Top of Utah Marathon

Lots of words.....sorry

As some of you know I am currently on a break from running due to a knee injury.

That doesn't mean I can't think and talk about running non-stop.

A few people have asked about my last marathon so I thought I would do a re-cap of the race.

If you are interested here is the post about what I learned from the race.

The week of: This is pretty crazy because I am the queen of tapering.

Monday: 15-miler

Tuesday: 7-Miler

Wednesday: Body Pump Class.  I also taught spin that night.

After pump, one of my good friends from the gym approached me wondering if I wanted to race the Top of Utah Marathon that upcoming Saturday.  She had hurt her knee and could no longer race.

Um, free race.  Heck, yes.

I called the race director and he said it was fine to transfer her bib.

I knew that I had done a lot that week and I hadn't mentally prepared for the race so I told myself I was just going to take it easy and have fun.

The best part of the whole thing was that I didn't even have time for Pre-Race Anxiety.

Friday night we drove up to Logan.  On the way there we stopped at Fazoli's for breadsticks and spaghetti.  I also had two brownies later that night.

We stayed with our good friends and didn't go to sleep until 2 a.m.  Once again, I didn't care about going to bed late because I was just doing the race for fun.

We woke up 3 hours later.  I stole some of my friends food (pb toast and granola bars), put on my mismatching outfit and Billy dropped me off at the buses.

*I also take beta alenine before a race, it helps prevent lactic acid build-up, which is what fatigues muscles.  Try it if you are an endurance runner, it is awesome.

Billy surprised me with a new ipod shuffle because he knew how sick of lugging my iphone around I was...... He engraved 'Pain is Temporary' on the back.

It was about 30 degrees at the starting line.  The race began at the top of the most beautiful canyon I have ever seen.  I didn't have to use the porta potties, I was in a great mood and they had a huge heated tent at the starting line.  About five minutes before 7 I headed towards the front of the line and talked with some of the girls around me.

The gun went off and I started out at about a 7-minute mile.  I felt good and told myself to go faster. I paced myself with a speedy guy which was really helpful, although he probably found me kind of creepy.

If you read my lessons post you know I had an aha moment in the first half of the race.  I transformed my whole way of thinking, I became my own BFF and I enjoyed every second.   I will spare you the cheesy dialogue I had with myself.

I saw Billy at mile 13, 18, 23 and the end....spectators weren't allowed in the canyon.  Seriously, it was the most gorgeous scenery I have ever seen.

I wish I had all of my stats for you but all I remember is my 1/2 was 1:28  and I finished in 3:04:45.

Not negative splits but considering the second half was all flat and uphill, I am okay with that.

I finished and ate a Fatboy ice cream bar, a doughnut and two chocolate milks.  I was hungry but what's new.

I won a little mula and an awesome elk/moose trophy.  Only in Utah people.  At least it wasn't a seagull or a covered wagon.

Are you hungry after a race?

-Usually I am not able to stomach anything for a few hours but my last race and the last few long runs before that I came home so hungry.  I like that feeling because it is so important to refuel your body......I guess ice cream and doughnuts aren't exactly the best refuel but I think a marathon warrants some white sugar.

Is your significant other or family supportive of your races?

-Billy is the bomb.com.  Pretty sure his job is harder than actually running the race because he has to find where to park, wake up just as early as me, take pictures, know when and where to be, and he must be prepared to handle an emotional beast if my race doesn't go well.