A TROPICAL setting, but not where you might think.

If, upon hearing the name “Kiawah Island,” you conjure up images of palm trees, hula dancers, floral leis, volcanoes, and pineapples, you might need to pull out a map and calibrate your latitudes and longitudes. Despite the images of exotic Pacific island sunsets and grass skirts, Kiawah Island is 21 miles southwest of historic Charleston, nestled just off the South Carolina coast.

But you can rest assured that although Kiawah Island is easily accessible to the entire southeast quadrant of the United States by car and the rest of the country by plane, it is still a world away, featuring one of the more spectacular and lush resort areas ever established on a barrier island.

The Basics

PHONE:	843/768-2780
FAX:	843/768-6022
E-MAIL:	lori_lacy@kiawahresort.com
WEB SITE:	www.kiawahresort.com/marathon
RACE DIRECTOR:	Dylan Jones
YEAR RACE ESTABLISHED:	1978 (then known as The Island Marathon and held on the Isle of Palms until 1987, when the location was moved to Kiawah Island)
SANCTION:	USATF (#SC92033BS)
START TIMES:	8:00 A.M. for full & half; 8:05 A.M. for 5K
COURSE CLOSES:	after eight hours
COURSE RECORDS:	Open men: Terry Stanley, 2:21:24, 1983 Open women: Patty Fulton, 2:51:02, 1999 Masters men: Paul Okerberg, 2:36:13, 1998 Masters women: Anne Reed Boone, 2:56:49, 1986
PRIZE MONEY:	none
MARATHON AWARDS:	“Proud Pelican” awards are presented to the top 5 overall male/female finishers and the top 3 overall male/female masters finishers. Plaques are awarded to the top 3 finishers in the following age groups for both sexes: 12 & under, 13-17, 18-24, 25-29, 30-34, 35-39, 40-44, 45-49, 50-54, 55-59, 60-64, 65-69, 70-74, and 75 & over. Medals are given to all runners completing the full marathon and a finisher’s certificate is mailed following the event.
TIE-IN EVENTS:	Kiawah Island Half-Marathon, Kiawah Island 5K. Note: The 3,000 limit for this race includes all three events.
NUMBER OF VOLUNTEERS:	100
MARATHON FINISHERS IN 2001:	928
MALE/FEMALE FINISHERS:	61 percent male; 39 percent female
COURSE MARKINGS:	every mile
WATER/AID STATIONS:	Approximately every 2 miles. Water and lemon-lime Gatorade as well as bananas and oranges are served. Portable toilets at start/finish and every 2 miles along course.
MEDICAL AID STATIONS:	Approximately 4, 8, 17, and 21 miles. Medical tent at start/finish area. Medical personnel scattered throughout course.
FUTURE RACE DATES:	(Saturday race) 14DEC02, 13DEC03, 11DEC04
ENTRY COST FOR 2002:	$45. Race applications available in mid-September; the race fills by mid-October.
HOST HOTELS:	Kiawah Island Resorts hosts the marathon events and is offering special package rates, which include lodging for the weekend at your choice of the Kiawah Island Inn or a one- or two-bedroom villa; price also includes the prerace banquet the night before the race. Call 800/654-2924 for information. For those who prefer to stay in Charleston, there are many hotels to choose from. Your best bet would be to call the Charleston Chamber of Commerce at 843/577-2510 or visit its Web site at www.charlestonchamber.net.
GETTING THERE:	Charleston International Airport is a pleasant 30-mile drive from the front gate of Kiawah Island. From the airport, pick up I-526 West and take it to the end. From there, turn right on Savannah Highway and go south for about 4 1/2 miles. Make a left on Main Road, which, over the next 17 miles, first turns into Bohicket Road, then Betsy Kerrison Parkway. This is a beautiful stretch of road, and you’ll see lots of Spanish moss hanging from the tree limbs and blue herons wading in the water. Make a left onto Kiawah Island Parkway, and 2 miles later, you’re at the front gate of Kiawah. Make your first right after the welcome gate to get to the Kiawah Island Inn. Villa check-in is two mile east. For those who wish to drive to the race, Interstate 26 goes right into Charleston and can be reached from Interstates 95, 20, 85, and 77. Pick up I-526 West, and follow the above directions. If your starting point is closer to the coast, you may be better off picking up Highway 17 toward Charleston, and then following it to a connection with I-526.

Today, Kiawah Island is a haven for recreational as well as nature-loving fanatics, as it is home to two world-class tennis facilities and five golf courses, living in harmony with 14 varieties of mammals and over 200 bird species, all within its 10,000 acres of verdant vegetation.

Kiawah Island also provides over 10 miles of uninterrupted, pristine white sandy beach, virtually guaranteeing that shell collectors will fill their buckets with souvenirs of the sea before the weekend is done.

