My "that didn't go as planned" Myrtle Beach Race Report

Myrtle Beach Marathon February 18, 2012

Race Report:

I woke up that morning feeling pretty good. All the normal stuff that happens to me on race morning happened. As I was warming up before the race, I noticed my legs a little tight, but no big deal, I still felt good. I'm ready...let's do this thing, I was thinking!!

Race splits:

10K (6.2 miles)                        53:44

Half (13.1 miles)                   1:53:14

30K (about 19 miles)           2:49:02

Full  (26.2 miles)                   4:26:12

•  I didn't panic at the beginning and went out at a comfortable pace. There were a lot of people but I didn't feel boxed in and didn't have to weave in and out much at all.
•  My Garmin decided to go wacky and the pacing feature read a 3:20 pace the entire race...I still didn't panic but ran by feel and kept thinking about how my coach, Bobby, never uses a pacing watch and I knew I would come up on the mile markers to check my time. I did have my pace band on as well.
•  Up to around mile 5 I was on pace to qualify. I was about a minute and a half ahead of pace but was feeling pretty good.
•   I started feeling a little bad close to mile 4 so I took my first GU then. It was hard to get down. I remember thinking this might not turn out to be a good day for me. Little did I know...
• My stomach started hurting...I didn't have to use the bathroom-it just hurt. My hamstrings started tightening up. I envisioned getting a DNF. I was fairly certain I would not be able to finish-it was too far.
•  I took my 2nd and last GU at mile 10. Usually mile 8-10 are not good in my training runs, so I thought it might pass. It didn't.
•  I first stopped to walk around mile 11 or 12. Once my stomach stopped hurting, I ran again. Then I would stop, and then run...this was the cycle…along with crying uncontrollably.
•  I took a pepto bismol tablet-it helped a little.
• Ronnie Jones came alongside me and encouraged me not to quit but persevere.
• Charles Akers passed me and I told him I wasn't doing well...
• Mike Walsh came along to check on me and gave me a salt tablet. That was near mile 16 or 17. By mile 20 I did feel better but my hamstrings were still tight.
•  Mile 18 was where I saw them doing CPR on the man. We had to go around him on the sidewalk and I had to stop for the ambulance to get by...the race didn't seem so important at that moment. I was crying. I had been crying off and on since the half mark. I’m not sure if he made it or not…
•  A little after mile 18 I see Charles stopped on the side of the road, he was waiting for me to help me out. He was only using this race as a training run and he was coming off a foot injury, so he was hurting some too. We would run some and walk some. He talked most of the time and kept my mind off of the fact that I had failed. He is a big reason why I didn't stop at the medical tent and quit. He was very encouraging. Everyone was-they know how important it is to me.
• Charles and I matched each other step for step at the finish--funny to hear the announcer say, "looks like we have another race to the finish" like we were trying to beat one another. I owe him big time.

I think I may have been a little dehydrated. I did drink regularly during the race but I wonder if I started off dehydrated. I didn't drink too much after 8 the night before. I was too worried about going to the bathroom during the race. That was the least of my worries…I didn't use the bathroom from 6:15am until 12:15pm on Saturday.

I'm very disappointed, not upset, but very sad. I had put my all into this race and worked my tail off at each training run. I feel like the last 3.5 months are in the toilet. I know they aren't but that's how I feel right now. I'm not going to give up trying to qualify until I have that "perfect" race and just realize I am not fast enough to meet the time goal. I will be okay-it's just going to take a little while…just finishing wasn’t my goal on Saturday. I know most who are reading this can’t understand why I am disappointed even though I finished 26.2 miles-you think, isn’t that an accomplishment in itself-most people never even attempt that distance but…some do understand. I will be crying for a while, I can’t help it, just accept it, and know this was one of the most important things to me. You are all very supportive, I just need some time. Please understand and don’t try to make me feel better. I know you care and I sincerely appreciate it, but this is something I have to get over on my own. I know you are proud of me!

On a positive note: I am very excited that Jack Smith did qualify for Boston, Scarlette Chappell and Melissa Hamilton ran their first marathon and my nephew Ricky Buffaloe ran his first half marathon. I am very happy for the more than 25 WCA people that participated in the races this weekend. It was a fun time overall!! Small things can make a difference! You can get active!! Start today!!