There’s a moment at the finish line that doesn’t get talked about enough.
It’s not when the elites cross. It’s not the first hour. It’s somewhere around hour five or six, when the sun is past its peak and the crowd has quieted, and a runner comes around the last corner — someone who’s been out there since before dawn, someone who maybe hasn’t done this before, someone who made a promise to themselves months ago that they’re about to keep.
That’s the moment I live for. That’s what race announcing is actually about.
Major Races
Over the years, I’ve had the privilege of being behind the mic at some of Hawaii’s most iconic endurance events:
- Honolulu Marathon — One of the largest marathons in the world, drawing 30,000+ runners from across the globe each December
- Hapalua Half-Marathon — The premier half-marathon in Hawaii, bringing thousands of runners to the streets of Honolulu
- Iron Man Hawaii — The World Championship. The standard. The race that defines what endurance sports can be.
- Additional events — Various 5Ks, 10Ks, triathlons, and community fun runs across Oahu and the neighbor islands
What Makes a Great Race Announcer
The technical part — knowing the route, tracking the leaders, keeping the energy up for hours — that’s table stakes. Anyone with broadcast training can do the technical part.
What separates a great race announcer from a functional one is this: you have to genuinely care about every single person in the field. Not just the winners. Not just the fast ones. The back-of-the-pack runner who almost didn’t sign up. The first-timer who trained through an injury. The 70-year-old finishing their twelfth marathon.
Every one of them deserves a moment. My job is to make sure they get one.
I also believe in preparation. I know the course. I know the history. I know the names of the local favorites and the returning champions. When someone crosses that line, I want to be ready to say something true about them — not just fill the air.
Let’s Work Together
Organizing a race or endurance event in Hawaii? I’d love to be part of it.
Whether you’re building a brand-new event or looking to elevate an existing one, a great announcer changes the atmosphere. It changes how runners feel about the experience. It changes whether they come back.