Hapalua Honolulu Half Marathon

Any runners out there?! A little side hobby of mine – running. Yes, I may sound crazy to some people, but we all have hobbies and apparently running is one of mine. Around April of this year, I ran a half marathon in Honolulu. Kai came to accompany me and ran part of the race with me, which is comforting. Having a personal cheerleader definitely helps! I’ve done other races with Kai by my side, but this was my first race that he didn’t sign up with me. For those that are planning to travel for this race, definitely book a few days before and after! It’ll give you a nice little vacation and some time to relax before and after the race=)

I’m actually pointing to my name here=P We arrived a day before and went to the expo at the Honolulu Convention center to grab our goodies before the race. This race includes a training shirt and another one for the actual race, so 2 shirts! Yay!

The course starts in the Waikiki area next to Duke Kahanamoku statue and ends at the Kapiolani Park. The course is pretty flat for the most part, but toward the end there is a semi hill to ran over toward Diamond Head look out (hike overlooking the waters) before hitting the finish line. The humidity is definitely something to be mindful of, make sure to stay hydrated before, during, and after the race! I’ve lived in Honolulu for about 5 years, before moving back to the bay, but it still takes some adjusting when coming back.

Although the weather can get a little tough to combat, I would definitely do this race again! They have such a lively support group throughout the whole race, from drummers and bands, to groups with cheer leading bands and horns. They have sprinkler showers in the end and people with pain relieving sprays to help spray down your legs.

I started to cramp up toward the end of the race. Maybe I didn’t warm up enough, or I started to get dehydrated, but running/jogging through that finish line was a must! I made it all the way out here, walking was out of the question. Being received with a beautiful metal, the cheers, the feeling of accomplishment, and especially with my hubby and friends waiting at the end made it all worth it!

I am no marathon running expert, but before a half marathon, I would usually carbo load a few days before, and drink a lot of water. The day before I would continue my carboload and drink water, but also drink some liquids with electrolytes so I am not flushing everything away with all the water. I like coconut water as a substitute. I would wake up an hour and a half to have a small bowl of oatmeal with banana, and pack some gummies and a gel in my black fancy pack. I like to use the Stingy Gels. This one doesn’t give me a stomach ache afterwards. I’ve tried other ones before and my stomach was not happy. A tip would be to test out different gels before a race to make sure your body likes it. During the last couple miles, I like to have a few gummies in my mouth to keep me going, it’s more of a mental thing. My checks are chubby from the gummies that were still in my mouth after the race. Haha.

The medal is so beautiful! I may have to come back and run this just for their pretty medals! =P

My happy face after the race and all the goodies I racked up! They had malasadas (Portuguese donuts), shaved ice, bananas, brownie fudge, Lanikai juice, and more! For those plan a visit to Hawaii, visiting Leonard’s Bakery for their malasadas is a must! I’m not exactly a fan of American donuts, but I do love malasadas!