I’ve never been to Hilton Head. I chose this race because my good friend and running partner moved to the area last year. So 3 of us girls decided to run this race together.

It was a Saturday race, and we arrived on Friday in town in the late afternoon. We headed over to packet pickup at the Westin. It was very small, only a handful of vendors were there. There was a half, full and a 5k for this event, with a cap of 2,500 participants. Our goodie bag wasn’t much, a neon green shirt and a mini flashlight/caribeener.

The race started at Jarvis Creek Park. It was an out and back loop for the half. South Carolina is way more wooded than I expected. The course did not provide any beach views, it was mostly flat with some forested trails, and we crossed a few creeks. We wound around through the park and came out on the shoulder of a highway. We ran over a steep bridge (2 times), into more wood and trails, then looped around and came back.

There were plenty of water stations, but no clocks along the course. Lots of volunteers directing the course along the way, which was helpful with all the twists and turns. At the finish, we were given a nice medal, and there was a small beer tent and a band playing. We got pizza and fruit as our post-race treats.

I love destination races. It was a great excuse to come out and see that part of the country. We had a whole other day to just sightsee and relax. The whole experience was easy - it had a small, local, friendly feel.