If it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck...

[Irish George]

there are split times every couple miles

I'm not planning on going that fast. Just hope I don't get suckered into a faster pace and then burn out (literally)

including the first mile so you should be able to adjust your pace.

[Riccardo]

I'll be wearing a GPS watch

will keep tabs on pace with that too

[Irish George]

Every mile is marked

and there is lots of water on the course. The biggest challenges are wind, soft sand and jetties that must be jumped/climbed over. All three challenges change from year to year. certain jetties get buried in sand some years, the low tide sometimes isnt as low as it should be to provide enough hard-packed running surface, and wind direction can change, even during the race.

Until the mid-80s it was a half marathon, so its not quite as tough as it used to be.