They Really DO Run This Beach!

My family has vacationed at Myrtle Beach since 1990.

From my first visit, I was impressed by the warm, Gulf Stream-fueled water, the wide pristine beach, the people and their legendary Southern hospitality. My daughter, Kelly, was so impressed with the state that she attended and graduated with a Master's Degree from the University of South Carolina in 2001.

After a few years, an annual vacation to Myrtle Beach didn't seem like enough. My wife and I grew weary of nearly six months of winter in Pennsylvania, it's colorful grays and browns from November to May, snow and ice storms, polar vortexes, and potholes, potholes, potholes.

Last December we achieved our dream of owning our own slice of Myrtle Beach. We purchased a condo along an area north of the city known as the "Golden Mile."

We have taken every opportunity to occupy our condo since.

Back in 1992, a running rival, who has become one of my oldest and dearest friends, John Ausherman, randomly ran into me as our families visited a local Myrtle Beach attraction. It turned out he was staying at the condo next to mine. For years, we met at 8:00 a.m. sharp, in order to avoid the July heat, training on a 7-mile course we called, "The Arcadian Loop."

So, in February, on a visit to our condo, I reached out to the Grand Strand Running Club. I had always enjoyed running at the beach, and I wanted to find some like-minded individuals here in Myrtle.

I received emails from the club president, Roscoe Griffin. Roscoe is a knowledgeable, veteran runner, and is the ideal ambassador for the club. Everyone knows Roscoe, and if you know him, you instantly like him.

At the packet pick-up for the Myrtle Beach Marathon in February. I met some terrific club members, and it was a no-brainer for my wife and I to sign up as members as members ourselves.

Each month, club members get together for a run and a club social. In March, we ran, then dined at a local Mexican restaurant. This week, we ran along the beach, then attended a pizza party.

At the party, the club awarded scholarships to two young men from the area, who ran track and cross country and now plan to further their education. The GSRC is paying it forward to young runners.

Next month, the club social features a run followed by a Myrtle Beach Pelicans minor league baseball game.

The GSRC sponsors many local races, and, well, I'm sure to miss many of the great things they do,  so visit their website, http://www.grandstrandrunner.com/ to learn more about the club.

The GSRC has made my wife and I feel at home here in Myrtle Beach. I would highly encourage any runner who lives or visits the area to join this fine running club.

Their slogan is, "We run this beach," and they do.

To borrow from Darius Rucker, they embrace running "Southern Style."

www.muldowneyrunning.com

RUNNERS-SIMPLY THE BEST

The month of April has been a lot of fun for me.

In four appearances I have had the opportunity to interact with thousands of runners, men and women, of all ages and abilities.

By speaking with and to these fine folks, it has reaffirmed my opinion that runners are among the finest people anywhere.

In early April I traveled to Lancaster to the Movie Madness Half Marathon. US Road Running conducts this event, which features a Hollywood theme. The weather was blustery, but the runners loved the race.

The next week I ventured a mile down the road to meet with runners prior to the Yuengling Light Lager 5K in Pottsville, the home of America's Oldest Brewery, Yuengling. Over 3,000 runners participated in the third annual event.

The following Saturday I had the privilege of speaking at the Harrisburg Area Road Runners annual banquet. Running clubs are valuable to runners all over this nation, and HARRC has been in existence for over 40 years. Join a running club near you. You'll be happy you did.

Finally, last weekend, I spoke at the pre-race pasta party for the Gettysburg North-South Marathon. I met folks from as far away as Texas, and a gentleman who has run over 300 marathons.

April has made me appreciate running and runners even more.

At the events, of course, I was honored when people bought my books, and was humbled when some told me they had enjoyed Running Shorts, and now wanted to read Personal Best.

My first book, Running Shorts: A Collection of Stories and Advice for Anyone Who Has Ever Laced Up a Pair of Running Shoes, published in 2011, is a compilation of my experiences as competitive runner for 39 years, but many of these tales reflect experiences YOU have had during your years as a runner. As one of the Amazon reviewers stated, "It will make you laugh and it will make you cry." amazon.com/author/joemuldowney

Traveling the country, promoting my first book, prompted me to write, Personal Best, my second book, published in September 2014.

