Just a 30 minute ferry ride off Hilton Head Island, SC lies Daufuskie Island. Haig Point, a private residential community on Daufuskie, hosts this ultimate event consisting of a half marathon or full marathon. This event is produced by Run 4 a Reason/ Rough Runners R4R. Runners will experience the …
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Just a 30 minute ferry ride off Hilton Head Island, SC lies Daufuskie Island. Haig Point, a private residential community on Daufuskie, hosts this ultimate event consisting of a half marathon or full marathon. This event is produced by Run 4 a Reason/ Rough Runners R4R.
Runners will experience the all inclusive race, as soon as they step onto the island. The runners will be greeted with a morning cup of coffee, cinnamon roll, and hyped entertainment to get you ready to run. Race through Haig Point, to Freeport, onto Church Rd, and then back into Haig Point along the beach.
After your race, a catered picnic lunch and an assortment of beverages await you… including a cool beer provided you’re of legal drinking age. Additionally, each runner will receive high end swag and a finishing medal to commemorate your accomplishment. Take your medal to Jacy, a local artist, and she will engrave your finishing time while enjoying the after party. Chow down and listen to live entertainment with family and friends while you recover and enjoy your accomplishment.
LESS
Flat & Fast, Race by Runners for Runners
This is a small race, certified course. Approximately 150 marathoners and 350 half runners. Very limited vehicle traffic on a live course. Island location accessible by ferry. You MUST buy … MORE
This is a small race, certified course. Approximately 150 marathoners and 350 half runners. Very limited vehicle traffic on a live course. Island location accessible by ferry. You MUST buy a separate ferry ticket ($50, good for the weekend).
Flat and fast, two laps, mostly paved with some hard pack sand roads and a crushed oyster shell section.
Morning tent/dining area and post race meal area. Food was nutritious and good. Meal and beer ticket included for runners, quests can purchase same at a reasonable price.
I flew in for the race via Savannah.
Recommended.
Very easy and comfortable race
Challenging to get to -- be sure you buy the ferry ticket to the island from the right ferry company (there are two!), and it is a pedestrian only ferry … MORE
Challenging to get to — be sure you buy the ferry ticket to the island from the right ferry company (there are two!), and it is a pedestrian only ferry so no car or support from car. You may have to wait an hour in cold ocean breeze for the return trip on the ferry when you are soaking wet, so be sure to bring ample warm extra layers to put on following the race. But the organization is excellent and the race itself seemed flawless, with timely starts, easy-to-follow markings, and ample aid station support. The medals are artful and pretty, and the age group awards exceptional.
Beautiful location - small local race
Pretty destination race to run. The cinnamon rolls and coffee before the race was a plus. They provided a catered lunch after the race and there were several hot sandwich … MORE
Pretty destination race to run. The cinnamon rolls and coffee before the race was a plus. They provided a catered lunch after the race and there were several hot sandwich options to choose from. The most scenic part of the route was also the coldest since it was along the waterfront. Highly recommend this race!
Flat, beautiful, and great production!
Beautiful destination event! Flat course with scenic views, great volunteers, and plenty of pre and post race food for slow people like me. Cinnamon rolls, coffee, and breakfast sandwiches before … MORE
Beautiful destination event! Flat course with scenic views, great volunteers, and plenty of pre and post race food for slow people like me. Cinnamon rolls, coffee, and breakfast sandwiches before race, and beer, tea, lemonade, pulled pork, hor dogs, veggies burgers, pasta, and potato salad after the race. Big tent with table and chairs so you can be out of the wind and cold while eating or waiting for the start of the race.
Pretty beach towels instead of race shirt was a nice change, and the medal is very pretty.
Very well organized! The only complaint from some were the long waits in the cold for the ferries back to Hilton Head.
Great experience, and I highly recommend this event!
Love R4R rough runners races
Dan, Kerry, and Jason pour so much into their races, making meaningful impact, and giving back plus awesome snacks and fun. To know them is to love them. Once of … MORE
Dan, Kerry, and Jason pour so much into their races, making meaningful impact, and giving back plus awesome snacks and fun. To know them is to love them. Once of the best races if you get perfect weather like this year!
