Daufuskie Island Marathon & Half Marathon
Daufuskie Island, SC
- Marathon, Half Marathon
- Road (Paved), Trail (Unpaved)
- Official race website
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 … MORE
Local Historical Weather (Jan 16):
| 2026 | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | |
| H (°F) | 50 | 62 | 62 | 63 | 62 |
| L (°F) | 23 | 38 | 40 | 31 | 44 |
Find Nearby Lodging (hotel, rental, etc.):
Beautiful Island, Few Kinks to work out
I chose this race based on several factors: My wife and I had never been to South Carolina so this race allowed us to spend a few days there after … MORE
I chose this race based on several factors: My wife and I had never been to South Carolina so this race allowed us to spend a few days there after the race due to the holiday weekend, the time of year (Racing in the southern humidity during a time of year other than winter seemed foolish), and good reviews on this site. Having now run the race myself I think I made a great choice choosing the Daufuskie Island Half Marathon for state #24. If you are traveling from out of state like me Charleston is definitely the airport to fly into, then Hilton Head is a pretty quick 2 hour trip down the highway. We also spent a day in Savannah after the race (Beautiful city, well worth the drive), and Congaree National Park.
EXPO/PACKET PICK UP:
I was not able to go to the EXPO proper for this race as I was only able to fly in from Seattle the night before the race and by the time we reached Hilton head the expo had ended. Packet pickup was available to everyone on race morning with zero difficulty although I was in a bit of a panic the night before when for the first time I saw in the preparation email that you could only pick up on race morning if you emailed the race director directly. I did email her and heard back from her but this feels like it was a purely an effort to get most people to go to the expo rather than this being a necessary requirement. So do the Expo if you can as race morning can be frantic due to the ferries but if you have to wait until the day of you should be fine.
Parking/Access: Parking at the start area was pretty easy and free. The lot did fill quickly and spilled out onto the main road which also had parking but meant a ¼-1/2 mile walk for lots of people. Access to the start area was pretty simple and close to the highway on Hilton head. The most difficult thing about getting to the start line is by far the ferry. I arrived at the ferry dock at 7:15am, the ferries are small 80-100 people. I didn’t board a ferry until 8:20 (and even then I barely made it on board), which meant getting to Daufuskie Island at 8:50 for a 9:30 half marathon start. I know there were several people on my ferry who were in line a little before 7am for the full marathon which starts at 8:30am, they missed the start. Get there super early, they have fires to keep you warm along with coffee and cinnamon rolls. The risk of running straight from a ferry into the start line of a full marathon would be extremely stressful. I’ll talk about this more later but the lines for the return ferry were even worse so if you have zero reason to hang around after you finish I’d head for the boat.
T-Shirts/SWAG: The medal for this race was above average in quality, it is well made, sturdy and heavy. The medal 100% reminds me of the race in that it represents South Carolina and reminds me of the race. The medal is a sea turtle, which seems to be featured every year, with what makes it look like stained glass see through portions, it is very pretty. The ribbon was also nice and included details of the race. (See Photos) All of the medals from the Half and Full were the same and did not differentiate based on distance. There were also age group awards which were carved from wood for all distances, this was the first year where they did 5 year increments instead of 10. Looking at pictures of past years medals I liked this years medal better but the past year age group awards better but it looks like every year that they do a consistently good job. The race shirts were long sleeve very brightly colored quarter zips with sea turtles on them, very pretty but I would say they will only be consistently worn by people with a certain style, I did really enjoy their color and the fact that there was only race stuff printed on it instead of being covered in sponserships etc, (See Photos)
Aid Stations: The aid stations were a bit of a disappointing mixed bag. This was the first year where they offered no disposable cups that were filled and passed out. They gave you a reusable rubber cup at packet pick up which you needed to carry with you while running then get filled by volunteers. This meant losing some time to slow down to walk at every aid station although they did do their best to have people with pitchers that would walk with you and fill your cups. The aid stations were also a bit lacking in number. There was one on a sharp corner at mile 1.5 which nobody saw so nobody had their cups out of their pockets. This was also so early in the race that it was still crowded and would have caused a pile up if everybody tried to use it. The next aid station was not until a little after mile 5 which in my opinion is way too late, lack of early water and fuel shows up down the road and would have been a tough stretch especially for people doing the full who were on their 2nd lap. The next aid station was at mile 7 which may have just been a nice local giving out water because they were the only stop providing cups. The remaining aid stations were at mile 9 and 12. It was cool and overcast, pretty close to ideal conditions this year, I passed several people in the 2nd half who were really struggling due to not having brought their cup and if it had been a sunny day their could have been some carnage. Every single aid station except mile 7 had water and Gatorade. I didn’t hear anything about supplies running out at any time during the race. I was near the front so I was never really in a group, but the number of volunteers was enough. I’m sure there were some real slow downs at aid station as volunteers were filling cups as fast as they could pour them at busier times. The volunteers were really clear about who had water or Gatorade. I understand the focus on sustainability and limiting trash that comes with disposable cups but I can’t say that I’m a fan. Some people who finished soon after me were throwing up due to not remembering to carry a cup and running a half marathon with only 1 cup of water.
