Myrtle Beach Marathon Race Report

My friend David called me out on Facebook. David said that he knew that no matter what I said about potentially dropping out or not running the marathon, if I started he knew that I was going to finish. I have got to admit - in my heart, that's exactly where I was at. I knew that I would be disappointed if I didn't finish, and I also knew that I had a whole 8 hours to be able to finish it if I had to take that long. However, I was truthful in saying that IF I actually hurt something, or feared that continuing would cause or worsen an injury, then I would drop out. I knew that I would hurt - is it actually possible to run 26.2 miles and not hurt? I just knew that something would have to be really hurt - or falling off - for me to stop.

It was a great weekend for Jennifer and I. Mom and Dad had the boys for the weekend, and it was quite nostalgic for us as almost 18 years ago we went to Myrtle Beach for our honeymoon. Myrtle Beach is also the place where I had an incredible experience that led to me responding to my call into ministry, so this was all in all a neat trip. We took off mid-morning Friday and got down there in time to enjoy a great healthy lunch, got checked in early at the hotel, and then went to the runner's expo to get my bid and race packet. It is always so exciting to go to these race expos - you see so many cool products, but also you start to see so many people who are also just as excited and nervous about the daunting task that is before you. After driving around a bit, and driving past the hotel we stayed at for our honeymoon, we had time to go back and rest and relax for a bit before heading out for supper. I'm always nervous about what to eat the night before a race - you want to load up on carbs, but I don't want to eat too much or eat something that is going to cause problems later. We had in the race packet a listing of restaurants that had specials for the runners, and so we settled on one Italian place that had all you can eat spaghetti. When we got there, the place was so packed we couldn't find a parking space anywhere. So we tried plan B. Hearing there was a 50 minute wait, we tried plan C - Thorny's, which was sort of a steakhouse kind of place. I ate some amazing Chicken Alfredo, and loaded up on carbs (and fat in the alfredo!) and it was awesome. Pefect. No problems - just right. It really hit the spot.

Hit the sack early because I knew that I needed to be up by 4:30 the next morning in order to be able to eat something at the hotel before I went out to get the shuttle to the start of the race. I also knew that I needed to be out to catch the shuttle somewhere around 5:00, when they started running the shuttles for the 6:30 start time. I knew this because before I went to bed I read in some of the race information that they "strongly discouraged runners to use the race shuttle." Strongly discouraging the use of public transportation? You mean you'd rather have 7,000 driving to the exact same location at about the exact same time? That made me nervous, so I knew I wanted to be on one of the first shuttles. After eating some eggs and a bagel and having a cup of coffee, I headed out to the bus stop feeling like a kid waiting on the school bus for the first day of school. You remember that feeling? Wondering if you are at the right place? Why am I the only one out here? Is the bus ever going to come? I hope I like my teacher - oh wait, I digress. The race packet info said a shuttle would arrive every 15 minutes, and they were pretty close to that - I only had to wait about 30 - which seemed like an eternity. After all, I was still nervous about starting a race that I fully expected to quit. ;)

The bus dropped us off pretty close to the start, and after a little bit of confusion, I followed the herd towards the start area. I couldn't believe how fast the time seemed to be flying, and before I knew it, I was having to go get lined up. Before I lined up, however, I had been doing something that I had read that you should do before a race - and no, I don't mean pray - which I still did plenty of. I had been drinking a Powerade (not my preference, but it was what they were serving on the course). I drank half the bottle as soon as I rolled out of bed, and I finished the bottle just before I got in the race line up. Mental note to self - don't drink that much of anything before a race again. Ever. Considering my lack of training, I decided to line up with the 5:00 pace group.

Considering my lack of training, allow me to expound upon that for a moment. If you have read any of my posts, you may know that I have been dealing with some achilles tendonitis for a while now. As I look back on my training log, the last time that I actually ran 4 times in one week was the week of December 12-17, and that week I ran a total of 36.8 miles. The next week I only ran twice as my tendon was really bothering me for a total of 12 miles. The first week of January I ran twice for a total of 9 miles, and I knew I was in trouble. The next week I ran one - January 13 for 4.2 miles - and I quit in the middle of the run because of the pain. I did not run a step again until last Monday, February 14, when I ran 5 miles, and then again the next day I ran 6. If you know anything about training for a run like a marathon, that lack of mileage is not a good way to prepare to run 26.2. There is usually some sort of taper as you are cutting back a bit before the marathon, but not like that. Last week as I began to even think about the race, I said to Jennifer, "How arrogant do I actually have to be to be able to think that I might be able to do one of the single hardest things I've ever done in my life without even properly training for it? I'm an idiot to even think I could do it!" But yes, if you know me at all, you also know that yes - I am an idiot.

Back to the race - at the start I met a new friend - Jason Parker. Jason was running in his first marathon, and his goal was to simply finish - and considering what I just described, that was pretty much my goal also! Jason and I ran together and kept each other company for a little over the first half of the marathon. He was awesome - great company, we kept each other laughing, just a neat dude. That's one thing I love about running in these races - even I don't know a single person, you can make a new friend like I have with Jason or Scott from a previous race. I almost broke out in tears when I saw Jason run past his family. This guy was a real inspiration to me - to hear how hard it is to train in the midst of his busy work schedule, but he truly gets it done. Just remember Jason - God IS looking out for you!

