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Hawaii > The Kauai Marathon & Half Marathon
Poipu, HI
Date
Sunday, September 5, 2010
Event
Details
The Hawaiian island of Kauai -- with its pristine sand beaches, lush
jungle-like rain forests and massive green cloud-covered mountains,
whose waterfalls bring the heavy rains that collect on the peaks
cascading
down to the beaches below -- offers one of the most beautiful places
anywhere
on earth for a running event, and the organizers of the Kauai Marathon
& Half Marathon plan to take full advantage of the island's
natural
scenery for the race's second annual running along Kauai's southern coast
in the late
summer/early fall of 2010.
Both the full and the half marathon races begin in Poipu Beach, a
resort area nestled along the island's southern coast that features
both the Poipu Bay Resort Golf Course and the Kiahuna Golf Club,
popular attractions for visitors from around the world who are drawn to
the island's relaxed, unhurried pace and still-unspoiled natural
beauty. From the starting line on Poipu Road, runners follow a
counter-clockwise out-and-back loop course that runs into the island's
interior and then back out again toward the beach, and includes a long,
gradual uphill toward the half-way point (and a long, gradual downhill
from the half-way point toward the finish).
In the early stretch of the race along Maluhia Road, runners get the
chance to run through Kauai's famous Tunnel of Trees, which were
planted more than 150 years old by Scottish immigrant cattle ranchers
and remain today as a lush, green eucalyptus-tree corridor linking
Kalaheo with Poipu. After this stretch, runners continue on along the
first half's long, gradual uphill stretch along Highway 520 toward the
half-way point near Omao, and then turn left (south) toward the town,
beginning the long downhill stretch of the race's second half.
On their way through Omao, runners pass through this small town's homes
and shops on their way past the Omao Stream, running along the
tree-lined road all the way toward the Kukui’ula Resort. Once
they near the resort, runners head inside the resort and are treated to
stunning views of the South Pacific Ocean for the rest of the race
route all the way into the finish line back at Poipu Beach, near the
Sheraton Kauai Resort -- where there will also be a post-race party for
all finishers, right on the oceanfront of the resort.
Both the full and the half marathon courses are considered
walker-friendly, and walkers are welcome to compete in either race,
provided they can finish within the event's 7 1/2-hour time limit.
Runners in both races will start the event with an early-morning
starting time of 6:00 AM, in order to get in as many miles as possible
before the direct rays of the South Pacific sunshine become too much to
bear.
While you're in Kauai -- because you'll no doubt be making a vacation
of this running event -- there are quite a few can't-miss spots and
activities you'll have to take in, including visits to Waimea Canyon
(where some of the most familiar photos of Hawaii are often taken), the
Napali Coast and the northern coast of the island, which receives
usually much more rainfall and is much more green and lush than many
areas along the southern and western parts of the island.
Race
Weather & Climate
The westernmost and oldest of Hawaii's five major islands, Kauai's
southern coast is home to the town of Koloa just north of Poipu and
experiences mild to moderately warm weather virtually year-round and
ample rainfall throughout most of the year (though generally drier
weather than the island's northern coastline). In September, the area's
average monthly temperatures range between 85°F and
74°F, while rainfall totals average around 2.69 inches for the
month.
Fees
$85 for the half marathon, if registered by December 31, 2009
$95 between January 1 - March 31, 2010
$125 after March 31
Registration
To reserve your spot in the late summer 2010 running of the Kauai
Marathon or Half Marathon, register
online at Active.com or print out
and mail in this downloadable entry form.
Website
www.thekauaimarathon.com
Half
Marathon Course Map
Share
Your Race Story
Ever run in Hawaii's annual Kauai Marathon or Half
Marathon?
Share
your impressions and read fellow runners' stories
and tips for the event.
Post your comments in Runner Reviews for the Kauai Marathon
& Half Marathon
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