Ran the crazy Sogonapmit Marathon as a fun run.(Sogonapmit is Timpanogos backwards). Instead of running the Timp Half marathon, you run from the finish up to the start and back, climbing about 2,000 feet or so. The marathon started at American Fork High School, ran through Cedar Hills, up American Fork Canyon to Tibble Fork Res. Then turn around and go back. Pretty crazy.
I opted for the early start since I wasn't going to race it and wanted to make sure I reached the top before the crowds of half marathoners started. Turns out they started late so I ended up beating all of them to the finish.
It was great fun starting at 3:06 a.m. I quickly took the lead. The rest of the marathoners started about 15 minutes later. I was the first runner to the top and no one caught up until about mile 20.
Running on the Cedar Hills paved trail that early was funny because I got blasted by sprinklers. But it was nice, they cooled me off. We had a warm headwind going up. The other runners fell way behind so I was blazing the trail and taking it pretty easy because I wasn't competing against anyone. But I kept my mile splits to about 9 minute miles for quite awhile. A lot of the road cones had been knocked down during the night by kids, but the police set them back up as we run up.
As I was running up to Tibble Fork, out of the dark Seth caught up to me. He had been setting up the course during the night and decided to run up, starting with the main group. He was really nice and ran with me for a couple miles and then ran ahead during the last mile. He's an amazing runner. It was great to talk to him. He then stoppped to talk to friends for a ten minutes at the top and still won the marathon.
I thought the other fast runners behind me in the second group would catch me before the top, but they never did. It turns out I did the uphill half in 2:02, much faster than expected. It was pretty cool to be one of the first arriving and I got great cheers from the half marathoners. I ran with a reflective vest and a blue headlamp to make it easy on the eyes. I probably looked funny arriving.
I made the turnaround and then kicked it in to gear for awhile to make some time up. But I soon discovered this was also an obstacle adventure run. With all the buses going up and down, I had to dodge them all. Several times they met in both directions and I was between. I had to choose which one to run out in front of. Pretty dangerous. That slowed me down several times. I could tell that the buses were late and that the half would probably start about 20 minutes late.
By mile 20, as always happens to me in marathons, I lost my speed. My hips were complaining and I didn't want to push it at all since I have a huge run to do in less than two days. I just tried to do 10-minute miles to the finish, and maybe break 4 hours. That would still be pretty good on this very hilly course.
Kelli, Seth, and Steve Piccolo passed me at mile 20, going strong. I couldn't keep up, just didn't have the speed anymore, so enjoyed the morning.
As I approached the finish line, the RD announced that I was the first Half Marathon finisher. I laughed, shook my head and he made the correction. I finished in about 4:02. Funny. It took me 2:02 to go up, and 2:00 to go down. Pretty slow down hill.
It was great fun and nice to see a bunch of bloggers and other friends. | 