Each Day Is a Gift

Pony Express Run

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Location:

UT,

Member Since:

Oct 14, 2008

Gender:

Female

Goal Type:

Age Division Winner

Running Accomplishments:

85 marathons, 5 times Utah Grand Slam finisher (division winner twice).

7 Bostons (2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2016).

Two 50Ks, one 50 miler (Pony Express).

A handful of AG wins in all distance races.

Marathon PR: 3:57:09 (Boston'08)

Half Marathon PR: 1:48:41 (Bryce Canyon '11)

10K PR: 47:50 (Spectrum 10K '09)

5K PR: 22:31 (Nestle 5K '08)

Short-Term Running Goals:

2017 Races:

June 10 - Utah Valley Marathon (5:13:43)

June 24 - Morgan Valley Marathon (5:49:01)

July 8 - Hobbler Half (2:19:37, 2nd AG)

July 24 - Temple to Temple 5K (27:43)

July 29 - Timp Half (2:08:01, 3rd AG)

Aug 26 - Mt. Nebo Marathon (5:16:16, 3rd AG)

Sep 16 - Huntsville Marathon (4:48:53)

Oct 7 - St. Geroge Marathon (4:57:11)

Nov 4 - Canyon City Marathon (5:30:07)

2018 Races:

Jan 13 - St. George Half (2:19:45, 3rd AG)

Mar 3 - The Woodlands Marathon (5:01:35)

Apr 6-7 - Ragnar So. California

June 1-2 - Ragnar Wasatch Back

June 9 - Utah Valley Marathon (5:19:22)

June 30 - Morgan Valley Half

Sep 1 - Pocatello Marathon (6:00:43)

Sep 15 - Huntsville Marathon (5:37:08)

Oct 6 - St. George Marathon (5:25:43)

Oct 20 - SoJo Marathon (5:29:23)

2019 Races:

June 1 - Utah Valley Marathon (5:44:24)

June 22 - Morgan Valley Marathon (6:15:13)

Aug 31 - Pocatello Marathon (5:38:47)

Sep 14 - Big Cottonwood Marathon (6:03:51)

Oct 5 - St. George Marathon (5:57:46)

Oct 12 - SoJo Marathon (5:55:45)

2020 Races:

Jan 18 - St. George Half (2:38:28)

Feb 15 - Sun Marathon (5:51:54)

May 5 - Conquer Covid-19 Virtual Marathon (5:49:07)

May 16 - Clear Creek Canyon Half Marathon (2:32:15)

May 25 - Utah Valley Virtual Marathon (5:33:110

June 9 - Independence Run Virtual Marathon (5:55:22)

Long-Term Running Goals:

Run happy and healthy all the days of my life. Be an example and inspiration to my family.

Personal:

I'm 64, retired RN, happily married, nana to 14 beautiful grandchildren, mother to 6 children (1 daughter, 5 sons) who are kind, hardworking, caring, wonderful people! Wish they live closer!!! :) :) :)

Picked up running in 2005 at age 50, to stay healthy so I can take care of my husband who had endocarditis resulting in AVR and MVR in 2004, end stage renal failure in 2014, kidney transplant on Dec 30, 2015. Six months after the kidney transplant, we discovered that he has a rare auto-immune disease that was probably triggered in 2004 with then the undiagnosed infective endocarditis. The doctors had to make up a name for this rare disease, Monoclono Gammopathy with Renal Significance (MGRS). It is not curable. After desperately trying different chemotherapies, the doctor finally found one immuno-therapy, Daratumamab, that works to treat the MGRS. It is a miracle!!!

Grateful for the gift of life, blessings, dear friends and loved ones!!! Thankful for the ability to move, walk, jog, and yes run!!!!

