Ironman World Championship miles to link it to the start of the marathon course. In 1981 the race was moved to the less urbanized Big Island, keeping the distances the same: a open water swim in Kailua-Kona Bay, a bike ride across the Hawaiian lava desert to Hāwī and back, and a marathon (26 miles 385 yards, 42.195 km) run along the coast of the Big Island from Keauhou to Keahole Point and back to Kailua-Kona, finishing on Alii Drive. Since 1982, the race has been held in the fall each year, before which it was held in the spring, giving two races
Monumental Marathon Just over 1,100 runners completed the inaugural running of the race, while almost 2,000 completed the race the following year. The Monumental Half Marathon is run concurrently to the full marathon. The two races follow identical routes for the first six or so miles, split, then re-converge for the last three miles of the course. Nearly 3,000 runners completed the half marathon in 2009. Beginning in 2010, a 5k race was offered as well. "A beautiful place to set your pace" is the tagline of the Monumental Marathon. The course for the Monumental Marathon begins and ends near the Indiana