Kiawah Island Marathon - RunMarathon

The run went great, PR by almost 5 minutes. I started out well, ran with a couple of guys that helped pass the miles, and broke away from them about mile 15. I was staring to tire around 19 or so, but held it together pretty well. Nancy and Susan were out riding the course cheering everyone along. I ran into them around mile 20 nad they actually rode along with me the rest of the way in which was a huge help, just listening to them BS and tell stories. I think I could've done fine without htem, but it was avery nice distraction. At mile 24 we turned off onto a path, so they couldn't follow me then, but I was past the bad parts of a marathon, and the end - a PR - were in sight. I felt good enough to pick it upthe last mile and run it in 8;05, and I even had enough left in the tank to run the final 100 meters hard through the crowd to the finish line. This was the first marathon I've finished feeling like I could have gone another mile or 2 more without slowing much. I never walked more than 20 yards and that was only at a water stop.

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walked around a bit, got a nice cup of warm soup - the rest of the food was pretty crappy. Walked the 3/4 mile back to the condo, took a shower, and poured myself a drink. Went out and had a nice big cheeseburger and fries, too.


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This race was great. I give it only a 4 rating due to the post race food being pretty crappy - cold pasta salad, cold hummus, good brownies and soup and beer, though. No cookies, or really many options.

The green initiatives were a good thought. THe race was very well organized, no glitches whatsoever. Tons of water stops with fruit, water and gatorade well separated at the stops, too.

I was thinking that the 2 loop course would be really dull the second time around, but I actually liked it, because I knew where I was the whole tuime and knew what was coming up next. It was perfectly flat, too, the one "hill" was about 30 yards long, and might have climbed 20 feet.

The weather cooperated, with nice temos in the mid 40s at the start to mid 50s by the end, sun, little wind, and not much humidity.

I would highly recommend this race as a nice destination marathon. The island and resort are great - expensive and not terribly kid-friendly, but a very nice relaxing time. The golf courses are great too. Where else can you run a marathon and play golf where thye have held mjor championships and the Ryder Cup?