WOW! What a day! I went to bed last night at 8:00 with the plan to wake up at 4:00 AM to make my 5:15 bus time. I get a good nights sleep despite being super excited and anxious. I woke up ready to go. I had all my gear laid out in order of what needed to go on first so getting ready went fast. I had a whole wheat bagel with peanut butter for breakfast. I made a conscious effort to not drink too much water and get water logged. It was big fear of mine that I would have to use all the port-o-potties along the race course. I ended up arriving early at the race at about 4:55. I couldn’t see any point waiting for my assigned 5:15 bus time so I got on the next marathon bus. The race started in Copperton which is a small town on the North side of Kennecott Copper mine. The Bus driver drove up the Old Bingham Highway and took a left at US-111. This would have been fine, except for the fact that we were supposed to go straight. So now we are driving away for the start along the race course. I’m looking around the bus and see a lot of confused faces. I decided that someone needs to let the driver know that we would prefer to go to the starting line. I made my way to the front of the bus and told the driver “unless you know of another way to get to Copperton”, and there is none “I think you are going the wrong way.” He assured me that we were going the right way to get to Kennecott, and he was right, we were headed to Kennecott. I then did my best to explain to him the difference between Kennecott and Coperton without sounding demeaning or condescending. After all, our race and very lives were still in his hands. The fun continued into the small town as we took another wrong turn and drove down an impossibly narrow street with overgrown trees scraping the top of the bus. Eventually we made it to the race start and with time to spare, despite taking the scenic tour. I saddled down to go over the race plan in my mind, and wait out the time to start. After a while I decided to take a crack at lighting a propane heater that didn’t appear to be working. After getting the heater lit I warmed up for a bit and went over to use a hidden port-o-potty that was in an adjacent parking lot. All was going to plan so far. I ran a very slow mile to get warmed up. After a good stretch I was ready to go. I found Walter at the starting line and chatted for a moment. We started out together for the first half to 3/4 mile. I knew that I shouldn't spend too much time with him because he is a much faster runner than I am. Mile 1-5:53 This was a bit faster that the course tool said that I needed, but it was still very comfortable and felt slow. I let Walter go and ran in second place. Mile 2-5:47 Walter was still fairly close and holding steady. I ran this mile about 15 seconds fast. I could hear someone making up ground behind me. I took a look back at the turn just after the mile mark and saw Steve who won this race last year. I knew it was to early and to fast for me to start being competitive for positioning. Mile 3-5:57 Steve closed the gap on me somewhere on this mile and suggested alternating the lead every mile. I started to reconsider my race plan. I had been targeting a 2:50, but this pace was so easy and smooth. I thought I should be looking at a 2:45, or maybe a touch faster. Mile 4-6:22 Steve and I start taking turns leading into the wind. This was really helpful, especially climbing up the hill to the entrance of Kennecott. Mile 5-6:31 This mile kicked off the biggest climb of the race. I’m was not all sad that it was Steve’s turn to lead. I was still feeling fantastic though. I focused on lifting the knees and shorting my stride. Mile 6-7:19 This was the guts of the climb, and once again Steve’s turn to lead. For the first time in the race I started to feel like I was going to work, not too hard, but definitely work. Mile 7-6:25 I took the lead back to finish out the climb. When we started down I let the legs roll as fast as they wanted to go. It felt nice to pick the pace back up from the slow climb. Mile 8-6:01 Steve had the lead when he darted to the far side of the road and grabbed his shorts with both hands. I was sad to see that he was having some troubles. I was also bummed to be running solo. Mile 9-6:11 Well no longer running solo. Trevor, the eventual winner, caught up to me, and we chatted for a bit. Mile 10- 6:14 At this point in the race I am convinced that my goal of 2:50 is just not going to cut it. I should be shooting for at least a 2:45. Steve had caught back up with us, and everyone was looking strong. Mile 11-6:17 I wanted to run a bit more conservatively than Trevor and Steve and decided that it would be best to let them battle for 2nd and 3rd. I hung back to make sure I was not going to blow my race that had been going so well to this point. My family was waiting for me at the mile 11 aid station and that was AWSOME to see them. My wife explained to my 4 year old son Jace, that it was polite to cheer on the runners as they pass. So Jace said to Walter, “So how you doing?” I think we need to work on his race etiquette. Mile 12-6:32 I eased back to my original race pace plan over the next few miles to make sure I didn’t crash in the later stages of the race. Still feeling good aside from the blister that I could feel under my left foot, but this was just a blister, no big deal. Mile 13-6:30 I could see Steve make another run for the port-o-potties. I felt bad for all the time he was losing. I was still within reach of Trevor and feeling strong. Mile 14- 6:36 I think I feel asleep just a bit in this mile. I had a problem getting the two drinks that I was looking for at the aid station, but I didn’t think it slowed me down that much. Mile 15- 6:39 I started to feel some thing in my right knee. Nothing alarming, just a twinge. Mile 16- 6:32 This mile started out with a steep down hill leaving Day Break. I wanted to take advantage of the hill, but just then alarm bells started to go off in my head. My knee was no longer twigging. It hurt! I took it easy down the hill to no avail. The pain was starting to get worse and worse. Mile 17-26.2 9:42/mile avg. The wheels came off! I stopped to stretch a bit in hopes that it would help. Steve passed me as I did and asked if I was OK. I told him I was fine. I was lying. I was not fine. Started back running thinking It would ease up. If I could get things under control I could still salvage a 2:50. This hope faded fast. I passed a photographer when I was climbing up the hill to the temple. I was hoping that he would not take my picture. I didn’t want to remember this moment. I considered dropping out for the next couple of miles. Came across two women running beside the race and asked them if they had a cell phone. If they did I was going to ask my wife to come and get me. I continued to stop and stretch with periods of walking and hobbling. I steeled my nerve by mile 19 and decided I was going to finish even if I had to walk the rest of the D@^^& thing! I had someone at the next aid station call my wife so that she wouldn’t worry too much about me. Right about the time when I was starting to really go to work and race, I couldn’t. When I read all the race reports and disappointments from St. George I thought that somehow I would beat the odds and have a good first marathon. I knew the risks, I knew all the things that could go wrong, but I was going to have a great race. I hope there weren’t any kids around me when that dream came crashing down. If there were then they now have a more colorful vocabulary. I finished the race. Slowly, but I finished. I have never been one for finisher medals. I want an over all medal, but today am glad to get a finisher medal. This one actually represents something for me. I think I am going to take it easy for the next few days. I have to get my knee healed for the ARMY PT and 2 mile time trail in two weeks. There is no medal for that, but it has far more consequences on my Warrant Officer Packet that I will be submitting in November. | 