I have ran the Kona Marathon 3x now, the last time being in 2011. I also ran the 1/2 marathon once…read morein 2008. What keeps me coming back to the race is that - besides being local for me, is the fact that the IronMan World Championships are held in Kona and the marathon route is used on the exact same strip of out and back as the Kona Marathon uses too. It inspires me to run this stretch of paradise knowing that - while I may not be running it as part of the IronMan course, I can crank out 26.2 miles of pure marathon bliss and still have something to be apart of and that makes the pain of victory so much more sweeter. The marathon route is basically an out and back course that begins just outside the Outrigger Keauhou Beach Resort and finishes on the grounds of the resort. Heading out on Alii Drive, it winds into Kona Commons Shopping Center, and out on Queen Ka'ahumanu Hwy towards the Kona Airport. Down a road for 1.5 miles near the weather station there at the turn around before heading back to the Outrigger Keauhou Beach resort for the finish. Being that race day is in late June, the weather does start of really nice and cool, but the sun comes out and it can be really daunting to finish 26.2 miles in the hot Kona sun. Race starts at 5:30am and you are given 9 hours to complete the course. I have fond memories of running this race year after year, the first being that the 2009 race was the first marathon I ran after joining the Marathon Maniacs club. It was a surreal moment that brought me to where I am today and beyond. The aid stations are filled with enthusiastic individuals and it's definitely a well put on event. The only gripe I do have about this event is that the finisher's medals do not change year after year. Even if you do run the 1/2 marathon, you get the same finisher's medal as the full marathon peeps. There's no distinguishing the half and the full marathon participant. While that may not matter to some people, since every individual knows what distance they are running, it just bothers me that it hasn't changed. For whatever reason you are running the marathon, the Kona marathon is one of the best small marathons in the country. The ocean front views are world class and just being in Kailua-Kona for the weekend will melt your cares away. Run more! B+ #Yelp Marathons

Although having been held in Waikoloa now for the past 2-3 yrs(?), still is a great half marathon…read morerun. Waikoloa gets a bit hot, and the full marathon just doubles back on the same course a couple times, which can get pretty humid by 8am. Since the half starts at 630am and you can finish by 8-830am, it doesn't quite get too hot at that point. But you are running on the highway for several miles for either race...the highway stretch means you are fully exposed to the sun with no shade. I always carry water bottles with me, but most runners don't (always puzzling to me why not....) I strongly recommend folks carry their personal water bottle for this race (I use Accelerade as my drink of choice along with Clif gel chews Cherry flavor for salt and caffeine). Still, having done this race multiple times now, it is great way to race on the Big Island with a good mix of locals and out of towners. The t-shirts are MUCH BETTER DESIGNED than a few years ago with the odd orange bands on the sleeves and neck. Great shirt design to the team!

Kona marathon has nowhere near the potential of the Kona Ironman Triathlon, which is on a whole…read moredifferent level, and different race. So far, I have competed in and completed the full marathon (26.2 mi) and the half marathon (13.1 mi), which I highly recommend the half marathon because it keeps you in the touristy areas instead of running on what seems forever along Queen Ka'ahumanu Highway. All races, the full marathon, half marathon, quarter marathon, and 5k coincide together, so prepare yourself to merge with other runners as you head towards the finish line. As I share this review, 2012 Kona marathon was my sixth of the nineteen marathons I have completed. And, 2014 Kona half marathon was the nineteenth half marathon of the twenty-two half marathons I have completed. Both remind me of a few of my worst experiences as a runner because of its boring out-and-back course, and my terrible half marathon experience where I nearly had to wait until the completion of a different race to receive my 3rd place overall award for the half marathon because of technical difficulties with their system. Go figure! A bit of advice, if you choose to run its full marathon preserve your energy along Queen Ka'ahumanu Highway because by the time you hit it, the heat has sat in, plus course support has dwindled, which could be a good or bad thing. With that, I recommend letting your mind wander in-between mile 9 to mile 17; keeping hydrated, plus carrying your own water source, even though they have water stops along the course. Bringing your own water source will keep you fueled at your own pace. Other than everything I have mentioned, the 3rd place overall award for the half marathon, t-shirts and finishers medal for both the full and half marathon were amazing. Thomas G