Runners told me what they wanted in a running book, and I tried to respond by writing a book that is instructive to runners of all ages and abilities.

Personal Best took a tragic turn in April 2013, soon after I crossed the finish line at the Boston Marathon. I devoted my first chapter, entitled "Was That Thunder," to the events, and my experiences of that day. I guarantee you, it is worth the read, and it is my fervent hope that I was able to capture the emotions of that fateful day in a manner in which every runner can relate.

If you would like read an electronic version of Personal Best, it is available for only $2.99 at Amazon, Lulu, iBooks, Nook, and Kobo.

You can visit my website: www,muldowneyrunning.com, and I will personally sign and send a book to you. You can go to Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or to Lulu, www.lulu.com, to purchase running books that will positively influence your future running efforts.

And, it doesn't end there!

Read the books and stay in touch. email me here, look me up on Facebook at: Joe Muldowney Running, or on Twitter at: rdrunnr00. Tell me about your running, ask me questions, discuss training or injury issues.

I love this sport, and I love runners. Meeting so many of them this month has been inspiring to me.

Let's get to the finish line together and make each day our personal best.

HISTORY-MAKING MARATHON

There are so many marathons from which to choose these days, that many runners are searching for a unique race experience.

Well, this Sunday, April 26, runners will have the opportunity to run a picturesque, rural race course, while reliving history by racing on truly hallowed ground.

The race is the 5th annual Gettysburg North-South Marathon and 10-Miler, which will be held in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, the site of one of the bloodiest and most significant battles of the American Civil War.

On the website, www.gettysburgnorthsouthmarathon.com, you can learn more about the race as well as register for it. The site offer the following description of the event.

"The Gettysburg North-South Marathon and 10 Miler is run against the setting of a landmark battle of the Civil War, the battle of Gettysburg. The soldiers of the North and South fought on the roads and fields of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania in the summer of 1863 in the Civil War’s most famous battle, a historic event that symbolized the breach between North and South, marking the turning point of the war and the return to a single United States of America.

This event honors the battle of Gettysburg with a unique marathon competition that pits runners representing the North and the South against each other in a scored competition. The race takes runners from both sides through the hallowed grounds of the battlefield. More information on this one-of-a-kind competition can be found here."

The race is a USATF certified course, and is a Boston Marathon qualifier, so you can not only run on a scenic course, but qualify for the 2016 Boston Marathon as well.

On Saturday evening, the pasta dinner will be held at the Appalachian Brewing Company in Gettysburg. It will be my honor to speak to the runners at the pasta dinner.

From here, it looks like perfect weather for the Gettysburg North-South Marathon on Sunday.

MARATHON THROUGH HISTORY

There are so many marathons from which to choose these days, that many runners are searching for a unique race experience.

Well, mark Sunday, April 25 on your marathon calendar if you want to participate in a different kind of race, while reliving history by racing on truly hallowed ground.

The race is the 5th annual Gettysburg North-South Marathon and 10-Miler, which will be held in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, the site of one of the bloodiest and most significant battles of the American Civil War.

On the website, www.gettysburgnorthsouthmarathon.com, you can learn more about the race as well as register for it. The site offer the following description of the event.

"The Gettysburg North-South Marathon and 10 Miler is run against the setting of a landmark battle of the Civil War, the battle of Gettysburg. The soldiers of the North and South fought on the roads and fields of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania in the summer of 1863 in the Civil War’s most famous battle, a historic event that symbolized the breach between North and South, marking the turning point of the war and the return to a single United States of America.

This event honors the battle of Gettysburg with a unique marathon competition that pits runners representing the North and the South against each other in a scored competition. The race takes runners from both sides through the hallowed grounds of the battlefield. More information on this one-of-a-kind competition can be found here."

The race is a USATF certified course, and is a Boston Marathon qualifier, so you can not only run on a scenic course, but qualify for the 2016 Boston Marathon as well.

So, if you're looking for a different spring marathon that offers a taste of history, consider the Gettysburg North-South Marathon on April 25.