The 35th running of the Honolulu Marathon last year was remarkable, but not in a good way. Heavy rain at the race's start messed up a timing system that was used for the first time, causing electrical glitches that threw off the timing for some runners while others weren't timed at all.

The downpour also soaked the grounds near the finish line and staging area at Kapiolani Park, leaving grassy areas in muddied tatters that the marathon organization had to restore.

Six months later, the winner was disqualified after a banned substance was detected in a testing sample taken at the time of the race.

It is a testament to the reputation and the leadership of the marathon that its 36th year has attracted nearly 22,000 participants, notwithstanding 2007's setbacks. Even with global economic uncertainty putting a damper on travel to the islands, the marathon has assembled respectable numbers.

With lessons learned, race officials have decided to return to a timing system they used previously that has backup networks to assure runners of reliability. The system also has a new feature that will allow fans to track participants in near-real time.

The marathon, the third-largest open race in the nation behind New York City and Chicago and the seventh-largest in the world, will not match its all-time high of 34,434 registered runners logged in 1995.

Participants from Japan, who usually make up the majority of the field, are down significantly, 13,676 at the most recent count compared to 26,515 last year. Like their non-running counterparts, the Japanese are desirable because they are the most free-spending, dishing out an average of $100 a day more than mainland visitors. They also tend to be accompanied by about two people each, providing a needed boost for an ailing tourism economy.

The fact that the marathon has held on to its established sponsors and even signed on a new one, Subaru, bears out the strength of the event built through the years.

The race will see Jimmy Muindi of Kenya attempt to rack up his seventh win in 15 consecutive appearances. Muindi was awarded his sixth last year after Ethiopia's Ambesse Tolossa was disqualified because of the drug violation, the first in Honolulu Marathon history. Officials intend to run a clean race again this year with drug-testing of top finishers.

As to the weather, heavy rain is forecast for Saturday, but race day Sunday likely will be partly sunny, which should be welcome by both runners and race officials.