Effective 2015, the Kona marathon had entirely moved its location from Kailua-Kona northbound to…read moreWaikoloa. Hence, the update to the Kona marathon from me. There are critics including myself that they should rename the Kona marathon because the race course isn't in Kailua-Kona proper anymore, but in a totally different area. I guess they keep the Kona marathon as a purely marketing standpoint. With that said, I learned about the Kona marathon course revamping in mid 2014 and decided to sign up for the marathon the following year. I was curious as to how much of an upgrade it was. Or wasn't. I came to find out on race morning that it wasn't what I expected it to be. While the course showcased majority of the Waikoloa hotel complex, it wasn't really a course designed for runners. At least that's what I think. I ended up falling short of my goal of finishing 26.2 miles and just logged 18 before calling it quits. The overall experience was average, although it could have been heaps better if the weather had cooperated. The course was poorly designed, especially when all you had to work with was Highway 19 and the roads inside the Waikoloa complex. I guess it was easier and cheaper to close traffic for a marathon. The course time limit was shortened to 8 hours, instead of the usual 9 hours and the course itself had a lot more timing apparatus split points along the way, not like before. The weather was wicked hot, especially on the highway 19, where a total of 12 miles were needed and being on that highway with nothing to look at and the traffic zooming past you was really boring and taxing, especially when you have to put out a race of 26.2 miles. Most of my friends who downgraded from the full distance to the half distance were happy. I should have listened and have gotten a half marathon finisher medal and an official time. Instead, I logged 18 miles and nothing to show for it. Oh well. It is what it is. Congrats to all finishers. As aforementioned before, the Kona marathon moved everything up north to the Waikoloa beach hotel resort complex. I thought that this change of venue was pretty good, until I was on that course on race morning in June. I stayed at the host hotel this time around with a friend of mine, the Hilton Waikoloa Village. The expo itself was open air, along with packet pick up - which was held in an air conditioned conference room on hotel property. I was in and out of there within an hour and met up with friends. The race bibs were standard and colored, depending on what race distance you were doing. I believe this year 2015 red was the marathon and green was the half. The race fees were kind of steep, pricing at least $85 for the early birds and climbing as much as $150 for race day registration. For the price of a destination race, it was worth the price, if you were coming from outside of Hawaii. Then again, cheaper the better is what is best. The course was basically 2 loops around the Waikoloa village hotel complex of about 6 miles a piece, then a 15 mile out and back sections of Queen K Highway before entering back into the hotel complex to finish up the last 10km. The start and finish was near the Queen's shops. Plenty of parking for those who need it. The course itself had plenty of timing splits, so you can't really cheat. The weather was obscenely hot, to the point where I just called it quits. It's frustrating and annoying at the same time. I'm glad that all of my friends who tied the line at the start finished their respected distances. The aid stations were adequate enough and the course support were kind of lacking. Still, it's for those who want to run a marathon in Kona / Waikoloa. If I come back to this one, it'll have to be the half. 13.1 miles! 3.0 solid, but made worse by the heat. Support local! C

Revel Kulia Marathon and half marathon is in its 2nd year, having started on the Big Island in…read more2019. After hearing rave reviews about the course, I decided to sign up for the half marathon in 2020 and see what its all about. The Revel race series is known for its downhill courses throughout the mainland United States. Downhill race courses helps runners run faster and produce faster race performance finish times on the half marathon and marathon, which makes it attractive for goal seekers and individuals who want to qualify for the Boston and or New York City marathons. With that said, downhill routes are tough on the legs and doing it running down the side of Mauna Kea was a challenging prospect as well. With that said, Revel Kulia marathon and half marathon seemed like the race to do. However, prices for entry is a bit steep, running about at least $125 for both distances. I suspect this will be the price point going forward if they continue on in Waikoloa. Registration is done online months before race weekend, so you can use your major credit card to sign up. You probably could sign up at the expo but the price for entry will be steep. Race weekend basically consists of packet pick up at the host hotel the day before and getting to the race shuttles before they depart for the start. There are two separate race shuttles departing at separate time slots to two different locations. For me, it was 4:30am - 5:30am for the half. It was 4:00am - 5:00am for the marathon. The overall experience here at the 2020 Revel Kulia marathon and half marathon was quite interesting. Since the start for both half marathon and marathon started on Mauna Kea, it was high enough to have temperatures in the lower 50's F. It was fine for me, however, the wind was fierce that morning on the mountain, so I was basically hyperventilating until my body got a handle on things. It was bad. I can only imagine what it was like higher up with the marathoners. Both distances started at 6:30am, where it was dark enough to trip over something you can't see. The staging area was basically 10 port-o-johns and an industrial light in a paved lot. We had to walk maybe 50 yards onto Waikoloa Road to the start, where there was a race banner and a timing station to record the start of the race that morning. The race field was small and intimate, fielding less than 1,000 runners in both distances. It was nice to see friends speed down Waikoloa road doing the marathon distance while I ran my own race, trying to get to the finish and shower before hotel check out. The finish line was staged next to the Queen's Shops, which was ideal for everyone. You can get food and drinks there within reach of the finish. I did enjoy the fact that there was a big REVEL sign at the finish area, as well as a big 26.2 and 13.1 sign to take photos of. I certainly did my part in taking photos with that, celebrating my 52nd half marathon finish that morning. Revel knows how to throw a run party. The downhill course and the scenic views of Mauna Kea and Waikoloa Village was nice to see while running down Waikoloa Road on a Saturday morning in January. There was no fanfare at the start of the half marathon, although there was plenty of entertainment and excitement at the finish line. After taking photos and gathering my sanity, my legs started to feel better from all that downhill running and moving down a mountain road. It was the first time that they moved the finish line area next to the Queen's shops. During their inaugural race, they had it somewhere along Waikoloa road and finisher's had to be bussed back to a safer location. I personally liked the finish location. It was the same location used by the Kona marathon, which is held annually in late June. For the most part though, it was another excuse to travel for me to run. It was nice to check out a new race that I previously haven't done and the Revel race series is popular. If downhill running, possible BQ's, and PR's are your goals, consider the Revel Kulia marathon or half marathon. If you are a 50 stater (marathon or half) wanting to add Hawaii to your list, check this race out. The finisher medal is pretty solid. 4.0 stars for the overall experience. 2.5 stars for race morning. I knew it was going to be cold but the wind made it worse till I got a handle on things. 4.0 stars for the expo. 4.0 stars for the course and finish line area. Thanks to the volunteers! Run more! Support local! B

