Pros: 1. Course had mile markers and six passes at aid…read morestations that had water and Gatorade 2. Orange cones throughout course but only one to distinguish between the three distances 3. One stretch along diamond head that showed the beach, one inland 4. Aid station volunteers were helpful 5. Times race with early enough time before it got hot and humid (5:30 start) for half 6. Plenty of police to guide the route and stop cars and even an escort at the head 7. A tiny metal turtle luck charm 8. Orange slices and pocari sweat at the finish 9. Big cheers at the sprint finish! Cons: 1. Mostly through residential streets so not much to see in terms of scenery. Quite a boring course. A trail half here would be awesome. 3. No snacks at aid stations 4. Quiet race. No music at the start at the park and minimal support throughout race but quite zen so it's fine 5. Thin race shirt worse quality than 3 dollar swap meet. Just super thin cotton with white print. No thought into design. 6. Basic print medal usually reserved for low end races that cost 35 bucks in Cali. The medals looking at from 10 years ago looked best with an actual flower shape and well designed. It'd have been much better to do one thing well, like a good medal, than to do many of the other things poorly, crap shirt, crap medal, crap stations, crap mc. 7. There really wasn't an expo as only one local run shop showed up, the run lab and some old swag from previous races for sale. I'd much prefer a trail race through the mountains inland with views at the top. This one needed a much better course. This one had 400 feet of vert but a really flat vibe

This run course is nice bc it's Hawaii. The event is very unprofessional. Their site states that…read morefamily/friends can track the runners but there was no such tracking device on the runners and nobody knew until I asked around. Event lady stopped the music to find out if aid station workers showed up. As finishers arrived, nobody knew if they were 5mi, 15k or half marathon finishers. We were all confused. Maybe they should have different bib colors? Or even some commentating? The lady had no music, barely said anything to acknowledge the finishers and after finishers, the park was underwhelming. People got Gatorade or water and then went home. It was so silent, no music or much going on.. Also, that event lady said very little for like 40 min and then emphasized that only racers eat the snacks and throw your trash in the trash cans. That was it. I think she's raking in the money at over 100 dollars per racer at about 1,000 running it, it's a racket. Unorganized and yellow shirts about being mean and now I know why. She does three of these events. You'd think by now she would have it dialed in.

I enjoyed this event, but never got a chance to run the actual triathlon; just the 5k event, and…read moreI've ran it twice! The first time I was 3rd place overall, and the second time I was 1st place overall. Big props to an event like this, for having so many races going on all at once. They have a 5k, 10k, Sprint, Olympic Triathlon; not to mention the youth, and kids races also. Great event, and it is very well set up; the volunteer support is great, and also everyone that participates in this event gets a finishers medal. Anyone looking for a triathlon on the island of Oahu; this is a very great one, and well worth training for. My advice is if you're an elite athlete pay attention to the route; study it! There are many cones to follow, and if you take a wrong turn you may get disqualified. Other than that, enjoy! Aloha!

This version is an expanded version of the published review in the July 2014 issue of Hawaii Sport…read moreMag: http://issuu.com/hawaiisportmag/docs/hawaii_sport_july_2014_digital As a local, this triathlon is THE triathlon of the year on the island of Oahu! Aspiring triathletes and veteran triathletes train for months for this race. I, myself, dedicated a good 4 months training for this race. I set up my workouts for 5-6 days a week, consisting of two short 5:30AM workout sessions before work (either run or swim), two afterwork brick sessions (bike + run, or swim + run) with Try Fitness team (tryfitnesshawaii.com) and two looooooong 7AM brick workout sessions (one with Try Fitness team) on the weekend. Finally, the day came... The Honolulu Triathlon. Ready or not, I would embark this 1500m swim, 40K bike ride and 10K run with elite athletes, locals, mainlanders, and international participants. This is a wonderful and well laid out course for the newbie, for the out of towner and especially for the long time triathlete that just wants to have fun and be fit with friends. Furthermore, the location allows for a large number of participants, over 1500 participants a year usually. The swim portion was the main reason for me to sign up for this course. It is a long 1500m, but the water at Ala Moana Beach Park is flat. As coral surrounds this area, the water is protected from waves and certain ocean critters. This makes it great for the newbie to try out a triathlon of this distance. The swim portion of this race is a straight line, out and back. We started from Magic Island and then swam almost the end of the park water and then back. The water here is a relatively decent size, capable of fitting a large number of swimmers. The bike portion of this race was relatively easy. The road is a flat out and back. With the exception of a slight incline on the way out to Aloha Stadium, it was relatively flat. Flats are my strengths, so the course was in my favor. The run portion was a bit confusing but yet nice for spectators. Since the park is a bit small, participants had to run around the park twice. On the second loop, participants had to make sure to get a band and place it on the right wrist. This could have been a bit confusing for participants. The upside to running around in a loop was that spectators did not have to move around to watch their favorite participants. I finished the race, tired, hot, exhausted but feeling well accomplished. My first completed "Olympic" distance triathlon was under my belt. Next year Honolulu Tri, next year, we will meet again! Who's up for the challenge?

