After running last year's 2014 Maui marathon they offered us a deal.... I Love A Good Deal, if we signed up right away for the next year's race it would only cost us $35 a person compared to the normal marathon price of $100. So Diane and I forked over the money Plus we signed up our husbands too. No laying on the beach and drinking beer for them while us girls are out running. Surprise! and the best part was we were still saving money :) Kent and Diane decided to make it a vacation while we just wanted to fly in the day before to run our race and return home immediately after. The benefits of working for an airline is flying for free and choosing your own dates of travel if there's space available.
Kent and Diane picked us up when we arrived on Saturday night and played tour guide during the drive from the airport to the hotel which happened to be the marathon course. Lots to see along the very scenic coastal road. Maui was as beautiful as I had remembered from the previous year and glad to be back because my husband had never been to that part of Hawaii.
We were all very excited to run the next day. Although the weather forecast wasn't looking so promising. The Majestic Hawaiian island was expecting its usual high temperatures in the mid to upper 80's but also 100% chance of light rain in the morning. Oh Boy... Another experience of Hot and Steamy!! I'm glad I'd run it before knowing there was plenty of ice and cold water at the many many aid stations along the route.
Our alarm went off way too early race morning because we had to catch the 3:15am bus to the start line. Just like last year it was a fantastic unforgettable pre race event Hawaiian style. A lot of high energy with hula dancers, native fire twirlers and drums beating loudly, oh and we can't forget the Zumba class just before the start. Our National anthem sang in English then the Japanese anthem in their langue followed by a quiet 5am start in the warm rain. 
If you remember from a previous blog I ran the Destin Beach Ultra in February for Paige she had just been given good news by her doctors after fighting leukemia for a year she was Cancer free and able to go back to school. The remission didn't last long Paige's mom Amy contacted me just before going to Maui in September with bad news... her Cancer was back :( Now this 15 year old girl is in her second battle with cancer. More aggressive treatment was planned and a bone marrow transplant was needed. Cancer Sucks!! I have said many prayers for that girl and she's helped inspire me during the hard times in my races so I dedicated the Maui marathon to Paige.
I had a good feeling about this race and my plan was to run easy because of the extreme humidity. The roads were actually a little slick from the rain and the sunrise came after about an hour into the run. Hot and steamy with the rain being intermittent and the sun trying to poke through. When I finally started paying attention to my watch at mile 13, to my surprise, I was on an average pace of 10 minute miles. Wow! feeling good, should be about a 4:20 marathon. The miles kept coming 15, 18, and 20 still a solid 10 minute pace. Then I realized I'd been conscious of drinking lots of liquid but not eating any calories. I started getting really nauseous a combination of the heat with lots of water in my stomach. Oops.... I was heaving my guts out for the next 2 miles (a very slow 2 miles) I finally recovered to where I could run again and finished the last 4 miles. Completing the race in a good time of 4 hours 42 minutes. Lesson learned EAT!!! 
We all had a great run that day. After the post race beer and celebration it was off to find some amazing Hawaiian cuisine since my husband and I were leaving bright and early in the morning for home.
