SC - marathon 05: myrtle beach marathon
PRE RACE
my first time with more than one connection. hopefully my last.
my first flight from GJT (grand junction, co) was about 2 hours late. my next flight was already gone. there was another flight @ 5pm. i was on standby and lucked out with getting a seat.
unless my 3rd flight was delayed i'd be spending the night in atlanta & catching my 3rd leg (to charlottsville, sc) in the morning. it was nice to be able to sleep (vs drive 2 hours) at 11@ night. i waited about 40 min for the hotel shuttle - apparently quite a few people were waiting as well when one of the other hotel shuttle drivers was kind and took us to the hotel. delta paid for the hotel.
brush teeth, get in bed, sleep a few hours & back to the airport i go. got breakfast @ one of the restaurants in the airport with the meal vouchers from delta.
went first to pick up my packet, felt kinda gross and new i probably was stinky due to 2 days of flights. took a quick walk through and headed on to the hotel to check in and drop off my food & luggage.
headed back out to pick up a few essentials from a natural grocery store for my running drinks & recovery shake
ate dinner, iced, repacked, & headed to bed.
RACE DAY
myrtle beach reminds me of ocean city or rehobeth beaches - places we would sometimes go in the summer - at least from the shops and how the area was set up.
i did my warmups @ the hotel & headed out a few minutes later than planned. the race start was 6:30 - the earliest so far.
as i walked around the start i was tapping on the shoulders of a few tall men with grey shirts looking to say hello to a fellow runner. after a few people i gave up and got ready to run. i did run into the pacer for 5:30 time frame and asked her a few questions. i ran into her later and passed her my card. i hope she remembers to email me b/c i am eager for pacing tips as i will be a pacer in october @ the ING hartford marathon.
still dark @ the start
half (left side) vs full (right side
great cheering throughout the course played green day - made me smile
first few miles 5min run 1min walk
@ the 1/2 and full marathon split off i began running with a man named jon (john?). he was doing 2min / 1 min. i said i'd do that to keep company. he was nice and funny and reminded me a bit of my dad with some of his jokes.
@ one point we could actually see the beach. this was a nice change from the streets.
many supporters were cheering along the way - "cowbells" and all.
somewhere after the 1/2 way point and before mile 19 john stopped to say hello to his support team (wife and dog). i kept running. i went back to my 5min/ 1 min run.
a few miles before the end i was playing leap frog with a woman. we decided to run together for a bit. she was kind enough to join my 5 & 1 when i was walking.
a few minutes later we passed larry macon, his shirt said larry and i asked "is that larry macon?". he was nice, gave me a smile, said hello and gave me a hug.
runners are often such a nice group.
made it
stopped for a quick walk into the icy water
POST
my shirts are in !!! - i'm excited to wear one @ the NC marathon.
my first time with more than one connection. hopefully my last.
my first flight from GJT (grand junction, co) was about 2 hours late. my next flight was already gone. there was another flight @ 5pm. i was on standby and lucked out with getting a seat.
unless my 3rd flight was delayed i'd be spending the night in atlanta & catching my 3rd leg (to charlottsville, sc) in the morning. it was nice to be able to sleep (vs drive 2 hours) at 11@ night. i waited about 40 min for the hotel shuttle - apparently quite a few people were waiting as well when one of the other hotel shuttle drivers was kind and took us to the hotel. delta paid for the hotel.
brush teeth, get in bed, sleep a few hours & back to the airport i go. got breakfast @ one of the restaurants in the airport with the meal vouchers from delta.
went first to pick up my packet, felt kinda gross and new i probably was stinky due to 2 days of flights. took a quick walk through and headed on to the hotel to check in and drop off my food & luggage.
headed back out to pick up a few essentials from a natural grocery store for my running drinks & recovery shake
ate dinner, iced, repacked, & headed to bed.
RACE DAY
myrtle beach reminds me of ocean city or rehobeth beaches - places we would sometimes go in the summer - at least from the shops and how the area was set up.
i did my warmups @ the hotel & headed out a few minutes later than planned. the race start was 6:30 - the earliest so far.
as i walked around the start i was tapping on the shoulders of a few tall men with grey shirts looking to say hello to a fellow runner. after a few people i gave up and got ready to run. i did run into the pacer for 5:30 time frame and asked her a few questions. i ran into her later and passed her my card. i hope she remembers to email me b/c i am eager for pacing tips as i will be a pacer in october @ the ING hartford marathon.
still dark @ the start
half (left side) vs full (right side
great cheering throughout the course played green day - made me smile
first few miles 5min run 1min walk
@ the 1/2 and full marathon split off i began running with a man named jon (john?). he was doing 2min / 1 min. i said i'd do that to keep company. he was nice and funny and reminded me a bit of my dad with some of his jokes.
@ one point we could actually see the beach. this was a nice change from the streets.
many supporters were cheering along the way - "cowbells" and all.
somewhere after the 1/2 way point and before mile 19 john stopped to say hello to his support team (wife and dog). i kept running. i went back to my 5min/ 1 min run.
a few miles before the end i was playing leap frog with a woman. we decided to run together for a bit. she was kind enough to join my 5 & 1 when i was walking.
a few minutes later we passed larry macon, his shirt said larry and i asked "is that larry macon?". he was nice, gave me a smile, said hello and gave me a hug.
runners are often such a nice group.
made it
stopped for a quick walk into the icy water
POST
my shirts are in !!! - i'm excited to wear one @ the NC marathon.