Maui Oceanfront Marathon - Race Reviews

The marathon starts at 5 a.m., which is great to try to beat the heat. It is quite hilly! Better plan on that in your training. When the hills get tough, look to your left at the ocean and just keep repeating "I'm in Maui, this is beautiful!" The aide stations were all great. Many of them had people that would be out to greet you before you arrived telling you what would be available at that particular aide station. They don't have gels so bring your own. They did have snacks at all the aide stations but I brought my own gels and didn't want to 'try anything new on race day' but it was there if you wanted it. Water and Gatorade available at all aide stations. We used reusable cups, which I thought would be a hassle but it was fine and you didn't need to worry about throwing a cup in a trash bin. It smashed up pretty flat and I stuffed it in my running bra with no issues. The race start at The Shops at Wailea was perfect. Get there by 4:30 a.m. and use the flushing, clean bathrooms! It was great! Luckily I didn't have to use any of the porta potties but there were many along the course. The medal is beautiful! I like that the full marathoners got a bigger medal with a different color ribbon. The race shirts are awesome too! Race director, Les, is a hoot! He keeps you updated on all things race related. Don't worry about anything! We did the Whale Watching Dinner Cruise with Les and many other runners with their families which was amazing! Sign up as soon as he sends the email out because it fills up fast!!

I ran 59 marathons and this one was my last one on US soil and I can honestly say Les is the very best race director. He made this event even more perfect than just running with a full moon and roosters for the first half and watching whales on the second half. Flat and stunning course. Older runners could start earlier, which greatly help deal with the heat. Highly recommend! Les, keep up what you are doing!

Marathon #33 on course #27. It is Hawaii, so train for a hot race. Also, do some training runs with a headlamp, since the first half is run in the dark. A+ race director in terms of communication, organization and humor. Probably the best choice for this state if you are a 50-stater. The pre-race festivities at the start line were great, and the aid stations were the best that I've experienced.

This was my 5th MOM and once again enjoyed it... well as much as you can for a marathon. Course is along side the main road but that is to be expected for a island...duh... Les does a great job of keeping everyone informed and to any last minute changes. This year he added a early start for the over 65 crowd. Will be there next year. If you do the marathon make sure you sign up for the after marathon dinner cruise. It is well worth it.

Small marathon but very well run..early start helps beat the heat. It is hilly, I'm from Florida but had no problems..race director does a great job communicating.

It's Hawaii so it's going to be warm. Early start for 55+ is wonderful as you can beat a little bit of the sun and you are eligible for age group award. RD is a great guy. Good communications. Packet pick up at Pioneer Inn went smooth. Great volunteers. Low key race so don't expect thousands of spectators-more like a handful at the finish. Bad part is oncoming traffic as you are on a fairly narrow shoulder but just be careful. Headlamp a must as it is dark for first 10+ miles; drop box provided about halfway and you retrieve lamp at finish area. Water stops well manned and enthusiastic, and generally they welcome you by calling out your name. Several shorter distances offered for family to participate in. Buses provided from Whalers Village and Lahaina to start. Multiple massage tables at finish and short wait. Age group awards started with senior groups and worked down which was great as participants/family stayed to watch. RD also recognized 50 Staters who used race for final state. Medal,shirt and age group award very nice. Marathon #178 for me and second Hawaii-I recommend this one.

Course is fairly flat with hills only during the first mile and between 14 to 11 miles to go. Regular start is early enough to avoid the hottest time of the day. Organization is excellent. Race director seems to have everything that could go wrong covered (except for maybe a missile impact on the course-we were lucky it was only an e-mail threat). This year there was a detour because a bridge was out. Race director made this detour a fun experience and I thought he actually made the course more enjoyable. Past finishers agreed with me. I loved this detour section. Race bibs and finisher medals were collector items. The finisher's medal was very well made. The popular Hawaiian artist Michael Stark who designed the race bib and t-shirts signed mine too. 50 state finishers received a large unique finisher medal, bib #50 and front line position at the start. Race director's e-mails entitled NAG from MOM are so entertaining to read. All participants are divided into A, B or C participants based on how they filled out their application and preparation for race and tours. Go to the bib pick up early. They had some great race gear that was quickly sold out. Fantastic experience!!!

