Hawaii Bird Conservation Marathon
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Event overview
The Hawaii Bird Conservation Marathon is a road marathon held in Hilo, Hawai‘i. The event is sanctioned by USA Track & Field and is a Boston Marathon qualifier. It is also an Abbott World Marathon Majors Wanda Age Group World Championships qualifier for 2025. The event listing shows 150 registrations.
The race supports bird conservation by restoring native forest habitat through the Hawai‘i Forest Institute - Keauhou Bird Conservation Discovery Forest. Photos and past results are available from previous years.
Course and rules
The course is USA Track & Field certified (HI24003RP) and organizers describe it as a downhill marathon designed to be very fast. Runners must use the highway shoulder on Hwy 11 facing traffic; use of the vehicle travel lane can result in disqualification. Water stops are placed for a six-hour marathon pace and runners averaging slower than 15 minutes per mile must be self-sufficient. No transfers, cancellations, or rollovers are allowed.
The start location is Volcano Golf Course, 99-1621 Pi‘imauna Dr, Volcano, HI 96718. The finish location is Herbert Shipman Park, 16-510 Old Volcano Rd, Keaau, HI 96749. Headlamps or flashlights are required until civil twilight and bright clothing is recommended for visibility. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.
