The day before the event, runners pick up their race numbers, and instructions about the course, and specific rules that must be adhered to or suffer disqualification. Such rules are: no cutting the corners of the road, do not receive assistance outside of an aid station, no littering, and no pacing by car. The race director also made mention that this winter has been one of the coldest winters he has seen in Hawaii. He advised us to be prepared, and to put warm clothes in our special needs bags. Runners are allowed two drop bags. One can be placed at aid Station 12, located at the 26.4 mile mark. The second drop bag is located at the finish line, which is essentially the top of the mountain, where temperatures are forcasted to be in the 30’s.

The 29th Annual event began at 4:30AM on March 14, 2009 at the House of Pancakes sign at the Maui Mall in Kahulu’i Maui, Hawaii. Conditions were dark, and chilly by some standards. Temperatures were mild in the upper 60’s and lower 70’s farenheight.

Taking notice as to what runners were wearing, most had shorts on, and some had long sleeves and some wore short sleeves. Everyone had a reflective vest on, as this is also a requirement by the Maui police.

All the drop bags were collected on race morning. The Ale House was kind enough to sponsor the event, and they opened the restaurant for our use, and provided coffee, water, and some snacks. Some runners were sitting inside the Ale House discussing how they were feeling. Others were outside jogging around a bit to loosen up their bowels. Approximately eight minutes before the start time, the race director, John Salmonson, the god-father of H.U.R.T., gave a Hawaii blessing, and asked if there were any virgins in the midst. A few hands went up, and a few audible moans came to light. With that information out of the way, John started the race with the usual, “ready-set-GO.”

We were about one tenth of a mile into the race, and a gust of wind followed by a heavy downpour provided us with a taste of what was yet to come further on down the road. About thirty minutes later, the southwestern winds moderated. The course turns off the main highway onto a darkened back road through the sugar cane and pineapple fields. The light from the nearly full moon glistening the wet roads, and cane fields, casting a glow of enchantment, putting a smile on my face as I ran. “But the spirits of the land seemed unsettled, and even those in the lead could feel the turbulence that hung low in the air to the southwest. “ Quoted by Mike Minch.

The course meanders on a winding road through a neighborhood, and goes up some fairly steep sections for a few miles. The steepest hill is the last one before we turn left onto the highway. The highway is a slight relieve to the legs, as we coast downhill for a half a mile. After the Mt. Haleakala sign, runners take a right turn onto Crater road. This is the one road that will lead us to the finish line. It wasn’t much further that we encountered prevailing gusts pushing us either sideways or backwards as we ran.

It was explained best by runner, Mike Minch:

“Rains dampened the runners and winds sucked up body heat. The switchbacks through the pasture land from 4500 to 7000 feet, were intermittently reminiscent of those golden moments of past races, but all to often runners were held up on hairpin turns by high gusting winds heavy with sharp biting rains. Those with heavier gear in drop bags at the Park visitor center were smart if they put on all they had brought along, because above 7000 feet the mists grew thick, the winds howled, and rain pelted hard and stinging on exposed skin surfaces. As the lead runners broached 8000 feet the winds gusted near 50, temperatures dropped below 30 and freezing rain iced the roads and coated the landscape.

Discussions between Park Rangers, race coordinators, and emergency personal led to the moving of the finish to a secondary location at 9200 feet and approx 33 miles, which was below the most difficult of conditions. All the emergency alternative preparations began to pay off and though disappointed, cold and near hypothermic runners were sheltered in the back of a truck to warm up before being shuttled to their rides, or back down the mountain. Cold, wet, shivering, and very tired runners were warmed with hot soup, or hot chocolate, layered in blankets, and watched over by cautious and concerned volunteers. What could have been a very difficult situation for all was extremely well handled by a very prepared and dedicated coordination of volunteers, Park staff, and Maui Emergency Personnel.

Most runners felt a certain wistful regret at not having made it to the top this year. But there were very few complaints from those warming up in the trucks and vans; and a trip to the top where the ice hung heavy in storm force winds was enough to cure all but the few who combine ultra-running with abject stupidity, of their irrational desire to continue beyond the official stopping point. As one local runner explained, there are ample methods of killing yourself in the islands. You can always come back tomorrow Brah, freeze your ass off, get lost, and die and there won’t be anybody to stop you. It was a gentle reminder that almost every island in the group has recorded a score or so of runners and hikers who have disregarded local cautions and simple common sense and gone out and become forever lost. “