Race Report- "Another Brick in the Wall"
Myrtle Beach Marathon- Saturday, March 2, 2019
Signed up for this race almost a year ago. Fast, flat, very few turns, and it's at the Beach.
Weather forecast was pretty gloomy all week but changed for the better the day before the race: mid 50s, cloudy, light winds. # Winning!!!
Drove 9 hours in the rain to Myrtle Beach on Friday, picked up packet, expo was pretty small with less than 10 vendors.
My hotel seemed to be party central Friday night, as it was wild and raucous all night long.
Got about 2 hours sleep.
Arrived at the start/finish parking area about 90 minutes ahead of time.
Ran a warmup mile and figured out I left my super-elastic-hidden pocket-runner's belt thingy at home. I use the pockets for keys/and cash, but the real reason I love this belt is because the elastic helps to...........um...........hold up my shorts. After loading my shorts with 6 gels, Peanut M&Ms, gummy bears, and Band-Aids, they get kinda heavy. TMI?!!!
Sure enough as I jogged around the parking lot, I had to use one hand to hold my shorts up.
Decided to hold 3 of the gels in my hand and that seemed to solve the weight issue.
Beautiful rendition of the National Anthem sung by a MB local and we started on time at 7 AM.
Cloudy, low 60's, and slightly humid but pretty ideal running conditions.
The course runs right down US 17 , the Market Commons, Grande Dunes, Atlantic Avenue,and many residential neighborhoods. It was really flat.
Slight breeze and headwind for most of the run. Nice volunteer and crowd support. A few DJs and musicians sprinkled throughout the course. One guy played a medley from the
Grease movie, and I started singing along. Hope nobody was looking.
Started between the 4:15 and 4:30 pace groups and determined to maintain my training paces and not go out too fast.
Nice and steady should result in a time of 4:15-4:22.
I was cruising along and slightly ahead of pace through the first 13 miles.
Started getting tired but found a good pace through mile 20.
And then I just hit the W-A-L-L.
I tried to keep going, find another gear, and gave it my all but I was completely out of gas.
This has been a common theme for me at the marathon distance, sometimes I hit the wall at mile 16, or 20, once at mile 7.
But it's always there and I haven't figured out how to climb it, go around it, or break through it.....yet.
Ended up taking some lengthy walk breaks at water stops and to walk off a glute muscle issue.
Had a nice view of all the runners jogging by during those last 5 miles.
I did rally for the last half mile but the damage was done.
Final time 4:41:30 (2:09 first half, 2:32:30 2nd half)
Finish line festival next to the MB Pelicans baseball stadium. Announcer calls your name.
Nice Finisher Medal (about the size of a CD), finisher shirt, and mylar wrap. Why do I keep saving the wraps?
Krispy Kreme donuts, Hershey's cholocate milk, sun chips, apples, bananas and pizza available to all finishers.
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Massage available, and REAL bathrooms at the stadium.
Parking lots were less than 10 minute walk.
Got in the car and drove the 8 hours back to Virginia.
It's a nice event, especially for those looking for a flat course or maybe a giant medal.
I think we caught a break with the weather and not much wind.
Myrtle Beach has a lot to offer if you have the time to stay all weekend.
Now it's time to train for Spring Half Marathons and kick some butt.
. It wasn't fun to sleep in it but I did feel like it helped quite a bit. 