All these elements, plus a flat and fast marathon course, contribute to an unforgettable running weekend and a marathon that Runner’s World has ranked highly twice. In its 1995 article “Fast Train to Boston,” Runner’s World ranked it 5th in its top 10 list of fast Boston Marathon qualifiers. A couple of years later, it also made the top 10 list of destination marathons, described as “marathons where you can enjoy both a great race and a great vacation.” Marathon & Beyond also gave it a high ranking in its best marathons list, placing it 11th.

HUMBLE BEGINNINGS

In 1978, while marathons like New York and Chicago were flourishing, luring elite world-class fields with large purses and fast courses, an unpretentious upstart known at the time as the Island Marathon put its stake in the ground with its inaugural running, which barely cleared 100 runners.

The four-loop course around Isle of Palms, South Carolina, was the collaborative brainstorm of the Charleston Running Club, which felt as a club that Charleston needed a good marathon. On November 11, 1978, the first running of what is now the oldest active marathon in South Carolina, directed by John Dunkleberg, was held and saw 113 runners cross the finish line. Robert Schlau, who later went on to be one of the world’s top masters runners, won in a time of 2:25:42. The women’s winner that year was Shay Slayton, with 3:23:39.

Those first years were lean for marathon registrants, and the number of finishers exceeded 200 in only 3 of the first 10 years. But Isle of Palms politicians thought the island was too small to accommodate even that many runners, and they began to put the squeeze on the club. So in 1988, the Charleston Running Club, led by race director Chuck Magera, started shopping around for a new home for its marathon. The club was greeted with open arms by Kiawah Island. The marathon moved in 1988; it has since flourished as heartily as the plush vegetation that lines the course.

For those who like nice round numbers, it is interesting to note that as Kiawah Island prepares for the 25th running of the event on December 14, there have been exactly 10,000 finishers in the history of the marathon. Thus, the first finisher in this year’s silver anniversary running of the race will also be the first finisher of the next 10,000 to cross the line. It is, however, unlikely that it will take an additional 24 years before number 20,000 crosses the line. That’s the way it is when a marathon grows from 113 finishers in the inaugural year in 1978 to averaging nearly 1,000 finishers a year over the past 5 years. That number would be much higher except for the fact that the race closes as soon as total registration reaches 3,000 for the

Must See/Must Avoid

MUST SEE

Kiawah Island’s beach. No less an authority than noted beach expert Dr. Stephen P. Leatherman, working with the Travel Channel, earlier this year named Kiawah Island as having one of the 10 best beaches in the country. On a Travel Channel program in February, Kiawah Island was ranked ninth and was the only top 10 beach outside of Hawaii, California, North Carolina, or Florida. In addition, Kiawah Island’s beach was named “best wildlife getaway beach” in the country. The 10 miles of uninterrupted beach might just be the perfect locale for your light jog the day before the marathon or for a gentle stroll after the race while you’re waiting for the Saturday night seafood dinner.

Kiawah Island golf courses. If you are as avid about golfing as you are about running, you will probably never want to leave the island. You have five exquisite courses to choose from, and with designers such as Pete Dye, Gary Player, and Jack Nicklaus, you can be sure that they will be both challenging and beautiful with the backdrop of Kiawah Island. Golf Digest has placed 3 of the courses on its list of “America’s Top 75 Resort Courses”—more than any other resort community in the country, and Conde Nast Traveler recently named Kiawah Island one of the “Top 50 Gold Resorts Worldwide.” Kiawah’s “Ocean Course” was the host course of the 1991 Ryder Cup.

Kiawah Island tennis courts. Golf isn’t the only world-class cross-training option on the island. Its tennis facilities are also world renowned, boasting such high accolades as being ranked fifth in the country in Tennis Magazine’s “Greatest U.S. Tennis Resorts,” while TennisResortsOnline.com ranked it seventh best in the country. Of course, you may not feel like taking the risk of twisting an ankle the day before the marathon, and the thought of lunging for a second serve the day after the marathon may not be your idea of fun, so one of your activities while on the island may just be planning a return trip.

Charleston carriage tours. A trip to Kiawah Island would not be complete without an excursion to nearby Charleston, a city so rich with history it’s hard to know where to begin. That’s why the perfect start to a visit to Charleston might be one of the many carriage tours. While listening to a knowledgeable guide pointing out the city’s highlights as you traverse the city, you can plan the rest of your day based on whatever piques your interest.

MUST AVOID

There is really nothing to avoid on Kiawah Island. However, the island has very few streetlights, and walking to and from the prerace and postrace dinners involves walking in the dark. Be sure to pack a flashlight for the trip, and use it whenever you go anywhere after dark; otherwise, you won’t be able to safely find your way around.

combined races: marathon, half-marathon, and 5K. The three events are all held on the same morning.

