BI-LO Myrtle Beach Marathon - RunMarathon

This race was not an 'A' race for me. It was a race just to finish feeling good. I would have liked to have been faster, but still not bad overall.

Drank water every aid station (every two miles) and took a gu every three aid stations the first half and every other aid stations the second half.

It was a little hard to pace the first 13 miles since the half marathoners were running more quickly. Unfortunately I let myself get a little caught up in it and went too fast at times. I'm not sure I would have been significantly faster overall had I run slower during the first half but maybe I wouldn't have been in so sore the second half. The mile markers were also really screwy and even if you didn't have an HRM to measure it you knew they weren't placed right.

I also had an emotional moment at mile 21.7, the point in the Milwaukee Marathon where race officials pulled me off the course, called the paramedics, and then sent me to the hospital. It was a little tough in the couple miles before that. I was slowing down, and I was getting mad at myself for falling apart. Then I hit mile 21.7 and decided to celebrate instead because regardless of how slow I was, I knew I could finish.

I also found out this weekend that my uncle, who was diagnosed with stage 4 non-hodkins lymphoma in 2003 and has been in remission, has developed a new totally unrelated type of cancer. I dedicated mile 21.7 to him because of how strong he is and how he reminds me that I should be grateful I am healthy enough to finish a marathon at any pace instead of facing larger and much scarier challenges.

I felt like I hit a wall from miles 19 to 24 and then I think the "horses heading home to the stable" syndrome kicked in and I picked it up a little for the last couple of miles even though my quads were screaming, my hamstrings were extremely tight, and I was completely exhausted.

Maybe not make a big race event also a family weekend. Or else let them do their thing and just hang out in the hotel room so I could be rested for my own stuff.

Let my mom know a little better that night how proud I was of her for getting second in her age group and running her best 5k time by about 30"-1' per mile pace.

Quarter mile walk to the car, stop off at CVS for slim fast for recovery, and then off to the hotel for a shower before we headed out for lunch and then spent two hours walking around the aquarium (stupid I know but I didn't want to miss spending time with my niece and nephews).

Took an ice bath later that night.


Not enough rest the day before. I think I may have peaked too early. I also felt a teeny bit undertrained and didn't get enough taper. But those things couldn't have been helped. There wasn't enough time to do a full training program like I would have needed.


Fairly well organized race. Important to know the expo hotel is nowhere near the race start (which I didn't when I reserved my rooms there). Family fun run is worth every penny of your registration and it all goes to schools. Nice finish. Didn't stay for post race events but they looked fun.

The mile markers were not very well paced so I didn't bother using them as any indication of my pace after awhile. My HRM also showed the course as being a little long.