Myrtle Beach Marathon Report
by Charles Cohn
Summary: I finished the Myrtle Beach Marathon and had a ball!
Race day, Saturday morning (Feb. 28) I got up at 5 am, since I was to start at 7. The optimistic weather forecast I had heard the night before was belied by the sounds of thunder and rain on the roof. I turned on the weatheradio in our camper and heard a forecast of showers and thunderstorms, so I dressed in my lightweight Nike rainsuit and Penguin cap.
After I dressed I drove to the old airbase and parked as close as I could get to the finish line. Maggie was to stay in the van until she finished sleeping and did some paperwork she wanted to get done, then she was to go to the finish line to meet me. I walked in the rain the few blocks to the starting area and met up with fifty or so other entrants.
The start was called and we were off across Kings' Highway and along Ocean Boulevard. I tried to hold my speed down the first two miles. Even at this early hour, quite a few people were in front of the hotels or on the balconies cheering us on.
In the fourth mile I came upon some porta-potties with no waiting, and made a much needed stop. At the four-mile water stop I ate the first of my GU packets.
It was raining continually as we proceeded along Ocean Boulevard, but it was not a cold rain, and my rainsuit kept me comfortable. A flash and a loud clap of thunder signaled a lightning stroke that was a little too close for comfort. It set off a couple of car alarms, that started beeping. After about eight miles the course left Ocean Boulevard and turned inland, and the rain stopped.
By the tenth mile I was building up another bladderfull. Someone said there were potties at mile 10. There were, but just two potties at the relay interchange station with a long line in front of them. No way was I going to wait, so I puckered and proceeded. A few blocks further there was a construction site with a potty that I used gratefully.
The course proceeded along Kings' Highway, and turned toward the Planet Hollywood, All Star Cafe, Broadway on the Beach area. I was taking sports drink at every aid station except for water every four miles, when I took a packet of GU. At mile 16 they were passing out Clif bars, which I ate in place of the GU.
At mile 18 I passed a woman who was complaining of heat distress. (The sun was out by then.) It didn't bother me particularly, even with my rainsuit on, as there was a good breeze. Fortunately, it clouded up after a while, which should have given her some relief. I was pleased to see that she finished OK shortly after me.
The course returned to King's Highway briefly, and then went through an industrial area and into the airbase. I finished erect and reasonably strong in a fair-to-middling 6:11:12.
Three days post-marathon it stopped hurting to walk, so I guess pain really is temporary. I hope glory really is forever, or at least until the next marathon.
Charles Cohn
