Utah Valley Marathon 3:50:11 I've run this marathon twice before with somewhat disappointing results. My training has been of better quality but very inconsistent due to working in Seattle and all the travel involved. My expectations for this run were not that high. I just wanted to have a good run and not another epic blow up like at Yakima. Somewhere south of 3:45 seemed doable. Over 4:00 would be very disappointing. First part of the run started very well. Didn't go out too fast and everything felt controlled, sustainable, and comfortable. Almost too good to be true. Banking time for the rollers. 7:43 / 7:45 / 7:40 / 7:37 / 7:42 / 8:00. I have been very fortunate in that I have never had a serious injury running. Towards the end of mile 7 everything changed. Felt a very sharp intense pain in my right leg. I'm sure it was my hamstring. I thought my race was over right there. Hobbled around as a herd of runners passed me. Managed to keep going but I was concerned I was causing damage and debated whether or not to stop. The first hill actually helped get me going again. Not very fast but still moving and my stride was returning to normal. I was definitely in survival mode but still in the race. Couldn't take advantage of the downhill for fear of taking too long of strides and aggravating the hamstring. 8:14 / 9:00 (felt like much longer) / 8:37 / 8:14 / 8:25 / 8:40 / 8:27 / 8:40. Near the end of mile 15 disaster struck again. It was so hard to run conservatively on the downhill parts when everyone else is making good time and passing you. I got careless. Sharp pain in the right hamstring again. More intense. Walking, trotting, wondering if I should drop out. What are the chances I could get going again? 8:24 / 10:05 / 9:06 (maybe I can finish?) 9:32 / 8:59 / 9:26. Really being conservative. Now it was getting warm. Trying to find something to run for. 9:04 / 9:20 / 9:42 / 10:31 (whatever) / 9:32 / 9:03 / Darn those 12 seconds. I don't know why but it would have made me feel much better about the run. Now I get to rehab a hamstring. | 