Course Scenery/Elevation Difficulty: The course starts right outside the ferry terminal landing on the island which also serves as the finish/post race party area. The full starts at 8:30am, while the half starts at 9:30am temperatures were pretty ideal in the low 50’s this year, any other day of the week if would have been in the 40’s for the whole race and raining, but a week earlier there were days in the 80’s so I would say that it is pretty random in terms of how beneficial the later start time is year to year. That said with the ferry schedule it just isn’t possible to get people to the start line any earlier than they have scheduled. I found plenty of room to warm up around the large park area. They had a pretty short start chute which could have been crowded but due to the difficultly of getting to the island/race the crowd seemed to be very experienced and led to people seeming to line up appropriately by pace. The course was extremely flat with the largest “hill” existing in the form of small bridges over a few creaks. The course starts near the ferry dock on pavement for the first 2 miles before reaching a stretch of road entirely formed by sand. The sand wasn’t feet sink on the beach deep but was still soft enough that your foot dug in with every step. The most difficult part of the sand which had no firm parts, tire tracks didn’t work, the shoulder didn’t work was the length of time spent running in it. It lasted for 2 miles, this was a bit of an energy sapper and really would have been hard on someone running their 2nd lap at miles 15-17. From there you continue through tree covered/tree tunnel dirt and partially paved roads until mile 10. At mile 10 you began to near park. The course then took you to the coast where you ran about a mile on crushed shells from mile 11.5-12.5, this was hard packed and an extremely pretty part of the course, keep an eye out for the photographer in this area as it will likely be your favorite picture with the ocean and beach behind you. You then head past the lighthouse and into the Haig’s point village. The finish line is very pretty and has hanging Spanish moss framing the tunnel to the finish. They have lots of cones/signs directing you where to go at each intersection but I’d say you still need to pay close attention so you don’t take a wrong turn if you are by yourself. There are essentially no cars on the island only golf carts so traffic wasn’t an issue but the small population also meant that there was minimal crowd support to speak of until near the finish.
Race Management: This Race was very well run in the majority of areas but has a few things that need to get fixed because of how much they affect your enjoyment of the experience. For a small race which was sold out with 200 full runners and 400 half runners this could be a real gem in a state that doesn’t already have an obvious race choice like many 50 state runners find. I found their website to be the best source of info as well as facebook, they also email you a few bits of advice. Other things to compliment this race on: They had age group awards. They had port-o-potties at the start to use which never seemed to have long lines (at most 15 minutes when I got in line), perfectly supporting the # of people were there I’m impressed that they got the # seemingly correct. The start area had a bag check area by the start line that was open until the start. The finish was slightly lacking in the usual finish line fare only having water in the immediate vicinity and no electrolyes. This however was made up for by all of the free lunch for all runners which included a pulled pork sandwich, pasta and potato salad, cinnamon roll and lemonade along with 1 free alcoholic beverage. Cajun/Louisiana traditional food at the finish. They had a DJ playing music and some vendors around including Brooks who had some nice shirts with the course map on it which I purchased. The finish area offered medal engraving. They have 2 timing mats set up along the half marathon course at 8 miles and 12.5 miles. They also have free race Photos which they post on their website which I always love. My 2nd major critique aside from the on course water situation was the awards ceremony organization and timing and how that affected the ferry schedule. The ferry only comes once per hour (they eventually got a 2nd one) so making everybody wait to leave at the same time was poorly thought out. Half marathon awards could have been done at noon to allow people to start leaving then full marathon awards later when they had people finished. They were scheduled to start at 12:30, but didn’t actually start until 1:15, they also didn’t have things printed out or written down so they had a lot of trouble figuring out who placed where, this could have easily been taken care of during the hours they waiting to start the awards. I was fortunate enough to win my age group. Waited 2.5 hours to get it and then went straight to the ferry dock where I waiting nearly 1.5 hours for a ferry standing in a swarm of gnats. Fix the aid stations and the awards timing and I think you easily have a 5 shoe race. For now though I rate it as 4+. This race is a bit pricey in terms of logistics. Hilton head is an expensive area and the ferry tickets are $50 per person, add in the race cost and its no cheap. I would still pick to do this race again though to check off South Carolina.
