I placed myself near the 9 min/mile pace sign. My plan was to run at a 9:30 pace and I knew it would be slow starting out. The road was so narrow and the crowd was very congested for about the first mile. At one point, it was so crowded that we were walking around a corner instead of running. My first mile was exactly at a 10 minute mile, and I tired to pick up the pace but it was difficult with the crowd. I was able to pick up the pace and finally settle into a pace after a few miles. I felt great the first few miles and the miles just clicked by. I was feeling great and was singing songs in my head and keeping my mind off running. Like usualy I got really warmed up after the first few miles and my hands were extremely warm. I decided to take off my gloves. At mile 2 I took off my gloves and I was trying to tuck them into my tights. One glove fell onto the ground accidentally and at that point I no longer tried to save them. They were teh cheap stretchy gloves from Wal-Mart, so then I pitched the other one. I didn't want to have to worry about keeping ahold of them for the rest of the race. At mile 4 I had to shed my fleece head band. I was sweatting so bad- when I took off my head band it was water logged with all my sweat. I pitched it on the side of the road as well. All that water/sweat weight was probably weighing me down and I didn't want anything that would prevent me from running faster :) I was such a gel whore for this race- I brought 4 with me, knowing that I would only need 203. But brought extras just in case I needed them. They had aid stations every 2 miles. I wanted to take my frist gel at mile 3, but took it at mile 2 because they had water. I knew it was dumb to take it so early, but I was determined this year in this race that I WOULD NOT bonk at mile 4. I was all about prevention this year, trying to redeem myself from last year's poor performance. So I took my first gel, because the only dork busting out a gel so early in the race. I didn't care- i figured I'd pass these people later who would bonk because they weren't about prevention in this race like I was :) At mile 3 I felt settled into my pace and still felt great. Around mile 4 I nearly fell on the ground laughing- I had a sighting of "Black Spandex Lady!" It was run4yrlif's twin! I saw a lady wearing a black running tank, black tights, and she had black arm warmers on. It was soo funny and I wish I had my camera. That was truly the highlight of my race, if nothing else. I saw some friends around mile 5 on their way back and I was preoccupied looking for them. That killed some time and too my mind of the race. I made sure to yell when I saw them. I tried not to feel a little depressed but when I was the people around looping back I kept thinking- surely the turn around is coming up. I was farther fromit than I thought and I was wishing I could be on my way back in from the loop. I was feeling great until around mile 7- I'm not sure what happened. All of the sudden I got bored and could no longer entertain myself. I starting slowing down. I kept thinking- how in the world could I run another marathon? I wasn't bonking I was just flat out bored! And thinking of running my next marathon started freaking me out- especially when I would see the marathoners of the course. I snapped out of it at mile 8 and 9, but then got bored again at mile 10 and 11 and kept wondering again- how in the world am I going to run a marathon and not get bored??? At that point I started feeling some aches and pains. My right IT band starting hurting and my legs were starting to get sore. I just wanted to get done. Looking at my pace, I knew that I had to pick it up or I wouldn't finish under 2:06. This was probably one of my first moments in a race where I actually starting pushing myself when I was slacking. I picked up the pace for the last 2 miles and felt great again! I was passing lots of people and I was picking them off one by one. Last year I was getting passed by people at this point, so it felt great being able to pass people. When I got about a 1/2 mile from the finish line, I could hear the cheering and announcer. I picked up more speed, rounded the corner, and sprinted to the finish. Of course the announcer screwed up pronouncing my name but I didn't care. I felt like I had run a great race and made it under my goal time- just barely :)

Notta whole lot- I was prepared for this race even though I didn't specifically train for it. I was well rested and ate/hydrated well a few days before the race. I never bonked or felt "out of it" at the finish. The only thing I wish I would have done differently was puch myself more when I started slacking and slowing down. I wish I wouldn't have gotten bored. I would have liked to have more consistent splits.

My friend was waiting for me at the finish. I stretched a little bit- not a whole lot, grabbed my back back and drank my endurox. Waited for some friends to finish the 1/2 marathon, and then we all ate at the post race buffet. I sipped on a beer after the race- it was a nice way to relax after the race. After we ate, we went back to the finish line to watch my friend finish the marathon- she was trying to qualify for Boston and made it. After she finished, we went back to the condo and got cleaned up. On our walk back to the condo, we saw a huge gator basking in the sun on the side of a pond. It was wild! Drove to Charleston for our massages, which by the way- that was one good massage and one of the best massages 've ever gotten. Went to lunch/dinner, ate a burger. Walked around downtown Charleston and went into shops. Grabbed coffee and sat and talked in a coffee shop for about 2 hours. Drove back to the condo, hung out and watched "Steel Magnolia's" that was on tv. Strethed and went to bed.


Not pushing myself harder. I'm working on that!


This is a great race. It's well organized and Kiawah Island is a beautiful place to visit. The post race buffet was great! I highly recommend it. Only thig I didn't like about this race was that it was delayed this year. And- they should probably have staggered start times because the streets are so narrow in the beginning.
*Check out my race photos in my photo album!