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South Carolina > Charleston Marathon, Half Marathon, 5K & Youth Marathon
Charleston, SC • Saturday, January 19, 2013 • Course Map
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Now part of a weekend of running events that features a full, 26.2-mile marathon in addition to the 13.1-mile half marathon as well as a 5K and 30- and 60-mile bike races, the Charleston Marathon makes its third annual running in 2013 after years of planning by local race organizers who'd devoted their efforts to putting on a full marathon here in what is often called the "Holy City" for the number of prominent churches that can be seen throughout its downtown, which has few tall buildings of any kind.
If you've ever visited the city, you'll recognize Charleston as one of the nation's truly unique urban experiences, on a par with a visit to cities like New Orleans or Boston -- the city combines many of the charms of those two cities, in fact, meshing the southern charm and ambiance of the Big Easy with many of the architectural accents and styles of New England cities like Boston.
Runners will get to see many of the local landmarks and sights that give Charleston its southern beauty and charming style along the half marathon route, which follows a point-to-point course that starts in downtown Charleston near the area known as "south of Broad," and takes runners through the city as well as the North Charleston area before heading in to the finish line at North Charleston High School.
While the course map shows that there are indeed some rolling hills to be found along the course, runners should experience overall a very flat and fast race, as Charleston lies near the coast and so itself is very flat throughout the city. One thing to note is that unlike many larger city races, the streets in Charleston can be fairly narrow -- especially along the stretches that bring runners through the city's downtown and historic districts -- so you'll want to run with care through these areas, as spectators are likely to be found here.
The half marathon also is open to runners and walkers, though the full marathon is open to runners only. The event also is a fundraiser for the locally-based Youth Endowment for the Arts, which works to provide access to the arts experiences to all Charleston-area children -- and you'll notice when you're in the city what a huge part of life the arts is here, from the galleries along King and Queen Streets downtown to the annual Spoleto arts festival the city holds each spring.
More than 3,300 runners crossed the finish line in the full marathon, half marathon and 5K combined at the race's 2012 running, including just over 2,000 finishers in the 13.1-mile race alone.
Race Weather & Climate
Nestled along the west bank of the Ashley River on the South Carolina coast, about two hours' drive southeast from Columbia, the city of Charleston typically experiences its coldest weather of the year on average in January, when the city's average monthly temperatures range between 57°F and 42°F.
On the day of the race (Jan. 19), the average high is 57°F and the average low is 42°F, while precipitation amounts average just over 3.6 inches for the month.
Course Map
View the race route map for the Charleston Half Marathon
Fees
$55 for the half marathon, if registered by September 3, 2012
$65 between Sept. 4 - December 2
$75 between Dec. 3 - January 4, 2013
Registration
To reserve your spot in the winter 2013 running of the Charleston Marathon, Half Marathon, Shrimp and Grits 5K or bike rides, register online at Active.com.
Official Race Website
www.charlestonmarathon.com
Leave a Comment
Ever run in South Carolina's annual Charleston Marathon or Half Marathon? Share your impressions, stories and tips from the event.
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