Myrtle Beach Marathon decision on the way

Myrtle Beach Marathon organizers have promised participants will receive an announcement early next week - Tuesday at the latest - about how the organizers plan to try and make it up to them after weather forced the race's cancellation this year.

Shaun Walsh, the marathon's president and race co-director, said the group is planning special offers for next year's race, and is working with another race that will also offer this year's disappointed runners a discount.

But the group has had to compile a lot of data, including the names of those who signed up and showed up, versus those who never checked in for the run, and e-mail lists, as well as preparing the race Web site to receive the special registrations that will be offered.

"We wanted to make sure we have everything in a row so nothing gets messed up for anyone," Walsh said Thursday.

Walsh did not give anyindication about refunds for the runners.

He has already said the marathon group would be unable to give full refunds because so much of the costs associated with the race are paid for long before race-day arrives.

Runners who came for the 14th annual marathon were disappointed to learn the city canceled the race because of snow the night before.

But Walsh said earlier this week that the marathon group's emergency plan calls for heeding the most up-to-the-minute National Weather Service forecasts, and the night before the race, the weather service was predicting icy conditions and downed tree limbs and power lines.

Many runners complained, saying they've run in inclement weather before, but Walsh said it wasn't just the runners' safety he and the city worried about.

There were about 1,500 volunteers and city staff members who were scheduled to be involved with the marathon, too.

Delaying the race's start until noon wasn't really an option, either, Walsh told the city, because it would have meant volunteers would have had to reschedule all their afternoon plans or not participate, and without volunteers to man water and sustenance stations, direct traffic and help runners, the marathon would not have been the quality event the organizers guarantee.