Myrtle Beach/Lost Dutchman Part 2

The marathon started at 6:30am, we were staying 30 minutes from the start, equals an early alarm. The start was across the street from a corner of the Broadway at the Beach Complex.

 The course is a huge skinny rectangle that parallels the shoreline and starts at the same time and follows most of the same course with the half marathoners.

Gratuitous beach shot that you could only see
snippets of from the race course

Also not on the course but nearish

Gratuitous palm tree photo

Just after where the halfers had turned to head to the finish line

Me in the gray shirt from Route 66 Marathon,
note the sleezy motels as far as the eye can see

This race went generally better than the indoor one that was about 1 month before, with regular gel intake for fueling, and more importantly, no gasteroenteritis afterwards!

Finish in just under 4 hours and 40 minutes!

 Our view from the walk back from the baseball stadium where the finish was to our car parked across the street at the Broadway at the Beach Complex.

Note the budding trees in mid-February

Upside down building at Broadway at the Beach

Our flight left Myrtle Beach, SC airport at 4pm and so we had about 2-3 hours to shower, eat at Cracker Barrel, return the rental car, and get past security. Our flight left on time and we even ran into fellow Marathon Maniacs/50 Staters from the race. Including World Record Holder Larry Macon, partially my inspiration for the crazy weekend. Kicking myself for not getting a picture with him!

Up next: Myrtle Beach/Lost Dutchman Double Marathon Weekend Part III

Myrtle Beach/Lost Dutchman Double Part 1

After registering for the Lost Dutchman Marathon and then finding out the Myrtle Beach Marathon was the same weekend, I began devising a double marathon weekend. First looking at flights to evaluate logistics, then proceeding after finding reasonable flights at reasonable times.

We flew to Myrtle Beach, SC via Charlotte, NC the day before the marathon (Friday 2/15) and was on the ground with our rental car by 1pm to the Expo a whopping 6 miles away. After getting race swag for both the Friday night 5k and the marathon, we headed out after touching base with a fellow Marathon Maniac who was also the RD (race director) for the 5k race. We went to PF Changs in a new nearby outdoor shopping area for a late lunch/early dinner because of the time of HH needing to be available to volunteer and the time of the 5k, which started at 7pm. It sounded good and both of us had not eaten at one for several years.

3 Local News Stations covering the 5k race start

Reporter

Part of the Broadway at the Beach complex

Sunset just before the 5k start

Cadre of 5k packet pickup volunteers,
with me there in green for moral support

Me in the green long sleeve
 just before the start

Now, I have not run a 5k race in several years. When you run a lot of marathons you get cheap with your race money and prefer to spend $60 on 26.2 miles instead of $30 on only 5k (3.1 miles). Just like with the Icebreaker Indoor Marathon, HH and I have both continued to work 60-70 hour work weeks, week after week, leaving little time for actual physical exercise (I know, I know). So I was unsure of how both races would shake out. I ran without my GPS watch and just went by feel, ending up finishing right at about 25 minutes, compared to the 21-22 minute 5k cross country races from high school and college. Finisher medals were mini versions of the marathon finisher medal.

Marathon on the left, 5k on the right

Me in green crossing the finish line!

We stayed at my Marathon Maniac's friend's house that lived on the edge of town and before we knew it we were up for the marathon the next morning.

Up next: Part II The Myrtle Beach Marathon

Icebreaker Indoor Marathon 2013 Edition 1/20/13

There are not many marathons or ultras that I have repeated, but this is one of them out of convenience (close to home) and being in the middle of winter when there is not a whole lot going on with marathons. The only other repeat that I recall has been the Holiday Lake 50 in Virginia.

I went into this race having a monthly running average around 10-15 miles. So pretty much not trained at all for this. There is a reason for this, and the answer is not injury. HH and I have been working 60-70 hour weeks for the last few months to save up to hike the entire Pacific Crest Trail this year.

Marathon Maniacs photo just before the start

Lined up at the startline on the backside of the track

Me.

This marathon is 96 laps around the outside running lanes at the Pettit National Ice Center (Apolo Anton Ohno trained here for a bit back in the day).

They also had a 50k (31 miles) speed skating race that went on during part of the marathon and the winner finished in about 90 minutes. I finished the marathon (26.2 miles) running in 4:44-ish.

50k racers

I got lazy about fueling and felt very sluggish for the middle 1/3 of the race, although I recall doing the same thing last year.

I was glad to finish and enjoyed the running shoe shaped sugar cookies that were repeats from last year. I proceeded to spend the evening at home with gastroenteritis (what many people mistakenly call the stomach flu, which is a virus but not inFLUenza). I thought I was initially feeling bad due to electrolyte imbalance and due to being so out of marathoning shape. Turns out I was wrong, and I likely got it at work due to sloppy hand washing.

LESSONS LEARNED
-Wash your hands well
-Do not get lazy with fueling during long runs.

Next up: Myrtle Beach/Lost Dutchman Double Marathon Weekend.