Marathon likely to see fewer entrants
By Michael Tsai
Advertiser Staff Writer
Barring a last-minute surge, today's 35th anniversary Honolulu Marathon probably will post its lowest number of entrants in three years.
The race, the third largest in the world last year, gets under way at 5 a.m. from Ala Moana boulevard.
As of Friday night, 27,394 runners had signed up for the 26.2-mile event, including 16,784 from Japan, 7,997 from Hawai'i, 2,033 from the Mainland and 780 from foreign countries other than Japan.
Nearly 13,000 runners will be attempting their first marathon.
Last year, 28,637 people entered the race and 24,575 completed it. In 2005, 28,048 entered and 24,295 finished.
Registration closed yesterday at 5 p.m. and final figures weren't available last night.
Honolulu Marathon Association president Dr. Jim Barahal earlier expressed concern over weather conditions on race day.
According to the National Weather Service, runners can expect a partly sunny day with scattered showers, temperatures ranging from 75 to 80 degrees. Winds are forecast to be 10 mph or less.
While the forecast likely bodes well for middle- to back-of-the-pack runners, who might take anywhere from five to 13 hours to complete the course, continued showers could mean a slower finish for elite runners.
The Honolulu Marathon is considered a slower course because of its hills and the typically warm weather conditions.
That doesn't matter to defending champion Ambesse Tolossa of Ethiopia.
"I can't do anything about it, so I'll keep fighting," Tolossa said via an interpreter. "Whether it's slippery or raining, it doesn't matter. I'm here to improve my time."
Tolossa's main rival is likely to be five-time Honolulu Marathon champion Jimmy Muindi of Kenya, who finished second last year. Like Tolossa, Muindi, 34, is seeking to rebound from a disappointing year of competition.
Tolossa, 30, is also mindful of the other Kenyans who make up the elite men's field.
"Muindi is one but everybody, when they come to America, thinks they can win," Tolossa said. "Sometimes it's the person you don't think will win is the one who wins."
On the women's side, Russia's Alevtina Biktimirova, 25, will look to improve on her second-place finish of last year.
However, many around the race are convinced that fellow Russian Tatyana Petrova, 24, who finished fifth here in 2004, has a good shot at pulling off an upset.
There's much at stake. The first-place male and female finishers each get $40,000. Second- through fifth-place finishers get $16,000, $10,000, $6,000, and $3,000, respectively. There are also numerous cash incentives tied to finishing times, including $15,000 for breaking the existing records (2:11:12 for men; 2:27:19 for women).
The top three men and women finishers will be tested for performance-enhancing drugs following the race.
Last year's women's champion, Lyubov Denisova, tested positive for elevated testosterone in a random test by the World Anti-Doping Agency three months after last year's race, and was banned from competing for two years.
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ROAD CLOSURES AND DETOURS
Beginning at 12:30 a.m. this morning, one or more lanes will be closed and/or coned until the athletes complete each section of the course. Tow-away zones are in effect from 1 a.m. until 5 p.m. today. The following throughways will be closed or restricted today: Ala Moana boulevard from Atkinson Drive to Ward Avenue will be detoured from 12:30 a.m. to 8 a.m. H-1 Freeway in both directions from the Wai'alae Avenue off-ramp/22nd Avenue to 'Ainakoa Avenue. H-1 traffic will be detoured from 3:30 a.m. until 2 p.m. Kalakaua Avenue will be detoured left onto Paoakalani Avenue from 8:30 a.m. Kalakaua Avenue mauka side between Monsarrat Avenue and Ponimo'i Road from 4:30 a.m. until the marathon is over. The makai lanes will be contra-flowed for two-way traffic at about 9 a.m. Limited to resident traffic only; patrons of the Outrigger Canoe Club and Elks Club must enter via Kapahulu Avenue. Kapahulu Avenue makai bound will be closed at Kuhio Avenue at 1:30 a.m. Local traffic will be allowed after 9 a.m. Monsarrat Avenue from Kalakaua Avenue to Paki Avenue from 4:30 a.m. until event over. No parking and tow-away zone on both sides of Monsarrat Avenue from Kalakaua to Paki Avenue. Paki Avenue from Monsarrat Avenue to Kalakaua Avenue from 4:30 a.m. for the duration of the marathon. Local traffic only, access to Diamond Head tennis courts from 9 a.m. Diamond Head Road, Kahala and Kealaolu avenues will be controlled by police when the volume of runners would interfere with the safe movement of vehicles and runners. Signs will be posted. 18th Avenue from Diamond Head Road to Kilauea Avenue until runners clear the area. Traffic will be detoured at Diamond Head Road and Makapu'u Avenue. Local traffic only access to Diamond Head Crater only will be restricted to Civil Defense, FAA, and National Guard personnel only. Kilauea Avenue from 18th Avenue to Wai'alae Avenue, all eastbound lanes will be closed at 4 a.m. until runners clear the area. Westbound lanes will be contra-flowed to permit two-way traffic. Vehicular traffic exiting the lower Kahala area must cross Kilauea Avenue at Hunakai Street. Expect delays until 11 a.m. Kalaniana'ole Highway from 'Ainakoa Street to Hawai'i Kai Drive makai side will have restricted access from 2:30 a.m. The mauka side of the highway will be contra-flowed for two-way traffic. West bound Kalaniana'ole Highway traffic will be detoured onto 'Ainakoa Street to Malia Street to Kilauea Avenue. Local traffic should expect delays. Hawai'i Kai Drive makai lanes from Kalaniana'ole Highway to Keahole Street from about 2:30 a.m. until the area is clear. The mauka side lanes will be contra-flowed for two-way traffic. Kalaniana'ole Highway will be closed to through traffic from Hawai'i Kai Drive to Keahole Street from about 3:30 a.m. until the area is clear. Traffic will be detoured onto Hawai'i Kai Drive via Kawaihae to Lunalilo Home Road. Maunalua Bay boat ramp traffic must enter from the Koko Head end. Keahole Street makai bound lanes from about 2:30 a.m. until the area is clear. Traffic will be contra-flowed in the mauka bound lanes for two-way flow. Entrance and exit from the Hawai'i Kai Shopping Center, COSTCO, etc. will be permitted. Kealaolu Avenue from Wai'alae Avenue to Kahala Avenue from about 5:30 a.m. until the area is clear. Local traffic may be permitted — only by direction of officers — at 'Aukai Avenue. Entry and exit by Aukai only. All other roadways will be closed and traffic will be turned around. Kahala Towers, Kahala Mandarin Oriental Hotel, and Waialae Country Club traffic will be permitted via 'Aukai Avenue and Pueo Street when safe to do so. NUMBERS TO CALL THE BUS: Some bus routes will be canceled and/or detoured. Call The Bus at 848-5555 or visit www.TheBus.org for details. OTHER TRAFFIC: For Marathon-related traffic information, call the Honolulu Marathon office at 792-6630, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. only. |
Reach Michael Tsai at mtsai@honoluluadvertiser.com.
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