Overall I would say this race is a very good way to check South Carolina off your 50 state list. With much to compliment and a few things to fix I highly recommend this race.
Run here!
Pros: very flat course softer than usual road great destination (I stayed at the Inn at Harbourside at Sea Pines, but Hilton Head has a lot of options and you … MORE
Pros:
very flat course
softer than usual road
great destination (I stayed at the Inn at Harbourside at Sea Pines, but Hilton Head has a lot of options and you can stay on D. Island where they had the pasta dinner and avoid the transporation issues, but I registered at the last moment and they were sold out) and went to Savannah afterwards so there are a lot of desirable places to explore if you are doing a runcation
wonderful race director and volunteers
easy bib pickup at a running store – this is a race put on by local runners and it shows
perfect weather (48 -58 with light winds, moderate humidity, and clouds)
plenty of parking and taking a ferry to and from the start – first time for that!
a big tent to hang out in before and after
later start
extremely small field (200)
separate start for the half (no other races separate them by one hour so you are squeezed together)
bucolic course through forests and attractive homes and a final stretch along the water – the anti-big city experience where you run by boring buildings, often on concrete
plenty of room
excellent production
beautiful hand made finishing medal with free engraving and age group award
pretty turquoise jacket
guaranteed fast time and fun experience including hot food and beer
Minor cons:
two mile sandy stretch you run twice but it is very runnable
long line for the 1:40 ferry – but I am sure they will work with the ferry company and have more boats next year
I have read the other reviews. I have run 82 marathons and ultras and there are always glitches. Do NOT let either of these distractions stop you from coming to these unique, charming races!
Good on the island w/a few *bugs* to fix
Good communication from the race company. I couldn't get into town early but if you can, there's lots of activities the day before and after. Parking in the am was … MORE
Good communication from the race company. I couldn’t get into town early but if you can, there’s lots of activities the day before and after. Parking in the am was well organized and easy. It was a bit of a wait early in the morning to get a ferry….maybe 45 minutes on the dock. The emails changed throughout the runup to the race, but it seemed like there would be more boats.
Ferry ride was pleasant. Lots of nice folks to talk with. We had contacted the race director to arrange to pick up our bibs the day of, which was a breeze. Dropped our bags, quick potty in the main house, grabbed one of the fresh cinnamon rolls and a swig of coffee, some music in a festive prerace atmosphere, and we were off. (Not many participants so it took less than a couple of minutes to send us off!)
I knew the race was small and I’m a back of the pack gal so I figured it would be pretty quiet. It’s a remote area so not much crowd support along the route. Most supporters seemed to be zipping by on their golf carts which was fine in most places and most cart people were courteous. There were however several drivers of cars / trucks that went by WAY too fast. A lot of this course is open to traffic during the race. Not many cars, but some drivers that made me feel briefly unsafe at times. Not sure if anything can be done about that, just beware.
Lots of residential time on the course. Classic large trees draped with moss and some pretty houses. I also didn’t realize there would be several miles on packed sand (roughly miles 2-4)..this slowed me down quite a bit, which is fine but just to share details I didn’t know. There was a brief run on boardwalk. A couple of miles on crushed oyster, a stretch of cart path and then road. So a lot of surface changes that made for some soreness over the following days.
