I'm thinking about signing up for the Kiawah 1/2 marathon (December 13, Kiawah Island SC). Their website boasts about a flat, fast course but I've also heard that it can be very windy or even quite warm. What have people found?
Also, I'll be in shape to run about 1:15. I know they don't bring in elites or anything and that the field will be fairly small (<3000 for marathon and 1/2 marathon). So will there be many folks close to me?
Any suggestions are appreciated.
I haven't run it but have many friends who have -- it can be hella windy. If there's no wind it's great. If there's a strong headwind it's hell. It would be very unusual for the temp to be anything over 70-75 in the morning around that time of year there. But it's still real humid.
I think the half probably doesn't have many fast people in it. You can look up last years half online to see if there were any near your time.
Can't find the results on the internet to link to, but here's last year's top 15.
1) 1:11:27
2) 1:12:40
3) 1:14:32
4) 1:14:39
5) 1:16:35
6) 1:16:48
7) 1:17:27
8) 1:18:21
9) 1:19:07
10) 1:19:19
11) 1:19:44
12) 1:19:45
13) 1:19:53
14) 1:20:15
15) 1:20:40
I ran Kiawah's half last year for the first time and got a fat PR. Basically the course amounts to curvy roads (run the tangents) past beautiful golf courses and resort homes on the way out and a parallel greenway on the way back. It was frigid last year but there are enough trees to break up the wind.
The course is super flat and fairly scenic but I wouldn't want to run the full marathon since it is just 2X the half course.
Sign up for housing early, like now, to get something close to the start. Bring your own food because eating options are nil.
I had a great experience there but did not like the greenway in the last six miles. The path is about eight feet wide and very crooked so it is hard to pass side by side runners, see very far ahead, and some of the footing is tricky.