Honolulu Marathon 2026: the weeks you have left, ready on your Garmin watch

Diamond Head twice, and out and back to Hawaii Kai

The race starts on Ala Moana Boulevard and finishes near the Kapiolani Park Bandstand in Waikiki. The early miles run through downtown and Chinatown, past Iolani Palace, then through Waikiki before a first loop around Diamond Head crater between miles 6 and 9.

The course then heads through Kahala and along Kalanianaole Highway to Hawaii Kai, loops around an inland waterway between miles 15 and 19, doubles back on the same highway and rejoins Diamond Head Road at mile 24 for the finish. The only terrain the organizer flags: some short uphill grades around Diamond Head, so early on and again in the closing miles.

There is no time limit: the official FAQ lets every participant finish as long as they keep moving. There are no qualifying times and no entry cap either.

Three workouts for the Diamond Head climbs

With a few weeks to go, the useful sessions are the ones that prepare you for those climbs, especially the late one, and for a start before dawn. Ask your assistant to create these three workouts and send them to your watch; it sets them from your MAS.

• — Short hills: 20 min easy, 10 × 45 s uphill at a strong effort (about 90% of MAS), jog back down, 10 min cool-down; up to three weeks before race day.
• — Long run with an uphill finish: 1 h 45 min, the last 20 minutes at marathon pace with two or three short climbs in that final block, to meet Diamond Head on tired legs.
• — Early-start rehearsal: 50 min including 3 × 1.25 miles at marathon pace, run early in the morning after the same breakfast you'll have on race day.

December, travel and time zones

Mid-December puts the race just before the holidays, and for most visiting runners it means a long trip: plan to arrive a few days early to adjust to Hawaii time and pick up your bib. The 5:00 a.m. start is in the dark, so the alarm goes off early; it pays to have rehearsed it.

If a week slips because of travel or work, your assistant reads your activities on Garmin Connect, reviews the week and adjusts the remaining workouts without trying to catch up. After the race, it analyzes your activity lap by lap: pace and heart rate, including on the Diamond Head climbs. For the 2027 edition, Running Workout's 12-week marathon plan will lock onto the date as soon as it's announced.

Registration and race day

Online registration for December 13, 2026 is open, and late entry is still possible at the race expo. Registration for the 2027 edition opens on Monday, December 14, 2026, the day after the race.

Frequently asked questions