"Fairmont Orchid, Hawai`i is honored to welcome athletes participating in the 2025 IRONMAN 70.3…read moreHawai`i. Reservations are now open for athletes travel." The IRONMAN 70.3 Hawai'i is now located in the Waikoloa area of the Fairmont Orchid. A beautiful resort with a five star rating, perfect for the triathlon event offering stunning views of the underwater fauna and flora, as well was a challenging bike ride off property up to the town of Hawi and back. The run course is a brutal 13.1 mile half-marathon through the scenic golf course and into the vaunted "Hell's Kitchen." The only IRONMAN 70.3 in the state of Hawai'i to enjoy and challenge yourself.

The Mauna Lani Resort is a terrific race venue for families. While waiting for your triathlete to…read morefinish take your kids over to the beach behind the hotel. The beach hugs a protected lagoon or cove. This means there are no rough waves. The water is very calm and perfect for sandcastle building and other child's play. Turtles are also frequently spotted here (Honu is turtle in Hawaiian after all). In fact, one climbed out of the water and took a seat on the sand right next to my daughter. This event also offers an after race banquet for racers and as many family members as they purchase tickets to feed. I should warn you that if you aren't staying at the Mauna Lani or you don't arrive early, you will park quite a distance from this venue. While directions to the parking area were well marked and shuttles back and forth ran frequently, this can still be a challenging situation especially if you're hauling a stroller with you. Still, there is enough to keep you and your kids at this race venue all day. Find out more about this race at: http://www.honuhalfironman.com

Held in Kailua-Kona Hawaii annually since 1978 , the Ironman World Championships has been a very…read moreimportant event for me to film as a sports photographer. In 2018 I traveled with a fellow YELPER who was yelping all over the island.I didn't question why she was taking pictures and talking to the servers about her food choices .This was a few months before I decided to start yelping.The week of Ironman ( which is a 17 hour race consisting of a 2.4 mile swim 112 mile bike and 26.2 mile run )is filled with media events , meeting professional athletes , expos , taking in the beautiful Hawaiian spirit and equally wonderful food choices.One of my favorite places to eat & people watch in Kona is Lava Java for their amazing Go island style pancakes with island grown macadamia nuts and Hawaiian papaya that you cannot get on the mainland.Equally exceptional is Hugo's on the Rocks with casual dining and sand floors on the bottom floor overlooking the ocean.They also have fine dining upstairs with gluten free and vegan options such as pupu pizzas with hamakua mushrooms, carmelized Maui onions and macadamia nut pesto.Although I can't eat fish , my dining partner said the seared sesame crusted Ahi was one of the best and freshest fish that they have ever had.We had 3 people wait on us even though the restaurant was full and the service was fast. We did not feel rushed and enjoyed our dinner with the sound of the crashing waves as the sun set early around 5pm.If you do make a trip to the island , a favorite locals breakfast stop is the Fish Hopper well known for their coconut and macadamia nut french toast with Punalu'u sweet bread and berries sauce.My stomach is growling now just thinking about it.In 2019 I returned again to indulge in a week of amazing island eating out and visiting the local open food markets on Al'i drive where you can get fresh coconut water straight from a local opened with a machete and fresh island specialties like sweet strawberry papaya,hawaiian Haas avocadoes , and rapoza mangoes.All are equally delectable and not found on the mainland.If you need a relaxing tranquil and beautiful place to visit and enjoy some quiet time, I would not recommend coming during the 2nd week in October during Ironman World Triathlon Championships week.However, if you are craving a crazy energy filled week filled with 1000s of triathletes from all over the world and an equally high energy in the air for a week this is the place to be.Enjoy what life comes to you, the people who you chose to spend your time with and happy YELPING .

