PATRICK RITSKO's Staging Area

This race was a PR for me, shaving nearly 25 minutes off my ‘flat course’ PR (I keep a separate record for downhill races, and I even bested that time as well). The course was nearly flat and the weather (for me at least) was perfect. There was some headwind along Oceanfront Blvd, but I’ll take the wind over rain any day. Course support was top-notch. I was a little worried about the plastic bottle disposal considering we were so close to the ocean, but volunteer clean-up mitigated the situation well on race day. I actually enjoyed carrying leftover water in a bottle which was useful when the sun came out later on in the morning. Perhaps smaller bottles (8 oz instead of 16 oz) could be considered in the future. The crowds, though limited, were very supportive and I was pleased to see people come out to cheer us on.

The race swag was nice as well: the finisher medal is one of the largest in my collection, and I appreciated getting *two* quality finisher shirts which will be worn again (often times, I donate my finisher shirts if they are not to my liking; this is not the case for this race).

Aforementioned, the course was flat. I would have liked to see more ocean views but understand that may not be feasible. There is also limited shade on this course, so dressing appropriately is key to a good race.

This may be an unpopular opinion: This race was postponed from early March, and if it was my call, I think the May date should be the permanent race date. I am sure the March date brings cooler conditions, but I personally like the warmer races as long as I stay properly hydrated.

I would like to see race photos included. That is always a welcomed addition to any race.

Building up to the race, customer service was attentive and answered my questions in a timely manner. This is always appreciated especially for those runners traveling long distances to run a race. Also, registration fees were very reasonable and worth every dollar for admission.

I will be returning to this race and will try to recruit my fellow runners from Colorado to check it out in the years ahead. I am saying nothing but good things about the Myrtle Beach Marathon, and I look forward to seeing this race under no COVID restrictions.