Run- amazing…experience- needs work
Positives: cheering, photographs, engraved medals, aid station volunteers were amazing- very helpful and happy!, beautiful location, lovely island/mansion workers Room for improvement: party /music stopped while runners were still going, … MORE
Positives: cheering, photographs, engraved medals, aid station volunteers were amazing- very helpful and happy!, beautiful location, lovely island/mansion workers
Room for improvement: party /music stopped while runners were still going, ran out of food while runners were still running, ferry line home took 2.5 hrs of waiting in the cold due to food and party stopping,
Good Race
This was a really great race overall. Thank you to everyone who volunteered! And a big shout out to rough runners and all the sponsors who made this happen. Just … MORE
This was a really great race overall. Thank you to everyone who volunteered! And a big shout out to rough runners and all the sponsors who made this happen.
Just have three quick notes to make next year even better.
1. Not enough water on the back stretch of this marathon.
2. Let’s figure out a way to have race packets on Daufuskie Island prior to the race day.
3. There was a woman trailing her husband the entire marathon in a golf cart. It made passing him somewhat difficult and was dangerous to other runners.
This marathon is a hidden gem!
This is a fast, flat forgiving course. We stumbled on this marathon a few years ago when Charleston, SC marathon was canceled. I've been back each year since. When you … MORE
This is a fast, flat forgiving course. We stumbled on this marathon a few years ago when Charleston, SC marathon was canceled. I’ve been back each year since. When you arrive on Daufuskie Island runners are directed to a tent that has heaters to keep you warm, coffee, cinnamon rolls and bananas. Post marathon food is fantastic. There is free medal engraving and the best swag.
Great race. Scenery and small town feel!
Pros: beautiful course and nice people, flat, lovely nature, lots of gu gels, extraordinary volunteers, good after party , good breakfast, nice heated tent Cons: there was hot water but … MORE
Pros: beautiful course and nice people, flat, lovely nature, lots of gu gels, extraordinary volunteers, good after party , good breakfast, nice heated tent
Cons: there was hot water but no tea, the wait for the boat was brutal in the cold (can you provide foil blankets), there was no visible medical tent. Sorry to point these out because I had a great time and these are things that I think would be great additions to your run.
I love this race and keep coming back!
Beautiful course! Flat and fast! Great swag and post race party. Free and fantastic race photos. I've run this race 4 times, the 39.3 race twice and the marathon twice. … MORE
Beautiful course! Flat and fast! Great swag and post race party. Free and fantastic race photos. I’ve run this race 4 times, the 39.3 race twice and the marathon twice. I keep coming back for a reason. Excellent race direction. Super organized and fun.
Beautiful destination race
It’s a bit of a challenge getting here from the west coast but the long plane ride and ferry ride are totally worth it. Beautiful course, great food prior and … MORE
It’s a bit of a challenge getting here from the west coast but the long plane ride and ferry ride are totally worth it. Beautiful course, great food prior and after. If you rent a golf cart make sure Haig Point honors your reservation.
Great race, but 2023 was COLD.
So I've run a lot of races in cold weather, and this race was not particularly cold. It was in the mid-30s I believe. But... the organizers need to plan … MORE
So I’ve run a lot of races in cold weather, and this race was not particularly cold. It was in the mid-30s I believe. But… the organizers need to plan a bit better for the cold weather. You’ve got runners taking the ferry from the mainland as early as 6:30, and the half marathon (which I ran) didn’t start until 9:30. I appreciate the late start on a cold morning, actually, but runners were super cold. I stood around for well over an hour in the 38 degree weather, doing nothing. There were heaters but more than half of them were out of fuel by 8:15am. The others had limited space around them and other runners were understandably crowding in around, but there just wasn’t enough space.