Maui is beautiful and you run along the ocean the whole time (see whales, I saw a monk seal resting, etc.) BUT the entire race is along side the highway so much of it is run on the shoulder of the road which is NOT closed. Would have liked an earlier start-have run other HI races and would not recommend this one over other HI races like Kauai unless you live on the island. It is relatively FLAT though.

This was my choice for my Hawaii marathon on my 50 state quest and based on all of my research it was the best choice. Pros: -I saw whales in the ocean along the route and even a seal on the beach -Excellent pre-race communication and very detailed web site -Beautiful course!! -Nice pre-race ceremony with the locals -Plenty of aid stations with enthusiastic volunteers -Beautiful shirt and medal -Early start to beat the heat -Good traffic control -Plenty of food at the finish -Runners-only cruise was awesome (saw lots of whales) Concerns: -Race started a little late due to the special ceremony. For a marathon, especially one in the heat, I expect an on-time start. -Finish area was being taken down as I finished even though I was 15 minutes before the time limit. I didn't get to use the mister and that was disappointing. -Camber in the road was tough on the body -Fair amount of rolling hills in the middle of the race when it got hot and there was no shade -If you want to park in the lot that is literally right next to the start and leave your car there, it costs a fair amount of money I stayed in Kihei which I found to be very convenient. I was only a few miles to the start. If I were to do it again I would stay in Kihei again. A lot of people stay in Lahaina where the finish is, but I found Kihei an overall better location-especially in terms of beaches. Next year they are offering an even earlier start so there will be a longer time limit. I wish that had been offered this year. Overall, I had a FANTASTIC trip to Maui and I am VERY glad I chose this marathon for my Hawaii marathon. I would absolutely go back and do the half again (I'm not doing any more marathons when I'm done with the 50) because it was well-organized and a very scenic course.

If you are expecting Maui Oceanfront Marathon to be Chicago or Boston you will be disappointed. If you like a small well run marathon that is a tough course this if for you. Many whales and I even saw a seal on the beach as we were running. 19 or 20 water stations and it has good local support. The race starts early to beat the heat but it will still be hot when you finish. See you again next year

I've been to all of these since 2009 except for one. Course director and volunteers do an amazing job. Don't come expecting a flat, cool course without wind... because this Maui. What you will get, though, is the perfect backdrop to a marathon, top-notch organization and direction, enthusiastic volunteers on the course, and a frequent humpback breaching just over your left shoulder to encourage you to the finish line. We'll keep coming back as long as Les and the team keep making it possible. Where else can you run with such breathtaking scenery and consistent weather.

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 :)

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.

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 :)

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.

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.

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!

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.

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...!!!

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!

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.

Overall I really enjoyed this race. It was my first full Marathon and in Maui so it was easy to overlook any issues. Months before the race, the race director started sending out nags. They were funny and contained lots of information about the logistics of race bib pick-up, the race, things to do in Maui, and some special deals. I had a couple questions and he responded quickly to my emails. Race-bib pickup was well organized but we did have to wait in line for about 15 minutes. There was no expo. At the start of the race, there was a Hawaiian blessing ceremony that was kinda cool. I didn't understand most of it but thought it was a nice kick-off for the run. Personally I found the course kinda tough and not because of the hills between mile 11-17. Most of the run was on the shoulder of a 2 lane road running against the traffic. I felt the shoulder was at a slight lean and after about 14 miles my right leg began to hurt from this. I tried to find a flatter part of the road to run on but wasn't too successful as I also had to avoid the cars coming at me. The views from the course were incredible! I saw whales jumping and was just overwhelmed with the beauty of Maui. There were plenty of water & nutrition stops along the way and everyone was supportive and friendly. When I approached the finish line, they announced my name and that I was running in my first marathon. That gave a special touch to the finish line. They did get my home state incorrect but it was all good since I was in Maui! After I crossed the finish, they gave me the finishers medal which I proudly displayed. My GPS showed that I was about 1/2 mile short of 26.2 but my first Marathon finish was in the books so I was happy. I was kinda disappointed in the after race area as there wasn't much in the way of recovery freebies (no gatorade, bananas, etc.) I did see a couple people getting massages and was able to get some water but that was about all I saw. Overall I'm glad I ran in this Marathon. If you are looking for a small Marathon in Hawaii, I would recommend this one.

