Timp Half Marathon 07/27/13

Wow!  I knew I was out of shape, but I didn't know how bad until this race.  Jeff Bates stayed the night on our couch so we didn't have to leave until 3:30.  If I had known we were going to be sitting around for over an hour we could have had an extra hour sleep. We had to catch the bus at 4:00 AM and gun time was 6:00, but they started about 15 minutes late.  Beautiful day for a run down American Fork Canyon.  Overcast skies and even a few drops of rain, but no sun beating down my back.  Jeff is in shape, so he took off to see how well he could do and I plodded along down the canyon.  It was indeed a most beautiful run.  After we left the canyon we turned south and ran along the Cedar Hills golf course and then along the Cedar Hills Parkway through some lovely neighborhoods.  We finished at Lone Peak High School.  Jeff finished with a PR in 1:53 and I finished with a low PR of 3:00.  Yikes! Nonetheless, it was a beautiful run and I'm happy to have participated.  If I hadn't been "running" I would have slept that whole time anyway.  And besides, I can always take a nap afterwards (which I did and it was wonderful).

Utah Marathon Relay, 9/11/10

On Sep 11th, I ran the first leg of the Utah Marathon Relay with my friends: Scott, Jason, Alicia and Jeff. Each member of the team runs 5.2 miles. It was a beautiful day and lots of people, but not overwhelming, which was really nice. We could still walk around and find each other. Jeff and Alicia set up a canopy and we had some camp chairs to relax. The course ran along the Jordan River Pkwy for a couple miles and then west and then south again back to the relay point. They had some refreshments, booths and a live band, which played seemingly non-stop for the duration of the event. I don't know of any more than perhaps one or two teams that came out to really run fast. Most were like us and just having a great time, which we did. I ran the slowest leg of our team in just over 51 minutes. I'm glad I went first because then I could relax with the Hostess Donuts!!!! This event was really fun and the logistics were pretty simple: run in a circle and hand of the baton, cheer for each other and then drive home when your team is done. Try it.

www.utahmarathonrelay.com

Thanksgiving Point Half Marathon

April 24th, 2010-Thanksgiving Point Half Marathon. I was expecting maybe 200-300 people for this inaugural event, but no...650 runners!!!! We were treated to perhaps the best weather of the year so far, cloudless skies, and by the time I finished I think it was about 55 degrees. We started off through the Thanksgiving Point business section and then meandered through the gardens. I wasn't expecting all the turns and small hills, but it was a real nice change from all the flat, straight training I've been doing. The tulips were in full bloom and it was really gorgeous. Once we got through the gardens we ran along the Jordan River trail and then back up through some neighborhoods to return to Thanksgiving Point. The organization was spectacular and I felt like they were playing to the runners and not just to their cause (to raise money for the new children's museum). I felt wanted and not used. I wasn't too sure how I'd do after running the SLC marathon the previous Saturday, but I was pleasantly surprised to feel really good and felt pretty strong until about mile 11 when I slowed a bit. What I liked the most about this distance is that I didn't feel like throwing up at the end and the day wasn't half over. After grabbing some of the snacks at the finish I was able to still grab breakfast at the hotel and shower before check out time. I wasn't light-headed and only a bit tender the rest of the day. I really, really had a great experience. The medal was very nice, too.

www.thanksgivingpoint.com

Salt Lake City Marathon

April 17, 2010, 7th annual Salt Lake City Marathon. We had some beautiful weather this year. It got up to the low 70's at midday, and even though it was the warmest day of the year, so far, in SLC it wasn't overwhelming. I hadn't trained like I should have since last September and I could really tell. I ran the first half with my buddy, Vijay, who was running the 1/2 marathon. The halfers split off at about mile six and that was the last I saw of him. As it turns out our times for the half were only about forty seconds apart. There were about 1050 finishers in the marathon and about 4500 finishers in the half. So, it got a little lonely after the split from the crowd. Just after mile 16 I was almost done with the Van Winkle hell stretch when all of a sudden got hit from behind by a bike marshall. He must have glanced away and didn't see me. We tumbled all over together and then came to rest in a heap. Thankfully, there wasn't any blood and after a few moments the police helped me up and I was on my way. I didn't feel any after effects from the crash until a few hours after the race. I now have a tender hip and my back is a bit sore, but I expect to be fine in a couple of days. I knew I wouldn't break five hours, so did a bit more walking than usual to preserve myself from exhaustion. I walked all of mile 21 and figured out that at that pace I wouldn't be able to break six hours, so I mixed in some running and ended the last few miles by walking a block and then running a block. I love, love, love the finish down the middle of the Gateway with the remaining spectators cheering us on. I was joined by my three youngest and we crossed the finish line together. That is always a real thrill for me. Two major drawbacks this year: NO gels or bars at any of the aid stations (had they announced that I would have brought my own, but they always had them in the past, so I decided to go without my own for the first time.) and no food left at the end, in fact they were taking down the food tables as I walked through the chute. Other than that it is a very well organized race.

