Red Cross’ 5K Builds Interest in Myrtle Beach Marathon
By Lenore McKenzie-Morris
Rain and winter gloom couldn't keep the runners and walkers off the streets of Conway during the recent Reindeer Run, and won't stop the Red Cross Rescue Racers from preparing for the Myrtle Beach Marathon either.
Dressed in shorts and running shirts, the participants also sported a fair number of reindeer antlers, Santa hats and even a foot-tall Christmas tree hat complete with a star.
North Myrtle Beach's Steven Chilton took the top time in the event with an 18:05 finish in the 5K. It was the first time Chilton has ever participated in the Reindeer Run, a benefit for the Horry County Red Cross, and Chilton was impressed with the course through historic Conway.
"I like the course," he said. "Conway is pretty - going through the neighborhoods with all the Spanish moss. And you get some hills here that we don't have in North Myrtle Beach, so that's different."
Benjamin Jenerette, a 13-year-old North Myrtle Beach Middle School cross country runner, was the first female to complete the race. Running with a 6 minute and 43 second pace, Jenerette finished 9th overall with a time of 20 minutes and 50 seconds.
The young lady plans to run the Dasani Half Marathon in February, a 13.1-mile event that is part of the Myrtle Beach Marathon.
Red Cross Executive Director Angela Nicholas said the Red Cross Rescue Racers still have spots available on their marathon training team.
"The half is already sold out," she said, "but I've got 20 spots left on my team. The marathon gives us 100 spots to fill for the marathon and runners are starting to call from all over the country. They've been training and can't get into the half, but we've got spots."
Runners, walkers and those who want to try the walk/run approach sign on to the Red Cross Racers with a $25 registration fee and pledge to raise $500 for the Horry County Red Cross. Coaching on footwear, nutrition, fitness and all other aspects of the half and full marathon events is provided by team coach Jackie Sgambati, a nationally known running coach.
Many of the volunteers who staffed the Reindeer Run event are members of the 2010 Red Cross Rescue Racer team, which is the official local charity training team of the Myrtle Beach Marathon. Other volunteers at the event came from the Waccamaw Sertoma Club. The presenting race sponsor for the event was Blue Cross and Blue Shield.
Nicholas noted that she had a sleepless night listening to the pouring rain before the event. But the rain stopped just in time for organizers to set up for the run at the Conway Marina parking lot.
The event and the upcoming marathon are crucial to the Red Cross' fundraising efforts during the holiday season when donations typically fall short. Organizers were happy that so many of the reregistered runners arrived for the event.
"It's lousy weather for this event and we still had 29 people sign up this morning," said Susan Mungo, a Red Cross board member and the founder of the Reindeer Run.
"Funds from these events will be used to help families who lose their homes to fires and to provide emergency communication for families with military oversees fighting in wars," Nicholas said.
For information on the Myrtle Beach Marathon's Rescue Racers training program and registration, call Angela Nicholas at 843-477-0020 or Susan Mungo at 843-602-7556, or visit http://horrycounty.redcross.org/marathon.htm.
The race results for the reindeer run can be viewed here: http://www.rmssports.com/results/09REINCONWAY.txt.
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