Charleston Marathon & Half Marathon

This was my second half marathon - and my first travelling with a couple of new runners. Really well organized but a few notes for next time:
- more washrooms/porta potties at the beginning of the race
- better marked race packet pickup location and instructions
- beer tents were chaotic

Highlights?
Grits at the end! Delicious!
Really pretty course to run for the first half - second half less interesting

Would I run it again? Yep, but its not my first choice at this stage.

This was my first marathon & I loved it! I have read the more negative reviews from some of the 2012 racers and had quite the opposite experience. I found the race very well-organized. I LOVED the course, the first bit through historic downtown was awesome as was the Pier at the Cooper River Marina & The street party at the finish was great! We stayed in Charleston for the long weekend and its a good thing I ran that marathon because we proceeded to eat our way through the city! We will be back for sure!

I agree with Asheley. I have never run such a poorly organized race. In addition to a badly marked course, not enough port-a-potties and hard to find water at the finish line, they ran out of finisher medals for the 1/2 mararthon! I ran the 1/2 to pace a friend who ended up with a PR. Imagine how she felt when she crossed the finish line and was told there were no finishes medals. I, nor anyone in my running club, will ever run the Charleston marathon/half marathon again.

Performers were amazing. What an awesome idea. It was invigorating to see all the students out there performing in the cold just to support runners!! Volunteers were wonderful. I might suggest more bathrooms next year. I also hear theay are working on a new route for 2013! The finish line performances were wonderful. I saw the medal, and although they ran out I am very excited about getting mine because they are BEAUTIFUL! It was clear that an entire community contributed to this race! Looking forward to next year!

This was my first marathon and am so sad because I thought the race was run very poorly. I've done several triathlons, 1/2 marathons, 10ks and 5ks and this was the worst race experience I have ever had. I love volunteers and all the hard work that they do but there just weren't enough for this race. Or enough bathrooms, food, gels or water. On top of all that the race course was horrible, poorly marked and for a lot of it completely isolated. I don't like traffic when racing but a few cars driving would have been nice because the race went through parts of town were there was no one. Really bummed because I will never get another 1st marathon.