Nearly 9,000 runners took part in Sunday’s 48th edition of the Honolulu Marathon and companion race, the Start to Park 10K. While the numbers for this year’s event were significantly less than in previous years, it turned out to be the largest sporting event in Hawaii since the start of COVID-19.
The 26.2-mile footrace began on Ala Moana Boulevard and ended at Kapiolani Park. The marathon and Start to Park 10K were part of a trio of events that started on Saturday with the Kalakaua Merrie Mile.
Sunday’s marathon was expected to be predominately a local event showcasing Hawaii’s top elite runners, and it certainly was. Aside from the overall winners, Kenya’s Emmanuel Saina, who won in a swift time of two hours, 14 minutes and 32 seconds, and Canadian Olympian Lanni Marchant, who claimed the women’s race in 2:41:25, there were several runners from the Big Island capturing podium spots.
Volcano resident John Benner, who recently set a new course record at this year’s 100% Pure Kona Coffee Half Marathon and an intern at Hawaii Volcano National Park, was the second runner to cross the finish line in a time of 2:35:24.
Benner, who ran for the University of Vermont during his NCAA career and has a 4:05.34 personal best in the mile, also won the previous day’s Kalakaua Merrie Mile in a sizzling time of 4:17.
Third overall went to another Volcano resident, Billy Barnett, who posted an amazing time of 2:36:48. It was the first time since the 1970s local residents finished in the top three. Another Big Islander who ran exceptionally well was Kailua-Kona’s David Wild who placed seventh overall in 2:50:59.
The runner-up in the women’s division was Grace Oetting of Nashville in 2:52:48, followed by Colorado’s Sarah Guhl in third at 2:56:52. Kailua-Kona’s Bree Wee ran an impressive race to place fourth at 3:01:31.
Wee, a fourth-grade teacher at Kahakai Elementary School who recently won the women’s division at the 100% Pure Kona Coffee Half Marathon, shared her goal was to break 3 hours in the marathon as part of Jonathan Lyau’s sub-3 running group. Wee was very close, as was Lyau, who finished in a time of 3:03:19.
Lyau is one of Hawaii’s top distance runners and has competed in 32 Honolulu Marathons over his career. He has claimed the prestigious Kamaaina award a total of seventeen times and inducted to the Honolulu Marathon Hall of Fame in 2009. Lyau’s return to the start line on Sunday proved that even as a 57-year-old one can maintain their athletic ability and fitness level.
In the wheelchair competition, Tyler Byers of Greenacres, Washington, and Chelsea Stein of Tucson, Arizona, were the winners in 1:42:59 and 2:33:02, respectively.
Congratulations to all who participated in Sunday’s Honolulu Marathon!