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.

I'd call this more like a easy nature walk rather than label it as a hiking trail. It's hidden away…read morein the neighborhood of Kailua locals. Seems popular to come to walk their doggos, runners, bike ride, bring their kids. It's flat and paved the whole way with the exception of going to side gravel when you need to pass others. Pretty casual and very relaxing walk. I always come here whenever I'm in Kailua and need a peaceful walking spot after eating. It's easy to stop here and only takes about 35-40 minutes each way (for a very casual pace walk). Probably faster if you run or speed walk. About 3 miles long. You can turn back anytime though! Parking lot easily accessible. P.S. wear sunscreen! It's not shaded and can get quite hot during the daytime. We love coming for sunsets so it's much cooler around that time.

Fine if you live nearby or are driving past, but not ideal for biking and definitely nothing to go…read moreout of your way for. It's about two-thirds gravel not suitable for biking, and a bit of paved road (after a stretch towards the beginning that's all gravel). There are signs saying pedestrians have the right of way, and they will. not. move. for cyclists, so passing is tricky, stressful, and generally annoying. There's plenty of parking. There are two fairly nasty portable toilets by the parking lot.

Good: looking out at the ocean, beautiful. Day use to sit on shore and watch the ocean, great…read more Restrooms on the mauka side of the street were clean and functional. Not Great: the mauka side of the street which has the trail head and "information" area was not welcoming, seemed unmaintained, ok, seriously neglected. The short trail was unclear and poorly marked, the end of the trail was downright treacherous, if that was even the real end of the trail (see poorly marked). The decent bathrooms were locked at dusk, leaving a couple of unlit latrines for the overnight campers. The tent sites are pretty close to the road, and the parking area warns that the parking is a high theft area. Little hard to sleep factoring all that in. Ocean pretty murky with lots of natural debris but also fishing nets, lines and microplastics washing ashore. Day/picnic use: recommend Overnight: less so

I chose to go here because it was more of a local hangout, rainforest/jungle, mountain/beach view…read moreand not a tourist trap. With that being said, we were pre-warned by the friendly docent that the brush is thick, slippery in some areas and there are a LOT of mosquitos. Also, there is a rinse off area for our shoes upon our return (not showers). I knew what I was going into when I got here and was willing to take the chance. I took the necessary precautions: closed toe shoes, 3 layers of bug spray (One of the layers before the drive), sunscreen, hat. However, with the precautions, it did not prepare me for the feast that the mosquitoes were going to have on my arms and legs! If mosquitoes like you, you might want to pass on this. Luckily, we did this on the last day of our trip. We decided to take the short trail and only go half the route and then go back as recommended. The short trail has some slippery and narrow spots thanks to the rain. To get past the first part, my husband had to lift a branch, so I could pass through. On the way back, the docent asked us about our hike. My husband noted the slippery areas to look for and the heavy brush in some areas to watch out for. Overall, it was pretty cool to go through the jungle. The view at the top is absolutely beautiful (I love the mountain view). I wished I could have been better prepared, so we could venture on the longer trail. The mosquitoes were here before me and always will be, so hike at your own risk!

Nice hike with shade for the most part, trail becomes steep but has ropes to help…read more Lots of roots and uneven footing so watch your step. The California grass is tall and sharp, needs to be cut back. My friends and I have lots of little cuts on our arms from it. Also beware of bees! Bring you Benadryl or epo pen if you need, they sting one of us in the face as we were walking through the tall grass. This might not be a long hike but due to incline and climb up it is a good hike to get a good workout in. The view also did not disappoint, AMAZING!!!! As you go up of course they just get better and better. We are all so glad we finally made it to this hike!!! Parking is tight! And you are in a neighborhood, where you do not want to block there parking, only room for 3-5 cars smaller cars at one time. Love the friendship garden part of the hike with the gorgeous plants and trees that have species placards.

Not my favorite...kind of strenuous, with nice, but not necessarily breathtaking views…read more I had this hike on my list for a while now, so when friends suggested we go, I was up for it. Parking seemed limited, but I drove past the trailhead down to a section of the neighborhood that had a number of spaces. It was probably about an 8 minute walk back up to the trailhead. It starts easy, with much forest greenery, and several routes, that will take you on the Oneawa path. I guess I hadn't mentally prepared, but was surprised by the incline and the ropes. Perhaps my lack of uppers that morning was to blame, as I not expecting this to be difficult, but I was struggling to keep up with my friends as the hike continued. It took us about an hour to see the quarry waters, which were interesting, but only needed a few minutes to take in. You do get some nice views of the bay and it's not a very long hike, so there is that, but I honestly don't think I'd come back. It felt like more effort than it was worth and there are so many other hikes on Oahu that unless I lived RIGHT there, I don't think it warrants another go.

This is probably one of the challenging hikes I did to see a "waterfall". Came here after a…read morerainstorm, it was still raining hard when we started our hike and the stream is flowing really good. The pools are up to high-waist / neck deep so we know there will be a nice waterfall in the end. Beware of the The 30-40ft. rock climbing in the middle of the hike.. there's a rope "use it as a guide" only. It took us 40 minutes going in ( we have a 4 yr.old ). Some parts are very slippery we decided to wear our "spikes" to make it faster.. a lot of stream crossings, holding on to the roots.. there was 2 dead boars on the path full of maggots, (2/3/18) so wait till it get washed off.. Tips: spikes, Atleast 1 bottled water, gloves, off/bug spray. Be courteous to the neighborhood. Turn to the right on the fork.

All week long, people have been asking me, "Jeff, what did…read moreyou do to your leg?" "Oh, well, hell, I took a little spill while hiking." "Where were you hiking?" "Out in Ka'a'awa (North Shore)." "Yeah, but where?" "You know what? I don't remember the name? And, it really doesn't matter, cause I wouldn't recommend it anyway." I must have said that a hundred times this week. And here's why: With any great hike, at some point, there has to be a payoff. A "Wow" moment when that the little voice in your head says, "Yeah, that's why." That never happened for me here. Was it a great work out? Hell yeah, the best. My muscles hurt from my delts to my quads and hammies. Not the kind of pain you get from gym works, but the kind from physical labor. It was a educational hike. I saw things, and figured out things that I had never thought of before (and learning is fun! Knowledge is power!). Large pockets of fresh water house an abundance of Tahitian prawns. Their slender bodies and spindly claws showing easily through the waters surface. Wild guava are in abundance, and beautiful red Hawaiian ginger is sprouting around every corner. Sadly, my brain never clicked and said "wow" (not even a lower case wow). To get to the Falls you have to traverse dried river bed, and being that it's dry? That's right...no Falls. The 30-40 foot rope climb, up a moss covered wall was exhilarating, but coming down was nerve-racking. It was here that I slipped, and, trust me, spiked shoes are the worst? Ever walk on smooth tile in golf shoes? The location is marked perfectly on the Yelp map. Parking is side of the road only, and the entrance is right at the end of the dead end road. Use common sense. Look, I'm not one to tell you what to do. You wanna go? Go. I just don't see the point, there are better hikes with more value just up the road. That being said? Fresh Guava jam dose sound delicious? Right? And Tahitian prawns in shoyu and wasabi, fresh off the bbq? Well...we'll see. Aloha :)

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.

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.