Hapalua Half Marathon
Honolulu, HI
- Half Marathon
- Road (Paved)
- Official race website
Hapalua – “half” in Hawaiian, is our 13.1m race in April. The Hapalua is the largest half marathon in Hawaii and starts just by the beach in Waikiki! Around 10,000 runners and walkers participate. There is no time limit, only Aloha spirit! The 13.1m spectacular course starts right by the … MORE
Local Historical Weather (Apr 13):
| 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | |
| H (°F) | 83 | 83 | 84 | 84 | 81 |
| L (°F) | 74 | 75 | 75 | 73 | 69 |
Find Nearby Lodging (hotel, rental, etc.):
Tropical treat
This was a great race with a challenge near the end between miles 9 and 11 where the course goes up Diamond Head. I have done lots of races with … MORE
This was a great race with a challenge near the end between miles 9 and 11 where the course goes up Diamond Head. I have done lots of races with hills that are way more challenging but this one ended up being a little more difficult due to the heat and humidity. That being said I would do this race again. Lining up early at the start line by the ocean when it was still dark was serene. I absolutely loved the food at the end, which included fresh malasadas and pineapple juice.
13.1 Miles of Aloha
Hawaii's largest half marathon is the Hapalua, and according to various sources, there were over 10,000 participants this year. "Hapalua" means "half" in Hawaiian, and this was my 21st state … MORE
Hawaii’s largest half marathon is the Hapalua, and according to various sources, there were over 10,000 participants this year. “Hapalua” means “half” in Hawaiian, and this was my 21st state for my 50 states half marathon challenge, bringing me almost halfway to completing my goal. We were treated to a spectacular view of the full moon peeking out from the palm trees on Waikiki Beach — which was gloriously devoid of tourists crowding the beach that early in the morning. We took turns taking photos next to Duke, the “Father of Modern Surfing.”
Our magical moonlit start to the race commenced at precisely 6:00 A.M., as we rolled through the start in a controlled release of assigned “waves.” The temperature at the start of the race was an extremely muggy 73° F, at 80% humidity, with intermittent breezes topping out at 18 mph. Mid-way through and by the time we finished the race, the temperature had climbed up to 78°.
All along Ala Moana Boulevard we could smell fried rice and breakfast food from the local restaurants. The first aid station finally appeared at Mile 2.3, and I took 2 cups of Gatorade and 2 cups of water and felt my dehydrated body come back to life. We continued west on Ala Moana Boulevard, and onto Aloha Tower Drive, where the second aid station and scores of volunteers greeted us at Mile 3.9. It was at this point that the weight of the heat had become unbearable for me, and I prayed for rain… and it did, thankfully.
We enjoyed refreshing scattered showers on and off for approximately the next 30 minutes to an hour of the race, and for me, that meant around Mile 7, the sun came out and there was no more rain until later that evening. Miles 4 through 6 completed our first out-and-back loop that wound us around a turn by the Aloha Tower, taking us on Aloha Tower Drive on the ocean side before we continued back onto Ala Moana Boulevard.
Waikiki locals came out of their homes along the suburban neighborhood stretches to offer us juice and water, and spray us with water from their garden hoses, which felt amazing. We graciously accepted any shower we could. Mile 8 had bags of ice, and there were ice bags set inside a cooler and on a chair and we all eagerly grabbed a bag. For the next couple of miles we stuck the rapidly melting ice in our shirts, balanced them on our heads, and poured the melting water on our faces and necks as we ran. I was so thankful and happy for my emotional support ice bag, especially because the last 4 miles of the race were by far the most hilly, hot, and humid.
Mile 9 began the arduous climb on Diamond Head Road. The hill did not let up until we crested the summit at Mile 11. Yes, it was a 2-mile long hill, which admittedly, most of us who were not elite runners were walking. I kept glancing over to my right to see the runners who’d made the loop pass us in the opposite direction, going downhill, and I was looking forward to that downhill once I made the loop.
Something I observed was this was the largest field of walkers I’ve ever experienced in a larger race, everyone was enjoying the atmosphere and because there was no time limit, it made for a very relaxed experience for back of the back runners. I never felt alone on the course, and I was always accompanied by at least two hundred runners at any given time on the course.
One runner, who was a local, summed it up perfectly as she ran alongside me for a little while up the hill: “We are just slow and late… like everything here in Hawaii. We can stay on Hawaiian time!” As long as Hawaiian time still got me a malasada at the finish, I was okay with that. I could see the finish line when we were within a quarter of a mile, and the road was lined with thousands of cheering spectators who never let up on cheering even as we crossed the timing mat and exited the finisher’s corral.
