I am kind of sad that the marathon has come and gone because I really do enjoy "training" with my mom and friend Ran. Something about running with those two makes running enjoyable!...As much as I don't enjoy waking up early and going on long runs in all kinds of weather by the end of the run I am glad we did it together! But the good thing is we will continue running together because they both signed up for the St. George marathon...so even though I did not I will still be there running buddy for now! :) But I must say my training for this marathon was a little pathetic because up until about 2 months ago I would only run on the Saturdays. I would do work out videos or go play soccer during the week but my marathon training consisted of running about once a week...but I think by doing once I week I didn't get burned out.. :)
I was getting kind of nervous as the race was getting closer because the last couple weeks my allergies had been acting up and I wasn't able to run very far without having a hard time breathing and it was kind of depressing. I was able to do our long run of 20 miles but then the next week I struggled to even run a few miles without feeling like I was dying. I must say I think since it rained my allergies didn't give me any problems...so I might still say that I will take that rain we had over the heat!
Saturday morning we had to be in Ogden at 5 to be bussed up the canyon. We got to the starting point around 5:30 am and they had fires lit for us and it was just sprinkling rain at this point. The race wasn't starting until 7:15 am so we had almost 2 hours to wait up there. Right before the race we take off all our garbage bags we had on and get our stuff put all in our bag and chuck it into the u-hual truck.
I didn't even know the race has started as we all are being herded like cattle.
We were all walking then once you hit the starting line is where everyone starting running and thats when I realized the race had already begun. At the beginning the excitement gets you going and you notice you are running at a too fast of a pace but I felt good so I just stuck with what was feeling good even though I knew that it was faster than I thought I should be starting out at. I saw the pacer guy with the balloons and decided to catch up to him to see what pacer time he was...and it was the 4 hour pacer which is who I wanted to try to stay ahead of because my goal was to try to get under 4 hours since my first marathon I did it in 4:04.
Around mile 7-8 I see the 3:45 pacer and decide to try to catch up to him because I knew by the end of the race I would be dying and going at a lot slower pace so I wanted to try to get a little ahead. So I ran right in front of the 3:45 pacer for most of the time. I passed the half marathon mark at 1:50 and was pretty happy with that but then thought "wow I'm only half way done I don't think I can keep this pace up for another 13.1 miles"...
My favorite part of the race was actually the hill-which sounds ridiculous-but I literally laughed out loud at some of the posters they had to motivate you. They were funny. I wish I could remember some of them...I hate how bad my memory is. (get that from my mom (; )
At mile 17 is where you hit Ogden Canyon and thats also when I hit a little wall and you realize you are tired and starting to tighten up. Thankfully I was by the pacer guy and he told us that is usually when people start feeling crappy but if you stay with the group you will get over the hump. That helped motivate me. And thankfully it was a good portion of downhill at that point.
Once I got out of the canyon it was at about mile 22 and there was a beautiful waterfall and I knew we would start seeing more people cheer us on and motivate us to keep going. Thats also when I start tightening up even more. But I have learned that your mind is such a powerful thing. If you can stay mentally strong that is most important. I naturally start slowing down my pace but if I focused on my form and pace then I could keep it where I want it. Thats probably the biggest advice I can give anyone. (I act like I know what I am doing....haha I don't at all. Only my second marathon here)
Once I hit mile 24 that is when I knew I could get around 3:45...and wow I did not expect that. But I was going to be disappointed if he passed me by this point because I have stayed ahead of him most of the race. I knew I could do 2 more miles but I couldn't stop for a drink or anything because I would have to slow down and it was way too hard to speed up and get to the 8:30 minute pace again.
My sly tricky mom knows I am a little competitive and said on the bus ride up that she thought I could do 3:45..I thought she was crazy and just secretly hoping for under 4 hours but didn't want anyone to have any expectations of me...just expect me to finish another marathon. But since she said I could I definitely pushed myself harder.