A BRIEF ISLAND HISTORY

The Kiawah Indians (pronounced KEE-a-wah) were the original inhabitants of the island and were known for their hunting and fishing prowess. They are presumed to have lived peacefully on the island but ended up being no match for the one-two punch of newly arrived European settlers and their diseases, such as small pox and measles, and the Kiawah died off before the end of the 17th century.

In 1699 George Raynor, a suspected pirate of the Captain Cook clan, was given title to the island by the Lords Proprietors, but the Raynor family’s ownership was transitory, and in 1719 the island was purchased by John Stanyarne.

The island changed hands several more times before finally gaining some stability in ownership when the Vanderhorst family owned most of it in the mid-1700s. General Amoldus Vanderhorst, a Revolutionary War hero and two-time mayor of nearby Charleston, was the original Vanderhorst owner. The Vanderhorsts shared ownership of the island for several generations with another family and became the sole owners in the late 19th century. The Vanderhorst mansion still stands, complete with graffiti scribbled by Union soldiers during the Civil War.

The Vanderhorst family owned the island until 1951 when, in a real estate coup reminiscent of the procurement of Manhattan Island by the Dutch for a paltry $24 many years earlier, C. C. Royal, a lumberman, purchased Kiawah Island for an equally paltry $125,000. Just 23 years later, his heirs sold the same piece of property to a resort developer for $18.2 million, and the Kiawah Island we know today began to take shape.

Since then the island has evolved into a scenic backdrop to “One of the most naturally beautiful USATF-certified courses on the East Coast.” (This is according to the race application.)

In 1993, Virginia Investment Trust bought the portions of Kiawah Island that comprise Kiawah Island Resorts.

Along with the golf courses and tennis complexes, the resort also oversees the 150-room Kiawah Island Inn, the 21-acre Night Heron Park, and nine restaurants and lounges, and also manages a rental program consisting of nearly 600 villas and luxury private homes. Kiawah Island Resorts also has produced the marathon since it was moved to the island, while the Charleston Running Club still manages the course on race day. The vast majority of marathon participants contact Kiawah Island Resorts for their weekend accommodations, as many of the villas available through the resort are within walking distance of all the race activities.

WHAT TO EXPECT ON THE COURSE

The weather on the island can be very unpredictable, especially in December.

The temperature can be near—or below—freezing at the start, or it could be in the 60s with high humidity, with the mercury climbing to near 80 degrees by the time the eight-hour limit is approached.

That’s what happened in 2001 when many of the marathoners struggled through the second half of the race. Since Kiawah is a barrier island, there is also the potential for sustained strong winds blowing off the water.

It is highly recommended that potential entrants tap into www.weather.com and check out the weather forecast before heading out for the island.

The race starts and finishes near the East Beach Conference Center with a simultaneous start for the marathon and half. The 5K starts from the same area about five minutes later. Last year, for the first time since the race moved to Kiawah Island, the course was changed to two loops of the half-marathon course. For 2002 the course might be slightly modified, but it will still remain a two-loop traverse of the island. The changes between 2001 and 2002 will occur at the start/finish area and will likely benefit the runners, who were tightly packed at the start and remained bunched up for the first couple of miles, making it challenging for Boston qualification hopefuls who needed a perfect race to have a chance.

The terrain is mostly flat, which would indicate the potential for fast times. And if the conditions are right, fast times are to be had; however, there are quite a few weaves and turns along the course because the 26.2 miles are run on a limited surface area. The first half of the marathon is run with the half-marathoners, and the pack thins out by more than half when the half-marathoners turn for home while the marathoners continue on for their second loop.

Starting from the conference center, the course uses much of the island during its journey as it heads out on Sea Forest Drive for a short time before angling right onto Kiawah Island Parkway. Before the first mile marker, the course winds right again onto Governor’s Drive, where you are likely to see majestic blue herons standing by the edge of the lake off to the left. After a bit more than a mile, another sharp right will have you flying down Flyway Drive, followed by a sharp left onto Bufflehead Drive.

From there, you’ll hop onto a path running parallel to Governor’s Drive for a short stretch before reaching the longest stretch of straightaway on the course, heading west on Ocean Course Drive for close to two miles, where you will reach the turnaround and be directed onto the bike path running alongside the road for the next two miles back. This is a nice opportunity to see who is ahead of you on the way out and who is running behind you on the way back. You hear a lot of encouragement and salutations along this part of the course.

Now heading back to the start/finish area, you’ll make a left off the bike path back onto Flyway Drive and make another left on Surfsong Road. Just before mile 10, you’ll make another sharp right onto Glen Abbey, then onto the “Alley of Oaks,” the bike path running beside Flyway Drive. Finally, you’ll turn left on the bike path parallel to Governor’s Drive and left on the bike path back to Kiawah Island Parkway, where you get to do it all over one more time.

