Charleston Marathon

Charleston Marathon

Charleston Marathon

( 18 reviews )
88% of reviewers recommend this race
  • Charleston,
    South Carolina,
    United States
  • January
  • 3 miles/5K, 13.1 miles/Half Marathon, 26.2 miles/Marathon
  • Road Race
  • Event Website

James Dunbar

Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, United States
0 8
2021
"Course is blah, but flat. Post race party and swag were great! Plenty of free parking."
Overall
T-Shirts/SWAG
Aid Stations
Course Scenery
Expo Quality
Elevation Difficulty
Parking/Access
Race Management
James Dunbar's thoughts:

Packet pickup is downtown and parking and traffic on the Friday before the race can be crazy. Give yourself lots of time and be patient with finding parking, even in the designated garage. Packet pickup once inside is a breeze and it’s a full blown expo with lots of runner supplies available for sale.

Nice shirt giveaway, this year it was a black tech long sleeve. Medals were great, especially if you’re lucky enough to place in the top 3 in your age group (see my photo).

No shuttle needed if you’re doing the 5k and if so, plentiful parking all over the place near the start. Note that all 3 distances start in different locations, but all 3 finish in the same spot. Everyone except 5kers will have to catch the free bus shuttle back to the start (and you’ll be hot and sweaty while doing it!).

5k course is all flat and fast…nothing at all to look at. You run through the warehouse/shipping district and then through a small neighborhood. Nothing to see really. Expect a good crowd of runners.

Post race food was gross (shrimp and grits were so disgusting). I took one bite and spit it out. They do have at least a half dozen food trucks though that you can buy from. Registration gets you a couple can Palmetto Brewing Co. beers and Ketel One had a free tasting station set up (one taste per person). Post race seating is limited, so grab a spot and make some new friends! There is a huge lawn on which you can sit to enjoy the live band, and they are a good party band for sure.

One thing worth noting, they only announce the overall winners for each distance and it’s sorta done at random times. Check in at the info table, but I really think they were just winging it in terms of what times awards would be announced. Strangely, I didn’t even see an awards podium anywhere.

This race is put on by Capstone races…no free photos of you running here. You’ll have to pay some high prices for the pro photos that they take of you, but they do post a Youtube vid of the finish line so you can see yourself cross it.

Bids are customizable as long as you register early enough. Be aware…this race can be on a very, very humid day so train and prepare accordingly.

This is the flagship race for Charleston, an amazing vacation destination with tons of microbreweries, history, and incredible eateries. This is a race I will do every single year for sure. Race is held in January every year and sign up the week after the race for the next year and you get a serious, serious discount…a truly great value if you sign up way early.

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