In the corral, we were given our medals, bottles of water, and were escorted into the finish festival by volunteers. Wonderful volunteers showered us with drinks, snacks, and post-race food, and the Hawaiian hospitality didn’t let up until we left the park. The production and communication were seamless, and although the expo was not super extravagant, the vendors were friendly and had some pretty cool merch. Overall I would definitely recommend this bucket list race, especially if you are doing the 50 states challenge!
Fun race- could improve
I absolutely loved the location for this race. You literally start right on Waikiki beach. But honestly- after that the views are underwhelming. Most of the time you were surrounded … MORE
I absolutely loved the location for this race. You literally start right on Waikiki beach. But honestly- after that the views are underwhelming. Most of the time you were surrounded by stores and buildings and the ocean was just out of view. Then around mile 9 there is a huge hill as you run up towards Diamond Head. But you never see anything except a good view of the ocean for about 20 seconds. My mom finished about 30 minutes after me and they had NO WATER left at the finish.
A few other things that aren’t deal breakers but worth noting! Race photos took almost 2 weeks to come in and then were $18 a piece. Also- Women’s tshirts with all the female participants names on the back were sold out by the second day of the expo (when we went), so if this is important to you make sure to go the first day of the expo!
Those are my nit-picky thoughts, but overall I loved the island of Oahu and that made the race worth it. Plus hot and fresh malasadas and pineapple juice at the finish were awesome.
Great Race
This was a nice race. There was a small-moderate sized expo where you could grab race merch and any other things that you forgot. Production and communication were well done. … MORE
This was a nice race. There was a small-moderate sized expo where you could grab race merch and any other things that you forgot. Production and communication were well done. Course was fine, not as much ocean view as you might expect. Very minimal crowd support. After party was ok, no beer and they ran out of bottled water. The heat and humidity are no joke make sure you carry water. Waikiki Beach is a great place with lots to do. Lots of hotels and vacation rentals near the start. Swag was a tech shirt with a cute design and finisher medal.
Good Destination Race
The route was nice and relatively flat except for miles 9-11. There were plenty of water and gatorade stations which we needed as several runners were overheating and having issues. … MORE
The route was nice and relatively flat except for miles 9-11. There were plenty of water and gatorade stations which we needed as several runners were overheating and having issues. The start line was hectic and corrals were not blocked so several slower runners jumped in well ahead of their group leaving people stuck or weaving for the first mile or so. There were several hotels near the start line so convenient if you are flying in and staying in Waikiki. The expo was underwhelming and not worth the cost of parking. The finish had a lot of potential, but was a big left down for people in the back of the pack. Malasadas and snacks were gone and the line for the one finisher sign was very long. I will say having showers at the finish line to cool down was a welcomed amenity. Overall, was it perfect? No. Would I do it again? Probably.
Larger, well organized run.
Convenient starting spot, can walk from any waikiki hotel. Easy course other than two hills, nothing major though. Tough parking at convention center for packet pickup. MORE
Convenient starting spot, can walk from any waikiki hotel. Easy course other than two hills, nothing major though. Tough parking at convention center for packet pickup.
Great destination race
There are a lot of hotels near the start line that are affordable compared to other parts of Hawaii, a ton of restaurants and high-end shopping nearby, and of course … MORE
There are a lot of hotels near the start line that are affordable compared to other parts of Hawaii, a ton of restaurants and high-end shopping nearby, and of course Waikiki beach. The race itself was beautiful, mostly in the shade. The toughest part is the hill after mile 9 — not super steep, just long. Expo was pretty small, but easy to get to walking from Waikiki. Although previous reviews commented on a lack of organization at the start line, this year there were color-coded sections that runners were asked to go based on predicted times, and I found that worked fine. I will be back again!
State #40 was epic!
I’m getting closer and closer to finishing my 50 state quest and knew I had to go big for 40. Hawaii it was! I arrived 5 days prior hoping to … MORE
I’m getting closer and closer to finishing my 50 state quest and knew I had to go big for 40. Hawaii it was!
I arrived 5 days prior hoping to acclimate and relax as it was going to be 40 degrees warmer than my last 3 races and I haven’t ran in shorts and a tank since last summer.
Lots of communication leading up to the race. Expo was an easy walk from Waikiki beach.
A bit of everything at the expo.
The start line was about 1.5 miles from my hotel. Nice easy walk around 5am. Not going to lie-hated the 1.5 miles back afterwards.
This race was much larger than I expected-8k participants so challenging to line up. The “chase” aspect made for a bit of entertainment.
The course is relatively flat until you get to mile 9 then you start a long climb uphill. Mile 10 felt downhill to flat and back up for mile 11. Only one part of the course I didn’t really love-going through Chinatown-lots of rundown buildings and graffiti.