The collapsible cup they provided was fine. I didn’t care about slowing down to have my cup filled, but some with time goals might. A little awkward and volunteers forgot to tell us they had electrolytes before filling on the first pass (I learned to ask!). Four water stations on a half course is fewer than I am used to but this was advertised on the map.
Nice finish along the water. Photos were awesome and included. Pretty medal. Lunch after was really nice, but be sure you know to find your ticket before waiting in the buffet line. Tickets were at the beer tent this year…i don’t drink so I went straight to the buffet line, waited in that, only to be sent back over to the beer line to wait again and then a third time for the buffet again. Not many choices for non drinkers. Food was fresh and tasted good.
The toughest part was the 90 minute wait on the dock for a ferry back. (After finishing a race this seemed even longer!) Thankfully the reviews I read from previous years had me thinking this could happen. It was in the low 60s by the time we were leaving and there was a HUGE swath of biting gnats and other bugs. Even though it was warm, I put on every piece of clothing I had to try to keep from the bites. Someone from Haig Point came through and offered bug spray after we had been waiting for about 45 minutes. Race directors may want to do awards for the half earlier…? I don’t know. We happened to join the ferry line right after awards (again, just a coincidence) and we had to wait for at least 3 boats before we fit on. Not sure how to correct the logistics of all of this. I do think the race directors have the best intentions. Just BE PATIENT if you go, or better yet try to find a place on Daufuskie and stay out there all weekend, avoiding the whole race day ferry. I did enjoy the race but wouldn’t do it again mainly because of the ferry waits. I also like races with more crowd support.
Glad I did this unique race and earned my next state.
Disappointing Experience
My personal experience was very poor with this marathon. Mostly due to getting lost which ruined the whole experience being that finishing the race was my primary reason for being … MORE
My personal experience was very poor with this marathon. Mostly due to getting lost which ruined the whole experience being that finishing the race was my primary reason for being there. Otherwise it would have been a decent race. It was easy enough to follow the course for the first loop, but I got lost around mile 19.5 as the fatigue set in and it was hard to follow the unclear signage and there were so many loops and turns. Runners in every direction. Some turns lacked arrows and had tiny flags and turtle signs as the only reference to the route. There were several times I had to stop and think through where to go, but ultimately I still made a wrong turn. I’ve ran many races and this is the first time this has happened.
Aside from that, the course is fast and flat which made it even more discouraging for me since I was on track for a PR by 45 minutes! I was cruisin. However there is about 4 miles total of sand. Not hard packed, so it did make my feet sore and slowed me down.
I thought the lunch was kind of gross, but maybe that is a personal opinion. My stomach can’t handle that kind of food after a race. It would have been nice to have chips, fruit, granola bars, or little snacky things as additional options. Suggestion: Putting drink and food tickets on bibs to tear off. This system has worked great at past races.
Now I was very confused with the advertising. We were told through multiple emails that there were going to have heated tents. But they didn’t have any and nothing was said to us about that. Good thing I brought warm clothes so I was mostly warm enough.
Also I love Brooks so I hope this wasn’t a Brooks mistake, but there were multiple fliers about the shake out run and after party at The Bank. We did get the free drink but there didn’t really seem to be any organized event for the after party or giveaways and prizes as advertised. I wouldn’t have been disappointed if my expectations weren’t being set so high. I have been to Brooks events that did follow through with these things and turned out to be exciting and fun, so I was expecting something else.
Now for the good things! The other runners and volunteers were so kind and fun to talk to. It was a very social race which helped lift my spirits despite the disappointing circumstances. The pasta dinner the night before had great food. Overall, this was a learning experience and not every race can go perfectly.
Beautiful but challenging
This race is absolutely beautiful!!! The huge mossy oak trees are very enchanting. Overall the race was a great experience. Just beware there is a section of the course (about … MORE
This race is absolutely beautiful!!! The huge mossy oak trees are very enchanting.
