marathon #24 Today I ran my 2nd of 4 marathons to complete the Grand Slam, in the last month I have had my appendix out, lost my stepfather to very unfortunate cercamstances, had my daughter in the hospital, a very stressful month with little training and only one 17 mile long run sense Ogden marathon. I was feeling very unprepared but this was just going to be a going off feeling no garmin run, my goal was to start very easy and then just run off feel and race if I felt good but just easy running for the 1st half. Road the bus up with Michelle, Mac and her brother Josh and got there in plenty of time with an hour and a half to use the bathroom many time. I really think they could have bussed the 400 runners up a little later. Started the race feeling ready to go and just wearing my timex watch taking no splits. The 1st 13 miles felt very easy and we were all together chatting and laughing down the mountain felt very under control. We were running in the 8, 9, 10th place. I was happy with this but feeling antsy to go. Right before the little out and back section we caught 3 girls and passed and then caught some more and had a group of 6 that we ran with for a while. Took my 1st fuel at 9 and then just keep sipping on my flask and took another gu on foothill somewhere. Cam was waiting to run the last 15 miles with me, so happy he was there. He made this race very enjoyable and not lonely, I would have been by myself cause Mac had dropped back and Michelle started to pull away on the out section above foothill. At this point I was feeling okay but my feet were hurting, I could feel a huge blister on the bottom of my left foot and my right one was on fire. The last 10 were not fun, I couldn't push the pace on the downhill like I wanted. The last 2 miles where hard, with my feet hurting and it being flat man o man I wanted to be done!! Cam was very encouraging the last 6 miles and I am so glad he was there. I did like this marathon but not sure if I would feel the same racing it. It is a brutal for the long haul. My left foot was destroyed with a huge blister on the ball of my foot, a bruised toenail and the outside of my foot bruising as well from running on it funny from my blister hurting. All in all I am pleased that a 3:13 was doable on little training, and the 1st 18 felt good and easy. I had a fun time:) now I have to do this again in 3 week ugg
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