More than 20,000 runners will take to the streets today for the 2009 Hawaiian Telcom Great Aloha Run from Aloha Tower to Aloha Stadium.

In its 25th year, the 8.15-mile run benefits local charities including D.A.R.E, the Girl Scout Council, Hawai'i Newspaper in Education, Kick Start Hawai'i, Leeward Special Olympics, National Multiple Sclerosis Society, MWR Facilities, United Cerebral Palsy of Hawai'i, the Well of Hope Foundation, the Variety School of Hawai'i, and the Kaimuki YMCA.

Since 1985, the race has raised more than $7.6 million and helped more than 150 nonprofit groups.

"Runner's World" magazine has called the event one of the top foot races in the United States. The 80 people who have done all 24 races will be honored at a party at the stadium. The course record was set at 40:02 by Rachid Tbahi of Morocco in 1996.

The race will cause several road closures today. Some of the main ones are:

• All Downtown streets from Beretania Street to Nimitz Highway from 4 a.m. to about 8 a.m.

• Ala Moana Boulevard and Nimitz Highway east-bound starting at 4:30 a.m. to about 8 a.m. and then west-bound to Valkenburgh, until after the race passes.

• Other major roads include Dillingham Boulevard, and Center and Radford drives at Kamehameha Highway in both directions.

Avoid using Middle Street and Dillingham Boulevard intersections, as delays on these streets may result from the closure. Police will attempt to let cross-traffic flow once the bulk of the racers has passed.