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Under the Moon race photo

Under the Moon

The city you want to run becomes your next trip.

USAugust 2027100km
Luc Viatour · CC BY-SA 3.0
Race date Aug expected
August 2027
City · Distance
Hilo · 100km
Entry fee
$75From the 2026 edition
2027Date August 2027 · expected · Soon
2026Date Aug 1, 2026 · Entry fee $30 · Start 17:00
Official website ↗D-day as of Oct 10, 2026
Under the Moon race photo
Luc Viatour · CC BY-SA 3.0
About the raceHow to enterCourseRace PrepTravel
Why you dream of this race

THE DREAM

About Under the Moon — what makes it special

ABOUT THE RACE

A day you'll remember,
long past the finish line.

A self-supported ultra on Hawaii’s Big Island, running overnight along Saddle Road from Hilo Bay to Waimea at an elevation of 2,400m.

Its roots lie in the legendary 100km section of the Ultraman event in the 1980s.

Climbing the slopes of Mauna Kea under the moonlight, it is Hawaii’s most solitary night race.

The road to your own record

Picture the course in advance
and find the pace that fits you.

When the city cheers

Streets lined with cheers, runners all around.
You'll be part of that scene.

The trip that follows the run

Take it slow with the finish still in you,
and meet the city all over again.

Under the Moon runner reviews and race reports

Stories from runners who've been there.

From the joy of finishing to the tough moments — read what runners wrote themselves.

No runner reports yet. We'll add them here as they come in.

See it on video,
feel it through their stories.

Preview the course and read what runners who went before you wrote.

Full recap

Mid Pacific Road Runners · Full recap

View on YouTube

This may be from a past edition. Check the organizer for this year's course and operations.

The way in that fits you

YOUR ENTRY

How to enter Under the Moon — registration routes

How to reach the start line —
start with what fits you.

Here are the ways to enter and what each requires.
Check the organizer's page for whether entries are open.

From the 2026 edition

100 K Relay

Entry cost $100

subject to change — verify officially

Organizer's page
About 25K Relay · 25K
Official race websiteEntry options
From the start line to the finish

RACE WEEK

Under the Moon course map and elevation

Your 100km

Know the course and time limit, and race day comes into focus.

From the 2026 edition
Runners start · local timeFrom 17:00
EventStart
Ultra20:00
City center · not the start line

We have not confirmed the start line coordinates yet. The map shows the host city.

Show more

Runners start · local time — 100K 17:00(Hilo) · 50K 20:00 · 25K 21:00

100% paved road, Hilo to Waimea

Under the Moon is a self-supported ultramarathon that runs overnight along Saddle Road (Highway 200) on Hawaii's Big Island,

from Hilo (sea level) to Waimea (about 8,000 feet in elevation).

This course's roots go back to the 1980s —

Dr. Jim Budde is said to have run the three-day Ultraman triathlon on the Big Island for nearly a decade, and its highlight,

a 100km stretch along Saddle Road, is understood to have broken off into a standalone running race that evolved into today's event.

Records also show that Kawika Spaulding organized this course for a time afterward.

The race is split into three distances — 100K, 50K, and 25K — each with its own start time and location.

Course runs entirely on paved road (Saddle Road), crossing the lava plateau characteristic of a volcanic island with substantial elevation change —

the 100K is understood to climb about 7,500 feet and descend 5,000 feet.

Since the race runs through the night, the experience of crossing a deserted volcanic plateau by headlamp light alone is central to the event's identity,

and among finishers it's spoken of as one of Hawaii's premier ultras that pits you against yourself.

Format
self-supported (requires personal crew)

Participant benefits

Not yet confirmed in the official race guide

Where and when to collect your Under the Moon race bib

To the start line,
step by step.

Pick up your bib, check your wave.
So on race morning, you can just run.