Suggestions? Bring in more heaters. Make sure all have plenty of gas. Don’t just enclose the back wall of the tent, enclose the sides and part of the front, at least. And finally, have packet pickup open until the last race starts; be sure your website has the correct times for packet pickup. My race started at 9:30 but packet pickup ended – according to the website – at 7:40. Unless I clicked on another page, where it said it ended at 8:30. We stayed on the island overnight and drove a golf cart for 20 minutes to the race, so that 20 minutes at 20 mph on a cart didn’t help keep me warm.
BUT, these things above are the only complaints about this very cool (no pun intended) race! This race was awesome and I’d go back and run it again. And to be fair, this was unusually cold weather for Daufuskie… but still, there is a weather forecast to help planning.
The course was beautiful. The last two miles were so pretty, but also brutal. They were on the ocean and a biting cold strong headwind made running hard. I ran two 1:30 slower per mile in the last two miles than my average for the other miles. It was demoralizing, tbh. But that was no fault of the race orgs, it just is what it is, and I loved it. You run through a golf community, the historic area, the beach, down packed sand roads with hanging Spanish Moss, and I’ve run only a few courses that were more pretty. Out of maybe 75 races I’ve done this course was top 10.
I appreciated the pre-race cinnamon rolls, but the post-race food was ho-hum. I’m a plant-based eater and this is the ONLY race I’ve ever seen veggie burgers at the post-race meal, so kudos for that! But it was a burger on a bun, and that’s it. No tomatoes, no lettuce, onion… but maybe I expect too much? 🙂 They had chips, plenty of drinks, beer, and live music. If it had not been colder I would have stayed longer. Honestly, not much more you can ask for here.
The SWAG was decent. The duffle bag I thought I wouldn’t use was put into immediate use and is now my race bag. And it’s nice to get something other than a t-shirt. The medal was fine.
Plenty of toilets, plenty of aid stations, and the spectators were super friendly. I’d love to do this race again but I live six hours away, by car. Such a pretty place, and race. I would highly recommend this.
Amazing Atmosphere and Support
Daufuskie Island rolled out the "red" carpet with breakfast and lunch (full sit down meal). Prepare and make sure that you pack your bag for Winter Weather. The temps were … MORE
Daufuskie Island rolled out the “red” carpet with breakfast and lunch (full sit down meal). Prepare and make sure that you pack your bag for Winter Weather. The temps were in the 30Fs.
The only thing that I recommend is that enough heaters need to be provided and the tent should be closed in to keep the heat in. Also, it is out of the RD’s control, but we waited around 2-3 hours before gun time.
Flat and scenic with dolphin sighting
I was planning to do a half in South Carolina this weekend. I was debating between this one and Charleston. I was initially leaning towards Charleston as the logistics seemed … MORE
I was planning to do a half in South Carolina this weekend. I was debating between this one and Charleston. I was initially leaning towards Charleston as the logistics seemed easier for Charleston but when Charleston canceled the race last minute last year and canceled the marathon this year, something just seemed off about it and I decided to do this race instead. This race was definitely the correct choice and I would highly recommend it. Logistics are a bit intimidating as the race is on an island only accessible by ferry. What makes it intimidating as there are very different logistics if you stay on the island vs stay in Hilton Head. I stayed in Hilton Head and once I read through the logistics carefully they weren’t bad at all. I will state exactly what I did and if you do it too you will have a successful race weekend. When you register for the race if you are staying in Hilton Head you also have to purchase a ferry ticket. I will say between the race registration, ferry ticket and cost of lodging in the area this is not a cheap race but worth it for a fun race-cation. This race is on Saturday and does not have packet pick-up unless you make special arrangements. I took off Friday and flew into the Savannah airport Friday morning and rented a car. I stayed in Hilton Head where the ferry to Daufuskie Island is located. It is about an hour drive from Savannah to Hilton Head. Packet pick-up is at the embarkation point in Hilton Head where you will also catch the ferry on race day. They also had a few other options for packet pick-up at different locations earlier in the week. You are assigned a bib and it was easy to get it. This year the swag item was a duffle bag. It is a nice bag and has the race logo but it’s not my favorite swag item as it will be annoying to bring back as I only packed a duffle bag for the weekend and now I need to stuff this additional duffle bag into my duffle bag when I fly home. There were also items to purchase. The shirts all had turtles on them and I couldn’t resist and bought a shirt. However they did run out of some sizes by Friday packet pick-up. For the hotel I stayed at the Holiday Inn Express in Hilton Head. This is an under 10 minutes from the ferry embarkation and within walking distance of the beach, shopping area and lots of restaurants. Race morning you drive back to the embarkation where there are volunteers directing parking. One critique I’m