47th Maui Marathon Events Set for Oct. 15

2015 Maui Marathon. Photo Credit: County of Maui/ Ryan Piros

Big Island runners and walkers are invited to participate with competitors from all over the world in the 47th annual Maui Marathon on Sunday, Oct. 15, 2017.

The event includes a full marathon, the inaugural four-person marathon relay, a half marathon, and 10K and 5K races.

All events are scheduled for the morning of Oct. 15.

Race Director Jon Emerson is the former owner of Pacific Sport Events and Timing, and his Co-Race director is Jim Lynch, a certified 50 State Marathon finisher who has run 101 marathons.

This year, the race was moved from September to October for a few reasons.

According to Lynch, “Mid-September is very hot and marathon runners were miserable in the heat. Though still warm, the sun won’t be as intense in October. Also, it distances our race from the Kaua‘i Marathon and the Hāna Relay, which were both held the two weekends prior to the Maui Marathon—and it still allows enough time for those participating in the Honolulu Marathon in December.”

Runners are expected not only from the Hawaiian Islands, but Japan, mainland US, and other countries, bringing a boost to tourism to Kā‘anapali during a slower period on Maui.

The marathon and inaugural four-person marathon relay will start at Ho‘okele Street close to Hāna Highway at 5 a.m. The half marathon starts at 6 a.m., the 10k at 6:15 a.m. and 5k at 6:30 a.m., at the marathon finish line in front of the Kā‘anapali Beach Hotel.

“Jon and I decided to consolidate all the events into one day which causes less congestion for the Kā‘anapali Beach Resorts, Whalers Village and the local residents,” Lynch said. “Since the Maui Marathon is owned by the Valley Isle Road Runners and is a nonprofit event, combining the races to one day reduces the expenses to put on a race of this size which is becoming more costly each year.”

The Maui Marathon is one of the three oldest marathons west of the Mississippi and is a certified Boston qualifier course. Competitor.com listed the Maui Marathon as one of the 25 must-do American marathons in 2017 specifically because the race was moved a month later.

Emerson and Lynch have a goal to keep this race more of a fun destination event as opposed to a competitive event.

“There is a race distance for everyone in the family who enjoys running or walking,” Lynch said. “Best of all, the entire family can experience a memorable vacation on Maui enjoying all our island has to offer and go home with much aloha.”

The Maui Westin continues as the site of the two day Sports and Fitness Expo on Oct. 13 and 14 and the Ka’anapali Beach Hotel will be the location of the awards ceremony.

“We have a great team of individuals from the community who are working to put on this year’s event,” Lynch said.

Registration is currently open for all events on the all-new Maui Marathon website.