Once I saw the people cheering us on I did get a little emotional..its funny how that is. I guess your exhausted and vulnerable at that point. I did shed a tear or two and then I couldn't breathe and told myself to get it together. ha! :)
Once I was in the home scratch..which was a long home stretch..I just had that attitude of the faster I run this last part the faster I am done. Candace met me with about a 1/4 mile to go and I "sprinted" in. Sprinting meaning right under an 8 mile pace. ha! but hey for just running 26 miles I'll take that! I finished in 3:42:32.
That moment I finished I was so happy..but oh so tired. My lungs felt like they were on fire! It was POURING rain at this point and my first thought was I hope Corbin and Courtney and her kids are ok in this rain. My sisters are saints and I owe them for coming and supporting us and watching Corbin for me! After I chatted with them for a second Courtney had to go feed Ella and I needed to cool down and get something to eat and drink. mmm chocolate milk and Great Harvest bread!
I waited in the pouring rain for over an hour by myself. I was absolutely freezing and shivering so bad-I was miserable at this point. I hate that feeling of chilled to the bone and not knowing when you are going to be able to heat up. I grabbed a trash bag and put it over me as a blanket. I was shaking so bad I think I was causing my muscles to spasm but I felt like I might have pulled my groined or something because then I could barely walk. Just trying to stay warm at that point was more miserable and hard than running the whole marathon.
Thankfully Christopher-my brother-in-law came and and shortly after Courtney, Candace, and the kids showed up and had a blanket and I took off my wet shirt and put on Courtney's jacket. Lesson learned to ALWAYS bring an extra pair of clothes with you-no matter what-hot or cold weather!
I was able to get a little massage-that felt heavenly-but I was still shivering pretty bad so after I went to the medical tent because I heard there was a heater in there. They gave me one of those tin blankets and I took off my soaking wet shoes and sat by the heater and warmed up a bit. After I was able to walk just fine and my groin didn't hurt at all anymore. Thank goodness I looked like a retarded zombie walking around.
My mom is also a saint and ran with a friend from her work who is the one who convince my mom to sign up for the marathon--which is why I even signed up for the marathon. We waited around for them to come in and they were able to finish the marathon together!
Running that marathon and pushing myself to run it faster than I thought I could was definitely hard! But I think worth it from the rewarding and fulfilling feeling you get from the hard work! Will I run another one? possibly. Of course only if I have running buddies that will push and train with me. It will get harder as I have more kids to find the time and energy. It's probably not the best thing for your body and I think doing halfs might be more reasonable at this point...but we will see. :)
I was getting kind of nervous as the race was getting closer because the last couple weeks my allergies had been acting up and I wasn't able to run very far without having a hard time breathing and it was kind of depressing. I was able to do our long run of 20 miles but then the next week I struggled to even run a few miles without feeling like I was dying. I must say I think since it rained my allergies didn't give me any problems...so I might still say that I will take that rain we had over the heat!
Saturday morning we had to be in Ogden at 5 to be bussed up the canyon. We got to the starting point around 5:30 am and they had fires lit for us and it was just sprinkling rain at this point. The race wasn't starting until 7:15 am so we had almost 2 hours to wait up there. Right before the race we take off all our garbage bags we had on and get our stuff put all in our bag and chuck it into the u-hual truck.
I didn't even know the race has started as we all are being herded like cattle.
 |
| stole this picture from the standard examiner but thats me with the blue hood on and pink laced shoes sitting on the ground. |
Around mile 7-8 I see the 3:45 pacer and decide to try to catch up to him because I knew by the end of the race I would be dying and going at a lot slower pace so I wanted to try to get a little ahead. So I ran right in front of the 3:45 pacer for most of the time. I passed the half marathon mark at 1:50 and was pretty happy with that but then thought "wow I'm only half way done I don't think I can keep this pace up for another 13.1 miles"...
