishing all of the states and DC and that, too, was frustrating because it seemed like I was trying to pull teeth to do it? Not exactly a 'nice finish' to my accomplishment of my 62nd marathon and to RUNNING A MARATHON IN ALL 50 STATES AND DC in a course of 19 1/4 years. Also, this marathon SHOULD START at 5:00 instead of 5:30. The 2nd half, for anybody who was out there past 7:30'ish was SWELTERING!
G. H. from Illinois (7/5/2018) "Good race, but know what you're getting into!" (about: 2018) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Kona Marathon COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 3 I've read comments here and elsewhere about this race, and it's apparent that people who are complaining didn't do their homework. This is a very difficult race. It's HAWAII. It's very hot, the sun is very powerful, and, yes, you're going to run through lava fields instead of beautiful green scenery. Expect that, prepare for it, and you won't be disappointed. Though it's true for all marathons, this race is not for the faint of heart. The heat is brutal as you're not all that far away from the equator here, but I was surprised by how strong the wind was as well. There is very little crowd support because, well, who wants to be out there next to a lava field that's emanating heat cheering you on? I was told there were between 300 and 400 registrants, but only 262 finished! The good news is the course, while not flat, is relatively free of any challenging hills. My time was terrible, but I expected that due to the conditions. It was one half hour slower than my most previous marathon. However, my PRIDE was greater than usual because I ran a very difficult course. If you're looking for a beast of a race that is going to be a huge challenge, then sign up for this one. Things I would comment on: 1) the water stations were understaffed and there weren't enough individuals to hand out water/Gatorade to runners in multiple races coming from both directions. I do not want to stop running, and I always want more than 1 cup of water. 2) the expo was also understaffed. I had to wait in an unnecessarily long line to buy memorabilia. 3) the PA at the start line was poor. I couldn't even hear the national anthem, yet there I was standing around with my hat on like a disrespectful jerk. 4) nice tshirt and medal 5) volunteers generally nice and friendly
T. K. from USA (7/1/2018) "HOT but well supported race." (about: 2018) 50+ previous marathons \| 1 Kona Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 This is a brand new course/double loop around Hilton Waikoloa Resort for marathoners this year.Course is flatter from what I heard. It is HOT and you are running against strong headwind most of the time. Course support is great, with plenty of ice for the marathoners towards the end. They staggered the different races, so the marathoners have plenty of space. Packet pickup, start and finish have plenty of parking. Family/supporters can hang around the same area and cheer you on multiple times. Since start and finish are at the Hilton resort, there are lots of shops/restaurants for people to hang around while waiting for you.
K. E. from North Carolina (1/6/2018) "Post-race area was a disaster" (about: 2016) 50+ previous marathons \| 1 Kona Marathon COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 1 FANS: 4 The volunters on the course were great. It was a hot race, but that was to be expected. The spectators who were out were also encouraging. The finish area, however, was horrible. I ran this in 2016 and waited until now because I had hoped I would calm down, but this information needs to be available. There was NO shade set up for the runners at the finish. The only tents were for volunteers who had the food/water/medical. These volunteers were kind enough to let the runners share their shade, but all could not fit. The only thing set up to cool us was a water hose, with holes punched in it, tied to a tree. As previously mentioned, the wait for awards was 2 hours! I saw people leaving because they had to check out of their hotel or had to catch a plane. When I asked, I was told that someone might still finish ahead of me in my age group (Really? I had been finished for over an hour, and this was not a staggered start).
S. D. from Cedar Rapids, Iowa (7/5/2016) "Great marathon but it gets hot!" (about: 2016) 1 previous marathon \| 1 Kona Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 This marathon has a lot to offer. It is a looped course which allows racers to see their friends/family multiple times during the race and it also gives a good idea of how much further there is to go. The major downside of the course is that it gets very hot and large portions of the race are run on a highway through a lava field which just radiates heat. Due to the highway being busy there are also no spectators there which can get lonely. The race coordinators and volunteers were all pretty organized and helpful. The water stops were great and volunteers would rush to get you everything you needed which was appreciated! The postrace could have been better. It would been nice to have more tents set up for shade, especially since it was a very hot day. It was also frustrating to have to wait 2 hours to get age group awards. I understand wanting to wait for everyone but when the top runners have finished it seems unnecessary to wait for those who are walking the course. At that point it's nice to be able to leave to shower and get food. Overall, a good marathon but it is difficult.
