Myrtle Beach Marathon was awesome even with the wind! It is a scenic course which at one point parallels the ocean. I got to see my friends @kristinrunsmiles and Mikie Pylilo whom I met in Boston last year. Isn’t it cool how runners can relate so easily and became, pardon the pun, fast friends😂. Kristin and Mikie really helped me when I was a newbie last year at Boston and so I was glad to see them again and to meet Kristin’s husband Danny who was running his first marathon. I also was blessed to run with my friends Gary Lee, Tony Southerland and Wendy Boyette, who was running her first marathon too.

This was my third 26.2 mile event and it was a blast! It’s funny how each event has something memorable occur. This time, just after the 5K point I think, a woman came running up on my left and said, “Hey Gary, do you know CPR?” I glanced briefly in her direction not knowing who she was but I answered, “Yes ma’am I do.” She looked at me and started laughing because she was talking to a guy who had just appeared on my right who just happened to be another Gary. At that point we all three started laughing and she said, “Well if I fall out, will one of you Garys help me out?” It was a moment of comedy in the midst of the struggle and that made it that much more funny. (I guess ya just had to be there).

Someone told me afterwards that the winds were around 14 mph Saturday with occasional gusts. Most of the way up Ocean Boulevard was just a near constant headwind. But I still had a blast. My coach @jim_burrows_runs told me ahead of time what the game plan was and to stay positive. That reminder stuck with me. In fact, it got me through all the way to the end. Thanks Jim! When I was a little more than two tenths of a mile from the finish line I saw my buddy Tony. We ran in together. I have a tremendous amount of respect for that dude. I thank the good Lord Jesus for keeping me healthy through training and providing me the strength to endure till the end. I ended up with right at a 16 minute PR and a full heart from the experience. Not even the residual soreness keeps me from thinking “I can’t wait for the next one!”