This is our first year living along the route of the Honolulu Marathon. We’re somewhere between mile 22 and mile 23, according to the map that I consulted. From here, runners have to follow the road up the back slope of Diamond Head, and then down the other side towards the finish line.
We’re sort of trapped for most of the day by road closures, so you might as well watch the show!
I was up early and listening to the radio, but still came close to missing the lead runner, who arrived earlier than I had calculated, at about 1 hour and 52 minutes after the start.
The top photo shows the entourage that included a police escort, a wheelchair competitor accompanied by three bicyclists, a race truck, and two motorcycles carrying photographers who were in the face of the lead runner (and eventual winner), who can be seen trailing behind the escorts (in the back, on the left).
The second photo is a better shot of the lead runner, Filex Kiprotich of Kenya, as he went past. No other runners were anywhere close at this point.
In the third photo, you can see the photographers riding as passengers on motorcycles, facing backwards towards the runners. That must be quite distracting for the runner, as well as adding exhaust fumes they have to deal with.
The first two women were running strong as they passed at the 2 hour 13 minute mark to cheers from people along the street. They held their positions and were the first two women to cross the finish line.
Those who followed the elite runners were next.
Clapping greeted them as they kept flowing by. Some responded, like Kentaro Masuda, from Yokohama, Japan, who was in remarkably good spirits. He finished at #36 with a time of about two hours and 53 minutes, according to the posted race results.
Now, nearly five hours after the race started, there’s a steady stream of those running, hobbling, and walking past the house.
Good luck to all!
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This was the first year I volunteered at one of the stations, and I must say it puts a whole new perspective on the event. Thank you, Ian, and to all of the residents along the route, for you not only put up with little if no access in and out of your homes, but also lots of additional noise, volunteers’ parked cars, trash, etc. It’s really great that so many people are willing to help out, so that we can have this type of event.
It’s all quite amazingly well organized, or so it appears. Quite a show!
Yup, many people in Kahala figure “if you can’t beat um, join um”. They drag their beach chairs into the driveway along with their coffee or bloody mary and breakfast burrito to watch the show. Then, when the excitement of the lead runners has passed and all that is left are the masses of slower runners and walkers they crack open the Sunday paper until it is time for Sunday afternoon nap. Not a bad way to spend the day if you are not grinding your teeth because you can’t make it to the mall.
You posted this around 5 hours. That’s about when I was passing that spot.
Thanks to all the people of Kahala and elsewhere who put up with the inconvenience of the marathon.
Let me add my thanks. As an 8-hour finisher, I saw how long you and your neighbors gave up ingress/egress to your homes. Mahalo to you all, and the fantastic volunteers who kept us hydrated and encouraged.