C. s. from Arkansas (7/1/2016) "Be prepared for the heat" (about: 2016) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Kona Marathon COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 Pros: You are in Hawaii Good organization at packet pick up Neat awards for those who won them Free photos after race (but they closed early and many marathoners did not get them) Ice water was offered along the course Cons: More than half the course was along a very busy highway with lava fields on both sides. Blistering hot day with no shade. No coastal views. No start mat Only three porta-potties on the course (that I counted) Gel on one place on course. I had to hunt for it. No one was offering as runners went by. Medal was the same for the half and full Finish line refreshments only offered melon and fruit. No schedule advertised for buses back to hotel (I gave up and walked over a mile back to hotel).I figured out later that hotel did run buses, but I had no idea where they picked up.
L. S. from Nashville, TN (7/13/2015) "Pros & Cons of Kona" (about: 2015) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Kona Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 My husband & I decided to run it since we were going to be there for vacation anyway. Pros: Fluid stations were at every mile out on the (Ironman bike course, which was from about mile 8-9 until about 22-23 of the marathon). They had ice at a lot of the stations. We weren't racing it since it wouldn't have been a PR course (or PR weather) for us but we were surprised at how great we felt & we owe it to the awesome volunteers. Cons: We got to the Expo about 2 hours before it closed on Sat. They were completely out of Men's shirts & no Women's smalls. We were told to come back at 5am to pick them up at the start line. That didn't sit well with me. If it looks like you're going to run out of shirts, bring them to the Expo. Don't make people who come in early come get them. That defeats the purpose of coming early. Overall a great experience, the finish line was awesome & I got a great shout out from being from Tennessee.
J. S. from Nashville, TN (7/2/2015) "Challenging and Rewarding" (about: 2015) 6-10 previous marathons \| 1 Kona Marathon COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 2 Course - 3 stars (It's not a flat, fast BQ type course but it is Hawaii!) Org - 3 stars (Waterstops plentiful. Not great expo experience) Spectators - 2 stars (Very few but couldn't give it a one as the volunteers were great on the course) Didn't have any race shirts in our sizes left at the expo so we were advised to get to start extra early to get them at registration. Came thousands of miles for the race and it's the first race of any kind where I've had issues getting the shirt. We got them but shouldn't have had to go through the extra trouble. The race itself was challenging as one would expect. Treated it as a long training run and it was definitely the most difficult marathon I've run when healthy (conditions in the mid 70's with high humidity). The out and back on the highway from miles 9-22 were the most difficult miles. No shade, just the asphalt and volcanic rock as far as one can see. Not many spectators but the fluid stops were frequent and the volunteers were great - especially those on the highway as it had to be hot for them as well.
A. T. from Chicago (6/29/2015) "Do only if you need an excuse to vacation in Kona" (about: 2015) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Kona Marathon COURSE: 1 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 1 If you like running 3 loops in a resort (and no view of ocean) and 13 miles on the shoulder of unshaded highway with black lava fields on either side (and one section with ocean view in the distance). If you like running in 'feels like' 86 to 92 temps. If you like walking back over a mile to the Hilton (host hotel) from the finish (race people had no communication about that, and someone after the race told me about a $2 shuttle, but I didn't have $), if you like asking a dozen race crew members where gear check is before finding it, if you like a 300-person line for the porta-potties before the race, if you like paying $254 for the host hotel (the advertised $179 balloons to $254 with obligatory resort fee and parking charge), if you like asking many hotel people what time their tram starts in the morning to get you to the shuttle and everyone has a different answer, if you like barely getting to the race on time even when you leave 40 minutes early because of tram/shuttle waits, if you like aid stations running out of Gatorade on the VERY HOT day, if you like only pretzels and fruit at end (at least for slower people), if you like being on a resort 30 miles from the nearest town! On the plus side aid stations every mile or so; plenty of water and ice; VERY FRIENDLY volunteers; EVERYONE was cheered in at end no matter how slow.

More Comments: [ < 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 > ]

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J. W. from USA (4/9/2020) "I do not recommend this race!" (about: 2019) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Kona Marathon COURSE: 1 ORGANIZATION: 1 FANS: 1 I have run 30 plus full marathons and Kona marathon is worst organised. 1. The course is NOT USATF certified and not for BQ. 2. Timing chip was NOT functional and there was no Gun time recorded. I finished the full marathon and crossed the finish line and received my medal in 2019. I still do not have my finish time. 3. Organizer never returns the email or inquiry. 4. Majority course is along the Highway under scorching sun of 90 degree. 5. Poor organised as they ran out medals for half and quarter marathons, so they gave full marathon medals to all late finishers.
