WATCH: Honolulu Marathon marks 50 years as 27,000 runners hit the pavement

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - The Honolulu Marathon is celebrating 50 years on Sunday as 27,000 runners participate in the grueling 26.2-mile race from Downtown to Hawaii Kai to Waikiki.

Watch special livestream coverage starting at 7 a.m. on K5, online or on Facebook.

LIVE: Watch coverage of Honolulu Marathon

The Honolulu Marathon is one of the country’s biggest marathons and the only world-class marathon that allows all participants to finish, as long as they’re making progress. That means there’s no cut-off time.

Participation this year is near pre-pandemic totals.

Last year, there were only 16,000 participants. In 2019, it was 33,000.

As for Japan entrants, there’s 6,000 participants this year compared to 566 last year. In 2019, approximately 16,000 participants were from Japan.

The marathon started Sunday at 5 a.m.

Traffic control and tow away zones run from midnight through 5 p.m.

It starts on Ala Moana Boulevard, goes to Hawaii Kai and ends at Kapiolani Park.

For details on road closures and more, click here.

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