2026 Kona Marathon - Jul 4 Race Completed

Q: When is the 2026 Kona Marathon and what time does it start?

The 2026 Kona Marathon is on Saturday, July 4, 2026, in Kailua-Kona on the Big Island of Hawaii. The full marathon starts very early at 5:30 a.m. — the pre-dawn start exists to get runners as far as possible before the tropical sun and heat build through the morning. The half starts at 6:00 a.m. and the shorter events follow.

Q: Is the Kona Marathon course flat, and how much climbing is there?

It is a rolling coastal course, not flat but never steep. Run as a loop completed twice along Ali'i Drive, it has roughly +150 m (about 490 ft) of gentle rolling gain and never climbs much above 130 ft over the ocean — a series of short rises and dips rather than any real hills. The genuine challenge is the heat and humidity, not the elevation.

Q: Is the Kona Marathon a Boston qualifier?

The course is USATF-certified and finishing times can be used to qualify for Boston. In practice, the July heat, humidity and 5:30 a.m. start make Kona a tough place to run a fast time — most runners come for the Big Island experience rather than to chase a BQ, and serious qualifiers usually pick a cooler race. Check your target with our Boston Qualifying Calculator.

Q: How hard is the Kona Marathon — is it a tough race?

The terrain is forgiving but the weather makes it hard. There are no big climbs, yet running 26.2 miles in tropical heat and humidity on the leeward Big Island — the same coast that hosts the brutal Ironman World Championship — demands real heat discipline. There is a generous 7-hour time limit (the course closes at 1:00 p.m.), so walkers and first-timers can finish, but everyone should respect the sun. Pace yourself with our Pace Calculator.

Q: How do I register for the Kona Marathon, and how big is it?

Entry is open registration through the official site (konamarathon.com) — there is no lottery or qualifying time. It is a small destination race: recent editions have had only around 180 full-marathon finishers, so the field is intimate rather than crowded. Fees rise as race day nears, and registration plus all on-site information is in English.

Q: What is the weather like, and what should I wear?

Expect hot, humid tropical conditions — around 73°F / 23°C at the 5:30 a.m. start, climbing into the high 70s–low 80s°F (about 26–28°C) with high humidity and very strong sun once the morning clouds clear. Dress light and breathable, wear a hat and sunscreen, and hydrate and take electrolytes aggressively from the first mile.

Race Completed

This marathon has finished. Check back for next year's edition.

Race Information

Race	2026 Kona Marathon - Jul 4
City	Kailua-Kona
Date	2026-07-04 at 05:30
Time Limit	7 hours
Cutoff pace	9:57/km
Timezone	Pacific/Honolulu
Official Site	Kona Marathon Events

Race Day Weather

Average Temperature	25.6°C / 78°F
Humidity	79%
Wind	17.8 km/h
Rain Chance	49%
Typical Conditions	Hot, humid tropical July morning on the leeward Big Island — heat, not cold, is the challenge

What to Prepare: Kona sits on the dry, sunny leeward side of the Big Island, but July is still tropical and humid: expect a start around 73°F / 23°C climbing into the high 70s–low 80s°F (around 26–28°C) with high humidity and very strong sun once the trade-wind clouds burn off. That is exactly why the marathon starts at 5:30 a.m. Run by effort not pace, hydrate and take electrolytes early, wear a hat and sunscreen, and treat a fast finish as a bonus — most runners come for the Big Island experience.

Based on historical averages for race week. Use our Weather Score Calculator and What to Wear Guide for personalized advice.

Wind Impact on Race Day

Wind at 17.8 km/h can affect your marathon pace by 5-15 seconds per kilometer. Headwinds slow you down exponentially — a 20 km/h wind costs more than twice a 10 km/h wind.

Calculate your wind-adjusted pace →

Race-Week Climate

Based on 20 years of race-week weather (2005-2024), MERRA-2 reanalysis

	Cooler	Typical	Warmer
Temperature	24.7°C	25.7°C	26.4°C
Dew point	20.5°C	21.6°C	22.7°C

Wet-day chance: 49% Runnability: 53/100

Data: NASA POWER (MERRA-2 reanalysis), NASA Langley Research Center

Course Profile

Course Type	Loop (run twice)
Elevation Gain	150m
Terrain	Road (coastal Ali'i Drive + Kuakini Highway)
Profile	A rolling coastal course on scenic Ali'i Drive, run as a loop completed twice, with roughly +150 m (about 490 ft) of gentle rolling gain — the route never climbs much above 130 ft over the ocean, so there are no big hills, just repeated short rises and dips. Starting and finishing near the Royal Kona Resort on Ali'i Drive, the course heads north past Kailua Pier and the heart of Historic Kailua Village onto Kuakini Highway, with the Pacific on one side and lava-rock coast on the other. The real difficulty is the heat, humidity and sun, not the elevation. USATF-certified and Boston-qualifier eligible, though the warm conditions make it a poor PR or BQ target.
Boston Qualifier	Yes — Check your BQ time

Prepare for 2026 Kona Marathon - Jul 4

Use our free training tools to get race-ready:

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Frequently Asked Questions

When is the 2026 Kona Marathon and what time does it start?

The 2026 Kona Marathon is on Saturday, July 4, 2026, in Kailua-Kona on the Big Island of Hawaii. The full marathon starts very early at 5:30 a.m. — the pre-dawn start exists to get runners as far as possible before the tropical sun and heat build through the morning. The half starts at 6:00 a.m. and the shorter events follow.

Is the Kona Marathon course flat, and how much climbing is there?

It is a rolling coastal course, not flat but never steep. Run as a loop completed twice along Ali'i Drive, it has roughly +150 m (about 490 ft) of gentle rolling gain and never climbs much above 130 ft over the ocean — a series of short rises and dips rather than any real hills. The genuine challenge is the heat and humidity, not the elevation.

Is the Kona Marathon a Boston qualifier?

The course is USATF-certified and finishing times can be used to qualify for Boston. In practice, the July heat, humidity and 5:30 a.m. start make Kona a tough place to run a fast time — most runners come for the Big Island experience rather than to chase a BQ, and serious qualifiers usually pick a cooler race. Check your target with our Boston Qualifying Calculator.

How hard is the Kona Marathon — is it a tough race?

The terrain is forgiving but the weather makes it hard. There are no big climbs, yet running 26.2 miles in tropical heat and humidity on the leeward Big Island — the same coast that hosts the brutal Ironman World Championship — demands real heat discipline. There is a generous 7-hour time limit (the course closes at 1:00 p.m.), so walkers and first-timers can finish, but everyone should respect the sun. Pace yourself with our Pace Calculator.

How do I register for the Kona Marathon, and how big is it?

Entry is open registration through the official site (konamarathon.com) — there is no lottery or qualifying time. It is a small destination race: recent editions have had only around 180 full-marathon finishers, so the field is intimate rather than crowded. Fees rise as race day nears, and registration plus all on-site information is in English.

What is the weather like, and what should I wear?

Expect hot, humid tropical conditions — around 73°F / 23°C at the 5:30 a.m. start, climbing into the high 70s–low 80s°F (about 26–28°C) with high humidity and very strong sun once the morning clouds clear. Dress light and breathable, wear a hat and sunscreen, and hydrate and take electrolytes aggressively from the first mile.

Where can I find Kona Marathon results?

Official results are posted on the race website (konamarathon.com) and through the event's timing partner after race day. Because the full-marathon field is small, finisher lists and age-group placings publish quickly — handy if you are chasing a Big Island age-group award.