It was a beautiful location and has tons of potential. I do have a couple of serious complaints, though. The first is a safety concern. There were far too many people running in the shoulder of a road to be safe. (The entire race was off the shoulder of a road that was not closed to traffic.) Numerous times throughout the race, I saw runners have to dodge out into the street because of congestion and kept thinking that it was an accident waiting to happen. The race needs to close a lane of traffic or restrict the number of runners. I hope they don't wait until someone dies or gets seriously injured to make this a safer event. I ran the marathon and was passing the 5K start right as they started. This was (in my 40 marathons) the worst racing experience I've ever encountered. 23 miles in, after being tired and exhausted, the last thing that a runner wants to experience is fighting through a crowd of people. Finally, I'm fairly sure the course was a half mile too short. I realize that GPS watches are not 100% accurate, but mine came up over a half mile short yesterday (which has never happened to me in any other marathon). And, I ran a time that doesn't match the pace that I felt I was running. I talked to other runners and they had similar results. One positive note - allowing runners to pick up bibs on race morning was a huge help for those of us flying in from far away.

Came from training in -20 degree weather& running a marathon in 75 degree weather. Makes it a little tough. Thank goodness this marathon has a early start and plenty of aid stations. It is a very flat course with a tunnel you run through. The run along the ocean in the early morning is well worth the trip. This is not a large marathon that in some ways makes it more fun. Good food at the end in Lahaina and a Starbucks at the Cannery not far away. Would do it again

An absolutely beautiful course with great support and organization. You can't beat the scenery this course offers, and the people are fantastic with their support and aid stations.

The course is amazing! I saw whales while running the course. Some of us even saw (not sure exactly) a sea lion or a monk seal. Don't know the difference but I didn't care really it was still amazing! Run this race.

The marathon as a whole was a perfct 'destination marathon' and we are really happy to fly all the way to experience it. Course is scenic to the max and in not many places you can really spot whales on your way. Well marked with both miles left and done clearly visible all the way. Surely not a course for your PB and to push hard also might be tough due to small hills and heat at later part of the race, added with head wind this year. I went on enjoyable cruising mode so this might affect a bit to my judgement. Start with local rituals, torches and stuff was nice too. (to need head lamps on the run I never quite understood. This after several runs in Asia starting at 3-4 am with real darkness and _bad_ roads in comparision. Anyway, I saw all my steps perfectly well from the beginning) This is a run not to be seen but to see yourself. Consequently you do not need spectators. Four stars from the whales and volunteers. Organisation was impeccable starting from the race director's reports long before the race, registration at Pioneer Inn, pre-race bus transportation (good idea to have the schedules printed on your BIB) up to aid stations with more supply you ever need on the way. FinNish (quess where I come from..) line/area was well done in a park with lot of space to lie on grass and refreshments and first aid next to you. Results were put quickly on the wall in prints and beach was a couple of steps from you. If I have to squeeze something to add or change it would be to include something salty given at finish line in addition to tons of sweet goodies. We will most propably come again. Take kids with us and let then run some shorter distance. We stayed at Outrigger Aina Nalu, walking distance from everything. A nice oasis with pools and relaxed feel, as is the case in Lahaina and the Maui Oceanfront Marathon, too. Keep up the good work!

