The 100% Pure Kona Coffee Half Marathon is one year shy of a decade old, but has already become a storied race held on iconic Ali’i Drive in Kailua-Kona, Hawai’i. Rooted in the Kona Coffee Cultural Festival, the scenic half marathon has attracted runners, coffee-lovers, and coffee farmers who also happen to run (like local legend Uncle Jon Kunitake!) since its debut in 2015.
That November, the 100% Pure Kona Coffee Half Marathon, which coincided with the 45th annual Kona Coffee Cultural Festival, started around sunrise in front of the Coconut Grove Marketplace. Heading south along Ali’i Drive, runners enjoyed sweeping views of the Pacific Ocean before descending into the “pit” and turning around at the End of the World in Keauhou. That inaugural event attracted 180 runners, likely intrigued by the unique finisher medals - custom coffee mugs on lanyards. Volcano’s Billy Barnett took home the first finisher’s coffee mug after winning with a time (that would take years to beat) of 1:17:13.
Unfortunately, the half marathon cooled off just as quickly as it was brewed up. In 2016, the race was canceled over uncertainty whether there would be enough police officers available to assist with road closures.
Fortunately, the 100% Pure Kona Coffee Half Marathon returned to Ali’i Drive in 2017, attracting nearly 150 runners excited about the race’s resurgence, thanks to its new race director, Volcano’s Keely McGhee, who also directs the Volcano ‘O’hia Lehua Runs.
The grand finale to the week-long Kona Coffee Cultural Festival, an important community event honoring Kona’s cultural heritage of coffee pioneers, farmers, and artisans, the 2nd annual Kona Coffee Half Marathon saw a new champion. After working late the night before the Kona Coffee Half and only sleeping for about five hours, Kona’s own Patrick Stover cruised past his opponents, placing first overall with a personal best time of 1:18:40!
By 2018, the challenging yet stunning course continued to attract the fastest runners in Hawai’i, along with local families and running clubs fueled by the best coffee in the world. 2018 also saw previous 100% Pure Kona Coffee Half Marathon champs (and good friends) Billy Barnett and Patrick Stover go head to head, with Billy ultimately pulling ahead and finishing 20 seconds ahead of Patrick. On the women’s side, school teacher Bree Wee of Kailua-Kona made her students proud by setting a course record of 1:25:37.
2019 saw a record number of runners register for the 4th edition of the Kona Coffee race, which offered a highly-anticipated marathon option for those crazy enough (and hopped up on enough coffee) to face the mettle-testing “pit” twice in one morning. 340 participants ran along Ali’i Drive in the cool of dawn, including the legendary barefoot runner, who ditched his shoes mid-race to finish his 26.2 mile journey, barefoot, in the heat of Kona! Kona’s Patrick Stover nabbed the title of marathon winner while David Wild fought hard to earn the win in the half marathon. Interestingly enough, David and Patrick happened to be the cross-country coaches at Konawaena High School that year, and their student athletes volunteered at an aid station on the course. After cheering for the young runners every weekend, the students repaid the favor to their coaches (we could hear them cheering from a mile away!) and it turned out to be the boost both coaches needed to walk away the 2019 victors. What’s more, rumor has it that Patrick signed up for the marathon because 77-year old Uncle Jon Kunitake told him “Even I’m doing the marathon. Are you gonna let me out run you?” Challenge accepted!
Enter the pandemic. There would be no running Keauhou’s challenging hills or climbing in and out the infamous “pit” in 2020. At least not in a traditional race setting. Instead, we offered our first-ever virtual race option and were thrilled to see so many athletes get on board, as well as amazing sponsors like Big Island Running Company, Gypsea Gelato, and BioAstin. Collectors of the classic Kona Coffee race mugs were not disappointed, as they received the coffee mug and race shirt for completing the virtual half or full marathon. We even had two unicorns in New Jersey and a runner in Seattle whose support crew was made up of a Christmas elf and reindeer join in on the fun!
2021 was the year of the comeback for the 100% Pure Kona Coffee Half Marathon and WOW did it feel incredible to all be together again - We were even grateful to be running down to the End of the World and crawling back out again! It took a year away from racing to affirm that it was never really about crossing a finish line - It’s always been about the journey we take along the way, and those we share it with! This was also the year we saw a fresh face on the podium. John Benner of Volcano, Hawai’i won the men’s title and set a new course record of 1:12:4 in the process. Bree Wee returned to crush her own record from 2018, running a sizzling 1:24:16.
In 2022, we celebrated the world’s most famous coffee bean and our 7th annual 100% Pure Kona Coffee Half Marathon with over 320 participants. This year’s half marathon had an undeniably “big race” feel, as runners flocked to the Big Island for the event from as far as Canada, Tokyo, and France! The winner himself, Jared Hixon, hailed from Gardnerville, Nevada, and went home with an unforgettable color-changing Kona Coffee mug and the second fastest course time, 1:16:56. Bree Wee was back for her fourth win, which she earned by running a 1:26:27 half marathon.
By 2023, it was time to add a 5k option, aptly named the “the espresso shot,” to the 100% Pure Kona Coffee Half Marathon. The result? A record turnout of more than 600 runners. Not even the early morning showers and a downed telephone pole along the race course could stop the masses. Maybe they were motivated by the thought of Eddie O. announcing their name at the finish line or winning that coveted Kona Coffee mug!
Adding the 5k certainly gave new depth to the footrace. Rather than stand around for their friends, significant others, or parents to finish 13.1 miles, many who would otherwise spectate decided to get in on the fun, including a 9-year old from Kona and Holuloa’s own Uncle Jon, 80-year old owner of Kunitake Farms Pure Kona Coffee. Proudly wearing bib #1, he elicited the loudest cheers as usual. Even louder than the clapping and chee-hooing the crowd saved for local runner Jantzen Hing as he cruised into his first win ever after running 13.1 miles in 1:21:18 and Bree Wee, as she flew across the finish line in 1:29:30, securing another first place title. On the 5k side, the overall men’s champion was Seth Skopek of Honolulu and the women’s winner was Dana Kate of Kailua-Kona. The shorter distance was a big hit, and we’re excited to share that it’s an option for 2024 as well!
Growing coffee is hard work. Running 13.1 miles is hard work. And blending a passion for both into a runcation for some and an unforgettable race for all is nothing short of a labor of love (here’s looking at you Keely and all Kona Coffee’s amazing volunteers)! If you’ve never run the 100% Pure Kona Coffee Half Marathon or 5k before, why not find out for yourself why so many of us plan our year around that moment when we cross the finish line and are handed that one-of-a-kind finishers’ mug?! Registration is now open for the half marathon and 5k race. Hope to see you bright and early on November 9th!