Hawaii's first ESPN jersey fun run is officially in the books!…read more This was a really great and fun event! If you're an NFL fanatic, then you would've liked this event as much as I did. I really enjoyed myself on this event. The crowded sea of fans in their favorite team's jerseys and attire was a great sight to see. It was like a pro bowl type of atmosphere.. without the Game & NFL players of course! The Parking: The gates opened up at 7:30am for early bird entry. Arriving at the lot was pretty quick and finding parking was a breeze. The Activities: The pre-show activities was a fun filled environment. Lots of keiki games and a bunch of prize giveaways! The post-show was awesome! There were live bands playing and also former players signing autographs. I got a few pictures and autographs with former UH - University of Hawaii players. Colt, Nate & Rocky to name a few. There was also Teilor Grubbs (Grace Williams aka Danno's daughter) from Hawaii 5-0 and local commercial stars as well. The Race: The race began at 9am just as planned. The course of the race (which was just a 3k run) started off at the DD gates and it looped around the stadium, thru the locker rooms, down onto the field, back thru the lockers, up the spiral ramps, a full lap around the upper deck sections, back down the spiral ramps and around the stadium again and finally finished where the race had started. What a way to shed some sweat, right?! The course was good fun though. There was alot of obstacles in between the course that made it such a fun run! Overall, this event was hands down a 5 star experience! It was for a good cause too. I hope they keep this race/event running (pun intended) in Hawaii for many of years to come. Big mahalos to Yelp for the invitation!

This fun run was absolutely a "fun" run! ESPN 1420 did a wonderful job putting this event…read moretogether. It was a perfect event for families and for the sports lovers. I seen all types of jerseys, baseball, UH, pop warner, even a Mexico football jersey. Being that it is still football season and Super Bowl is tomorrow, majority were wearing football jerseys and repping their favorite team. It was a good mixer because when you saw someone else with your favorite team on, you acknowledge each other, cheer, high five them and even start conversations with them on how long they have been a fan. The run itself was an easy, short 3k. Some walked it, but kids (having loads of energy) ran that thing. We ran through the locker rooms, up the spiral, across the top level of the stadium, down the spiral, through the home teams locker rooms and across the other end of the stadium. We also got to go through an obstacle course on the field, throw footballs, kick soccer balls and hit baseballs. All of it was loads of fun and we even broke a sweat! I will definitely do this again next year if they bring it back. It was a fun way of getting my morning cardio.

For years, I have told my friends and coworkers about how amazing the Hapalua is, so when one of my…read morecolleagues asked if I wanted to participate with her, I knew I would regret it if I didn't go! Since we were just planning to walk, I set up an 8-week training regiment to prepare for the day and jumped on a plane with her a couple days before the race! Packet pickup was pretty easy, although it was moved from the Convention Center to the Blaisdell, which meant paid parking was needed. Some of the vendors were incredibly pushy this year, but everything else went smoothly. The Hapalua's partnership with the Outrigger Hotels made it easy to be close to the starting line. The morning of the race, we walked to our section in the back and waited with anticipation for the signal to begin. Although intense storms were expected, we lucked out and barely even faced a drizzle during mile 9. There were plenty of hydration and medical stops along the way, and many people came out to cheer on the racers from Waikiki to Kaka'ako. Everyone was so kind, supportive, and joyful--just like I remembered from my previous Hapalua races. Of course, everyone looks forward to the snacks at the end, especially those fresh malasadas. (It's amazing how motivating those beautiful sugar crystals are when your legs are screaming at you!) We happily enjoyed our treats as we walked back to the hotel with our medals. I don't know the next time I'll be able to participate in the Hapalua, but I'll gladly give up my precious vacation days the next time I'm invited to go!

Race organizers do not communicate well and do not respond or call back to your inquiries. This…read morecomment is not on the race itself or the experience. The course has always been fun.

