Maybe I'll Blog, Maybe I Won't

Today was the day.  For now I'm just gonna say that I was VERY pleased with my marathon debut and I am officially hooked!  I had a freaking blast!  I think that was one of the funnest races I've ever done!  I felt good the whole time (well, up until about Mile 24) and it was just great!  2:53:43 is the official time...good enough for 50th place.  Don't yet know what my age division place was.  But I'm just tickled about the whole thing.  Thanks to Andy, (Riverton?) Paul, Matt (?) and everyone who was pacing together with us.  Y'all kept me from going out too fast, which, knowing me I would have done and definitely would have died.  And thanks to Paul Peterson, Cody, Jon, Dave and everyone else for all the great advice...it worked perfectly.  Great job to everyone!  

Here's the play by play:  Got to the starting line about an hour before the race started and was a little nervous, wondering whether I had trained enough and all that jazz because the last month had been less than stellar as far as training goes.  Tried to keep warm and jogged around a bit.  Then went to the right corral after Holt told me I was in the wrong place.  Continued warming up with everyone.  Found Andy and a few others who were shooting for 3 hours.  Race started and was feeling pretty good but wondering if I could really keep it up for 26 miles.  Rainy and a little cold.  First mile was 7:05 if I remember right.  I kind of had to depend on Andy to know what the pace was because my watch for some reason stopped after 10 minutes...don't know if I hit the button accidentally or what.  I couldn't see the mile markers for awhile anyway.  Anyway, so not much eventful happened.  Just ran and kind of enjoyed the first half.  Enjoyed the wet weather...easier to breathe although my arms got frozen and hurt to straighten them out.  Veyo hill wasn't as bad as I expected.   Dammeron Valley was worse than I expected but I just relaxed and it went okay.  Hit the half in 1:31:08 and restarted my watch to get the last half split.  After the half mark I started feeling really good for some reason...highly irregular based on my training runs.  Held off for awhile but was really feeling like I could take off easily but I didn't want to do it prematurely.  Hit that big downhill coming into Snow Canyon around mile 15 and just let my legs open up and carry me down.  Gatorade at that stop was gross...not enough water mixed in.  Yuck.     Anyway, after that hill I just didn't feel like slowing down much and just started to fly.  I felt unstoppable.  I have no idea where that came from.  I am usually DEAD after 15 miles.  Just kept going and started passing people like crazy.  No one passed me after mile 15.  I was worried that I was going too fast but I felt so good I just kept going.  The hill at Winchester Hills couldn't even slow me down.  Passed a ton of people on that one.  Just felt great!  Runner's High.  Enjoying myself and having tons and tons of fun.  Just pretended that I was just starting out on my run and put the last 18 miles behind me.  Mile 22.5 my shoe came untied and had to stop and tie it.  I had to take a leak really bad too...maybe that's why I was going so fast.  Didn't want to stop and lose time.  Came flying down the hill into St. George and was still passing people like crazy.  Mile 23 still feeling pretty good...wondering where this "Wall" thing is...Mile 24:  found out where the Wall was.  OH MY HECK!  That hurts sooo bad.  I felt like my muscles were being torn off my legs at each stride.  Still keeping a good pace, trying to relax and not look like I am even working.  That helps me.  Mile 25:  I am DEAD...just trying to make it that last mile...still going strong and passing people though.  Mile 26:  Can see the finish and just want to be there instead of 300m away.  Trying to get a kick in and feeling like I'm sprinting my guts out although I probably didn't look like it.  Looked at the clock and realized I was going to destroy 3 hours.  Crossed the line, tried to celebrate and almost fell over.  I DID IT!!! Legs feel like wet noodles and I have to go to the bathroom but can hardly walk to the porta-potties.  Went and ate some cantaloupe and got a massage and commenced freezing to death.  Negative split the last half marathon by 8:35 (if my math is right) in 1:22:35 don't know where I got that but I'll take it!  Anyway, very happy with the race and I'm gonna do it again!  2:45 here I come!! 

Type A2 Racers:  38.6