not sure they have control over is the timing of the ferries is kind of awkward. There are ferries that leave at 6:30, 7:30 and 8:30 and the races start at 8:30 for the marathon and 9:30 for the half. The ferry ride is about 20 to 30 mins so for the half you can take the 7:30 ferry and be there over an hour and half early or the 8:30 and be there 30 to 40 minutes early. An 8:00 ferry would have been perfect but was not an option. I get nervous with a race I haven’t done before so chose 7:30 but there was a lot of waiting before the race. The ferry left efficiently at 7:30. They tell you to be there a half hour before the ferry but you really only need to be there 5 minutes before. Someone checked you in before you boarded. It was sunrise during the 7:30 ferry which was beautiful. You then get off the ferry and onto the island. Weather was beautiful for running but cold for waiting. I did not bring a jacket or drop bag but if I were to do it again I would have brought either a blanket or jacket to keep me warm while I wait. They did have a tent with heating and warm coffee and cinnamon buns. They even had oat milk for the coffee which is great since my stomach can’t handle black coffee or dairy milk before a race. You definitely would be fine if you took the later ferry as it is a smaller race and the start line is right by the dock but it was nice to see the marathon start and get the logistics down and also allowed time to fully digest the cinnamon roll. About 10 to 15 minutes before the race they lead some dynamic stretching and the RD gave brief race announcements and then we went to the start line. It is a pretty small race with about 200 people in each distance so no corrals. We just went. It is chip timed with a timing mat at the start/finish. The race is on roads throughout the island. It is “open to traffic” but there are very few vehicles on the island mostly just golf carts so essentially the entire road is open for running and there was plenty of room to pass people and spread out. The course is very nice through the island. The first about 11 miles are inland on the island. This means no wind and there weather here couldn’t be better. This part is scenic with lots of trees and very different vegetation than we have in the northeast though does get a bit monotonous. You also pass by some horses and some nice houses and a golf course. Most of the race is paved but some is on packed dirt. Nothing technical at all but I find I tend to run slower on dirt than pavement. This is probably the flattest of the ~70 half marathons I have done with just 62 feet of elevation gain. It was a very easy race. Although I actually found it to not be a fast course. I tend to be fastest at races with some slight changes in elevation and all on pavement. While this course could be a PR or BQ course I thought Louisiana which is the same weekend was a faster course. This was however a great course for the middle of a back-to-back-to-back-to-back weekend half marathon stretch as the flat surface and occasional dirt road were easy on the joints. The course is very well marked. There are pink flags along the entire course. Obviously it is going to be hard to get a lot of volunteers for a race on an island only accessible by ferry so to make up for it, the course is extra well marked. There is also less aid stations than usual for a half though the aid stations were all well stocked and this was in the race instructions. So I’d recommend you carry water as you can go as long as 3 to 4 miles without an aid station. There are also not a ton of spectators but that is expected given the race location. However as there are also full marathoners doing two loops and there are lots of back of the packers I was never alone for the race. The final 2 miles are the best and you run by the beach. Part on a boardwalk and part on dirt path. This part is absolutely gorgeous. One of the prettiest stretches of any race I have done. To my surprise I even saw some dolphins swimming past us. The finish is the same as the start. They announce the finishers and your name is on a board and you get your medal. The medal is absolutely gorgeous, huge and sea turtle themed. Probably my favorite medal but the only negative is that it is not distance specific. My finishing time was fine. I was hoping to be under 3 hours but I got too distracted by dolphins. At least I was a few minutes faster than last week. There are also very long time limits with 7 hours for the half and 8 hours for the full and I was nowhere near last. At the finish area there is beer and food. The food included option of pulled pork, hot dog or veggie burgers. I was very happy they had veggie burgers. They also had potato salad, pasta salad and chips. Plenty for a meal which was great since there was still a ferry ride back. I didn’t get any beer but they also had iced tea and lemonade. I did notice my finishing time wasn’t listed in the results. I went back to the timing tent and it was promptly fixed and everyone was very nice and helpful about it. I then took the ferry back. It was a bit of a wait for the ferry. I arrived back at the mainland a little after 2pm so plan on this race taking most of the morning and a good portion of the afternoon. Overall this was great race experience and a fun run-cation. Unless you are looking for the cheapest, most convenient race in South Carolina or need a huge race with tons of spectators, I would definitely recommend this one. I will definitely consider coming back and doing it again.