Just ran the 2012 Xterra Trail World Championship on Sunday, 12/2/2012. Had I known that this trail…read morerace was as amazing and scenic, as well as hardcore, I would have probably said no. Then again, with my extensive marathon resume and my curiosity for adventure and just for something to do on a Sunday, I signed up for this race in mid October not knowing what to really expect. At least it was a half marathon I told myself. 13.1 miles of rugged terrain in the lush valleys of Kualoa Ranch on the island of Oahu, a place where I haven't ever been, except passing by on Kamehameha Hwy on the way north to Laie and Polynesian Cultural Center. It was the first time running this race and my first trail experience in Hawaii. After tackling a 50K trail in Colorado in September (Bear Chase 50K in Lakewood, CO), I kind of knew what I was getting into. Well, not so much after all, it seemed. Maybe I probably should have known better, but surprises were out there for us all on the course. I didn't want to pay $25 for the private shuttle that the race provided, which was basically a rented yellow school bus. They shuttled runners from Waikiki to the race start at the backside of Kualoa Ranch. I got here by city bus, which is really affordable if you just plan ahead. The Xterra World Championship boasts the 21K / Half Marathon as its marquee event, attracting some of the most finest trail runner elites from all parts of the country. They also have a 10K, 5K, and an adventure walk that attracts anyone and everyone to Kualoa Ranch for an epic Sunday. Race registration hovers from $40-$55, so if you want the challenge, might as well register early. I held out and had to pony up for the later fee. It's bittersweet that I have signed up for this race, since the course was just as brutal as the majestic scenery that was the Koolau Mountains that surrounded Kualoa Ranch. It was great that I can notch another half marathon to my list of races, but at the cost of having virtually no trail experience whatsoever and my body and legs are telling me so. The course was basically mostly uphill and the first mile ascended like a bat out of hell and it didn't really flatten out till those grassy downhills at mile 2. There were some reprieve in the course where it kinda did flatten to moderate downhill, which was miles 5-7, but that was it. We climbed back up at mile 8 and snaked through the back of Kualoa Ranch. The biggest surprise was the massive hill at mile 10 and the rugged tippy toe über crazy down hill that you could not even really run, due to it being so crazy you may fall and roll off into the ravine. This part scared me, but I managed to get down one way or another and those ropes helped a lot! It helps also that Xterra allows everyone in, not just elites, so I could have help on the course, if I needed it. The last. 2.5 miles snaked around miles 3-5 of the course and it was a soft downhill to the finish line. Never in my life that I experienced something so powerful and epic that I would consider something like that next year. Maybe maybe not. Thanks to Xterra for keeping the finish line open for the last finisher. Met new friends and 2 yelpers that morning too. It was awesome to see Yelper Zar N. running the 10K and meeting Yelper Chris P. from Kapolei. Big thanks to Chris P. and her husband whom gave me a ride back to UH from Kualoa Ranch that afternoon. I thought of DNF when I came across that tiptoe section of mile 10-ish and I just wanted to cry. Knowing that I paid money for this made me realize that I can do this if I just break it all down and take each step one step at a time. The finish time didn't matter that day. What mattered was that I completed the course and survived. Run more! B+

Not a runner at all, but saw that they offered the option to walk the 5k or even just take an…read moreadventure tour, I signed up the hubs and daughter just so we could check out the trails that aren't open to the public. Big props to the race organizers for making everything so easy, from picking up the packet in Waikiki to finding parking on the day of the race! My daughter wasn't happy about waking up so early to get to Kualoa Ranch, but once we got on the trail with the magnificent landscape and cool movie set locations, she was smiling from ear to ear. The Boneyard, with huge skeletons of a triceratops and ape skull, will definitely cut into your race times because you'll want to stop to take pictures! The 5k trail can be a little demanding on the uphill sections but those are few and far between - you'll have enough time to catch your breath and enjoy the scenery. I saw several racers with babies on their backs and little ones in tow, so you can definitely do this with kids. Highly recommend this race - great activity if you've got guests on island at the time!

What a great Sunday morning run! I wasn't excited about waking up at 4:30 in the morning to make…read moresure we could get parking and jump on the bus, but everything went very smoothly when we arrived. Parking was full in the Park 'N Ride by the time we got there at 5:20, but there was still plenty of parking at Costco. The bus line in the Park 'N Ride was very organized. There were plenty of buses and we only had to wait a couple minutes before boarding. After a short ride to the start line, we met up with our friendly Yelp group members. It was great for us to meet some new Yelp folks and snap a few photos as the sun started to rise. (We missed you, Victoria and Mel!) The sound system was pretty good considering how strong the wind was in the early morning. The race organizers gave some announcements, welcomed us with an oli, and made sure everyone was arranged prior to the start of the race. They reminded everyone that walkers should be in the back, which made for a pretty smooth start once they blew the starting shell. The route was clearly marked and coned off. I loved that they had nice mile markers every half mile for the race, as well as informational signs about important landmarks along the way. The water and juice station was organized, although it would have been helpful to have another rubbish bin if possible. The end of the race was very organized. They called out the names of runners as we crossed and had alsoplenty of hydration and fruits. (The cane water was so good!) The military and service flags at the finish line were a lovely touch, too. They also recycled our timing chips for us. The view was beautiful along the way and I really enjoyed the race, even if that heartbreak hill gave me quite a challenge.