From the 2026 edition

Stations & transport near the venue

  • Getting to the startNo public transit; start is in Hilo town near race check-in, with the course running overnight along Saddle…
  • Getting to the finishFinish is in Waimea, about 55 miles from the Hilo start via Saddle Road
  • Transit cardThe Big Island's Hele-On Bus is the only public transit option and does not run overnight or serve this…

Source · checked Aug 24, 2026

More details

Getting to the start

No public transit; start is in Hilo town near race check-in, with the course running overnight along Saddle Road, which has no bus service at night

Map

Getting to the finish

Finish is in Waimea, about 55 miles from the Hilo start via Saddle Road

Map

Start shuttle

Race is self-supported with no official shuttle - runners must arrange their own crew/support vehicles along the route

Transit card

The Big Island's Hele-On Bus is the only public transit option and does not run overnight or serve this remote stretch of Saddle Road, so it cannot be used for this event. Visitors fly into Hilo International Airport and need a rental car; since this is point-to-point and finishes 55 miles away in Waimea, arranging your own support/shuttle vehicle is essential.

Source · checked Aug 24, 2026
READY TO RUN

From race morning to after the finish.

Your start time, fuel and bag drop.
Know them ahead and the run feels easier.

Under the Moon is a self-supported race: runners must bring their own water and supplies,

or have a crew meet them at points along course (you cannot rely on official aid station).

Note that start times and locations differ by distance —

the 100K is said to start at 5:00 p.m. in Hilo, the 50K at 8:00 p.m. at the Saddle Road/Mauna Kea access road,

and the 25K at 9:00 p.m. at Kilohana Hunter's Station.

Check-in for the 100K takes place from 4:30 p.m. in the parking lot of the Hilo KTA Super Store.

The overall time limit for the 100K is 19 hours,

with an interim time limit requiring runners to reach the Mauna Kea Recreation Area (the summit of Saddle Road) within 11 hours.

Because the entire course is on paved road and the race runs through the night, you must bring a headlamp,

spare batteries, reflective gear, and cold-weather clothing for nighttime hypothermia protection.

Given the nature of course, running all night on roads with vehicle traffic, staying visible is especially important.

Times are local to Hilo. Check the latest official information before the race.

A trip built around the race

STAY A LITTLE

MAKE IT A RUNTRIP

The race is one day,
the trip can be longer.

From a hotel that makes race morning easy,
to the meals and views you'll enjoy with the medal on.

Hilo car rental (EconomyBookings)

Compare rates from various rental car companies, self-drive (price confirmed at time of reservation) · Make reservation after checking price

View on EconomyBookings

Hotels near the Under the Moon start line in Hilo

Hotels that make race morning easy

View all →

Distances are straight-line from the start.
Check real travel times and booking terms with each hotel.

Swipe sideways to see more hotels.

Trip.comClosest to the start lineView on Trip.com

Time for you, before and after the finish

View all →

Rest a little, wander a little.
Pick what suits you and whoever you're with.

Hilo car rental (EconomyBookings)

Compare rates from various rental car companies, self-drive (price confirmed at time of reservation) · Make reservation after checking price

View on EconomyBookings

Where runners eat in Hilo

Eating well is part of the trip

View all →

A meal before the race, a dinner to celebrate the finish.

What to see in Hilo after the race

Seeing Hilo with the medal on

View all →

The city you ran — this time, a little slower.

Hotel distances are straight-line from the start. Experiences, food and sights are travel products in Hilo.

Total cost and budget for Under the Moon

TRAVEL ESSENTIALS

Trip prep too,
light and in one place.

ChecklistLocal eSIM · Trip.comFlight delay or cancellation compensation · AirHelpPace calculator

Once saved, you can open this page without an internet connection

Runner stories and questions about Under the Moon

RUN TOGETHER

With runners who dream of
the same start line.

Be the first runner
Leave this room's first post

Hilo runners' room

Frequently asked questions about Under the Moon

FAQ
When does Under the Moon 2027 take place?

Not officially announced yet.

It's expected in August 2027;

the 2026 race was held on Sat, August 1, 2026.

How much is the Under the Moon 2027 entry fee?

Not announced yet. The 2026 race entry fee was about $30.

What distances does Under the Moon 2027 offer?

Ultra. (From the 2026 edition)

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