If it all sounds confusing, just follow the runner in front of you and you should be OK. But if you find yourself in the lead, don’t do what

HIGHS	LOWS
Top-rated marathon located in a top-rated resort community World-class golf and tennis, miles of beach and bike paths, and an abundance of wildlife Half-marathon and 5K option Prerace pasta party and great postrace refreshments Splendid seafood buffet the night of the race Great finishers’ medals One of the few Saturday marathons	Two-loop marathon course Very small expo Little crowd support

the lead runner did in 1999. He decided to take matters into his own hands around 11 miles when, instead of following the lead vehicle, he decided he knew the course better than anyone else and went left when he should have gone right. He ended up running off the course, but fortunately for the rest of the field, he was the only one who did.

RACE WEEKEND PARTICULARS

Race numbers and T-shirts may be picked up at the East Beach Conference Center starting on Thursday, from 4:00 P.M. to 7:00 P.M. On Friday, packet pickup continues from 10:00 A.M. to 8:00 P.M. Also on Friday, National Sporting Goods will be selling running attire and accessories. The Signature Shop will also be present, selling marathon logoware.

On the night before the marathon, there is a huge prerace banquet dinner at the East Beach Convention Center, where a buffet is presented that includes a nice variety of pasta with light sauces, baked lemon chicken, a variety of salads, freshly

baked breads, desserts, beverages, and beer. The cost is a little stiff at $24.95, but it gives runners the opportunity to make new friends and share war stories, so it should be placed on your to-do list. The buffet is served from 5:30 P.M. to 8:30 P.M.

Immediately following the marathon, all full marathon runners displaying a race number are invited to join the celebration inside East Beach Conference Center from 10:00 A.M. to 2:00 P.M. Governor’s Hall is restricted to full marathon runners until the awards ceremony at approximately 1:00 P.M.

In addition, from 8:30 A.M. until noon, all 5K and half-marathon runners are invited to the Town Center Mall for the outdoor party and awards ceremony. Race numbers are required for food and beverage service. 5K awards take place at approximately 10:00 A.M., followed by half-marathon awards at approximately 11:00 A.M.

Finally, from 6:00 P.M. until 10:00 P.M. on race day, a gala postrace seafood buffet party is hosted by Kiawah Island Resorts. The cost is $25.50 per person and includes seafood chowder, a variety of salads, fresh rolls, roasted catfish, chicken pasta, green beans, seafood jambalaya, and assorted desserts and beverages. The party features a professional disc jockey and a continuous replay of the day’s race via video.

The Bottom Line

We have weighed various aspects of a marathon within a 1,000-point scoring grid. Besides the author of the article, two dozen runners at the race were randomly chosen to score the race for us (KIM = Kiawah Island Marathon). The results follow:

1. HISTORY/TRADITION

Evaluate the race’s sense of history and tradition.
[Possible points: 30   KIM score: 22]

2. ENTRY FORM

Is the race entry form clear, concise, attractive, complete, and easy to fill out?
[Possible points: 20   KIM score: 20]

3. ENTRY COST

For most races, the entry fee covers between 30 and 50 percent of the cost of putting on the event. Rate the value of your dollar relative to this race.
[Possible points: 30   KIM score: 25]

4. LOCALE/SCENICS

Is the race held in an area that is easy to get to and scenic and offers adequate food and housing services and nonrace activities for family and friends?
[Possible points: 50   KIM score: 45]

5. REGISTRATION

Is registration well organized and efficient? Does it bog down unnecessarily?
[Possible points: 20   KIM score: 20]

6. PRERACE ACTIVITIES

Evaluate activities, such as pasta feeds, parties, and so on, during the days before the race.
[Possible points: 50   KIM score: 39]

7. EXPO

Does the expo offer a fair number and variety of booths relative to the race’s size? Are there quality exhibitors and good guest speakers?
[Possible points: 50   KIM score: 22]

8. COURSE

Take into consideration the following: degree of difficulty, certified, sanctioned, quality of road or trail surface, adequate mileage and directional markers, aid stations, medical coverage, race communications, accessibility to course for friends and family, typical weather, and so on.
[Possible points: 400   KIM score: 341]

9. RACE AMENITIES

This category includes race T-shirt, finisher’s medal, finisher’s certificate, adequate and efficient finish area, ease of sweatbag retrieval, showers, postrace refreshments, awards ceremony, raffles, results postcard, results book, and so on.
[Possible points: 250   KIM score: 209]

10. VOLUNTEERS

Are the volunteers experienced and adequate in number?
[Possible points: 100   KIM score: 83]

TOTAL SCORE FOR KIAWAH ISLAND MARATHON

826 points