Running a marathon on a sea island
The Fleet Feet Daufuskie Island race series operates on a USATF-certified 13.1-mile loop course of paved and unpaved roads. Marathoners run the course twice and ultramarathoners thrice, each time surrounded … MORE
The Fleet Feet Daufuskie Island race series operates on a USATF-certified 13.1-mile loop course of paved and unpaved roads. Marathoners run the course twice and ultramarathoners thrice, each time surrounded by postcard picture-perfect sceneries. Located just off the coast of southern South Carolina, the island is only accessible by ferry.
The racecourse is flat, which is perfect for first-time marathoners or those seeking a personal best time. Not surprisingly, it is a popular race for qualifying for the Boston Marathon. Situated between Hilton Head Island and Savannah, the race venue is not far from some of the best vacation spots the country has to offer, making it a perfect getaway for a “runcation”.
The races were well organized. The tent setup for runners at the start/finish is a nice touch. There was food and coffee and heating lamps to keep you warm before the race. Live music and catered picnic lunch at the Finish. Nice swag, including the cool bling (see picture below) and a nice jacket.
Check out my YouTube video below.
Great small destination race!
I ran the half for my state #13 South Carolina. Packet pick-up went smooth. They had nice zip up sweatshirts as the race shirt. The race takes place on a … MORE
I ran the half for my state #13 South Carolina. Packet pick-up went smooth. They had nice zip up sweatshirts as the race shirt. The race takes place on a small island, so you need to get a ferry ticket ($35 per person there and back) or arrange a private boat. Ferry tickets are purchased online.
I believe they needed more ferries to efficiently transport everyone to the island. They did a nice job of making sure runners got on the ferry in time for the start, but spectators were not allowed on the ferry until all the runners got on, even if they got there at 6:30. I arrived at 7 am for the 7:30 ferry. I did not get on a boat until 8:30 since I did not want to leave my spectator behind. I got on the island with about 20 minutes to spare. There were about 6 porta-potties off the boat, and only 2 had toilet paper… so bring your own!
The half was a small field and there was not much race support on course, but this did not bother me. There were enough other runners in the marathon and the ultra that it seemed like there were always people around. I would recommend bringing your own water/ fuel because it was sporadic on the course. I don’t remember seeing any porta-potties on course either. The course is pancake flat and is beautiful. The temperature was perfect (low to mid 50s). There were 4 stretches on the course that was packed sand instead of pavement. They only lasted about 2 miles at a time and I thought it was doable.
The medal was awesome and they offered free engraving at the end. All runners get a post race meal and free michelob ultra beer or seltzers. Spectators could purchase meal and beer tickets at a reasonable price.
I would recommend this race even with the few hiccups. As long as you’re prepared, this race will not disappoint. I would run this again.
Great race!
We loved this race. The course Is flat with some amazing views! Support was great! Loved the cinnamon rolls made by the race director’s mother! Was a relaxed and fun … MORE
We loved this race. The course Is flat with some amazing views! Support was great! Loved the cinnamon rolls made by the race director’s mother! Was a relaxed and fun atmosphere!