Overall the race was a great experience. Just beware there is a section of the course (about 2-2.5 miles, double that if your running the full, it’s a repeat course) that is sand. No hard packed, but fluffy sand. It will impact your performance.
Two main cons: the wait to get back to the mainland after the race was 2 hours long! Not enough ferries.
The after party shutdown the tab wayyyy to early being that it started at 5 and we got back off the ferry at 4:45 due to waiting 2 hours.
Grateful for the experience
So that my review is not biased and to be fair, I raced a hard half 2 wks prior in my hometown and was not fresh legs and didn’t read … MORE
So that my review is not biased and to be fair, I raced a hard half 2 wks prior in my hometown and was not fresh legs and didn’t read prior reviews. I decided to participate because my friend has temp work assignment in area and I needed a medal for SC.
My first thought when I got the first race email was confusion and questions all around how this would work if my friend was coming to cheer me on. (Largely due to ferry). Only other time I did ferry race in ME it was also confusing but it was public ferry so no confusion who could go.
The race staff were EXCELLENT in all areas of my need leading up to race , packet pickup, morning of race.
I think the meal options to go to island were nice and having post race party was nice – unfortunately I didn’t want extra stress evening of race and forecast of pouring rain dampened my motivation to do brunch on Sunday. I was so beat up and drained from the long day I just stayed in hotel and watched nfk games or else I would’ve gone to the post race part they had at a very cool event -the Bank .
Last critical things I felt were areas to note if nothing else. 4 miles of sand that were NOT PACKED down when I ran the 4 miles killed me. Completly killed me but for some reason didn’t bother my friends too much. I tried running on the sides the best I could but it literally was mostly thick sand like a beach. I was toast after this. My legs were not fresh enough to tolerate it. Once I hit mile 10 it was a walk run for me getting one of my worst times ever for a half (30 min slower than 2 wks ago). No water given out to me when I finished ? Huge pet peeve when I ever have been back of pack finisher . And then
No signs for bag pickup and they weren’t where I dropped them so I’m wandering around in bad shape. Then when I finally get bag which took me forever to find (can’t have signs for the numbers so I could fine my bag???
Then the food setup was terrible . Ppl are complaining they waited forever in line only to have to leave line go in beer line to get food tickets?? That’s awful. The lines are flowing into people’s eating area. I then go in beer line (not everyone drinks so why do u make us do this? Or we might want to collect our beer after our food. ) so now we are waiting in beer line while the volunteer or race staff is casually talking to another staff member while we just sit in line so line doesn’t move and I’m dying here . The food line needs to move for runners. It’s bad enough all spectators are taking up space with no prioritizing to those that were just on course 2-5 hours? even a spectator was complaining as he thought the process was horrible too.
I did appreciate black bean burger over a hotdog and pulled pork as I don’t eat pork. Pot and pasta salad was great and loved the coconut water.
I left after I ate with my friends and then that’s what made me say I am writing a review and this race was not worth all these logistics for me . We sat in a line for HOURS getting bit and swarmed with noseeum bugs!!! It was AWFUL. Cold , sweaty, standing for hours.
Greatful for experience and loved the medal (MAIN GOAL) and first time hanging in SC HIlton head- but pouring rain all day today and no time to enjoy post race yesterday was just not my best racing experience .
Other mentions – No heated tent that morning as promised but do appreciate the coffee. Also what saved me was the house and fireplace (best part of the morning).
Loved the last 1.5-2 miles along the beach .
Poorly Marked Course/False Advertisement
Took a left turn instead of right (no volunteer to help guide you at this point in the race - if there were signs, they were small or not clear). … MORE
Took a left turn instead of right (no volunteer to help guide you at this point in the race – if there were signs, they were small or not clear). It was a good handful of us runners who went the wrong way. Several times prior almost went the wrong way as well, so not the only poorly marked fork in the race. Small amount of marathon runners so crowd thins out and easy to go the wrong way. Advertised Brooks being there and offering prizes and raffles at the events – did not happen – although they were present. Advertised heated tents in the morning – no heated tents. Running jacket was not my favorite design. Food was not enough and not good. Ferry rides were very slow to take you back, which I knew from past reviews. Best part was how nice the runners and volunteers were. And the scenery.
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.