www.saltlakecitymarathon.com

Little Grand Canyon Marathon

September 12th, 2009. Abbe and I drove to Price, UT on Friday night, 09/11 and got there shortly before they closed the packet pick-up which was outside the doors of the CEU Prehistoric Museum in Price. It was dark, but the folks at the tables were still in great spirits and more than willing to answer any questions. After a night's sleep we drove to Huntington, UT city park so I could catch the bus. She went back to the motel to get showered and breakfast. The marathoners caught the bus and made the short, 2-mile trip to the starting line which was literally in the middle of the road, seemingly in the middle of nowhere. Much to our surprise the starter informed us that it was the first day of the antelope hunting season and to watch our backs. Good thing I didn't wear my fake antelope antlers. Anyway, it was pleasantly cool at the start. Small crowd for the full marathon and we thinned out pretty quickly. The course was not technically difficult and was pretty desolate. If you like crowds then you should definitely avoid this run. This was out in the actual middle of nowhere (I think I saw a sign saying exactly that), no real shade to speak of until we ran past a few trees in the canyon. At one point I almost stepped on a small scorpion. I met a few nice folk with whom I ran a few miles. The first six miles were a little slower than my normal pace and since I was feeling pretty good I decided to pick it up and finished the first half at my normal half split (2:33). When the course was about to enter the canyons I had to make a pit stop and then had after a few hundred yards had to go back for a second round. During those few minutes it felt like the temperature jumped about 15 degrees. All of my running in the canyons was by myself and only saw a couple of other runners the whole last nine miles. I did make the very short detour off the rode (about 20 yards) to see the dinosaur footprint and the petroglyphs, which was really cool. However, the heat was beating me up. I walked more than usual and then all of mile 23. At one point I started to question my own sanity and choice of hobbies. My spirits were buoyed when at the aid station at mile 23 I was able to put a cup of ice in my cap to help cool down. I was able to jog slowly the last two miles and at the very last station dumped several cups of water down my back. The sound of claps and cheering the last hundred yards almost helped me break into a sprint, but since I didn't want to go back to Huntington in the nearby amulance I kept the slow pace through the finish line and ended at 6:03. That was the longest I've ever run in one stretch. We waited for a few more runners before our bus drove us back to the city park where Abbe had been waiting patiently for me to arrive. The run was beautiful and the support crew was really great. In spite of the size they were very well organized and did a super job. I hope they keep this race small because if the weather is like this every year and they keep growing they're going to need many more ambulances and I don't think there are enough in the county to handle the business. check it out at www.littlegrandcanyonmarathon.org.

Dog Lake

Last Saturday I went with a couple of friends, Scott and Jeff, on a run up to Dog Lake. The trailhead is at the end of the road up Millcreek Cyn. Beautiful, tree-covered run. The trail was so well used that it looked like we were running on a path in a city park. We started just after dawn and got to the lake just over an hour later. On the way up we saw this moose about twenty yards off the trail. She was still there on the way down, but this time we saw the calf with her. Cool!! You don't see this stuff in our neighborhood. Also on the way down we must have passed about 75 hikers and almost all of them had a dog or dogs with them. We started to feel left out. Noticing the many, many dogs, made us more careful of our foot placement:)

Deseret News Marathon

July 24th was the Deseret News Marathon in Salt Lake City, UT. Had to get up at 2:00 am to get ready and Abbe drove me downtown at 2:30 to catch the bus shortly after 3:15 am. Already it was a long day. I've got to learn to not catch the first bus....I was waiting at the start for 1.5 hours in the dark. Fortunately it was not cold out, but it was dark. Have you ever tried to use a porta potty in the dark? You really don't want to use braille to find your way around regardless of how clean you think the unit might be:) We started just before dawn and headed down the canyon. Beautiful course down into the Salt Lake Valley from Big Mountain. Over the pass to Emigration Canyon and finished the first half in 2:25 (expected split). I thought the run back up Foothill Blvd would never end. By mile 19 or 20 the sun was out in full force and I started to feel it. Fortunately just after I passed the university a gal had a hose pouring out heavenly cool water. I drank and doused my hat and revelled in the drips from my bill the next few miles. Another kind citizen had their garden hose draped over the hood of their car running cool water for whoever wanted it. What a nice gesture. Once I hit South Temple I hit an aid station that had many gallons of cool water lined up. I grabbed one from a volunteer and proceeded to pour it down my back. It was an amazing feeling of relief. I kept on pouring water down my back at each aid station and when they finally handed out the wet sponges I grabbed one and put it in my hat so it would cool my scalp. By now the temperature was at least 90. Running along part of the parade route was fun with all the people cheering us on. I struggled a bit during the last half mile and walked a couple hundred yards before jogging in to the finish line. My two youngest, Cullen and Ellis accompanied me across the finish line. Just after they draped my medal around my neck another volunteer handed me a cool bottle of water which I emptied over my head....ahhh, so refreshing. I did that once more a few seconds later. My family arrived a few minutes before I got to the finish and once I was ready we walked to the car and headed home. I had to throw up in a plastic bag on the drive home, but felt much better afterward. I got the shakes pretty badly when my body started to finally cool down, but I took a nap and felt fine within a few hours. I dropped seven pounds during this race and finished in 5:12. Not bad considering the heat. Overall I enjoyed the race very much. Well organized and supplied.