The best part of the course is run before the sun comes up as the road quickly becomes Hell's Kitchen. It's only scenic to those from the mainland. Over-rated. Aid stations undermanned. Had to get my own drink several times. Awards ceremony was amateurish. I was 1/10 in my age group but the announcer said I won first because I was the only entrant. Excuse me....There were 10. It was embarrassing. Anyway, I will not run it again. 1/2 of the course is the same as the Maui Marathon so why bother and the organization is weak.

Pretty scary starting out in the dark with a headlight. Got scarier as we had to run along the shoulder of a busy, curvy, hilly 2-lane highway. Several ambulances passed, causing drivers to edge runners out of road shoulder. Big disappointment that I have no finishers picture, even though I finished well ahead of the deadline.

3rd year in a row that I have run this marathon and I plan to be back next year. It is not a marathon that you can expect a fast time I suggest running it early on your vacation so you can enjoy the sun later on. Great aid stations.

This was my 21st marathon and my 13th state. COURSE - The marathon runs from Wailea to Lahaina. For the majority of the race, the scenery is amazing. Truly amazing. Unfortunately, the sunrise was to my back, but the best part of the course is mid-miles where there is elevation gain. For the first hour of my race, it was pretty much dark due to the 5:45am start. However, reality is that you can't start this race early enough. It was in the 70s with a nice breeze at the start, which quickly escalated toward the 80's in the back half. If you run 4-5 hours, get ready to really roast. Now the downside: I didn't expect to struggle with runner traffic in this race (I finished 16th overall), but it was quite congested out there on the final 10k. This is because the shorter distances start in front of the marathoners on the course to end at the same finish point. I was competing for limited space on the bike path on state route 30 with the many joggers/walkers in front of me that were participating in the 5k/10k/15k and 1/2 marathon distances. Normally, not a big deal, but when trying to pass in this narrow space, while contending with oncoming cars who are not necessarily sensitive to the marathon made it somewhat undesirable. I accidentally clipped two walkers who were unaware I was behind them as they strolled along side with fellow walkers. Throw in the grogginess of the heat setting in later in the race, and it became a bit cumbersome to worry about runners/traffic and finish the race strong. However, I'm not sure how this could be improved. It's not practical to shut down this road on the island. Bottom line is that it's the nature of putting on a race in Maui. Maybe you can somehow time the difference distances to start differently, or route then differently? Nevertheless, I finished the race and jumped into the Pacific right after. NICE. Some complained about hills, but I don't think the course is that hilly. No real big ones up or down, with exception to the start which is actually pretty fast downhill. It's really the heat and humidity that are the killers. We stayed at Lahaina Shores, which is 0.2 miles from the finish line. SO HAPPY we stayed so close. Nice hotel - good pricing - but very quiet. Thankfully, there is Spanky's and Betty's next door to go drink. :) ORGANIZATION I didn't meet the race director, but he seemed extremely focused on putting on a superb event. For the most part, he succeeded. His e-mail communication was humorous and constant for several weeks up to the event, and it really helped set expectations for this laid-back tourist race. No expo - no problem for me. The number pick-up was easy at the Pioneer Inn. It is definitely low-frills however. With fees of $120+ depending on when you register, I would expect at least a little baggie to hold my number, shirt and safety pins. Nada. Nothing. Maybe a sponsor could help provide a LITTLE bit of flair at pick-up, please? The shirt is kind of cruddy. Sizing is all messed up. In fact, in retrospect, I think I got a women's handed to me. Not sure, but I don't get many v-neck men's (I rarely fit into an XL Men's). Need to improve this. I did appreciate the announcement of my name and a little 'factoid' about me that I shared on my entry. This was a nice touch. SPECTATORS You don't come to this race to be cheered. You're running on a busy road with cars nearly the whole race. Only spectators are family members of the participants. It's a race of runners who came to enjoy the island after the race. IN SUMMARY... I'm happy that I did it, but it's likely my last race in Hawaii. Come to this race if you want to train through the winter and run in an amazing destination and enjoy a holiday afterward. I felt NO PAIN after this race when I was sipping beers at a beachside bar watching the AFC Championship. Do NOT come to this race to run your P.R. (you won't - or if you do, you're not racing enough) or if you need big-city hype or a lot of people around you. Great place to check Hawaii off your 50 states list. But it is small, so if you want a big race in Hawaii, check out Honolulu.

