Myrtle Beach ... Marathon wishes

Friday night we drove to MB (Myrtle Beach) to stay for the weekend. As I stated in my previous blog, the purpose of this was to pick up my race packet and because we had a room there already reserved, the room was free (long story) and I didn't want it to go to waste. The predicted snow showers had turned into a prediction of 3 to 5 inches of snow, for the first time in 10 years.

Amazingly, the news wasn't wrong. It started snowing at about 6:00 p.m., while we were driving. By the time we got to the convention center to pick up the packet, the snow was accumulating. I was getting regular emails on my phone from the marathon committee with updates on the run. Ultimately they moved the race start back 30 minutes (like that was going to make a difference). Then at 10:30 p.m. they canceled the race altogether.

I declare this Marathon canceled bitches!!!

Mind you, I am not running this race due to the stress reactions in my shins, so I happened to be up at 10:30. Had I been running the race, I would not have been up to hear this news. Many people showed up at the start only to be told that it had been canceled. Some die-hards (who I throughly admire) ran it on their own.

I drove past some of these runners on my way back from stuffing my face at a buffet (It was my husbands idea to eat at a buffet, I was an innocent victim). I became intrigued by seeing the solo runners and began to wonder what was happening when they finished. I did a slow drive-by past the would-be finish line and noticed that two of the race officials were at the finish line handing out medals to the finishers. I thought this was pretty awesome but it also made me sad that I wasn't running the race and getting a medal.

After we got back to the room I proceeded to spend the next 30 minutes wondering if I could get a medal. Why couldn't I get a medal (uhhh.. .maybe because you didn't RUN??? ABSURD). What are they going to do with 11,000 medals?? Maybe I should just go back to the finish and see what's going on? No.. they will know I'm fishing for a medal. Bite nails... bite nails.. pace around... picture shiny medal. I paid for this medal didn't I? (N0, you paid for the race, you EARN the medal). But NO ONE ran (mostly)?? Bite nails... Bite nails... pace around. It would be dumb to go back by! Picture shiny medal. What would it hurt? They aren't going to give you a medal? But they MIGHT! Picture shiny medal. OK, I'm going but only to see what is going on. I want to congratulate the finishers. Picture shiny medal..

I came up with a list of stupid questions I already knew the answer to.

1. Is the post race party still happening? (YES)

2. Is the race going to be rescheduled? (NO)

3. How many people ran it anyway? (Ok, this one I didn't know the answer to)

4. What does the medal look like? (Maybe they would get distracted and I could put it in my purse)

Innocently, I drove back to the finish and walked up to the van where they were handing out shiny medals. My questions were primed and ready and oh looky there.. I happened to have my race number in my purse! Maybe it would fall out when I reach for my keys and the race official would say "oh did you sign up??? It's so sad you couldn't run! Here's a medal for your trouble".

I walked up with that casual 'Hey Guys!!" attitude (Hands in pockets, shoulders kind of shrugged, awkward wave....I didn't really do this but it makes the story better). I'm telling myself "be calm, don't act to suspicious." (My goal was to NOT ask for a medal because begging is lame). Race official number 1 was talking to some people in another car about the post race party, so I went with race official number 2..... Here it goes.. be calm... casual small talk...

RO #2 looks at me and says "What did you sign up for??" 'Full Marathon" I reply. He reaches into his van and pulls out a shiny flip flop medal and says "Here you go!".

Classic. All my preparation and ultimately the receiving of the medal was completely non-eventful. I still felt the need to make idle chit chat and talk to a runner who had finished the marathon on his own. (His first marathon). Then I split with my shiny piece of non-deserved hardware...

I'm shaped like a stinky post-Marathon foot!

Needless to say I didn't put the medal around my neck. Somehow I feel that would be wrong. It should only go around the neck if it's deserved. Maybe when I get back to running I will do a solo marathon and then have this waiting for me at the end.

I plan to start running again tomorrow.....