My favorite part of the race was actually the hill-which sounds ridiculous-but I literally laughed out loud at some of the posters they had to motivate you. They were funny. I wish I could remember some of them...I hate how bad my memory is. (get that from my mom (; )
At mile 17 is where you hit Ogden Canyon and thats also when I hit a little wall and you realize you are tired and starting to tighten up. Thankfully I was by the pacer guy and he told us that is usually when people start feeling crappy but if you stay with the group you will get over the hump. That helped motivate me. And thankfully it was a good portion of downhill at that point.
Once I got out of the canyon it was at about mile 22 and there was a beautiful waterfall and I knew we would start seeing more people cheer us on and motivate us to keep going. Thats also when I start tightening up even more. But I have learned that your mind is such a powerful thing. If you can stay mentally strong that is most important. I naturally start slowing down my pace but if I focused on my form and pace then I could keep it where I want it. Thats probably the biggest advice I can give anyone. (I act like I know what I am doing....haha I don't at all. Only my second marathon here)
Once I hit mile 24 that is when I knew I could get around 3:45...and wow I did not expect that. But I was going to be disappointed if he passed me by this point because I have stayed ahead of him most of the race. I knew I could do 2 more miles but I couldn't stop for a drink or anything because I would have to slow down and it was way too hard to speed up and get to the 8:30 minute pace again.
My sly tricky mom knows I am a little competitive and said on the bus ride up that she thought I could do 3:45..I thought she was crazy and just secretly hoping for under 4 hours but didn't want anyone to have any expectations of me...just expect me to finish another marathon. But since she said I could I definitely pushed myself harder.
Once I saw the people cheering us on I did get a little emotional..its funny how that is. I guess your exhausted and vulnerable at that point. I did shed a tear or two and then I couldn't breathe and told myself to get it together. ha! :)
Once I was in the home scratch..which was a long home stretch..I just had that attitude of the faster I run this last part the faster I am done. Candace met me with about a 1/4 mile to go and I "sprinted" in. Sprinting meaning right under an 8 mile pace. ha! but hey for just running 26 miles I'll take that! I finished in 3:42:32.
That moment I finished I was so happy..but oh so tired. My lungs felt like they were on fire! It was POURING rain at this point and my first thought was I hope Corbin and Courtney and her kids are ok in this rain. My sisters are saints and I owe them for coming and supporting us and watching Corbin for me! After I chatted with them for a second Courtney had to go feed Ella and I needed to cool down and get something to eat and drink. mmm chocolate milk and Great Harvest bread!
I waited in the pouring rain for over an hour by myself. I was absolutely freezing and shivering so bad-I was miserable at this point. I hate that feeling of chilled to the bone and not knowing when you are going to be able to heat up. I grabbed a trash bag and put it over me as a blanket. I was shaking so bad I think I was causing my muscles to spasm but I felt like I might have pulled my groined or something because then I could barely walk. Just trying to stay warm at that point was more miserable and hard than running the whole marathon.
Thankfully Christopher-my brother-in-law came and and shortly after Courtney, Candace, and the kids showed up and had a blanket and I took off my wet shirt and put on Courtney's jacket. Lesson learned to ALWAYS bring an extra pair of clothes with you-no matter what-hot or cold weather!
My mom is also a saint and ran with a friend from her work who is the one who convince my mom to sign up for the marathon--which is why I even signed up for the marathon. We waited around for them to come in and they were able to finish the marathon together!
Running that marathon and pushing myself to run it faster than I thought I could was definitely hard! But I think worth it from the rewarding and fulfilling feeling you get from the hard work! Will I run another one? possibly. Of course only if I have running buddies that will push and train with me. It will get harder as I have more kids to find the time and energy. It's probably not the best thing for your body and I think doing halfs might be more reasonable at this point...but we will see. :)
You are awesome! I wish I lived closer to run with you guys! Seriously! I need more of a kick in the pants!
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