No matter if it's the 15th marathon or the first, crossing the finish line at Kapi'olani Park is a feat marked by pain, elation and a few tears.

This year, rain and wet socks were added to the mix of the Honolulu Marathon experience.

Rick Peterson, who completed his 15th marathon yesterday (five of them in Hawai'i), didn't have to worry about wet socks and blisters after he finished in 3 hours, 33 minutes. He had applied a layer of cream to make him waterproof, he said.

"This race is really fun," said Peterson, of Calgary, Canada. "This is a heck of a lot better place to run, even in the rain."

Completing her first marathon, Carol Hall, of Colorado, said she, too, felt pretty good and was proud of her time: 3 hours, 42 minutes.

"I'm still standing, but that might change," Hall said. "Mile 11 was a little difficult. And mile 18, someone gave me an orange. That was really nice. The band at mile 22 played music and that really cheered me on. It was pretty cool, all in all."

Ambesse Tolossa of Ethiopia won the men's division for the second consecutive year, with a time of 2:17:26. The first-place female was Alevitina Biktimirova of Russia, with a time of 2:33:08.

Considering the mud, puddles and downpours, runners said they felt good about their performances.

This race was not just about the success of the elite runners, who can run as if on a whisper, quietly gliding. Often called the People's Race because the course stays open until the last runner finishes, the Honolulu Marathon is not just about achievement, but about appreciating the experience.

And not only for the runners. Many of the roadside supporters, either volunteers at aid stations or spectators, joined in sharing the moment.

Take Hal Burchard, an 'Aina Haina resident who comes out to watch — not participate — year after year.

"Look at it, isn't it a great event?" Burchard asked as a sea of humanity jogged by at 7 yesterday morning. "You have every and all kind of people here. Watch the collage of people. It's remarkable."

All along the course — which started at Ala Moana at the park and ended at Kap'iolani Park, routing through Hawai'i Kai — knots of supporters cheered on the runners. They came first in a trickle on Kalaniana'ole Highway, then in a giant ribbon, packed tightly. Some were dressed as samurai, others wore color-coordinated running togs.

Standing along the median strip on Kalaniana'ole Highway near the Aina Haina Shopping Center was Stacy Neuberger, a Kailua resident, and her two young sons. They scanned the faces of grimacing runners, looking for her husband, Tom, at mile 13.

"He just came by," Neuberger said. "He's doing great for his time. We saw the winning runner this morning. It looked like his feet didn't ever touch the ground."

At the finish line, Nicola Gildersleeve of Vancouver touched the ground, but said it was better than trudging through the snow back home.

"It was really beautiful to see the sun come up," the 23-year-old said. "Now we can relax. For the next five days, I plan to sit on the beach, drink a lot, get some sun and catch a few waves. No running."

Jeff Seabold, of Santa Monica, Calif., said it was his family that got him through his first marathon, especially the last grueling five miles.

"That last bit felt like the whole race," Seabold said. "Up until then, I felt great."

When his son, 4-year-old Garrett, saw his dad cross the finish line, he ran and hugged him.

"My dad got a necklace," Garrett Seabold said. "My daddy's a winner."

To put the race on, organizers start planning in the fall, said Ken MacDowell, co-race director. With a small army of volunteers and police officers, MacDowell said, the race organizers work hard at trying to minimize the traffic snarls for residents.

Only 19 out of 27,829 runners sought medical aid yesterday for such ailments as heat stroke, sprained ankles or scrapes from slipping on the wet pavement, including one person who was taken off the course by ambulance for heart trouble, said Dr. Larry Rotkin, race medical director.

The unusually cool weather seemed to keep at bay many of the heat-related ailments that typically occur in warm-weather marathons like Honolulu. The on-site medical tent was unusually empty for most of the day.

"This is probably the safest day we've ever had," Rotkin said.

Reach Suzanne Roig at sroig@honoluluadvertiser.com.