The Great Aloha Run is expected to draw more than 21,000 participants tomorrow, including runners from the mainland, Japan and elsewhere.

Runners, walkers and wheelchair competitors will set off from Aloha Tower at 7 a.m., following the 8.15-mile course along Nimitz and Kamehameha highways to Aloha Stadium.

Highway lanes and intersecting streets along the route will be closed to motorists from 4 a.m. tomorrow until the race passes. Motorists are advised to take Beretania and Punchbowl streets to reach the westbound freeway and to avoid using the Middle Street and Dillingham Boulevard intersection.

Non-runners can join the annual pre-festivities at the Sports, Health & Fitness Expo at the Neal Blaisdell Exhibition Hall. The expo will be open today from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The cost is $4 general admission, $2 for active-duty military personnel and dependents with ID, and no charge for people over 65 and under 12 years of age.

About 2,500 active-duty military members will run in formation in the Sounds of Freedom division of the race. About 500 soldiers in units deployed to Afghanistan will participate in a Great Aloha Run on Sunday at Bagram Airbase. About 300 soldiers stationed in Iraq joined in an affiliated run Feb. 1.

Kaiser Permanente, one of 20 sponsors, became the title sponsor of the Great Aloha Run this year. The event, founded by entertainer Carole Kai in 1985, has raised more than $8 million, which has been awarded to 140 nonprofit groups.