I took a gel pack with me, and I hit that around mile 9 or so, and besides having to stop at least 3 times during the first half to use the restroom/bushes (darn Powerade!), I was feeling really pretty good. Yes, I knew my achilles was there, but it wasn't screaming at me - only a mild whisper. Crazy thing is that the more I ran, the less I felt my achilles. Maybe that's because the pain was shifting to other places, such as every muscle tissue in my body. Jason and I parted ways somewhere around mile 14 as he was starting to tighten up a bit. I was nervous that if I slowed down or started walking that I might begin to have problems, and then begin thinking about quitting - so I kept going. I've learned that some of the greatest battles of the marathon are not fought with your body, but with your mind. So in my mind, I would not even think about stopping or quitting.

I met some other great people - Delaine was a MB local who knew this course perfectly. She was awesome, telling me that we only had a few more miles running into this strong headwind, and then we'd turn and run up a hill (that was a pain - other than that hill - it was really flat). She encouraged me that once up the hill, the wind would be at our back for the rest of the race. At mile 17.5, I pulled out my phone that I took with me so that I could call Jennifer when I decided to quit, and I sent her the following text - "Mile 17.5 feeling good." I KNEW at that point that I was going to finish the 26.2, and I began to get emotional. It's kind of tough to start to break down and cry when you still have 9 miles to go, but at that point I knew that I could do it.

I've heard it said that a marathon is two races - a 20 miler, and then a 10 K (6.2 miles). At mile 20 I knew that my PR was well within my grasp if I could continue at the pace I had been running. Alas, that was not to be. The last 10K kicked my butt. It was much more solitary - not much talking with anyone, and fewer spectators. It even felt like the 2 miles between water stations grew farther and farther. I eventually decided that it was more important to me to finish than to set a PR (this time), so I began to walk a bit. I would set a point ahead of me and then try to run some more for as long as I could. By this time my thighs and hamstrings were screaming at me that I had asked more of them than I should have. I kept promising them that if they just got me to the finish I would give them a break, and so they would shut up for a little bit before screaming and hollering some more. During one of my walking bits, I texted Jennifer again "2.5 to go. Hurting and walking some, but I know I will finish. Can't believe it." Just typing that sent me into more tears - thank goodness I had on big dark sunglasses, and plus I was sweating, so maybe it didn't look like tears. The reality was really hitting me that I was going to do it. Yes, I had done one before, but still it was an amazing feeling of accomplishment. I knew that yes, I CAN do all things through Christ who strengthens me (Philippians 4:13). I also knew that those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary (Isaiah 40:31).

When I saw on my Garmin watch that I had run 26.2 miles, I so desperately just wanted to drop, but unfortunately, I had about another third of a mile to go. Too bad they didn't use my GPS when they laid out the course! Crossing the finish was euphoric. Simply amazing. I don't know what else to say about it - but I knew that I had just done one of the most amazing things in my life. I still can't believe what an idiot I am, but I am an idiot that knew the moment that I crossed the finish line that I WILL run another marathon - and I WILL train properly and injury-free - I hope.

I applaud the race. Great race, great atmosphere. Strongly encourage this race. Definitely plan to do it again. So . . . who is up to run with me next time?

To run or not to run? MB Marathon . . .

Way back in the summer I knew I was looking for another marathon to sign up for. Over the past few years (last year excluded), I had heard good things about the Myrtle Beach Marathon - most importantly, it's flat. So I signed up, booked the room, got someone to fill in for me in church on Sunday (even though it is a Saturday race), and was all good to go. That is until about 6 weeks ago when I began experiencing some pain in my right achilles tendon. So for a couple of weeks I would run a little, and rest more. Finally, I decided I need to take a full week off to recuperate my achilles. That one week turned into 4 weeks before I felt no pain. So this past Monday I went out and ran for the first time in 4 weeks - a good 5 miles. Nothing fast, nothing fancy - just a plain, simple 5 mile run - and it felt good! Yes, I did notice a little tightness, and I could feel "something" in my achilles - but I wouldn't call it pain. Tuesday morning I got up and again went running - this time feeling even better, and I ran 6 miles - and that's when it happened. I began to wonder to myself if I could actually still try to run the marathon this Saturday or not? I had all but already decided that I was not going to run it, but we were still going to go for the weekend just to get away - and plus I could at least pick up the tshirt that my non-refundable registration paid for. But now I got to thinking, what if I simply went out there and started the race? And what if I just simply ran until I either hurt too bad to continue, or just decided I had had enough?

So I have decided. I am going to lace up for the Myrtle Beach Marathon on Saturday. We'll see what happens - I really do not expect to actually finish. How could I? I've only run a total of 11 miles in the past month? But I know this - I'm at least going to go out there, make some friends, and have a great Saturday morning run for however long I want to run - and it will just happen to be in the middle of several thousand other runners.