They were first-timers and veterans, and most pounded pavement for hours yesterday in the Honolulu Marathon for all sorts of reasons other than winning: to beat personal bests, to make goals and meet them, or just to say they finished a killer race.

LeeAnn Akina, 35, of Kahuku, is a mother of five and was running yesterday for a boy in her community who recently died because of a heart condition.

"I ran the race to honor a little boy named Davis," she said, crying, after finishing the marathon — her first — in about four hours, 48 minutes. "He lived every day like it was his birthday."

Kimberly Nuzman ran so she could check off a "to-do" on her "bucket list."

"It hurt, but I'm glad I did it," said the 32-year-old Arizona resident.

Some 23,469 people converged yesterday morning for the 26.2-mile race, which kicked off at 5 a.m. near Ala Moana Beach Park, extended to Hawai'i Kai and ended at Kapi'olani Park. There were a fair number of elite runners in the marathon, but most were amateurs who run for pleasure and pride, rather than prize money.

In all, officials said, 20,321 people finished the marathon.

By midmorning, when many amateur runners were crossing the finish line, temperatures were in the low- to mid-80s, and there was hardly a cloud in sight. The weather was an improvement from last year, when it rained for hours during the race.

Running in the heat, though, can be as hard or harder than running in the rain, marathon president Jim Barahal pointed out. But no one suffered major medical problems during the race, and some said they preferred the sunny skies to last year's showers.

"It's a beautiful day," Barahal said.

PARTICIPATION UP

Participation in the race increased slightly this year, by 237 entries.

More than half of the runners were from Japan. About 6,000 were from the Islands.

Hollywood Alcantara, 63, of Honolulu, is one of the event's veterans.

Yesterday was his 41st marathon, he said. "It gets harder," Alcantara said, laughing.

Alcantara trains for the race by running regularly and paddling. He finished yesterday in about five hours, 36 minutes.

"It makes you have a good feeling" to run, he said, as he ate a cookie for energy. Will he be back next year? "Oh yeah!" he said.

Two people who won't be back, though, are Janelle Jones and Peter Cox.

The couple said they must have been crazy to sign up for the marathon. They finished it, though.

"It was a lot harder than I thought it was going to be," said Jones, 24, of Waialua, who finished the race in a little over five hours. Cox, 26, said it was his second time running a marathon. He vowed after the first not to try it again.

But his wife urged him to run, so he caved.

"Never again," Cox said yesterday.

Or at least not for a few more years, Jones said.

PACKING THE PARK

As people streamed past the finish line, they filtered into Kapi'olani Park, where tents were set up for finisher T-shirts, snacks and merchandise. By about 10 a.m., the park was packed with people, many of whom crowded into shady spots for a breather.

And most runners limped along as the rigors of the race caught up with them.

Along with runners, thousands came down to see their loved ones run across the finish line or just to watch the spectacle that is the annual race, whose participation has ballooned since its start in 1973, when 162 people started and 151 finished.

There were also hundreds of spectators along the race route to cheer runners on.

Gene C. Albano, 40, of 'Aiea got applause from his family after finishing. Albano said he told his family they didn't have to come, but they insisted.

And now, he's inspired some of his relatives to start training for next year.

"It motivates us to do it," said Albano's cousin, Jasmin Maeva.

Albano said he'll also be back for what will be his third Honolulu Marathon.

"I'm now a marathon junkie," he said.

Teachers Kristin Risberg and Dorothy Sekowski ran together yesterday to motivate each other. They also trained together and enjoyed keeping their students updated on their progress. "It's my excuse to be in sweat pants and a marathon finisher T-shirt" at school today, said Risberg, a teacher at Mäkaha Elementary School.

Kellen Smith ran his first Honolulu Marathon yesterday, as his friends watched, holding up tongue-in-cheek signs that said things like, "It's about time." He ran the race in four hours, 25 minutes, but isn't sure he'll back for next year. "It was hard. I'll have to think about it," he said yesterday, as he celebrated his finish with a beer.

"I need the carbs," he said, holding up his bottle.