You will be warm running here but water stops were plentiful. There are tons of photographers on the course. The whole race has a fun vibe.
At the finish line, I lost my AirPod just as I was to cross so yup I’m the crazy looking for it before finishing.
At the finish, they had showers to cool off, food and omg fresh pineapple juice which was out if this world.
The medal is a cool spinning medal that is a bit small but do well earned.
I am so glad I picked Hawaii as my 40th. On to finishing this challenge out!
Great Views, Decent Hills
Really well-run race, it goes through Honolulu which isn't necessarily the nicest to look at, but also goes through some incredible spots, and the loop around Diamond Head is amazing … MORE
Really well-run race, it goes through Honolulu which isn’t necessarily the nicest to look at, but also goes through some incredible spots, and the loop around Diamond Head is amazing (it’s an inactive volcano), but that mile-long uphill fairly late in the race was absolutely brutal. Cool afterparty, well-produced race.
Well executed race with one hiccup
The Hapalua is obviously important to Honolulu and they show it. The expo was a large and well appointed event. I always like it when a race has you test … MORE
The Hapalua is obviously important to Honolulu and they show it. The expo was a large and well appointed event. I always like it when a race has you test the chip beforehand to make sure that everything will work. Swag was solid.
The morning of the race was the right temperature but the wrong level of humidity for the race. Arriving at the start it became evident how large of an event this really is. With that in mind, the announcements and setup was very well done for an event of this size. I was a bit confused about where gear check was, but I think that was user error rather than their fault.
The corrals were not too hard to get into, and the release allowed for easy launch. Being stuck in runner traffic is highly annoying so thank you. I liked that this course was a mix of DT HNL and Diamond Head. The hiccup in question was that the race decided that in order to save cups they would have you fill cups from free flowing water. Nice idea in practice….. However the running water on the oil slicked streets made for a very slick situation. I know this as a casualty of it. As I slowed to get water it was like hitting ice and I ended up on my butt. I hope I was the only one, but I fear I was not.
Diamond Head was a nice challenge and then the downhill to follow was a relief. The finish area was well appointed and I was pleased. I would definitely recommend this race to anyone. But I would also recommend not doing the free flowing water.
My All-time Favorite Half Marathon
Was originally planning to participate my "Dream Race" back in 2020 but the pandemic interrupted everything and chased this dream for 5 years. Glad I finally ran it in 2022 … MORE
Was originally planning to participate my “Dream Race” back in 2020 but the pandemic interrupted everything and chased this dream for 5 years. Glad I finally ran it in 2022 and just love the atmosphere and the running through Downtown Honolulu, Waikiki Beach and towards the Diamond Head, which was tough but doable. I plan to return in 2025 and if I had to stop running any half marathons, this would be my last race. Highly recommended!
My Hapalua half marathon experience
The race was very well run, and the ocean views were so beautiful, the coure entertainment was amazing. This is my most favorite race, and would definitely be making a … MORE
The race was very well run, and the ocean views were so beautiful, the coure entertainment was amazing. This is my most favorite race, and would definitely be making a return trip for this race
So beautiful
Excellent race, flat for a lot of it, but the road to diamond head was TOUGH! Very beautiful and we’ll organized. I would definitely love to do it again. MORE
Excellent race, flat for a lot of it, but the road to diamond head was TOUGH! Very beautiful and we’ll organized. I would definitely love to do it again.
Almost didn't finish, but I did!
First time to walk this. It's not timed and there are a lot of walkers. I didn't train and almost gave up but so many people encouraged me to keep … MORE
First time to walk this. It’s not timed and there are a lot of walkers. I didn’t train and almost gave up but so many people encouraged me to keep going.
At the starting line, there are no corrals. I was at the start but at the side on the sidewalk. At the start I was sucked in with the crowd and had to run or I would be trampled. I didn’t warm up and cramped right away. Walked it off until Mile 3. Scared I was going to give up before half a mile.
Lots of port-a-potty stations and first aid stations. Long lines in the beginning and less as you kept going. The gels and bananas would run out by the time I got to them. Runners get them first.
The last 5 miles is around Diamond Head so slight uphill climb and downhill descent then about 1/2 mile to finish line.
The medal and the shirt at the end are awesome. They also had bananas, shaved ice and yummy malasadas at the finish line.
First International Half Marathon
Go a couple days ahead of the run to climatized to the humidity of Hawaii. The views as you are coming to the finish line was awesome to see Wonderful … MORE
Go a couple days ahead of the run to climatized to the humidity of Hawaii.
The views as you are coming to the finish line was awesome to see
Wonderful Half Marathon