Not especially scenic for the beach
I expected this to be a really pretty race since it was on an island. However, the vast majority of the course is on inland gravel roads. You run the … MORE
I expected this to be a really pretty race since it was on an island. However, the vast majority of the course is on inland gravel roads. You run the loop twice. There is one sort of scenic part where you run along a boardwalk, and the grounds of the golf resort place are quite pretty. But I found the gravel roads really hard to run on as well as being, well, ugly.
There was one central aid station when I ran it where the course converges from multiple directions. That might have been a covid adjustment? I would not run this course without your own water. I had a support person with a rented golf cart who refilled my water as I ran.
To get to the start, you have to take a ferry. I cannot stress this enough – wear LOTS of warm clothes. It was miserably cold and windy. My hands and feet were painfully numb a good hour before the race even started. That ferry ride was just awful. There is a big tent at the start where you can probably safely leave your winter coats and such.
I would not do this race again, but I met a group there who do it every year and rave about how much they love it. So it seems to appeal to people who want a smaller race with really cold weather.
My 50th Birthday Year Marathon 1/50
Hello. I'm Aaron Burros, the Running Servant and wanted to share about my 50th Birthday Year Celebration Running of Marathons. I'm running 50 marathons in 50 states in 50 weeks … MORE
Hello. I’m Aaron Burros, the Running Servant and wanted to share about my 50th Birthday Year Celebration Running of Marathons. I’m running 50 marathons in 50 states in 50 weeks benefiting St. Jude Children Research Hospital. Please take an opportunity to listen to the podcast TRENDS, BENDS and OPPORTUNITIES and read the article AARON’S AUDACIOUS GOALS and donate (links are at end).
“This past weekend, I ran the Daufuskie Island Marathon And Ultra, a hidden gem of a race located at the South of South Carolina a ferry ride across from Hilton Head Island. It was a very rewarding race that’s flat as a pancake with breathtaking views and a course made up of everything but concrete — trail shoes only needed if it were to rain. I definitely will run it again.
Going into race day I was excited about running my first live race for my birthday after Houston Chevron Marathon and Aramco Half went virtual — now it’s my 50th marathon for the state of Texas — and the Louisiana Marathon rescheduled behind the Covid–19 pandemic.
The day began before sunrise catching the ferry over to the Daufuskie Island and warming up with volunteers singing Happy Birthday to me, giving me a cinnamon role from the local bakery sponsor and heating up in the tented runner’s village. The atmosphere was calm, the runners were poised and the stage was set for an awesome race for many.
After mile eleven, I took a terrible fall (If you haven’t read about my story, please click on link at the bottom to catch up to understand) and would hobble across the half way mark thirty minutes beyond the 2.5 hours in which I planned on in order to run 05:05:50 for the marathon. When you consider what I’ve been through to get to this point, that’s a little bit reaching for me ; but this course is laid out in such a way that the impossible becomes possible. Plus the weather was perfect with no humidity.
Runners on every level were hitting their goals.
For the second loop, I could only walk in order to finish. My goal was just a goal, but I wasn’t out there for a personal goal — I was out there for Aiden, a young boy I previously met at a marathon, and for Gabby, my two year old great niece who was diagnosed with a cancerous growth on her kidney along with all the other children with cancer and other childhood diseases. #IRunforAiden and #GettingItForGabby was my why regardless if I had to crawl across the finish line.
My pain was very uncomfortable to say the least. And while I can’t imagined the pain Aiden, Gabby and other young children go through daily from cancer, treatments and surgeries, I kept pushing through until I crossed the finish line.
There were only a few other marathoners who finished behind me while every ultra marathoner had finished ahead of me. Tracy Tate and I began together and she crossed several minutes after to be the final runner off the course. The volunteers treated us as if we were the top male and female finishers — thank you all for the excellent job. Continue to be audacious. Like Arnold, “I’ll be back.”.
What is Your 2021 Audacious Goal?
https://murfieldcoaching.com/2021/01/12/what-is-your-2021-audacious-goal/
DIRECT DONATIONS
http://heroes.stjude.org/runningservant
TRACK MY RUNS
https://raceraves.com/runningservant/
PODCAST INTERVIEW
https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=824803278272266