How do I enter the JAL Honolulu Marathon?

Registration is open to anyone with no qualifying time or lottery required. Sign up directly through Let's Do This at tiered pricing that rises closer to race day, or earn a free VIP entry by fundraising for one of the race's charity partners.

Is there a time limit?

No. The JAL Honolulu Marathon has no cut-off time and no finish-line closure. All starters are permitted to finish, regardless of pace, as long as they remain in motion.

Is the Honolulu Marathon a Boston qualifier?

Yes, it is a certified Boston qualifier. However, the warm and humid December conditions mean the BQ rate is very low, around 0.8% of finishers in recent years.

What is the elevation profile like?

The course is mostly flat with one meaningful challenge: a climb around Diamond Head starting near mile 7.5, reaching a high point of 124 feet above sea level. A smaller climb returns near mile 24. The terrain is manageable, but tropical heat is the bigger performance factor.

What is the typical race-day weather?

Expect a start temperature in the low 70s°F at 5 AM, climbing into the low 80s by mid-morning. Humidity is high throughout, and the coastal highway section offers little shade. Trade winds can help or hinder depending on the day.

How large is the marathon field?

Approximately 22,000 or more runners finish the marathon each year, making it one of the largest marathons in the United States. The early miles are very crowded, so manage expectations for the first three to five miles.

What is the course type and surface?

The Honolulu Marathon is a point-to-point road race run entirely on paved surfaces, starting at Ala Moana Beach Park and finishing in Kapiolani Park.

Sun, Dec 13 · 2026Honolulu, HISince 1973

JAL Honolulu Marathon

Honolulu starts before dawn with fireworks, runs through history-lined streets and past Diamond Head crater, and finishes in a park where the Pacific breeze finally arrives. The heat is real, and so is the reward.

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JAL HONOLULU · US

JAL Honolulu

SUN, DEC 13

2026

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Race Overview

EST. 1973

The gun at Honolulu goes off at 5 AM in the dark, launched by a full fireworks display over Ala Moana Boulevard. You'll run the first few miles through downtown Honolulu past the Iolani Palace and into Waikiki before the sun is even up. It's surreal, and genuinely fun. Around mile 7 you start climbing Diamond Head Road, which is not brutal but asks something of your legs. You crest near 124 feet, get a sweeping view of the south shore, then drop into Kahala and head out on the long coastal highway toward Hawaii Kai. That out-and-back stretch is exposed, flat, and where the sun starts doing its work. Don't go with your early pace. The heat climbs fast after sunrise.

This is not a PR course for most runners. The warmth and humidity from miles 13 onward will slow you down, and that's just the reality of December in Honolulu. But if you've ever wanted to run a marathon that feels genuinely different, this one delivers. No time limit, no lottery, no qualifier required. Anyone can enter, which means the field is enormous and joyful and wonderfully chaotic in the early miles. Be patient through the crowd at the start. Charity entries are available if you want a VIP experience. And hydrate from mile one, not when you feel thirsty.

Field size

~22k

22,000 finishers

BQ rate

1%

Below national average

Time limit

—

Entry

Open

First-come registration

Course records

Men

2:07:59

Titus Ekiru

2019

Women

2:22:15

Brigid Kosgei

2017

The Course

660 ft total gain

Total ascent

↑660 ft

Total descent

↓660 ft

Net elevation

↑0 ft

Highest point

132 ft

Lowest point

3 ft

Course shape

Out and back

Same route, both directions

The Honolulu Marathon is a point-to-point course starting on Ala Moana Boulevard and finishing in Kapiolani Park, with the first six miles flat and fast through downtown and Waikiki. The terrain's defining challenge is Diamond Head: a sustained climb starting around mile 7.5 at roughly 3.4% grade, peaking near 124 feet above sea level, followed by descents into Kahala. Miles 10-20 run flat along the exposed Kalanianaole Highway toward Hawaii Kai and back, where heat and humidity compound fatigue. A smaller but meaningful climb returns around mile 24, then a descent into the park finish. Net elevation change is minimal, but the course is not flat in feel. The primary performance limiter is tropical heat, which builds steadily after sunrise, not the terrain. Runners chasing times must bank discipline early, not pace.

DIFFICULTYROLLINGPR-FRIENDLYMODERATE

View official course map Past results

Race-Day Weather

10-year median

Low

67°F

High

81°F

30°MARATHON-IDEAL 45–60°80°

What to expect

Honolulu in December is warm, and you need to take that seriously. The gun goes off before dawn, so the start feels manageable, but the sun is fully up by the time you're in the back half of the course and the heat builds fast. Humidity makes the effort feel harder than your pace suggests. Hydrate from mile one, not when you feel thirsty. This is a race where conditions are the opponent as much as the clock.

Entry

OPEN

Open registration. There is no official time limit on the marathon and no field cap. Most international runners (particularly the large Japanese contingent) register through tour package operators. The race is famous for welcoming first-timers, walkers, and run-walkers; everyone who starts is welcome to finish.

Register on race site

Logistics

For runners travelling in

Closest airport

HNL

8 mi

from the start

≈ 13 min transferOn the doorstep

What to expect

Most travelling runners fly into HNL, about 8 miles from the start, right on the doorstep by rideshare or transit, roughly a 13-minute trip. Stay close to the start in Honolulu, HI so you're not fighting race-morning closures and transit on tired legs. Arrive a day early to clear the expo and bib pickup, and build in buffer for gear-check and corral entry.