Half-Marathon #35 - The Fourth Times the Cure

Rahbin Shyne crossing the JetBlue half-marathon finish line for the fourth time in five years.

For some reason, the Long Beach half seemed longer than others. Of course I know it isn’t really longer. Thirteen point one is thirteen point one. It was the long stretch along the bike path with the endless sea of sand between us and the ocean. I finally understand why I had such an unfavorable view.

My first JetBlue half was in 2015 in the midst of major heat wave. Our race was moved up half-an-hour to get marathoners and half-marathoners alike off the course before the sun reached midday. I am not proud to admit this, but I left my two buddies at mile 9. They joined me out of love and friendship and a sense of adventure. I’d started off training for the marathon, so when I dropped down to the half, I can see why they didn’t see training as imperative. Their pace meant more time on the pavement, more time on my feet and more time next to the heat bouncing off the sea of light beige sand. I kicked my pace into high gear and was off. Although this was the race that made me fall madly in love with the 13.1 distance, it was miserably hot and seemed endlessly long.

She’s thinking “Look at that stride!” Rahbin Shyne strolls past mile 11.

Memories of the 2015 JetBlue Half were with me for the second walking in 2016. It came and went uneventfully. It was the 2017 race that sealed my negative impressions of the Long Beach half. And it was entirely my fault. I ordered two pairs of my favorite New Balance because the model was discontinued. Two pairs a half-size too small. I ordered two pairs at once because I’d completed worn down the old ones. When race day came, it was a choice between tread-thin perfect fit and the “slightly tight” new ones. I’d worn them a few times…for three miles or so. Please don’t waste time asking me how it is I chose to wear too small shoes for a 13.1 mile race. It wasn’t until mile 4 that I realized just how bad it was going to be. I had to choose between quitting and sticking it out another 9.1 miles. I figured I already knew how much it was going to hurt, might as will stick it out.

I crossed the finish line and vowed never again JetBlue half! I skipped the race in 2018.

Image from https://averageocrunner.com/half-marathon-long-beach-ca-2018/

I returned in 2019. It was the challenge medal that got me. I’d completed the Surf City and OC Half-Marathons that year. All I had to do was complete the Long Beach half and I’d get the chunky-hunky glam Beach Cities Challenger Medal.

Rahbin Shyne somewhere around Shoreline Village.

After that race, I realized the Long Beach Half isn’t that bad on a pleasant day in shoes that fit.

Half-Marathon #27 is a Virtual Harvest in Huntington Beach

After taking a break from just about everything this summer, I kicked off my return to half-marathons in the perfect Southern California setting—Huntington Beach. It feels great to be back on the path.

Thanks to the option to complete the Harvest Half-Marathon as a remote “runner,” I chose a six-and-a-half mile stretch of beach from Huntington Beach’s State Beach to Bolsa Chica.

This was a much gentler return to walking 13.1 miles than a one hour drive at 6am. No need to start in the morning cold and finish in the early afternoon heat. The weather can change significantly between 8 and 11:30am. I chose an afternoon start in a breezy, sun-shining 76 degrees. The tourist season is all but over. Away from the Huntington Beach pier, it was often just myself and a handful of bicyclists or joggers. No crowded spaces along the path. The epitome of Southern California easy living.

While remote races do not count toward my qualifying 100 Half-Marathon Club officially timed events, virtual races are an opportunity to complete the race you wish existed.

Huntington Beach’s largest half-marathon race, Surf City Half Marathon, comes with bands galore, GU gel, cheering spectators and all the post-race bells and whistles a girl expects from a large race. I completed Surf City twice—2016 and 2017. The only downside to Surf City is that it is so huge, you hardly notice that you’re near the water as you tread faithfully up and down Pacific Coast Highway from band to pit stop to band to pit stop and so on.

I’m more interested in checking out new races than becoming a legacy participant of any particular race. It may be years before I complete the Surf City Half-Marathon again.* As for Huntington Beach proper, I’ll be back for a remote race sooner than later.

*Post update 5/2019 - I completed the Surf City Half-Marathon with two friends. It was their first half-marathon. Wonderful experience!

Register Kindness at Surf City Half Marathon

A couple night's ago, I started searching through emails. I most certainly registered for the Surf City Half Marathon months ago. It was in my calendar. That was my proof.

Certainty proved insufficient when they did not find me listed as a participant. I shuffled my way to the on-site registration. My first. The young volunteer was incredibly friendly as she juggled three last minute registrants and our questions.

They had a smooth setup. Slide your driver's license and your personal information is auto-filled into the screen. No typing your name or any other details. Click on your race choice and then slide your credit card.

In the couple seconds it took for me to marvel at the simplicity and ease, the woman on my left made a comment I didn't fully hear. I said, "I'm good." I thought she mistook my moment of marveling as a need for assistance. She pushed a piece of paper a little closer to me and said "$10 is $10." There was a bit of disbelief that I wouldn't want what she was offering, so I tried to figure out what I'd missed.

She was sharing a generic discount code. The immediate camaraderie among the community of participants is one of the joys of the sport. With the exception of the handful of racers who strive to be among the first three of their sex to cross the finish line, the remaining tens of thousands of us are racing against ourselves, pursuing our personal best times. Our goal, whether we run, jog or walk is to complete the race.

Knowing that we are all there to meet and exceed a purely personal challenge brings a giddiness at the EXPO centers where we pick up our bibs, shirts and supplies from vendors. Kindness comes easy when each of us is focused on our own race and not that of others.

See you on the path.