Camping and Running Myrtle Beach 2013:
Nearly a year ago, my wife mentioned she wanted to go camping with friends to Myrtle Beach, I was all over the idea. We have never been to Myrtle Beach except our day trip to run the Half Marathon in 2007. We always enjoyed the beach and the entertainment that goes along with a tourist town. So what the heck, we started planning our trip. Then as the months passed the idea of finding running routes started to haunt me. Where was I going to find a route where I could get in the miles I wanted, one where I would not have to drive forever and one which would be easy to find? After all Myrtle Beach is a “Beach Town.” Well finding some place to run was not a problem, in fact all I had to do was step out the door of our 5th wheeler.
Nearly a year ago, my wife mentioned she wanted to go camping with friends to Myrtle Beach, I was all over the idea. We have never been to Myrtle Beach except our day trip to run the Half Marathon in 2007. We always enjoyed the beach and the entertainment that goes along with a tourist town. So what the heck, we started planning our trip. Then as the months passed the idea of finding running routes started to haunt me. Where was I going to find a route where I could get in the miles I wanted, one where I would not have to drive forever and one which would be easy to find? After all Myrtle Beach is a “Beach Town.” Well finding some place to run was not a problem, in fact all I had to do was step out the door of our 5th wheeler.
(Michele and I ran this town Campground)
Our campground of choice was Ocean Lakes Campground…and this place offered the perfect beach camping and running environment. After running everyday…there are still streets on the camp “community” that I did not get to explore. To say this is a big campground is an
understatement, yet it still features a family environment where the roads are safe to run / walk, take your doggies out on a stroll or take the family out on
an ice cream date night. And I’m surprised not one of the teenage crowd yelled “Run Forest Run”…come to think of
it I’m kind of hurt. Don’t I look like a running geek?
(When not running, we were hitting up the shows)
Running was not the only avenue for entertainment during our
week away from the world. When we were
not on a shopping outing, My wife and I also took in a show with our friends,
Fred and Susan H. We went to a show
called Good Vibrations, featuring performers covering the hits of the 1960s, 70s
and 80s. These performers are a very talented
troop…at times I forgot they were not the real performers. The Beach Boys, Beatles, Tina Turner, Eric
Clapton, Mommas and Pappas and the other rock and roll hit makers. I believe the original stars would have been
proud the way this show covered their tunes and projected the imagine of
classic rock. There are countless other
shows to take in as well.
Even thou we were on vacation, Michele and I got up every morning to run / walk the camp ground. I was able to log over 50 miles (59.3) in seven days and my bride got in over 25 miles. We used some creative ways to see the campground and log our miles. One day we would run / walk all the internal roads that ran east/west and the next day the north/south roads. Then to mix it up we ran the perimeter road (3+ miles per lap) clockwise one day and counter clock wise the next. On days that I needed something extra, I ran fartleks using the perpendicular roads as my speed sessions.
Even thou we were on vacation, Michele and I got up every morning to run / walk the camp ground. I was able to log over 50 miles (59.3) in seven days and my bride got in over 25 miles. We used some creative ways to see the campground and log our miles. One day we would run / walk all the internal roads that ran east/west and the next day the north/south roads. Then to mix it up we ran the perimeter road (3+ miles per lap) clockwise one day and counter clock wise the next. On days that I needed something extra, I ran fartleks using the perpendicular roads as my speed sessions.
(310 Acres, with plenty of safe and easy running routes)
To keep up the running we had to eat. Our dinning out featured a local favorite and
a Brazilin steak house. The sea food at
Drunken Jacks, Merrill’s Inlet, was out of this world, I had the crab cake
dinner (two pure lump meat crab cakes) and it was “good to the last lump.” I’m so glad I can run to help keep my diet in
order, because it was really tested at Rioz Brazilin Steak. This steak house offers 15
different cuts of beef, pork, lamb, poultry & fish served the traditional Brazilian way and is pure sinful dinning. The meat was served to us in such rapid
sessions that my plate was full, emptied and full again before I knew what I
had done to myself…but oh was it worth it!
The only downer to our trip was Tropical Storm Andrea. Once it was determined that we would survive the storm a more central concern was losing a run day. But have no fear, I only had to delay my run a few hours with Michele choosing to ride her bike over walking. The sun broke around 1 pm, and the rain stopped as well, but the wind…that had not yet subsided. This eight mile run featured some great “wind sessions” where running into the up wind legs turned into a great speed/wind sessions.
The only downer to our trip was Tropical Storm Andrea. Once it was determined that we would survive the storm a more central concern was losing a run day. But have no fear, I only had to delay my run a few hours with Michele choosing to ride her bike over walking. The sun broke around 1 pm, and the rain stopped as well, but the wind…that had not yet subsided. This eight mile run featured some great “wind sessions” where running into the up wind legs turned into a great speed/wind sessions.
(The storm turned the seas angry)
It wasn’t long ago that a
rainy day meant I would cancel my run, but since reading Dean Karnaze’s
books…I’m determined to run no matter what the terrain, weather or time of day.
(Our home away from home during the day)
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(and at night)
When we were not hanging out at camp, we also took in a few
rounds of gold, which reminded me why I took up Marathon and Ultra running. A real highlight was “Fireworks Thursday,”
although beach fireworks could be seen nightly.
Thursday night was our time to act like little kids and blow a few
things up, of course in an controlled and safety approved way. “it’s lite Fred…RUN! Zip, boom, and crackle…..Oh. Awww. Pretty.
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(Running on the beach, need to do this more)
But all good things must come to an end
and Saturday morning Michele and I took our last laps are the campground, I
finished with 8.5 miles with a closing mile and half run down the beach I highly recommend Ocean Lakes Campground for
your family’s next running camping outing.
Looks like a great vacation! We went camping over the weekend, but I wasn't able to run the campground; but we did walk and hike it. Looking forward to my beach vacation this summer and some beach running!
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