Kiawah Island Marathon

12 December 2026 Start 08:008:00 AM Kiawah Island

Your race weekend

Fri 11 to Mon 14 Dec Kiawah Island, three nights around race day

days
hours
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To the start, 08:008:00 AM local time

Hotels in Kiawah IslandFri 11 Dec to Mon 14 Dec
Flights to Kiawah IslandOut Fri 11 Dec, back Mon 14 Dec
Race fuel: 5 gels for your finish, plus a spare Order by 21 Nov, on Amazon
Amazon partner link: we earn a small fee if you buy, the price is the same.

Filled in for Friday 11 December to Monday 14 December, which you can change there. Each opens a search on another company’s site; nothing is booked here.

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Get an email when the date, the entry or the course of the Kiawah Island Marathon changes, and MARATHON NEWS with it.

At a glance

Race day: Sat 12 Dec; The 2026 race
Start: 08:008:00 AM
Distance: 42.2 km26.2 mi; Marathon · Half marathon · 1 Miles · 3.1 Miles
Time limit: 6 h 30 min; Finish closes 14:302:30 PM

The course

The marathon and half marathon start together and finish at the West Beach Conference Center, near Kiawah Beach Drive and Shipwatch Drive, and run through the island community past maritime forest, marsh views and large homes.

Start and finish at West BeachOne start and finish at West Beach, through forest, marsh and the island community.
Fifteen aid stationsFifteen aid stations from mile 2 to 25.5, with water and Powerade at each.
An 8:00 start and a 6.5-hour limit2026 schedule: 8:00 AM start, course closes at 2:30 PM.

Course notes 3 short reads on the course

Whole courseGeometryStart and finish at West BeachOne start and finish at West Beach, through forest, marsh and the island community.

The organiser says most of the course lies inside a private community that is not open to the public, and that roads stay open to car traffic during the race, so runners share them. Both courses are USATF certified, and the marathon is a Boston qualifier.

Sourced

Whole courseTacticsFifteen aid stationsFifteen aid stations from mile 2 to 25.5, with water and Powerade at each.

The organiser lists oranges and bananas at the stations around miles 3.5, 4.5, 8, 11, 14.5, 19 and 24.5, Nerds gummy clusters at 7, 12.5 and 23, pretzels at 16.5 and 20.5, and Coke and doughnut holes at mile 21.5; mile markers are approximations. Drop zones follow each water station for trash and discarded clothing.

Sourced

Whole courseConditionsAn 8:00 start and a 6.5-hour limit2026 schedule: 8:00 AM start, course closes at 2:30 PM.

Fifteen pace groups line up from 7:30 AM: nine pacers for the marathon with goals from 3:25 to 5:00 and six for the half marathon with goals from 1:45 to 3:00. The event is not seeded, and late arrivals are asked to join the back of the line.

Sourced

Race weekend

Thursday 10 December Bib pickup

15:003:00 PM–18:306:30 PM

Expo and bib pickup West Beach Conference Center. Valid photo ID is needed and runners collect their own bib. Vendors with sportswear, wellness and performance services.

Friday 11 December Last bib day

09:309:30 AM–20:008:00 PM

Race expo and holiday market West Beach Conference Center. Vendors with sportswear, wellness and performance services.
10:0010:00 AM–20:308:30 PM

Packet pick-up West Beach Conference Center. Runners collect their own bib with photo ID.

Side events (2)

09:309:30 AM

Shake-out run The Nest Market and Cafe, Night Heron Park. A 3.5-mile warm-up run led by Blue Sky Endurance; free, no reservation.
16:004:00 PM–19:007:00 PM

Pacer meet and greet West Beach Conference Center. Fifteen pace groups: nine for the marathon (3:25 to 5:00) and six for the half (1:45 to 3:00).

Bib in hand?A number belt holds it without pins through your race top. Clip it on tonight.

Number belt on AmazonAmazon partner link

Saturday 12 December Race day

06:006:00 AM–07:457:45 AM

Packet pick-up West Beach Conference Center. Race-morning pick-up for runners who could not collect earlier.
07:307:30 AM

Pacers line up West Beach Conference Center. Pacers hold their signs in the start area and everyone lines up by pace.
13:001:00 PM

Marathon awards Celebration tent, West Beach Conference Center. Approximate time.
14:302:30 PM

Course closes The time limit is 6.5 hours for the marathon and the half, and the course officially closes at 2:30 pm. 6:30 limit: 9:14/km for 42.195 km6:30 limit: 14:52/mi for 26.2 mi

Other races (2)

08:008:00 AM

Marathon and half marathon start West Beach Conference Center. One start for both races at the West Beach Conference Center.
11:3011:30 AM

Half marathon awards Celebration tent, West Beach Conference Center. Approximate time.

Times as published by the organiser, in Kiawah Island time, checked 15 October 2026. Confirm on their site before you travel.

Add to calendar .ics file, times in Kiawah Island time

Entry

Entry through the organiser

Entry details on the organiser’s site →

The organiser, a third party. We take no entries and have no part in the race.

Race fuel

Energy gel

5 gels for Kiawah Island, plus 1 spare

Finish

One every 40 minutes, by the clock:

km 7mile 4.4
km 14.1mile 8.7
km 21.1mile 13.1
km 28.1mile 17.5
km 35.2mile 21.8

Our pick: SiS BETA Fuel gel, box of 6, strawberry and lime. 40 g of carbohydrate a gel, about twice a usual gel, from two kinds of sugar your body takes up side by side.

Easy to forget on race morning: pack them with your bib the night before.

Order by 21 November to test them on two long runs first.

Get it on Amazon

We earn a small fee if you buy through these links. The price is the same.

In Canada the button opens GU Energy Gel, Salted Caramel, 24-pack, the best seller there.

Outside the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Austria and Switzerland, the UK and Ireland, Spain and Portugal, Italy, the rest of the EU and Canada the button opens GU Energy Gel, Chocolate Outrage, 24-pack on Amazon.com, the best seller there.

Anti-chafe