Favorite Blogs:

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Miles:	This week:	0.00	Month:	0.00	Year:	0.00
Saucony Guide ISO Wide Lifetime Miles:						311.91
Saucony Guide ISO Lifetime Miles:						313.31
Sacony Guide ISO (2) Lifetime Miles:						225.26
Altra Torin (sz 7) Lifetime Miles:						44.49
Saucony Guide 10 (2020) Lifetime Miles:						60.91

Fri, Oct 16, 2009

Race: Pony Express Run (33.55 Miles) 06:59:16

Easy Miles	Marathon Pace Miles	Threshold Miles	VO2 Max Miles	Total Distance
33.55	0.00	0.00	0.00	33.55

This is NOT a race; but a "memorial marathon" for Beth, my neighbor and friend whose father passed away the night before SGM and she didn't get to run it. It's also a "birthday run" to celebrate my 54th b'day. Oct 16 is my legal birthday and just so happen Crockett has organized a 50/100 mile run/race on the Pony Express Route in the wild west desert.

We loaded up our crew wagon and left my house at 6:40 am. Got to the start at Lookout Pass at 7:50 am. Temp was in the high 30's, cool crisp sky. There were about a dozen 100 milers and 1/2 dozen 50 milers. Leslie has already started at 6am. Saw jun and Twinkies. I ran with them the first mile or so while Beth took off with Crockett in the lead pack. It was nice to chat with jun and Riboldi.

Smooth, Beth and Wendy just before the count down at 8am. Jun's in red with white cap and Twinkies in yellow in the background.

Ditched the jacket and gloves after the first stop at mile 5, the dirtygirl gaitors kept the rocks out of my running shoes. Listening to the Oct Conference talks (which were over 7 hours long that my son downloaded on hubby's iPod for me) helped the miles pass.

Beth's triumphant finish of her "marathon in memory of her dad" in 5:26:20

Beth's tears of joy upon receiving her medal. The footprint on the SGM'09 medal is appropriate since we followed the 50/100 milers' footprints along the Pony Express trail.

Beth, Smooth & Wendy in front of the crew wagon after Beth's finish. Wendy's son, Eric, drove when Wendy ran with Beth the last 5Ks. The poster says: Happy Birthday Smooth!

We ran "where the antelopes play". At Simpson Spring I changed my socks for the third time and doctored my blister for the 2nd time. I ate and hydrated well every 2 miles.

Wendy ran me in to the finish of the last 0.1 mile of my 54K. I expected to finish under 7 hours so I was very pleased with my time of 6:59:16, not bad for having run a 3:57 at SGM 13 days ago, had never trained on trails, stopped numerous times to run with Beth and the celebration at 26.2.

At the "finish" of my 54K (33.55 miles) around Dugway Topaz Well was a silo and this sign. Can't fathom that this is only a third of the 100 miles the others would be running. I was glad to be done just before 3pm when the temp was about 60.

Me and my best friend, Wendy and her son, Eric, what an AWESOME crew!

I had a FANTASTICALLY WONDERFUL birthday doing what I love with my favoritest people. Thought about Alex alot during the run. We drove back on the trail and was amazed at HOW FAR we had run. We stopped at Simpson Spring to be tourists. There were other tourists at that Pony Station. They had seen us and other runners along the trail and asked what we were doing and WHY? During the drive home Beth talked about her "frontier man dad" and his "perfect" funeral. We got home at 6:45 pm what a fun 12 hours adventure.

I consumed 5 bottles of water, 3 bottles of Gatorade, 1 can of Slimfast, 1 peanut butter sandwitch, 3 oranges, 3 bagels, 5 gels, 1 electrolyte cap and 3 electrolyte Enlytn strips on the course. For breakfast I had a banana, yogurt, EmergenC, water. Post run food was 1 Cup of Ramen noodles, 1 banana, chocolate milk, water, chex mix, Tropical trail mix and beef jerky. We went to Texas Roadhouse for dinner where I had an 8 oz sirloin steak, sweet potatoe, steamed vegetables and 5 dinner rolls washed down with 2 tall glasses of diet coke.

The legs are feeling pretty good, might loose couple of toe nails. Went for a walk with hubby the next morning.

