Race Reports

Virginia Beach Rock & Roll Half Marathon 2009
September 6, 2009

The Virginia Beach Rock & Roll Half Marathon was my fourth event in the Elite Racing series for 2009. The race was on Sunday September 6th and I drove over the day before from Apex. The expo was at the convention center and my hotel was in Greenbrier. The expo was ok and the best part was free parking. Free parking was not to be found around the beach when I went that night to meet some friends for dinner.

I got up early on Sunday and found my way to the amphitheater parking and shuttle service. It was close to the hotel and did not take long to get to the start area. The start was typical of a Rock & Roll event. The weather was comfortable but a little warm for running. I decided to start out faster than planned and see if I could beat some of the heat. This might have been the wrong choice. I ended up overheated with calf cramps and it was all I could do to keep running down the boardwalk. I passed one man that had fallen and 6 paramedics were around him. I understand from news reports that he later died at a local hospital.

The course starts at the convention center and goes to the beach area. It goes south and then comes back north through a military base. It ends at the boardwalk with an eleven block run along the beach. They had 14 stages with bands and plenty of water and cytomax. It had one overpass for an uphill and otherwise was flat. The finish area was crowded and you had to go onto the beach to get the free Miller MGD 64. I did not stay long and was soon on my way back to Raleigh.

This was my fourth leg in trying to get as much bling as possible from the Elite Racing series. I should have the 39.3 medal and Grand Slam medal coming to go along with the Silver Note, Gold Note, Triple Crown, and marathon finisher medals for AZM, CMM, SD, and Va. Beach. My next race will be the Philly Distance Run in two weeks.