Will update when I get home. Went broke like I planned! Hit the finish line with a new PR! Really couldn't have done it without Dave holt on my side. That was the most fun that I have had racing in a long time. Congrats to everyone on a great day!
 
St. George Marathon 2014
2:25:49; 8th Place Overall and New PR!
Now that I am finally home and I have time to rest and think for a bit. What a fantastic race Saturday was! I will try to be as specific as possible for everyone but also for my sake, because I want to mimic the prep for the next race.
I got down to STG on Wednesday night and made plans to run with Clyde Thursday morning and he discussed with me that the morning of the race that I need to get up earlier to get my body going so that I dont have any bathroom issues. In the years past I would always wake up at 4:30 or so and just get dressed and go to the bus. By the time I would get to the start I would go to the bathroom but only get one chance at emptying the gut out and pray that I didnt have to go again. So I took Clyde's advice and woke up at 3:30 and went to the bathroom, got some breakfast and laid in bed til about 4:15ish, went to the bathroom again, and got ready to go.
I met Logan, Clyde, Steve, and Dave at the buses at 5:00am and headed to the start. On the way up to the start I had a half of Rockstar, Half of Banana and some Immodium from Clyde to help settle the stomach. Once we were to the top I immediately went to the bathroom and got my 3rd crap in for the morning and felt solid and ready to go.
I warmed for about a mile and as I like to call it, it was more like a Kenyan Shuffle just get moving a bit. This year for some reason the race started about 20 minutes late due to bus issues. I was pretty ansy and to get going because I was warm and there was a nice tail wind that wouldve helped for the first miles or so. Plus the longer I stood the more nervous I got and I started to feel like I needed to go to the restroom again.
RACE
When the race began the lead group immediately seperated I stayed back with Mike, Dave, Trevor, and Logan. We began to work together and had a plan to stay together as long as possible. We figured that the bigger the group the better chance we had to pick some guys off and most likely come away with a PR. Around mile 5 or so we caught Nick who was the course record holder in 2007 and he attached to us for a couple miles. After the race I talked with him and it sounded like his day was pretty rough going. He said that he couldnt get fluids down and was throwing up, also that he wasnt in the best of shape to throw down a fast one. But overall he was a very nice humble guy. Mile 7 we hit Veyo hill and the group was still together. I told Trevor to stay on my heels, because I knew the more guys that we had was just going to be better. Dave threw in a mini surge and the group began to stretch out. For some reason I struggled going up Veyo but I knew I had to stay with Dave. He put about 5 seconds or so on me, but I managed to work back to him in a couple of miles. He let me draft until I got my legs back, then I took the lead and we switched back and forth all the way through Dammeron until we peaked to the half.
Came through the half at 1:13:37 which was faster then last year. I was pleased, I told the guys that I wanted around 1:13:30 for the first half, so to come within 7 seconds I was happy with the pacing. By now it was just Dave and I, but I knew Logan, Mike and Trevor were right there behind us. Dave yelled at all of them to get up to us but as he did that we headed mile 15 and 16 and hit low 5s for the split. At one point I told Dave to calm down a bit and not blow it in one mile. then I took the lead for the next and came to the crowd by Snow Canyon. Dave and began to give High fives and which got the crowd going and us too! We came to the marker at 5:09 and I could feel the legs for sure. I took a deep breath and told Dave we need to relax and focus on 5:20s. Our goal at the same time was to get to Clyde who was running out of his mind. Everytime we thought we were reeling him in he just seemed to get farther away.
Every mile from 16 on Dave was giving fist bumps after every sub 5:30. I loved it! Kept me going! He was a great coach in this race, reminding me to stay calm and collective. Overall we made a fantastic team for majority of the race. We eventually caught Clyde around 21 miles and he came with us for a mile or so then slowly faded back. Around mile 23 on the last hill, I put a little push on the hill and Dave came with me and then I slowly heard footsteps fading away. I turned and yelled for him to come, and he said he was. I never saw him again til the finish. Around mile 24.5 Mike had now caught me and I went wih him for 10 steps or so, and after that my body started shutting down. I really wish I had Dave at this point! He was a great running partner and I felt we couldve pushed eachother to a faster finish.
I knew at mile 25 if I could go sub 6 that I would get that sub 2:26 that I was shooting for. I hit the 26th mile at 5:55 and I just eyed the finish and came through at 2:25:49. Immediately my legs shut down and hit the ground, this was the first time after a marathon that I physically had nothing left in the legs. I gave it my all, and came away with a PR.
Fantastic group of guys that run this race. I am extremely happy for Aaron Metler for running to a 3 minute PR. Fantastic showing again by Fritz. Love seeing Matt and Mike. Love, love, love running with the Circle! Great group of guys. Mr. Hooper ran well with his Hammy injury. Awesome run by TBake! Very humble guy, and great to see him again. But honestly thanks again Dave for being a great running partner for the day! Wouldnt have ran as well without ya there!
Overall perspective. Wish I couldve closed better. I know that I need to get more long runs in before the race. I felt like I crammed some in. I think I might've gone a little hard two weeks before the race when I did Monte Cristo. But overall just things to look at and improve on for the next race.
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