I am still in denial about missing the Saint George Marathon Lottery. Why don't they just do first come first serve like every other race in America? Because of missing the lottery Catherine moved away... and I never ran again after Park City Marathon. I know that's not the whole story, but she would have stuck around longer if she'd had a good enough reason and I certainly would have kept up going just to say I did the Grand Slam (even though I didn't sign up officially). My good friend Shawna contacted me to see if we could ride down to SG together (she didn't know I didn't make the Lotto). My other friend Loreen is going down as well. It would have been a party. I'm so sad I'll miss it this year and I miss Catherine. It's been such a lovely fall tradition for us, and a wonderful way to finish the season. I'll always cherish the fact that it's the course I practiced for to BQ. It's nice to know a course that well, know what to anticpate and plan for. I'll miss that 4:00 a.m. bus ride in the dark listening to all the nervous chatting, the pre-race bon fire huddle, watching the sun rise somewhere near Veyo just as I'm warming up, the much needed oranges at mile 22 just before the downhill grand city entrance. I'll miss the barefoot-beanie cap-hippy-man, the Hoyts, the veteren flag holder guy, the police escorts into the city, and the handsome US Marines at the finish. I will not miss the pre-race port-a-potties and the stress that comes from that forced bathroom visit, and how your time in that terrible, smelly plastic chamber will determine weather or not you will have a good race... don't even try to pretend you don't know what I'm talking about. | 