Utah Valley Marathon

Finished my first full marathon on Saturday!  It's something I've wanted to do since I took a running class sophomore year at BYU.  Injuries, babies, school stuff, and work have kept me from going through with other 26.2 milers I've signed up for.  I was just excited to finally make it to the starting line of this one!  Last summer and fall I trained for the St. George marathon and then pulled some stuff in my leg a few weeks before the race.  I was so bummed.  After that I decided not to take marathon training so seriously.  It's so disappointing when you work hard and can't run the real deal!  May as well just have fun with the journey. 

So anyway, I signed up for Utah Valley in January thinking that if I could actually get to race day with my body cooperating then that would be a victory in itself.  A few times in this round of training I thought this race would join the others that I paid and trained for but never got to run.  I took some time off running the end of Jan/early Feb because I was having weird muscle spasms.  Then after those went away and I was feeling pretty good again, I busted my toe.  In March.  AAaaa!  Just my luck.  You never realize how much you use your little toe and how many nerves run from your pinkie toe down your foot until you break it.  So frustrating.  So, I ended up having to take about a month off of running and spent time on the elliptical and biking.  Thought most likely I wouldn't be doing this marathon, but if we ended up moving to Arizona or Utah, I'd have time to try again for St. George.  Well, the toe healed and we found out we are moving to England.  There went thoughts of doing St. George!  I thought I'd pick up where I should be on the training schedule for Utah Valley instead of where I left off before toe issues.  Luckily it worked out!   I actually made it to race day with my body in one piece.

I was a little nervous going into race day.  The altitude is so much higher in Provo then it is here in Vegas.  I wondered if I'd feel like a smoker trying to gasp for air.  Also, it was super cold and rainy weather.  To top it off, I had to catch the bus between 3:30 and 4:30 AM.  I'm used to getting up early to run, but being up that early just seemed crazy!  Plus, my body was still on Nevada time which is an hour behind UT.  (Thanks Jake for waking up so early with me!)  We stayed with Ben and Hailey so luckily we were just a few minutes away from Provo Town Center mall where the buses were.

The course was so beautiful!  Ahh, I love Provo.  It made the run enjoyable despite the yucky weather.  From the start, all of us running were pretty much soaked.  It rained off and on while we ran down Provo Canyon but the mountains and everything took my mind off soggy wet feet!  I thought about fun times driving up the canyon during college with friends (shout out to my Heeber Creeper buddies!) and since the course went down University Ave I got to run by Courtyard at Jamestown (where I used to work), the apartments Jake and I lived at when we were first married, Lavelle Edwards stadium, The Elms (lived there while still single), and so many other places that brought back fun memories.  Jake and the kids were cheering for me around mile 21... those cute faces were a great boost when my legs were getting tired!  Jake took this pic as I was running by.  I met some awesome people while running and the girl in the blue hat is one of them.  Angie was super peppy and and kept saying cutie things to keep us motivated!  I'm so glad she was there.             

For me, miles 22-24 were the hardest.  I don't think I 'hit the wall' like some people say happens, but my legs were tired and it was harder to push myself.  Pretty sure it was Mila's awesome prayer at dinner the night before that kept me going!  She is such a cutie.  Miles 25 and 26 went by quickly.  Guess it was because the finish line was so close!  I saw Jake and the kids next there!   

 Running shots are so unflattering!  I want to remember this though, so they're going in here!  ha!  Almost there!!!

My official chip time was 3:46:48. Guess I crossed the start line a full minute after the gun went off since the crowd was so big. Time on the clock was 3:47:51.  I didn't really have a goal time in mind when I started... just told Jake I'd see him in around 4 hours.  I just wanted to enjoy the experience and finish since it was my first.      

On the drive home I started counting up things I could have done to improve my time. I had to take off my shoe to shake out a rock around mile 15... could have been faster through aid stations... shouldn't have been so chatty with other runners, etc. The first half  I ran in 1:49... the second in 1:57.  Next time I'll pick up the pace on the 2nd half!  It's Easy to get caught up thinking about time and what I will do differently next time when all I wanted in the first place was the opportunity to run this marathon.  It was such a great experience. I'm glad I finally got to do it!

The whole tired-eyed fam!  I guess the company that prints the shirts didn't get the smalls and mediums finished in time.  I'm excited to get my t-shirt in the mail! 

Thanks to Jake for watching the kids so much so I could train.  And, thanks to Ben and Hailey for a fun marathon weekend!   We had a date night and got to try some new restaurants on Saturday.   I want their babysitter to move to Vegas.  She was awesome!!  (hoping we find one like that in England!) Luke had a blast running around with Ethan and it was so fun hanging out with everyone.  See you guys in a few weeks!

The only pictures I got while at their house!... Crazy boys! :)

Next thing to check off on my list before we move:  finish classes!  AAaaa!  Wish me luck.