2025 Honolulu Marathon Weekend – Set for another record breaking year in Honolulu

The 2025 Honolulu Marathon Weekend is set to be a record breaking year with the highest ever participation numbers and the best elite fields in both the Kalakaua Merrie Mile and JAL Honolulu Marathon.

The 2025 Honolulu Marathon Weekend will welcome more than 42,000 participants across the Honolulu Marathon, Start to Park 10K, and Kalakaua Merrie Mile, reaffirming its position as one of the world’s largest and most internationally diverse running festivals.

This year’s field includes runners and walkers from 63 countries, with especially strong participation from Japan (11,499 entrants) and the United States, including 14,495 Hawai‘i residents and large contingents from California, Texas, and Florida. 65% of all entrants are visitors to Hawaii.

The Honolulu Marathon alone features more than 28,000 entrants, with 40% tackling the marathon distance for the first time.
Participants range in age from infants in the Merrie Mile to a 94-year-old marathoner, with an average age of 41 across the weekend and a near-even gender split.
The main growth in the event is from the younger age groups with 20-39 year olds making up 50% of the field.

With no time limit and events designed for all ages and abilities, the Honolulu Marathon Weekend continues to celebrate movement, community, and the spirit of aloha on the streets of O‘ahu.

Online registration has closed but walk-in registration will be open at the Honolulu Marathon Expo, which runs at the Hawaii Convention Center from Thursday December 11 through Saturday December 13.

Main Events

Honolulu Marathon Expo
Aloha Friday Night – Opening Ceremony
Kalakaua Merrie Mile
Start to Park 10k
Honolulu Marathon
Finisher Monday

See the Calendar of events below for full event list and times.

Elite Race Information
Kalakaua Merrie Mile – Elite Race

The ninth edition of the Kalakaua Merrie Mile (KMM), scheduled for Saturday, December 13 in Honolulu, will be the strongest-ever edition of the iconic beach-side road race held one day before the JAL Honolulu Marathon. Organizers have assembled an elite field of 20 athletes representing seven nations which includes four world champions, twelve international medalists, twelve Olympians, and both American record holders in the mile. Moreover, the athletes will compete in a unique “chase” format where competitors in the women’s category are given a head start over the men and prize money is paid based on the overall order of finish. The overall winner will earn $10,000 in prize money, the highest first place prize of any road mile in the United States, and there is also a $10,000 bonus on offer for a world record.

KALAKAUA MERRIE MILE ELITE RACE PREVIEW

Honolulu Marathon – Elite Race

Race preview

Cynthia Limo of Kenya and Yemane Haileselassie of Eritrea will both return here to defend their titles at the 53rd edition of the Honolulu Marathon on Sunday, December 14, race organizers said. Both athletes were clear winners in 2024 (Limo won by 34 seconds and Haileselassie by 17), but they’ll be facing strong competition this year for the $25,000 first prize, the chance for generous time bonuses, plus a unique solid gold winner’s medal crafted by Japanese goldsmiths SCG, a race partner.

“The Honolulu Marathon elite fields for 2025 are incredibly deep and talented on both the men’s and women’s sides,” said Honolulu Marathon Association president, Dr. Jim Barahal. “We expect extremely competitive races, and if the weather conditions are favorable there’s a strong possibility that we can make a run at new course records.”

Calendar of Events

Thursday, December 11 (10AM – 6PM)
Honolulu Marathon Expo at the Hawaii Convention Center

Friday, December 12  (9AM – 7PM)
Honolulu Marathon Expo at the Hawaii Convention Center

Honolulu Marathon Aloha Nights, Waikiki Beach Walk, Lewer Street (5:45pm – 8pm)
Official opening of the 2025 Honolulu Marathon Weekend
Free event open to the public with torch lighting and entertainment

Saturday, December 13  (7AM – 8AM)
Kalakaua Merrie Mile, Kalakaua Avenue by Honolulu Zoo
First amateur wave starts at 7:00AM
Professional Wave starts at 7:45AM

9:00AM – 5:00PM
Honolulu Marathon Expo at the Hawaii Convention Center

Sunday, December 14
5:00AM Start of the Honolulu Marathon
5:00AM Start of the Start to Park 10k

Monday, December 15 (9:00AM – 4:00PM)
Finisher Monday
Meet the champions and certificate pick up in Kapiolani Park

Honolulu Marathon