REGISTER
Since December 16, 1973

History & champions

Fifty-plus editions, 167 starters grown into tens of thousands, and a roll of winners that runs from Hawaii's own doctors and teachers to world record holders.

Men's course record
2:07:59
Titus Ekiru (KEN) — 2019
Women's course record
2:22:15
Brigid Kosgei (KEN) — 2017
Official record · 1973–2025

Roll of champions

Honolulu Marathon champions by year
YearMen's championTimeWomen's championTime
1973Duncan Macdonald USA2:27:34June Chun USA3:25:31
1974Jeff Galloway USA2:23:02Cindy Dalrymple USA3:01:59
1975Jack Foster NZL2:17:24Jacqueline Hansen USA2:49:24
1976Duncan Macdonald USA2:20:37Kim Merritt USA2:44:44
1977Jeff Wells USA2:18:38Cindy Dalrymple USA2:48:08
1978Don Kardong USA2:17:05Patti Lyons USA2:43:10
1979Dean Matthews USA2:16:13Patti Lyons USA2:40:07
1980Duncan Macdonald USA2:16:55Patti Lyons Catalano USA2:35:26
1981Jon Anderson USA2:16:54Patti Lyons Catalano USA2:33:24
1982Dave Gordon USA2:15:30Eileen Claugus USA2:41:11
1983Kevin Ryan NZL2:20:19Annick Loir-Lebreton FRA2:41:25
1984Jorge González PRI2:16:25Patti Gray USA2:42:50
1985Ibrahim Hussein KEN2:12:08Carla Beurskens NED2:35:51
1986Ibrahim Hussein KEN2:11:43Carla Beurskens NED2:31:01
1987Ibrahim Hussein KEN2:18:26Carla Beurskens NED2:35:11
1988Gianni Poli ITA2:12:47Cyndie Welte USA2:41:52
1989Simon Robert Naali TAN2:11:47Carla Beurskens NED2:31:50
1990Simon Robert Naali TAN2:17:29Carla Beurskens NED2:33:34
1991Benson Masya KEN2:18:24Ritva Lemettinen FIN2:40:11
1992Benson Masya KEN2:14:19Carla Beurskens NED2:32:13
1993Bong-ju Lee KOR2:13:16Colleen De Reuck RSA2:37:29
1994Benson Masya KEN2:15:03Carla Beurskens NED2:32:35
1995Josia Thugwane RSA2:16:08Colleen De Reuck RSA2:37:20
1996Erick Kimaiyo KEN2:13:23Alla Zhilyayeva RUS2:33:14
1997Erick Kimaiyo KEN2:12:17Lyubov Morgunova RUS2:31:9
1998Mbarak Hussein KEN2:14:53Irina Bogacheva KGZ2:33:39
1999Jimmy Muindi KEN2:16:43Irina Bogacheva KGZ2:35:53
2000Mbarak Hussein KEN2:15:00Irina Safarova RUS2:33:59
2001Mbarak Hussein KEN2:15:07Lyubov Morgunova RUS2:29:04
2002Jimmy Muindi KEN2:12:59Lyubov Morgunova RUS2:30:07
2003Jimmy Muindi KEN2:12:59Lyubov Denisova RUS2:27:19
2004Jimmy Muindi KEN2:11:12Olesya Nurgalieva RUS2:32:04
2005Jimmy Muindi KEN2:12:00Lyubov Denisova RUS2:29:26
2006Jimmy Muindi KEN2:13:00Lyubov Morgunova RUS2:27:33
2007Nicholas Chelimo KEN2:18:31Alevtina Biktimirova RUS2:31:22
2008Patrick Ivuti KEN2:14:35Lyubov Morgunova RUS2:30:19
2009Patrick Ivuti KEN2:12:14Alevtina Biktimirova RUS2:31:34
2010Patrick Ivuti KEN2:12:14Nina Rillstone NZL2:38:37
2011Nicholas Chelimo KEN2:14:55Svetlana Zakharova RUS2:33:20
2012Wilson Kipsang Kiprotich KEN2:12:31Woynishet Girma ETH2:31:41
2013Dennis Kimetto KEN2:09:39Belaynesh Oljira ETH2:31:41
2014Wilson Chebet KEN2:15:35Joyce Chepkirui KEN2:30:23
2015Lawrence Cherono KEN2:14:56Joyce Chepkirui KEN2:27:17
2016Lawrence Cherono KEN2:09:39Brigid Kosgei KEN2:31:11
2017Lawrence Cherono KEN2:08:27Brigid Kosgei KEN2:22:15
2018Titus Ekiru KEN2:09:01Joyciline Jepkosgei KEN2:22:15
2019Titus Ekiru KEN2:07:59Margaret Muriuki KEN2:31:09
2021Emmanuel Saina KEN2:14:30Lanni Marchant CAN2:41:24
2022Asefa Mengstu ETH2:14:40Asayech Ayalew Bere ETH2:30:58
2023Paul Lonyangata KEN2:15:41Cynthia Jerotich Limo KEN2:33:01
2024Yemane Haileselassie ERI2:11:59Cynthia Jerotich Limo KEN2:31:13
2025Tsegay Weldlibanos ERI2:13:39Calli Hauger-Thackery GBR2:30:44

52 of 52 editions shown.

Faster every era

Course-record timeline

Every time the Honolulu course record has fallen since 1973 — each mark faster than every edition before it.