Terrible customer service…read more Have been trying to transfer the already paid funds for a race that was scheduled in the US pre-pandemic to Canada. This is so I do not need to travel out of the country and need to quarantine when arriving back in Canada. Have been sending numerous messages via email and the contact website to no avail. Appears to be no telephone number for contact.

Five stars. Highly recommended!…read more So this will be my first Ironman race, a 70.3 swim, bike, & run course on the majestic Big Island of Hawai'i. Very excited and anxious for the race on Saturday. Hoping to finish strong! So far, the check-in and on-site accommodations did not disappoint! A quick test swim of the actual course was slightly choppy in the ocean, but awesome nonetheless! Excited to see what's in store for a test bike ride today & a possible flush out run on Friday. Race is on Saturday. Will update later of any new outcomes.

First half Ironman for the books! I spent a lot of time being told what to do (since I did nothing…read more(since I didn't know what to do (#ignorance is bliss))). I think that made this process that much more enjoyable. I did, however, spend a few anxious minutes looking up my registration information since I received no (zero) emails leading up to the race about the race. The Ironman 70.3 Hawaii, nicknamed Honu, starts at the Hapuna Beach State Park with warm, clear waters, and alleged spinner dolphins and honu. The bike course goes along the Queen Ka'ahumanu and Akoni Pule Highways towards Hawi and back. The run is on the golf course of the Fairmont Orchid. All of it is hot. No one is immune from race number burns. Pre-race: - Train! I don't think I would have had bike shoes if I hadn't hooked up with the training group at Boca. And starved because I wouldn't know about nutrition. Probably would have drowned in the ocean too. - Ship bikes via Tri bike transport ($160 from Oahu to Kona race site) or Aloha air cargo ($40 from Oahu airport to Kona airport). - Figure out housing. 9 of us stayed in Kamilo for $700 a night. The house was beautiful and half a mile from the race finish and shuttle to the start so some of us were able to shower then head back for awards. Others stayed at the Fairmont Orchid, which runs for $300 a night. Race: - Orientation: Mandatory pre-race briefing offered at specific times. Make sure your flight arrives before the last time! Drop off your run bag. Visit the expo for things you forgot. They sell co2 cartridges! Drop off or ride your bike 7mi to Hapuna to set up bikes. - Pre-race: Our house woke up at 4am. We were out by 5am. Caught the shuttle at the hotel and arrived by 530. Set up bike transition, dropped off bike bag, loiter for an hour and drink Red Bull. - Swim: Males went first, females had to wait until 7am. Four athletes to start every five seconds, which I thought was super genius. Water was warm and clear, buoys were a bit hard to see when trying to determine to turn or go straight. They should make all the turn buoys a different color. Water was relatively warm and clear; wetsuits not allowed. - T1: Fresh water shower on the way to your run bag, pick up run bag, stop at the changing station or head directly to your bike. Put on sunscreen! - Bike: Keep a bike cage open. There's no need to stop. Volunteers hand off water, Gatorade, and Red Bull in bottles that fit your bike. Potential to drink five (count 5) cans of Red Bull on the ride. Two turnarounds. Scary winds on the way down from Hawi after mile 30. - T2: Drop off bike at numbered bike rack. Pick up run bag where you dropped it the day before. Bike bags are set up near run bags if you need something from there. Except my bike bag was in the wrong spot, and then a volunteer picked up my run bag while I was looking for my bike bag, so then I couldn't find my run bag or my bike bag, and I spent 12 minutes in this transition, and had a poor attitude. The end. Put on sunscreen! - Run: Combo of road and grass. The second loop was mean. Cola available on this leg of the race! - Finish: Get medal, shirt, and hat. Get 3 beers and a meal ticket for a burger. Awards at 4pm. Slots awarded to Kona World Championships. Many already qualified so there was a lot of rolling down. To do again: - Buy groceries and breakfast for race day. I was getting judged for having hot pockets for breakfast but hey, I'm not going to try new things now. - Drink Red Bull before the swim Do better next time: - Un-fog goggles - Bring my co2 cartridge adaptor - Put bike shorts in bike bag for transition - Wear better bike shoes that don't eat ankles - Practice eating several nutrition packets in a row. At one point I determined I'd rather starve and slow down than eat another packet. - Put on even more sunscreen. - Stay at the Fairmont Hotel! Overall, a sweet race. Was told this was the hardest 70.3 one can do because of the hilly course and the heat. Welp, off to a different 70.3!