C. M. from Colorado (7/31/2019) "This one has it's plusses and minuses for sure." (about: 2019) 50+ previous marathons \| 1 Kona Marathon COURSE: 2 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 2 I believe every marathon is set up and conducted by GREAT people who make it happen so typically, I have good things to say: It was put together well (for the most part), nice medals, friendly Hawaiian staff and very nice t-shirt design. Downside: It was my last 'state' marathon (to finish all 50 and DC) and NO mention of it when I finished, in fact, they never said my name when I finished. Family told me it was like they only said 'every other' name; There were 'amateur' MC's at the finish which was disappointing, I mean what was this, a HS Cross Country event? Somebody 'lost' my finish time information? 'I' had to go up to the MC's and have 'them' make an announcement about my finishing all of the states and DC and that, too, was frustrating because it seemed like I was trying to pull teeth to do it? Not exactly a 'nice finish' to my accomplishment of my 62nd marathon and to RUNNING A MARATHON IN ALL 50 STATES AND DC in a course of 19 1/4 years. Also, this marathon SHOULD START at 5:00 instead of 5:30. The 2nd half, for anybody who was out there past 7:30'ish was SWELTERING!
G. H. from Illinois (7/5/2018) "Good race, but know what you're getting into!" (about: 2018) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Kona Marathon COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 3 I've read comments here and elsewhere about this race, and it's apparent that people who are complaining didn't do their homework. This is a very difficult race. It's HAWAII. It's very hot, the sun is very powerful, and, yes, you're going to run through lava fields instead of beautiful green scenery. Expect that, prepare for it, and you won't be disappointed. Though it's true for all marathons, this race is not for the faint of heart. The heat is brutal as you're not all that far away from the equator here, but I was surprised by how strong the wind was as well. There is very little crowd support because, well, who wants to be out there next to a lava field that's emanating heat cheering you on? I was told there were between 300 and 400 registrants, but only 262 finished! The good news is the course, while not flat, is relatively free of any challenging hills. My time was terrible, but I expected that due to the conditions. It was one half hour slower than my most previous marathon. However, my PRIDE was greater than usual because I ran a very difficult course. If you're looking for a beast of a race that is going to be a huge challenge, then sign up for this one. Things I would comment on: 1) the water stations were understaffed and there weren't enough individuals to hand out water/Gatorade to runners in multiple races coming from both directions. I do not want to stop running, and I always want more than 1 cup of water. 2) the expo was also understaffed. I had to wait in an unnecessarily long line to buy memorabilia. 3) the PA at the start line was poor. I couldn't even hear the national anthem, yet there I was standing around with my hat on like a disrespectful jerk. 4) nice tshirt and medal 5) volunteers generally nice and friendly
T. K. from USA (7/1/2018) "HOT but well supported race." (about: 2018) 50+ previous marathons \| 1 Kona Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 This is a brand new course/double loop around Hilton Waikoloa Resort for marathoners this year.Course is flatter from what I heard. It is HOT and you are running against strong headwind most of the time. Course support is great, with plenty of ice for the marathoners towards the end. They staggered the different races, so the marathoners have plenty of space. Packet pickup, start and finish have plenty of parking. Family/supporters can hang around the same area and cheer you on multiple times. Since start and finish are at the Hilton resort, there are lots of shops/restaurants for people to hang around while waiting for you.
K. E. from North Carolina (1/6/2018) "Post-race area was a disaster" (about: 2016) 50+ previous marathons \| 1 Kona Marathon COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 1 FANS: 4 The volunters on the course were great. It was a hot race, but that was to be expected. The spectators who were out were also encouraging. The finish area, however, was horrible. I ran this in 2016 and waited until now because I had hoped I would calm down, but this information needs to be available. There was NO shade set up for the runners at the finish. The only tents were for volunteers who had the food/water/medical. These volunteers were kind enough to let the runners share their shade, but all could not fit. The only thing set up to cool us was a water hose, with holes punched in it, tied to a tree. As previously mentioned, the wait for awards was 2 hours! I saw people leaving because they had to check out of their hotel or had to catch a plane. When I asked, I was told that someone might still finish ahead of me in my age group (Really? I had been finished for over an hour, and this was not a staggered start).
