Summary:
The Honolulu Marathon is an AMAZING event & a perfect Marathon for first-timers. Not only do people come from all over the country to run this race, they come from all over the world! Skip the cold December & fly down to Hawaii for sun, seafood & surf!

Packet Pick Up:
Packet PickUp was held a the Convention Center, but what was great is that the marathon organized shuttles running throughout the day around the island to drop off & pick up at the Convention Center.

The shuttle, was actually a Trolley! So it was fun to be able to see the island, while the Trolley made it various stops before dropping us off at the Expo. Once at the Expo, there was plenty of signage & photo opportunities with banners, etc. The Packet PickUp was also well signed & dispite the crowds - I had my Bib in hand in less than 10 minutes after my arrival.

The Expo had your usual expo attendants, but what I liked most about this Expo is that they featured alot of local artists. Instead of buying gels & compression socks, I opted to buy handmade items to bring back to friends & family as souveniors.

Swag/Extras:
Finally, at the Finish Line - before receiving your deserved medal, you get a shell necklace. :) After you get your necklace & medal, you enter an area where you can meet with friends who may have been watching you run. You can then enter the celebration area where you can get your Finishers shirt, food, etc. I grabbed my shirt & headed back to the hotel because I had been on my feet for 7 hours & I was ready to lay on the floor!

Medal:
The medal we received is absolutely beautiful! Its heavy, gold & double sided - making you feel like an Olympian once you receive it & wear it the rest of the day.

Course:
The course was amazing! There were so many well stocked aid stations in addition to local volunteers sharing noodles, sake & sprinklers from their homes. Words cannot describe how beautiful this island is. Everything is lush & green, the water is a blue that you just don't find on the mainland. From the beginning, I treated this marathon as a 'hike across Hawaii' & it truly was!

Conclusion:
The Honolulu Marathon is a MUST for any runner. If its your first marathon or in my case, my last marathon - you will not be disappointed! I will definitely return to this race, but just the 10K for next time. :)