Mizuno Inspire 4 Jade Miles: 33.55

Night Sleep Time: 5.00	Nap Time: 0.00	Total Sleep Time: 5.00	Weight: 0.00

Comments

From marion on Sat, Oct 17, 2009 at 17:41:28 from 71.213.119.74

WOW!! You are too cool! HAPPY BIRTHDAY! I was thinking about you on your adventure all day :) I wanted to call you, but wasn't sure you'd have your phone :) What a GREAT idea to run a K for every year :) Oh crap- that means 40k for me.... hmmmm... Next April we'll have to make some fun plans :)

Enjoy your weekend and I hope those cute legs of yours are feeling OK today :) Maybe Larry can make a sling that will fit you and he can haul you around ;)...like a papoose ;)

From Kathie on Sat, Oct 17, 2009 at 17:50:21 from 63.248.105.188

Wow 54K what a great idea!

I saw your name on the list of runners,I was totally shocked. Matt (Twinkies) is my neighbor and I was checking out his race and saw your name!

You are the best...what a great day you must have had!

From Twinkies on Sat, Oct 17, 2009 at 19:09:52 from 98.202.132.86

Amazing accomplishment. It was fun meeting you and your friends. When you arrived home was the same time Craig and I crossed the finish line.

From RAD on Sat, Oct 17, 2009 at 19:36:54 from 76.27.12.70

What a fun and exciting birthday! Not to mention race :) I'm so so so glad you were able to do this for Beth and for yourself. You truly are an amazing woman, and I wish you 54 more years of running and loving the world!!

From Teena on Sat, Oct 17, 2009 at 23:23:31 from 67.177.20.13

SSF,

I can't even tell you how amazed I am at you!! But what is new? And I can't stop smiling thinking about you listening to General Conference the whole way. You really are something else!!! Seriously ... there is no one like you!!!

Hope you are sound asleep right now ... but my guess is that you are wide awake!

Congrats on the 54K on your 54!! :)

Love you so much!

From Nancy on Sat, Oct 17, 2009 at 23:36:05 from 76.27.69.172

I'm amazed that you could go that far especially only after 13 days from doing SGM. Great job. What a great friend you are.

From jun on Sat, Oct 17, 2009 at 23:40:08 from 97.126.234.214

Smooth, it was an honor to share your birthday with you, to have that mile of conversation, and to know that you finished your goal. You are such a trooper and I'm so proud of you. It was a ton of fun. Happy Birthday again.

From Rhett on Sun, Oct 18, 2009 at 00:38:51 from 216.67.220.235

Yea! Smooth is back. I missed you. I am so in awe of what you do, and I'm not talking about the running part... although that is amazing as well. You inspire me to be a better human. Thanks for posting this wonderful report with photos and all. Wow, you ran far, and so soon after SGM.

From Andy on Sun, Oct 18, 2009 at 02:37:21 from 198.60.114.178

Sounds like an amazing day.

From timp on Sun, Oct 18, 2009 at 07:32:46 from 68.164.215.7

very cool - happy belated birthday! it looks like you could run forever on the roads out there -

From JulieC on Sun, Oct 18, 2009 at 10:18:25 from 216.160.224.3

I am still in shock...I ran barely over that mileage this week. You da woman!! My girlfriend told me she saw runners out there when she took her kids to Topaz mountains to get some rocks. You are an inspiration in many ways!!! Happy 54th -belated :DDDDDDD

From Bec on Sun, Oct 18, 2009 at 17:13:36 from 67.177.35.60

What a special way to celebrate your Birthday! What an amazing friend you are to Beth. You always have some sweet adventure planned. What's next?

From Bec on Sun, Oct 18, 2009 at 17:16:01 from 67.177.35.60

You had diet coke? The things we crave as runners. Please don't tell me you are running that marathon in two weeks? I am opting for the Mesquite Marathon on Nov. 21. You should join me there.

From Maurine/Tarzan on Sun, Oct 18, 2009 at 18:42:24 from 97.117.61.249

So glad you are back blogging! Congratulations on an awesome birthday run. You are such a good friends to those close to you. That is so neat of you!

From leslie peterson on Sun, Oct 18, 2009 at 18:59:54 from 76.23.61.78

You're back!!!!!! I was thinking about you and thought I would just click on your name and there you are!!!! I am so glad you had a wonderful experience on your first ultra and a fabulous birthday party in the desert with your loved ones!!! Smooth, I did too, it was so perfect. You look so cute in your dirty girls!!! I am glad they got to you in time. So are you hooked? When is your next ultra?? My only regret was missing you!

Please don't ever leave the blog!!!!

Harold made me a DVD and my family is coming over to watch it, and Maurine too. I need kleenex every time I watch it, it makes me cry.

We need to get together soon, it has been way too long!!!

From LuzyLew on Mon, Oct 19, 2009 at 12:03:55 from 208.187.197.42

What a wonderful entry. I'm so glad for the weather. It would have been a very different experience in the rain. The whole day was such a fitting memorial and birthday run. I too ran a marathon shortly after my dad died (who went tragically and much too young). It was a deeply spiritual and cathartic experience. I am so very sorry for Beth to lose her father. Running out in the desert was a great celebration of the many gifts Beth's 'fronteirsman' father no doubt bestowed upon her. And what a fitting way to celebrate being 54 years young. You are a dear friend, and an inspiring runner.

From Smooth on Mon, Oct 19, 2009 at 12:49:39 from 174.23.240.142

Marion ~

THANKS! There's no cell coverage out there in them desert. Someone had a satelite phone for Davy to call the KSL outdoor show the next morning when he was just 2 miles to the finish of his 100 miles run.

Yes, you definitely need to run 41K which is close to a marathon distance in April. How about the SLC marathon?

My legs are fine. I ran a very slow 5K this morning. It's so gorgeous out there.

Kathie ~

It was very nice to meet Twinkies. I didn't realize he's your friend/neighbor. He did AWESOME on his 50 miler. We should do it next year.

Matt ~

WOW! Can't imagine running that long. You ROCK! CONGRATS!

Rachel ~

THANKS! I couldn't ask for a better way to spend my birthday. Most memorable indeed! LOWELL missed out!

Teena ~

THANK YOU for the birthday present. I get to see it in my office everyday. It reminds me of you and your great friendship. I LOVE YOU tons. You are one of a kind yourself. That's why we are SSF!!! LOVE YOU to pieces!

Nancy ~

To be honest, I wasn't sure if I could run that far. The body is amazing...it just does what your mind tells it to. The last 5K was the hardest, so I did a 4/1 ran/walked ratio and seemed to work magically.

Craig ~

It was a wonderful day! You made the start so fun and terrific for us. THANK YOU! You're a WONDERFUL person!

Rhett ~

THANKS for the kind words! I often tell Teena what a GREAT person you are. We both agree. I'm so grateful to have met you and be associated with your AWESOMENESS!

Andy ~

It was an amazing day. The weather was perfect. Couldn't have asked for anything better.

Timp ~

Yep, that Pony Express Trail goes on forever. From mile 18 the trail was fairly straight and stretched for 16 miles to the next mountain. You could see runners for miles if you had a binocular. The only bad thing was the trail was used by hunters on their trucks and trailers so there are portions that have "wash board" ripples, uneven with loose rocks. It would be better if I had trail shoes. But I had never trained in trail shoes so I just took a chance with my regular road running shoes.

Julie ~

You can totally do this. Just tell the body that it can run for x amount of time or miles and it will follow. You would have enjoyed this.

Bec ~

I signed up for Hoover Dam on Oct 31. Already paid for the entry and hotel. Prez. agreed to drive me down on Fri and home on Sun. This is in place of the VOF (same day as Mesquite) that I have to forgo because my grandbaby and her mother are coming to Utah that day.

I drank caffeine free diet coke so Prez wouldn't feel bad since I always gave him grief about drinking pop. I drank so much water that day...the soda was NICE!

Maurine ~

Friends are such blessings, aren't they!

Wish you were out there running with us. I would have loved it even more! I know you would have LOVED it too! NEXT YEAR for sure!

Leslie ~

Did you know that my friend, Lowell, was trying to talk me out of running PE and run an alternate route instead so he could join us (for logistic and time reason). Any way, I told him NO WAY...because I want to be part of "history/dream in the making" because Leslie would be fulfilling her dream of running a 50 miler. I am SO SO SO SO EXCITED for you. What an AWESOME race you ran and great memories you made with your children and friends.

Wendy and I kept watching for you and Jana. Too bad we didn't have a binocular. But we knew you would have been WAY ahead and we thought about your finish and triumphant joyful moments. I am so PROUD of you! Thanks for sharing your joy with us!

Luzy,

It seldom rained out there in the desert. When the rain comes, it's short and welcomed. The weather was PERFECT that day. It was sunny, some runners got sunburnt. The next day was VERY hot...so we were very lucky to have the temp we had.

THANKS for being such a good friend to me! Can't wait to see you soon!

From Kelli on Mon, Oct 19, 2009 at 19:20:59 from 71.219.97.106

WOW, am I late on this one!!! SORRY I missed your birthday, I was SOOOOOO sick!

I am happy for you and that great run, sounds like a fun day. And yeah for your friend finishing her memorial marathon, that is awesome for her!

From crockett on Mon, Oct 19, 2009 at 23:39:57 from 71.36.79.90

Smooth, thanks for coming out to my crazy desert run. I'm glad you got to experience the beauty out there that most people never see. It was a wonderful day (and night for me). We hope to make this a big race next year and welcome any help. Race day will be October 15, 2010

From Teena on Tue, Oct 20, 2009 at 17:16:14 from 67.177.20.13

Just a quick LLL LLL LLL LLL LLL to my SSF!!

From RivertonPaul on Wed, Oct 21, 2009 at 11:23:36 from 67.42.27.114

Seriously, most amazing!

From AmberG on Wed, Oct 21, 2009 at 11:30:51 from 64.255.89.47

AHHHH!!! YEAH SMOOTH!!! I am SO SO SO happy to have you back! You just made my day! First things first:

1. Happy 54th Birthday!!! (late, sorry)

2. Congrats you your running a 54k! You are AMAZING and so super strong! I don't know if I could ever do that, and so close after running SG. . . . and, (the list goes on) you are running another marathon next week, , , , whew, , ,you are making me tired! You just keep going and going! You are made of something 'superhuman' , , , What an amazing accomplishment!

3. Did I mention I'm so happy you're back? Yeah!

4. You are an incredible and LOYAL friend, , , I'm honored to be in your 'outer' circle of friends, but in observing you w/ your 'inner' circle of friends it's just so apparent what a genuine and loving person you are! Thanks for your great example in this area!

5. I'm SO happy you're back!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Happy Birthday again, , , ,mine is next week and my friend and I had talked about doing 29 miles on my 29th, , , , but I'm feeling lazy these days so maybe I'll just do a 29k, , , I hadn't even thought about that!

have a great day!!!!!!

From RAD on Wed, Oct 21, 2009 at 15:48:56 from 76.27.12.70

How is recovery treating you? Hope you're doing well and feeling well!

From Smooth on Wed, Oct 21, 2009 at 19:17:13 from 174.23.240.142

Kelli ~

THANKS! Beth was so happy for her accomplishment. I sent a copy of this race report to her and she forwarded it to her family. I had NO idea how much this run meant to her. The medal has so much more meaning to her too!

Davy ~

I am so grateful for your organizing this race. I have to give next year's race serious thought. Perhaps train to run the 50. THANKS for letting me tag along and so accepting of me, a NON-ultra runner the way you do. You are my hero!

Amber,

You are so sweet! What do you mean by "outer" circle!?! You're my special friend in many special ways. I just wish I had more time and less distance between us. I LOVE you just the same! You've had an AWESOME running year. I'm amazed at how much you do and accomplish.

Are you gonna run Hoover Dam? I sure hope to see you then.

Rachel,

I am recovering very nicely. My legs are fine. My feet took some beating mainly due to not being used to running on trails and the shoes just didn't give enough cushion/support. But they are fine now. I can run; but choose not too b/c of a zillion things I have going on. THANKS for your concern.

Teena ~

I just LOVE YOU and your constant caring of me! SSF LLL LLL LLL LLL LLL

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