S. D. from Cedar Rapids, Iowa (7/5/2016) "Great marathon but it gets hot!" (about: 2016) 1 previous marathon \| 1 Kona Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 This marathon has a lot to offer. It is a looped course which allows racers to see their friends/family multiple times during the race and it also gives a good idea of how much further there is to go. The major downside of the course is that it gets very hot and large portions of the race are run on a highway through a lava field which just radiates heat. Due to the highway being busy there are also no spectators there which can get lonely. The race coordinators and volunteers were all pretty organized and helpful. The water stops were great and volunteers would rush to get you everything you needed which was appreciated! The postrace could have been better. It would been nice to have more tents set up for shade, especially since it was a very hot day. It was also frustrating to have to wait 2 hours to get age group awards. I understand wanting to wait for everyone but when the top runners have finished it seems unnecessary to wait for those who are walking the course. At that point it's nice to be able to leave to shower and get food. Overall, a good marathon but it is difficult.
C. s. from Arkansas (7/1/2016) "Be prepared for the heat" (about: 2016) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Kona Marathon COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 Pros: You are in Hawaii Good organization at packet pick up Neat awards for those who won them Free photos after race (but they closed early and many marathoners did not get them) Ice water was offered along the course Cons: More than half the course was along a very busy highway with lava fields on both sides. Blistering hot day with no shade. No coastal views. No start mat Only three porta-potties on the course (that I counted) Gel on one place on course. I had to hunt for it. No one was offering as runners went by. Medal was the same for the half and full Finish line refreshments only offered melon and fruit. No schedule advertised for buses back to hotel (I gave up and walked over a mile back to hotel).I figured out later that hotel did run buses, but I had no idea where they picked up.
L. S. from Nashville, TN (7/13/2015) "Pros & Cons of Kona" (about: 2015) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Kona Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 My husband & I decided to run it since we were going to be there for vacation anyway. Pros: Fluid stations were at every mile out on the (Ironman bike course, which was from about mile 8-9 until about 22-23 of the marathon). They had ice at a lot of the stations. We weren't racing it since it wouldn't have been a PR course (or PR weather) for us but we were surprised at how great we felt & we owe it to the awesome volunteers. Cons: We got to the Expo about 2 hours before it closed on Sat. They were completely out of Men's shirts & no Women's smalls. We were told to come back at 5am to pick them up at the start line. That didn't sit well with me. If it looks like you're going to run out of shirts, bring them to the Expo. Don't make people who come in early come get them. That defeats the purpose of coming early. Overall a great experience, the finish line was awesome & I got a great shout out from being from Tennessee.
J. S. from Nashville, TN (7/2/2015) "Challenging and Rewarding" (about: 2015) 6-10 previous marathons \| 1 Kona Marathon COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 2 Course - 3 stars (It's not a flat, fast BQ type course but it is Hawaii!) Org - 3 stars (Waterstops plentiful. Not great expo experience) Spectators - 2 stars (Very few but couldn't give it a one as the volunteers were great on the course) Didn't have any race shirts in our sizes left at the expo so we were advised to get to start extra early to get them at registration. Came thousands of miles for the race and it's the first race of any kind where I've had issues getting the shirt. We got them but shouldn't have had to go through the extra trouble. The race itself was challenging as one would expect. Treated it as a long training run and it was definitely the most difficult marathon I've run when healthy (conditions in the mid 70's with high humidity). The out and back on the highway from miles 9-22 were the most difficult miles. No shade, just the asphalt and volcanic rock as far as one can see. Not many spectators but the fluid stops were frequent and the volunteers were great - especially those on the highway as it had to be hot for them as well.
A. T. from Chicago (6/29/2015) "Do only if you need an excuse to vacation in Kona" (about: 2015) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Kona Marathon COURSE: 1 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 1 If you like running 3 loops in a resort (and no view of ocean) and 13 miles on the shoulder of unshaded highway with black lava fields on either side (and one section with ocean view in the distance). If you like running in 'feels like' 86 to 92 temps. If you like walking back over a mile to the Hilton (host hotel) from the finish (race people had no communication about that, and someone after the race told me about a $2 shuttle, but I didn't have $), if you like asking a dozen race crew members where gear check is before finding it, if you like a 300-person line for the porta-potties before the race, if you like paying $254 for the host hotel (the advertised $179 balloons to $254 with obligatory resort fee and parking charge), if you like asking many hotel people what time their tram starts in the morning to get you to the shuttle and everyone has a different answer, if you like barely getting to the race on time even when you leave 40 minutes early because of tram/shuttle waits, if you like aid stations running out of Gatorade on the VERY HOT day, if you like only pretzels and fruit at end (at least for slower people), if you like being on a resort 30 miles from the nearest town! On the plus side aid stations every mile or so; plenty of water and ice; VERY FRIENDLY volunteers; EVERYONE was cheered in at end no matter how slow.

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Marathon Details - Kona Marathon