Crystal Coast Half Marathon Cancelled

Ever  since we arrived in Atlantic Beach, we have been wondering about the arrangements for the Crystal Coast Half Marathon on March 2.  The Bask Hotel in Morehead City, where registration took place last year, must have been badly damaged by the hurricane, because the parking lot has been empty and there is a large construction dumpster outside.  Tight Lines Pub and Brewing Company, where the post-run activities were held last year, was so badly damaged that it may be months before it opens.  And, most important, the Atlantic Beach Causeway Bridge has been under construction, with equipment on the bridge every day and various lanes closed off.  So we have been wondering, "Where will they have registration?  Where will they have the awards?"

After completing a successful 12-mile run yesterday, I told Martha I was prepared to sign up for the Half Marathon (she had already signed up).  But the race website said that registration was closed, which was highly unusual two weeks before the race.  All was explained today when Martha received an e-mail, and a notice was posted on the race website:

"Sadly, we have been forced to cancel the 2019 edition of the Crystal Coast Half Marathon, 10k, & 5k. We received notice this past Friday that we would not be able to go over the bridge from Morehead City to Atlantic City due to ongoing construction. We believe the bridge crossing is one of the integral parts of this race and that the experience would not live up to our, or your, expectations if we proceeded with an altered course. Bridge repairs should be complete by the end of the year, so WE WILL BE BACK in 2020!"

Needless to say, we are bitterly disappointed.  We are both as prepared as we could possibly be - Martha even went so far as to run across the bridge last week, and we drove part of the course today after printing out the course map, familiarizing ourselves with the mile splits.  But after some wringing of hands, we decided that there was nothing that could be done.  We have been Race Directors ourselves, and we know how difficult this decision must have been.

So we will keep on training, mix in some speed-work, keep up the long runs, and focus on the next goal, which is the Flying Pirate Half Marathon on April 14.  We can only prepare for what we can control, or as Dolly Parton famously said: