Each Day Is a Gift

I signed up for this virtual race last Thursday night after Wendy told me about it and she has signed up for the 10K back in April.  The registration fee for all distances (5K, 10K, half and full marathon) is only $28 + tax and if you want a T-shirt it's $10.  For $30 you get a medal in the shape of a roll of toilet paper and in the middle where the hole is is a spindable "coin" replicating the coronavirus, decal.  You have until midnight May 15 to submit your race time which will be posted on the registration site where you can also see other runners' results.  I printed out my bib the next day.  My bib#1269 means one easy lucky longevity.  I also invited Karen to join us.  I'm bad influence like that.  We decided on a time to start and at the last minute, Karen offered Wendy her bike so she could ride alongside us when she's done with her 10K.  In my fuel belt I carried 4 Gu's, an empty 5oz flask, small pill box with 4 salt caps and 2 ibuprofen, hand sanitizer and a few chlorox wipes which I ended up did not use. 

Got up at 6am, ate breakfast of one chobani and a banaa, drank 6 oz orange juice and sips of water.  I left my house and started the watch precisely at 7am just as planned.  Picked up Wendy from her house and met Karen at Skyridge High School on Center St from there we ran north onto Murdock Canal Trail.  Weather was perfect 43F sunny 5mph N wind.  The trail was not as crowded as on weekends.  We did not worry about time, just enjoy doing a long run together maintaing 5'-6' apart.  We stopped at every restroom and most of the trailside drinking fountains. 

We reached Lone Peak restroom at 10K where John was to meet us and bring Wendy Karen's bike.  Mile 7 split was 16:02 because of the stop.  Our next longish stop was the Canyon Rd restroom and we had run 9.1 miles.  Mile 10 split was 15:19.  Karen figured that we would need to run to 17.2 to turn around so we can finish at the Canyon Rd restroom.  I have run this route when I did my 18 miler 3 weeks ago so I know from my house to trailend at 800 N Orem is 17.1 miles, so will just need to add a little bit on 800N.  The last restroom in Lindon is about 3 miles from the trail end so we all made it a point to use the facility.  However, I wasn't producing any urine.  I made sure I drank every 1-2 miles.  I took my first Gu at the 10K stop then about every hour thereafter.  Also took salt cap with the last two Gu, ibuprofen at trail end (mile 17) and again at mile 23.  We did skip about 3-4  of the trailside drinking fountains.  We were doing the 4:1 ratio regularly except when we're close to reaching the drinking fountain.  When we got to the Canyon Rd restroom, my watch registered 26 miles, John wasn't there yet, and there were two ladies with stroller just finishing their jog.  They cheered as I announced "26 miles".  Karen and I ran out of the parking lot down the street and back up for the 0.2.  These ladies cheered our finish and I had one of them take a picture for us.  John got there without couple minutes.  He brought us bread and popsicles.  We managed to squeeze the bike in the trunk while Wendy and Karen sat in the middle single seat and I sat in the front seat giving me the "maximum protection' for social distancing since I'm the oldest there and also with a husband who is immunocompromised.

It was such a fun virtual race.  I couldn't have asked for better.  Perfect weather, perfect friends, perfect course.  We didn't feel sore at all, just pleasantly tired.  Wendy had run her 10K on Friday, then ran another 10K and rode 20 miles today.  Karen had run 17/18 miles on Thursday so neither of them had rested or "tapered".  I was supposed to run a 20 miler on Sat. but decided to do this instead.  So, our time is not bad for a spontaneous marathon.

TT: 5:49:07  AP: 13:19  Splits: 12:18, 12:31, 12:21, 13:39, 12:58, 12:29, 16:02, 11:46, 12:30, 15:19, 13:49, 12:18, 12:44, 12:05, 16:12, 12:36, 13:09, 13:18, 12:47, 12:24, 12:26, 17:14, 12:42, 13:32, 14:02, 13:18, 13:57