This race is a small but wonderful experience. Terrific Aid Stations with plenty of liquids/food/snacks/cliff bars. I coulda ditched my fanny pack there was so much available nutrition. Great enthusiastic volunteers. As the Aid Station Director for the Ironman World Championship I was truly impressed by the entire support team. A challenging course but oh so amazing to run over the Pali and thru a tunnel.

The island of Maui is beautiful which is why we entered the race. We were not disappointed with the scenery. The course was tough and hilly. From the start when we picked up our packet, I was let down. The packets were handed out in an apartment, with a one way staircase that everyone tripped over each other getting in and out. It was disorganized and when I asked where it started they referred me to the map. Nobody would just explain it to me which seemed like maybe they did not know. Not being from the island, I wanted the chance to drive the course before hand. There was no expo or goody bag, which this is not why I run but the entry fee was higher than most. The shirt was cool. I changed my run to the early start because I was worried about the weather, since I trained in the winter months of Illinois. Bad idea!!! I took the bus provided because my husband was running the half and he dropped me off in Lahaina where he started. The bus left over thirty minutes late and when we finally got to the starting line, the race director stated, OK everyone get out and start running. If you need the restrooms, theyre over there. The bus full of people was all complaining all the way to the starting line. There was no official start. It was still very dark outside and there were no markings on where the course was. The course turned into the main two way highway on the island. Since it was dark, I think cones or markers of some kind would have been helpful, once I passed the guy in front of me, I was on my own on this dark two way highway. At one point a truck was passing a car and I literally felt the heat of the engine on my backside. The first water station was not until mile six and there were very few aide stations, none of which would give out aspirin or Tylenol. I am not sure how this race could be a Boston qualifier. I have no idea on my official time, only what my watch told me. Needless to say I would not run this disorganized race again.

The race was very well organized and the RD (Les) did a great job. The volunteers were super along the course. It is Maui, so the temp. does increase as the morning progresses, but it sure beats running in snow and cold. And in how many places can you whale-watch while running a marathon? I would recommend this race as an absolute MUST DO! I will be back. Ps. The RD treated the 50-state finishers very well. A great choice to finish.

I have run this race in the past two years. The organization gets better every year. The course is tougher than expected due to the hills in the first half and the heat in the second half. But, what's not to like about running on Maui in January?

Overall, the race was fantastic. Despite running on the shoulder of a fairly busy road for the first 11 miles, then on the shoulder of a highway for the remainder of the race, the scenery more than made up for the traffic. When the sun rises above Haleakala revealing the beauty of Maui, it takes your mind mind off the task at hand. The organization was great and very straightforward. The constant communication from the race director made everything very easy for someone from out of town. The weather couldn't be beat. Coming from training runs in the ice, snow and below-zero temperatures, the Maui weather felt unbelievable. Although it was pretty warm by the end of the race, the aid stations were more than sufficient to supply water, sports drinks, gel shots, etc. If you are looking for a big race, running with a huge throng of people, a big race expo, and lots of SWAG, this isn't the race for you. If you're looking for a low-key, warm-weather, getaway marathon with the Pacific Ocean constantly over your left shoulder, the Maui Oceanfront Marathon is well worth the trip.

This was a magnificent, beautiful course - second to none for sure. However, the entire race is uphill with the exception of about a 1/4 mile downhill into the tunnel. Do not believe any write-ups about it being "flat" - it is far from it. The heat may be a factor for some, but I found the breeze off the water and from the oncoming traffic to be enough to get me through. There are also ample water stations that are well stocked. I do recommend this race for the beauty and experience, but be prepared to run it for fun - not a course for a PR.