Despite the lingering economic malaise, entries for the 2009 Honolulu Marathon are slightly ahead of last year's pace.

As of Nov. 2, the Honolulu Marathon Association had received 20,411 entries, compared to 20,009 at the same point last year.

Driving the numbers is an increase in local and Japanese entries.

Some 12,713 Japanese runners have submitted entries so far this year, compared to 12,346 at the same time last year. Japanese runners traditionally make up the majority of the Honolulu Marathon field.

Local entries are up from 5,745 to 6,211.

The increases more than offset a drop in entries from runners from the Mainland (1,256 to 943) and countries other than the U.S. and Japan (662 to 544).