Kalaniiki resident Marc Weintraub held a sign to encourage his
friend, Sheryl Toda, along the course on Kalanianaole Highway.

"My greatest race challenge came not from my competition, but in my attempt to stay on course and not get blown away," said kamaaina men's winner Jonathan Lyau of Honolulu.

Lucky for the slight, 5-foot-2 Lyau, his pack had several tall runners he could tuck behind to help break the wind.

Rachel
Graybill

"A real blast in more ways than one," said the marathon's first Hawaii-born finisher after his 44th place men's finish in two hours, 39 minutes and 25 seconds.

Carolyn Schnack, 33, a Honolulu attorney, won the women's kamaaina crown for her first time edging her twin sister, Cynthia, by three minutes. Carolyn finished 21st among women in 3:04:40.

"I'm happy for Carolyn. I've won the kamaaina award the past three years. It was definitely her turn," Cynthia Schnack said.

The marathon's visiting elite swept the top 40 places of the men's field and first 13 positions in the women's race. The visitors also won the prize money.

But locals, led by Rachel Graybill, 27, who finished 14th among women, and Paul Butterfield, 26, the men's 41st finisher, came away with perks.

Overseas trips were given to local resident and kamaaina leaders in both the men's and women's divisions. Locals also won their share of age-group awards.

"Despite the strong winds I bettered my goal by two minutes," said Graybill, a University of Hawaii graduate student and running coach.

Graybill finished in 2:58:41. "A hard competitive race. No mile came easy," she said.

Following Graybill came Hawaii runners Jeannie Wokasch (2:59:37); Rachel Portner (3:02:36); Heather Matz Jorris (3:04:22) and kamaaina winner Schnack (3:04:40.)

Butterfield, a former University of Tennessee runner now living on Oahu, led all Hawaii male residents finishing in 2:38:38.

"Well slower than my personal best. But under these adverse conditions I'll take my trophy and walk away happy," he said.

After Butterfield and Lyau came local finishers Michael Georgi (2:39:49), John Smith (2:41:05) and Chris Crawford (2:44:31).

Georgi, a Punahou School economics teacher and running coach, was the first American and first Hawaii 40-and-over masters finisher, placing 45th among men.

"I'm improving with age. I beat last year's finish by nine minutes," he said.

Portner, 42, a Honolulu mother of four, topped Hawaii's women's masters, finishing 17th in her field.

Gordon Dugan, 63, of Honolulu and one of eight participants who has finished all 24 Honolulu Marathons, wasn't bothered by the blustery conditions.

"At my age you simply trudge along slowly in hopes of catching a good tailwind," he said after his 4:09 finish.

In finishing, Dr. Peter Barcia of Kailua celebrated his 50th marathon.

"Not bad considering I'm sporting a relatively new transplanted kidney," he said after his 6:22 finish. Barcia's daughter Kathleen, 30, finished three hours earlier.

Next year's 25th anniversary edition of the marathon is expected to have thousands more participants.

Said Dr. Jim Barahal, Honolulu Marathon Association's president: "Enjoy your holiday season, then begin training for this event."