I used to tell everyone how well organized this race is. This year, that failed to be true, but I have faith that it will be back to true form. Really, really could have used rehydration stations between miles 18-21, that HURT!!! Do not like the 2-laps, not at all. Still...it is a great time of year for a marathon...keeps you motivated during what may be the off-season for us northerners!

Not at all organized at the start. There was no clear starting gun or command -- we were just standing and then all of the sudden the crowd started to move and there was no chip start. Also, with the half and full on such a narrow winding start it got too congested. The course was not very well marked. Volunteers at aid stations were very helpful.

Kiawah Island was absolutely beautiful and a delightful place for a marathon. The vans at the resort shuttled you to everything so transportation was great. The pre race pasta dinner, the after marathon food and the seafood buffet were absolutely wonderful!! When I left Colorado, the temp was 10 degrees. This was my first experience of running in this kind of heat and humidity. As hot as it was, they needed water stops every two miles. My second loop, one of the stations was out of water and others were closing down. I had bad blisters on one foot at the finish and the medical help was wonderful. Thank you Mary, the nurse!! The t-shirts and medals were great. I was fortunate enough to win an age group award and those were absolutely super. This is a first rate marathon. I would just want people to know to be prepared for hot weather. Carry a bandana to soak in water to cool yourself down. Thanks Kiawah for a grand time!!!!

This was a great race and really well organized (yes...pretty pathetic in terms of crowd support, but it might mean that all the rich doctors and lawyers on the island might have to get some fresh air..:)..BUT, why wasn't there actual chip timing? There's supposed to be a chip 'carpet' at the start too to mark the actual start..This is the whole point of chip timing, folks! I imagine the majority of people who ran this race really had a time anywhere from 30 seconds to 2 minutes faster than what was registered at the finish. The start was pretty crowded and somewhat bottlenecked. Obviously, this would not be a good race to use for a Boston qualifier since the times are not accurate from actual start to finish.
Is this going to be fixed by next year's race?

Great course to qualify for boston (I did!!). The 2 loop course was mentally challenging b/c the mile markers for the 2nd loop were right behind the ones for the first loop--very depressing!! Perfectly flat course, but dodging walkers on the bike path who were not in the race was kind of annoying. Only complaint is that there is a stretch between 18-23 miles with no water!! It was 85 degrees with high humidity--bad time to go w/out water for 5 or so miles. The organization was great! Only other complaint is that the race is not chip-started, which means if you are in the back you will lose time. Overall, great volunteers and organization and scenery. Didn't mind the turns too much--only one or two 'sharp' turns.

The double loop was a great idea. It kept the crowd support cheering the entire time. I feel as though one must be from Charlotte, NC to run this race. Was there anyone from South Carolina there? :)
I run a marathon every week. I highly recommend this one to everyone. I'll be back.

This was my first marathon. I wasn't sure what to expect but the whole weekend was absolutley fantastic. Despite the HOT race day I had the time of my life and am now hooked on marathon running. Kiawah was a wonderful place to run although the 'locals' in the residential area where the race took place were all on vacation! The runners were brilliant, the food was fabulous and the organization was good. I will run this race again next year, 2002.

This was my tenth marathon, and my first time running Kiawah. The course was very scenic the first time around; nice views of palm trees and marshes. Second loop was basically a repeat of the first. The island is private and very restrictive, so there were few spectators. The course is very flat, and water/aide stations were plentiful. Post-race pasta and bean soup were excellent. I would recommend this one to anyone who lives in the Carolinas or Georgia as worth the trip. Just don't expect a lot of crowd support.

Great course, wonderful run. The course is beautiful, and the people who are out to cheer are very friendly.
Nice post-race and pre-race meals, too!

Kiawah was my second marathon, and I specifically chose it to qualify for Boston--which I did! It's a flat course, but the winding nature of it does get a little tedious. However, if you're looking for a well-organized race, a fast course, a small field, and typically great marathoning weather, this is the race.
The crowd support was mediocre, but if you're focused on your goal, there are enough people there to pull you through. The one disappointment was the food buffet after the race, but the Friday night pasta dinner was great. Overall, this is a great destination marathon for either the first-timer, or the serious racer looking for a PR or a qualifying time for Boston.