Kiawah Island Marathon - RunMarathon

As usual, had trouble sticking with pace early. Pacing was further complicated by difficulties with the Garmin, probably because of the tree cover. Practically every mile on the course measured long, per Garmin, which gave a total course distance of 26.59 miles. The following splits are per the Timex and the course mile markers:

Mile Split Elapsed Time
1--- 8:35-- 0:08:35
2--- 8:45-- 0:17:20
3--- 9:03-- 0:26:23
4--- 9:00-- 0:35:23
5--- 8:43-- 0:44:06
6--- 8:48-- 0:52:54
7--- 9:18-- 1:02:12
8--- 8:48-- 1:11:00
9--- 8:59-- 1:20:00
10-- 9:21-- 1:29:21
11-- 8:50-- 1:38:11
12-- 8:47-- 1:46:58
13-- 8:48-- 1:55:47
14-- 8:48-- 2:04:35
15-- 8:51-- 2:13:26
16-- 8:55-- 2:22:21
17-- 8:56-- 2:31:17
18-- 9:03-- 2:40:20
19-- 8:55-- 2:49:15
20-- 9:10-- 2:58:24
21-- 9:01-- 3:07:25
22-- 9:04-- 3:16:30
23-- 9:14-- 3:25:44
24-- 9:13-- 3:34:57
25-- 9:00-- 3:43:57
26-- 8:48-- 3:52:45
0.2- 2:02-- 3:54:47

After a too-fast start, settled down to a level, steady pace. Not sure what happened in Mile 7, but Mile 10 was a porta-potty break, as was mile 20. Middle miles look to be very consistent at an 8:50 to 9:00 pace. Started to sag a little in miles 21 to 24, hard to generate the mental effort at that point, physically I could feel it but no more than expected. Didn't help to know that from Mile 20 all I had to do was run a 9:40 pace to get a PR. Averaged 9:06 for that stretch and broke PR by 3:19.

Course didn't give half-marathon split, but I ran the first thirteen miles in 1:55:47 and the second 13 in 1:56:48. Not negative splits, but close enough to being equal for me.

Muster the mental strength to push harder in those latter miles. Even then, I doubt I could have shaved 2 minutes off this time, so I'm very happy with the PR effort.

After finish, got medal and Mylar blanket, then drank several cups of Gatorade. Almost immediately my right foot began to hurt, self diagnosis is that it's a flare-up of plantar fasciitis, even four days later it's still hurting. Funny how I never felt it throughout the run.

Limped into the post-race party, food was fairly nasty, expected better from a classy resort like Kiawah but got a yucky pasta salad, disgusting cush-cush mush, and not much else. Decent bean and bacon? soup and brownies were good, though.

Went back out and found Janelle, talked with her until she left. Went back inside for a token massage, then waited for Angel. Ended up limping back out on the course to Mile 25, then heading back. She caught me with about 3/4 of a mile left, then I took a shortcut to meet her at the finish.


Genetics, mental effort. I'll keep whittling away on that PR time, hoping to get it down to 3:45 the same year I hit 55, which would then be a BQ.


Nice flat, fast course, two loops makes it dull, very little spectator support, but all this allows you to focus on the run. Plenty of friendly volunteers at the aid stations, course is well marked and marshalled.

Post-race food and activities sucked, expected more.