Men
  1. 2:27:341973

    Duncan Macdonald (USA)

  2. 2:23:021974

    Jeff Galloway (USA) — 4:32 faster

  3. 2:17:241975

    Jack Foster (NZL) — 5:38 faster

  4. 2:17:051978

    Don Kardong (USA) — 0:19 faster

  5. 2:16:131979

    Dean Matthews (USA) — 0:52 faster

  6. 2:15:301982

    Dave Gordon (USA) — 0:43 faster

  7. 2:12:081985

    Ibrahim Hussein (KEN) — 3:22 faster

  8. 2:11:431986

    Ibrahim Hussein (KEN) — 0:25 faster

  9. 2:11:122004

    Jimmy Muindi (KEN) — 0:31 faster

  10. 2:09:392013

    Dennis Kimetto (KEN) — 1:33 faster

  11. 2:08:272017

    Lawrence Cherono (KEN) — 1:12 faster

  12. 2:07:592019Standing record

    Titus Ekiru (KEN) — 0:28 faster

Women
  1. 3:25:311973

    June Chun (USA)

  2. 3:01:591974

    Cindy Dalrymple (USA) — 23:32 faster

  3. 2:49:241975

    Jacqueline Hansen (USA) — 12:35 faster

  4. 2:44:441976

    Kim Merritt (USA) — 4:40 faster

  5. 2:43:101978

    Patti Lyons (USA) — 1:34 faster

  6. 2:40:071979

    Patti Lyons (USA) — 3:03 faster

  7. 2:35:261980

    Patti Lyons Catalano (USA) — 4:41 faster

  8. 2:33:241981

    Patti Lyons Catalano (USA) — 2:02 faster

  9. 2:31:011986

    Carla Beurskens (NED) — 2:23 faster

  10. 2:29:042001

    Lyubov Morgunova (RUS) — 1:57 faster

  11. 2:27:192003

    Lyubov Denisova (RUS) — 1:45 faster

  12. 2:27:172015

    Joyce Chepkirui (KEN) — 0:02 faster

  13. 2:22:152017Standing record

    Brigid Kosgei (KEN) — 5:02 faster

Multiple titles

Repeat winners

Honolulu rewards athletes who come back and learn the heat.

Men
  • Jimmy Muindi KEN6 titles · 1999, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006
  • Duncan Macdonald USA3 titles · 1973, 1976, 1980
  • Ibrahim Hussein KEN3 titles · 1985, 1986, 1987
  • Benson Masya KEN3 titles · 1991, 1992, 1994
  • Mbarak Hussein KEN3 titles · 1998, 2000, 2001
  • Patrick Ivuti KEN3 titles · 2008, 2009, 2010
  • Lawrence Cherono KEN3 titles · 2015, 2016, 2017
  • Simon Robert Naali TAN2 titles · 1989, 1990
  • Erick Kimaiyo KEN2 titles · 1996, 1997
  • Nicholas Chelimo KEN2 titles · 2007, 2011
  • Titus Ekiru KEN2 titles · 2018, 2019
Women
  • Carla Beurskens NED7 titles · 1985, 1986, 1987, 1989, 1990, 1992, 1994
  • Lyubov Morgunova RUS5 titles · 1997, 2001, 2002, 2006, 2008
  • Cindy Dalrymple USA2 titles · 1974, 1977
  • Patti Lyons USA2 titles · 1978, 1979
  • Patti Lyons Catalano USA2 titles · 1980, 1981
  • Colleen De Reuck RSA2 titles · 1993, 1995
  • Irina Bogacheva KGZ2 titles · 1998, 1999
  • Lyubov Denisova RUS2 titles · 2003, 2005
  • Alevtina Biktimirova RUS2 titles · 2007, 2009
  • Joyce Chepkirui KEN2 titles · 2014, 2015
  • Brigid Kosgei KEN2 titles · 2016, 2017
  • Cynthia Jerotich Limo KEN2 titles · 2023, 2024
Since 1973

The legacy

  1. 1973

    First running

    Organized under Mayor Frank Fasi and driven by cardiologist Dr. Jack Scaff, 167 runners start the first Honolulu Marathon on December 16. Duncan Macdonald wins in 2:27:34.

  2. 1973-78

    The race doubles every year

    During its formative period the field doubles in size annually — a growth rate matched only once in marathon history — as the running boom takes hold.

  3. 1977

    The story goes global

    Sports Illustrated writer and Olympic marathoner Kenny Moore profiles the race, framing it as a quest for longevity rather than pure competition. Mark Hazard Osmun's book follows.

  4. 1985

    JAL and the elite era

    Japan Airlines becomes title sponsor. In the same year Kenya's Ibrahim Hussein wins the first of three straight titles in 2:12:08, opening the East African chapter of the race.

  5. 1995

    The largest marathon on earth

    34,434 entrants and 27,022 finishers make Honolulu the biggest marathon in the world that year.

  6. 2013

    A future world record holder wins

    Dennis Kimetto wins in 2:09:39. Less than a year later he runs 2:02:57 in Berlin for the world record.

  7. 2017-19

    The records fall

    Brigid Kosgei runs 2:22:15 for the women's course record, Lawrence Cherono takes a third straight title, and Titus Ekiru clocks 2:07:59 — the fastest marathon ever run in Hawaii.

  8. 2020

    The year without a race

    The in-person edition is cancelled for the first time in the event's history. Entrants run virtually or defer to 2021.

  9. Today

    Fifty-plus years, one starting gun

    A 5am start, no qualifying time, no entry lottery and no cut-off — the deepest elite field in the Pacific runs the same road as first-time marathoners.

Vintage-style image of a 1970s road race start line in Hawaii
The course
5:00am start

Fireworks over Ala Moana send the field into the dark to beat the tropical heat.

Diamond Head

The climb past the crater comes twice — early in the dark and again at mile 24 when the race is decided.

Kalanianaʻole Highway

A long, exposed out-and-back where humidity, not pace, breaks the pack apart.

Kapiolani Park

The finish under the banyans, with lei, koa bowls and the awards ceremony at the Bandstand.