Today's walk turned out to be better than expected with the threat of rain and dark clouds on the…read morehorizon. It turned out to be a cool and breezy walk the whole way. This year they were a little more organized than last year by letting the runners in the road first and then the walkers. Last year, a lot of pissed off runners because everyone was let on the road at the same time thus leaving the runners to zigzag between walkers. This is a fairly easy walk with the exception of the leans in the road is what really gets to me. That would be my only complaint. I did notice they opened up the walkway a bit wider at the bottom of the hill. I would assume they knew they were expecting a bigger crowd and needed to accommodate as much as possible and it was a bigger crowd. I did manage to worst my best time walking by nine minutes. I don't know how that happened because I didn't take pictures along the way. Might have been from Sophie stopping to tie her shoe laces or the Island Princess caramel popcorn the night before. Regardless of the outcome, it was still fun as hell. Lots of water, apple juice, watermelon, bananas tangerines and vanilla wafers to refresh and bring your sugar back up near the Halau. We parked at the bay nearest the bathroom so it wasn't that much if a walk back to the truck after the finish line. Definitely looking forwards to doing this again next year.

This 5k/10k is A-OK…read more Great for families, and it's surprising to see just how many keiki show up for this race. The top time in 2013 for males was 37 minutes, but it's not a highly competitive race. Overall field was only 193 runners, which made it very comfortable. Other strong points were the great work by volunteers, smooth organization, and awesome snack table. Cons would definitely be old timing methods and a not-so-scenic route. It felt like we did nothing for 10k but run through people's driveways. Considering this is one of the most spectacular parts of the island, the route leaves much to be desired. Still, a solid run for all-ages.

As published in the Sept 2013 Hawaii Sport Magaine print issue…read morehttp://issuu.com/hawaiisportmag/docs/hawaii_sport_sept_2013_print : Happy 4th of July! There really was no better way to celebrate America's birthday for Independence than to dress up in our Red, White and Blue and run; run for our Independence. The run/walk started at approximately 7:04AM (to stand for 7/4) and runners, moms with strollers, kids and dogs started on their path. My path was the 10K. I rushed up and down a few hills and before I knew it, I was at the halfway point and turning around to finish the last 3 miles! At the end of the finish line were lots of wonderful refreshments and food to fuel my empty stomach! I enjoyed the rest of my day by treating myself with a huge BBQ and a big tummy! This was a very enjoyable race and I hope to be able to do it again next year.

I have not done a 5k in a long time. I usually sign up, when I find out there is a very pretty…read moremedal involved;) Well, the patriot vet glow run was a good place to start! The proceeds raised would be aiding homeless vets. So your doing good while having fun being healthy! It's a great annual event for family and friends. It was their 11th year, which took place at Barbers point. The pre-run started at 4pm and the official at 6pm. Red, white and blue colors were encouraged. Each branch of service compete against each other to win the hawaii hardware of excellence. Last year the ARMY took it home!! Yeaaa!! I ended up wearing my favorite ARMY STRONG pink shirt in support. The atmosphere was exciting. There was positive energy in the crowds and a good turnout. There was one Food truck available, and keikis were running around laughing. Great entertainment with a band, students from Waianae dancing cultural Hawaiian music, and extreme cheerleading with tons of flips and cartwheels. There was glow sticks everywhere, hence glow run. It was pretty sweet to see runners being enhanced by the neon lights in the dark. I think I did ok on the 5k. What I learned running today, was that I need to run more. I had burning sensations in my throat, and was heaving heavily as I tried to increase my speed. I really doubt that's a good sign.....There were moments where I said to myself, why did I eat so much? I'm running incredibly slow...darn you pizza and fries. Would I do it again? Of course!! Next time with my hubby in tow:) I had a lot of fun. Each branch decorated their booth along the course with music, neon lights, beads, and a couple of guys in a huge bubble ball. It reminded me of the American globetrotter show with them trying to block and knock you down. It took some time for my eyes to get accustomed to Running in the dark. All of a sudden a camera flash went off, and I became blinded lol. I ended up being caught in the huge balls. I was laughing so hard, because I think I looked ridiculous on how I was jetting right and left trying to avoid them. Overall it was a great 5k and organized! I had a Krispy Creme donut that was flown in from Maui! Holy moly! Soooo good it's bad;) They need a Krispy Kreme here in Hawaii!! Thank you to all military personnel for the sacrifices you have made for our freedom!! Thank you for serving our country!! Thank you vets!!

3.1 mile of glowing fun featuring multiple black light, a glowing finish line tent as well as…read morehundreds of runners decked out in red, white, and blue glow gear. Weather 5K seems like short dash or a far distance, this year's Patriotic Glow Run is about going at your own pace while having fun. Costumes contest prizes will be given to the individual or group who comes dressed to impressed. Along with glow gear and costume contests, The Patriotic Glow run will also feature music at multiple spots along the course as well as an on course DJ pumping out tlatest top 40 dance mixes to keep you motivated.