Billy Stanley in the middle at a Beach Run The final beach run of the 2012 summer series took place on August 9. I ran and won the first four 10Ks in the series with a best time of 38:10 coming in the fourth race. The final Beach Run was used as a fun run and time to pass out the age group and overall awards based on the points system they used. It was also the second beach run without Billy Stanley, who passed away on June 30. Billy was a great guy and was the Carteret Country Parks and Recreation Supervisor from 2008-2012. He was a big reason the Beach Run series has grown and this year had a record turnout. He was really funny and I always enjoyed talking to him at the races. Billy will be missed by many and the Beach Runs will not be the same without him.
Waiting for the Start I started building my weekly miles up the week of the Beaufort Road Race to get ready for a possible fall marathon training plan. I spent most of the summer running 30-40 miles a week but got up to 40-50 miles a week before the final Beach Run. My weekly mileage was 56.3 miles the week this Beach Run took place. I wasn't taking the final Beach Run as a serious race but I still wanted a good time. I ran 10 miles the day before on some rolling hills in a neighborhood in Greenville. I ran a slow 6 miles recovery run the morning of the final Beach Run.
Jamie and I arrived at the Atlantic Beach circle around 5:30pm and registered and picked up our tee shirts with a tribute to Billy Stanley on the back. I met up with my friends Heidi and Anne after they ran over the Atlantic Beach high rise bridge on the way to the race for some extra mileage. Anne also ran back after the race. My personal training client, Melanie Ng, made the trip down from Greenville to run her first ever Beach Run. Jamie chose not to run this race since she had already locked up her age group for the women's 1 mile. The weather was hot and humid and the air temp was around 87 degrees when we made our way down to the sand for the start of the race. There were a lot of high school runners from West Carteret, Croatan, and Swansboro. The area high schools like to use the final Beach Run as a tuneup for their cross-country season.
Heidi, Anne, and I lined up together for the start of the 5K and 1 mile. It has been a long time since the three of us were on the starting line at the same race. A lot of little kids lined up in front of us and I knew they were going to be a problem. They start really fast then stop suddenly in front of you and you have to be careful and not run them over. It would be better if parents told their little kids to line up at the back when they do a combined 1 mile and 5K start.
Anne, Heidi, and I never heard the officials say Ready, Set, Go! We just heard the gun fire so we took off. I was out fast but in a pack of runners. There was one runner, way ahead of the pack. I stayed steady and just worked my way through the pack. I ran side by side with Mark Starlin, the coach for Swansboro High School. We were 2nd and 3rd overall. There was a little headwind going down the beach for the first 1.55 miles.
Jamie and I arrived at the Atlantic Beach circle around 5:30pm and registered and picked up our tee shirts with a tribute to Billy Stanley on the back. I met up with my friends Heidi and Anne after they ran over the Atlantic Beach high rise bridge on the way to the race for some extra mileage. Anne also ran back after the race. My personal training client, Melanie Ng, made the trip down from Greenville to run her first ever Beach Run. Jamie chose not to run this race since she had already locked up her age group for the women's 1 mile. The weather was hot and humid and the air temp was around 87 degrees when we made our way down to the sand for the start of the race. There were a lot of high school runners from West Carteret, Croatan, and Swansboro. The area high schools like to use the final Beach Run as a tuneup for their cross-country season.
Heidi, Anne, and I lined up together for the start of the 5K and 1 mile. It has been a long time since the three of us were on the starting line at the same race. A lot of little kids lined up in front of us and I knew they were going to be a problem. They start really fast then stop suddenly in front of you and you have to be careful and not run them over. It would be better if parents told their little kids to line up at the back when they do a combined 1 mile and 5K start.
Anne, Heidi, and I never heard the officials say Ready, Set, Go! We just heard the gun fire so we took off. I was out fast but in a pack of runners. There was one runner, way ahead of the pack. I stayed steady and just worked my way through the pack. I ran side by side with Mark Starlin, the coach for Swansboro High School. We were 2nd and 3rd overall. There was a little headwind going down the beach for the first 1.55 miles.
Finishing 2nd in 5K I moved ahead of Mark just after we passed the turnaround. I ran the first half in 9:24. I tried picking it up to run down the leader. I was hoping he wouldn't hold the pace he was on. It was hard running in the sand that everyone had chewed up but you get used to it. I've been doing the Beach Run Series since I was in high school so I'm used to racing in all kinds of weather and sand conditions on the beach. I still felt pretty good but I wasn't able to run the leader down. I kept running hard and ended up finishing 2nd Overall in 18:55.
Anne Won the Women's 5K Anne won the women's race, Melanie was second, and Heidi finished 3rd while being four months pregnant.
After the race, the parks and recreation staff did a tribute to Billy Stanley before passing out the awards. Jamie was surprised when they said she was the Overall Women's 1 Mile Champion. Jamie also won her age group championship. I won my Seventh Overall Beach Run Series 10K Championship out of the last 8 years. You can win overall and age group in the Beach Runs. I think they should take you out of age group if you win overall and give the age group to someone else, like every other race does.
I love the Caretet County Beach Run Series for a lot of reasons. I enjoy running on the beach at sunset in the summer. It's also a great time to see friends and catch up with everyone. Most of us that have been doing the series regularly for years have become close friends. It's also great for families and kids. It is wonderful to see so many kids running and being active. The 8 years old and under age group this year had a lot of kids participating. I'll always choose to race in Carteret County over other places because I like supporting the hometown races.
After the race, the parks and recreation staff did a tribute to Billy Stanley before passing out the awards. Jamie was surprised when they said she was the Overall Women's 1 Mile Champion. Jamie also won her age group championship. I won my Seventh Overall Beach Run Series 10K Championship out of the last 8 years. You can win overall and age group in the Beach Runs. I think they should take you out of age group if you win overall and give the age group to someone else, like every other race does.
I love the Caretet County Beach Run Series for a lot of reasons. I enjoy running on the beach at sunset in the summer. It's also a great time to see friends and catch up with everyone. Most of us that have been doing the series regularly for years have become close friends. It's also great for families and kids. It is wonderful to see so many kids running and being active. The 8 years old and under age group this year had a lot of kids participating. I'll always choose to race in Carteret County over other places because I like supporting the hometown races.
Jamie, Me, and Justus
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