Well, here we are again!! Time for the first recap of the year!!
I’m not sure exactly why I registered for this race…it could’ve been the fairly low cost, it could’ve been the 20th anniversary medal, it could have been that I just needed a change of scenery – even if only for a very short weekend.
Probably all of the above actually!
Anyway…
As is my habit, I waited awhile to make my reservations and was lucky enough that one of the host hotels not only had rooms available but was also Phred Phriendly (this is huge for me!). My plan was to do an overnight drive since it’s about a 13 hour drive.
Gratuitous shot of Phred lounging on the bed in his room…
I worked at home that Thursday thinking I could wrap up early and then hopefully get in a nap. This did not happen. But I did get packed, gt the car fueled up and relaxed for a few hours. After a false start (in which I actually left my bag with my wallet at the house…) I grabbed a cup of Dunkin – for free ya’ll, guy couldn’t open a register! – and hit the road. Using trusty Waze AND Google Maps I hit the interstate around midnight.
By the time I got to New Jersey I was TAHRED!! So very tired that I pulled into a service area figuring I could get a short 20 minute nap in. This did not happen. But I did close my eyes for a bit and that seemed to help. Potty break for me and the Phred and we were heading south again!
Whenever I would see ‘cheap’ gas I would stop and top off…which always adds a half hour or more. Plus coffee refills plus more potty breaks!
EVENTUALLY….
We made it to Myrtle Beach, around noon-ish, got checked into the resort and hauled all my stuff to the room.
My plan now was to hit the expo, walk the Phred, find some dinner (and, since the forecast was dramatically different than it had been when I packed, try to find an inexpensive running jacket. This did not happen)
Expo was small, but everyone was friendly! Did a quick loop and chatted with a couple of random strangers – what? You don’t do that at race expos?!! Got my gear/swag
Front of the shirt and some 20th Anniversary sox from The Sock Guy!
Back of shirt
Walked Phred around the facility and then headed to Target / Walmart to find something to wear. Only made it to Target and they didn’t really have what I was looking for. I did pick up some headphones since I’d left mine behind.
Then dinner. This could be a problem on account of my usual pre-race meal on the road is meat and potatoes (meatloaf, burger…that sort of thing) and this was the first Friday in Lent. No way was I going to chance fish the night before a race and I didn’t even think – until this morning actually – that I could’ve probably found somewhere to get eggs.
So I said a prayer and grabbed a burger at Sonic. Which…Yum!!!
Got back to the room, laid out my clothes for Saturday
As you can see…not so prepared for mid-30 temps!!
And settled in to my dinner and early bedtime. It was a 6:30 start and shuttles were only running until 5.
Woke up hoping that somehow the forecast had gone back to a mid-40’s temp at the start. This did not happen 🙂 So I threw on my trusty Lioness and my Exhale Bra Tank as well as a throw away long sleeve tshirt and mylar blanket and headed for the shuttle.
We were dropped at a local Minor league baseball stadium where it was windy and cold! But the stadium was open and we could use those facilities. Which was NICE!
About 6:10 or so everyone headed to the start – which caused some congestion but nothing too dramatic.
I had decided on 45:30 intervals. I am not sure why I made this decision but I did. And I pretty much stuck with it the whole way. Â It seemed to take a few miles for my Map My Run app to sync up with the mile markers on the course but eventually that straightened out. As much as the app is every matching the mile markers on the course!
I made one important stop shortly after Mile 2
It took so long cause they had to cook my donut!!
Mmmnomnomnom
But then stayed on my intervals for most of the next 11 or so miles. Eventually it warmed up – and then the last 3 miles were in the shade 🙂 By then I realized I was doing pretty okay and didn’t mind.
I *do* think that the cold kept a lot of spectators indoors – my friend had told me that the crowd support was really great when she did it last year. But the folks that were out were awesome!!
I managed to finish in under 3. By the clock I was barely under 3 – that Mile 2 stopped knocked me down by about 4 minutes  or so..I was happy and actually greeted by a kind volunteer handing out  — you guessed it — Krispy Kreme donuts. It would’ve been rude not to take one.
20th Anniversary Medal and some swaggy sunglasses!
After grabbing my bag I got in line for the post-race food , where another kind volunteer had more sweet goodness. And I’m not rude ya’ll.  Post race food was  fruit cups, pizza, bananas, and….yes…more donuts. LOTS more donuts. I may or may not have taken another (spoiler, I *did* take another but couldn’t eat the whole thing…my beer filled me up too much!!) The pizza was pretty amazing too!!
There was a great band playing and I listened for a bit before heading back for the shuttle and a shower!
Spent the afternoon with my friend having a wander and a snack (and a beer)  and getting a tour of Myrtle Beach. By 5:30 I was ready for bed. Again 🙂 Which was fine – took a quick stroll on the beach with Phred then passed out while watching TV.
Up early and packed on Sunday morning – I was meeting more friends for Brunch at House of Blues – which I HIGHLY recommend!
Then Phred and I hit the road for our trip home – I was happy to not be driving overnight again.
Some race stats:
Starting Blood Sugars – not good. I check right at the start and I was at 142 and “falling rapidly”
This is not good…
Finish Line Blood Sugars – around 150.
Note: I think my sensor was out of whack due to the wearing of the mylar blanket so I don’t have much on the road info.
I did consume ALL of the fuel I had with me – 2 Laffy Taffy and 2 Applesauce packets. Could’ve used one more applesauce because I did have a couple of shaky moments.
Per Map My Run– I ran 13.39 Miles in 2:54:17 – average pace 13:01. I didn’t neg split but I did keep all of my splits under 14. So I will conclude that for now the 45:30 is the way to go!
I’m on Auto-Pause on the app so it stopped when I waited, apparently nearly 6 minutes, for my donut!
I’m happy with this…
Bad News– Somewhere after mile…maybe 6? … I lost my flower. I am hoping that some other lady who might have been struggling picked it up and then looked up the the meaning over on the Fellow Flowers website
Also, there was a TON of Skirt Sports out on the course and I accosted a few of the ladies after the race to hear how they love their skirts! So of course I offered them my 20% off code (1SSCAPT20 fyi!)
Coming Up:
March 11 – O’Shenanigans in Cheshire CT (this is a new one so we’ll see how it is!)
March 12 – O’Putnam in Putnam CT (will spend the night at Kathy’s in RI to be close to the race)
Also, I may as well do this week’s training recap right now cause…well…
I have been lazy and eating like crap ever since I got home. That is all.
But I have started Planking again and it’s as if I never have planked before! I’m 3 days in and up to 30 seconds
Happy FriYay Eve everyone — hope you have some great things planned for your weekend!!!
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