Each Day Is a Gift

St. George Marathon 2009

Previous WeekRecent EntriesHomeJoin Fast Running Blog Community!PredictorHealthy RecipesSmooth's RacesFind BlogsMileage BoardTop Ten Excuses for Missing a RunTop Ten Training MistakesDiscussion ForumRace Reports Send A Private MessageMonth ViewYear View
Graph View
Next Week
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
2008200920102011201220132014201520162017201820192020
15% off for Fast Running Blog members at St. George Running Center!

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:

Click to donate
to Ukraine's Armed Forces
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
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
5.5031.200.001.5038.20
Mizuno Inspire 4 Jade Miles: 32.20Mizuno Nexus2 Miles: 3.00
Night Sleep Time: 14.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 14.00Weight: 0.00
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
3.000.000.000.003.00

Down and up 3rd West hill with Wendy, Beth and Carolyn.  Lead legs but great chats.

Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00Weight: 0.00
Comments(14)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
1.503.000.001.506.00

Last run on the HS track for awhile.  The bleachers, field and tracks were littered with the left over of Homecoming festives.  Groups of students were picking up trash, sweeping, powering the leaf blowers; most of them just loitered around.  They even put one boy in a trash bag and carried him around.  Silly kids!  The coach and teachers were looking at clip boards and milling around.  One class came out and I overheard the teachers said something like the boys must run one lap, the girls may walk.  What kind of physical educaton is this?

Schedule says 10-20 min warm up, 6x400 @ 1:44 (400m RI), 10 min. cool down

Warm up miles:  9:05, 8:10

1x400 - 1:40 (2:28)

2x400 - 1:41 (2:33)

3x400 - 1:48 (had to weave around the walkers & joggers) (3:07, drank water)

4x400 - 1:43 (2:40)

5x400 - 1:44 (2:42)

6x400 - 1:41 (2:40)

Cool down mile: 9:00

6 miles in 52:29.  AP: 8:45

FOUR DAYS!!!!

Mizuno Inspire 4 Jade Miles: 6.00
Night Sleep Time: 7.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 7.00Weight: 0.00
Comments(13)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
0.000.000.000.000.00

No running today.  Loved the thunder storm, not the wind.  LONG meeting this morning planning out our Leadership for next Wed.  Visits this afternoon.  Going to a play at the PCT tonight.  I'm panicking about SGM...3 more days!!!!

Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00Weight: 0.00
Comments(12)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
1.002.000.000.003.00

Sitting thru "A Chorus Line" which has no intermission really stiffened everything last night.  A bit chilly this morning, wore caprice, long sleeve, gloves and my favorite zip fleece which I shed half way.  GOSH!  I LOVE RUNNING!!!!  Had to force myself to stop at mile 3 and walked home.  9:27, 8:36, 8:06.  AP: 8:43.  Now if the running gods are with us, we should have a great race day on Sat.

Got to do laundry, clean house, shopping, pack.  My son is coming home tonight!  SO EXCITED!  The caboose won't be home alone.  We will head out tomorrow as soon as I get done orienting a new Primary presidency.  Did I mention I LOVE to run?

BEST of LUCK to everyone on Sat.  I hope to see some of you!  Travel safe!  HAVE a FANTASTIC WEEKEND!

Mizuno Nexus2 Miles: 3.00
Night Sleep Time: 7.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 7.00Weight: 0.00
Comments(13)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
0.000.000.000.000.00

All packed.  Just have to do an orientation in about 30 min.; then head down to Sunny St. George by noon.  I just checked the weather.  Accu Weather says Temp will be in the low 40's at Central in the morning and finishing Temp in SG will be in the high 70's.  A 10-20 mph S, SW wind in the afternoon.  Yeah Baby!   Perfect.  KSL has the temp a bit colder at Central and warmer in SG by about 10 degrees.  Oh Well, we'll take what we get.

HAVE A GREAT RACE and FANTASTIC WEEDKEND, EVERYONE!

Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00Weight: 0.00
Comments(7)
Race: St. George Marathon 2009 (26.2 Miles) 03:57:41, Place overall: 738, Place in age division: 38
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
0.0026.200.000.0026.20

I can't believe how a year has gone by so fast.  Driving down to SG brought back all the memories of past SGMs.  I wanted to run my best at this my 5th SGM.  I had trained hard with precision using the FIRST program.  But for some reason, mentally I just wasn't into this race.  May be it had something to do with my nature.  In all my previous races, I ran with/for someone or some meaningful purpose.  I hadn't discovered what it's like to run just for myself.  It sounds weird...but it seemed hollow to me... I can't explain it.

I was very excited to see many of my friends whom I have met through this blog and the ForumFlyers.   If nothing else, I was happy just to see them.  Did the Expo and went to Brick Oven's to have dinner with some of them.  We waited for over an hour.  By then I was very tired with a splitting headache, backache and NO appetite. 

MrsFIT, Huans32, Bemo, AlisaK, MarcE, Sweetiepie, Smooth and Teena

I was putting the chip on the shoe when my cell rang.  Wendy told me that Beth (my next door neighbor) got to the expo for no more than 10 min when her mother called and told her that her father has passed away unexpectedly in Idaho.  What a devastating news and an agonizing decision for Beth to turn around and drive home to be with her mother. 

I did not sleep a single wink thinking about Beth and her family.  At 3am I ate a yogurt and bagel, drank 24 oz gatorade and save the banana and water for the bus ride.  Finally at 4 I had hubby drive me to the bus.  Got to the Park at 4:15, stood & looked around, for FRBs or Flyers; saw none, so got on the bus and sat next to a college girl from Michigan.  It was fun chatting with her.  Gosh, she's young!

Got off the bus and headed to the PoP, plenty to choose from.  That PoP had only ONE roll of TP (NOT good...for the late comers!).  Hang out at the furthest firepits with the Flyer friends & family 'till about 45 min before start time.  The PoP lines were now very LONG!  I looked for Lowell who was supposed to be wearing Christmas light.  I really wanted to run with him.  It was so crowded I could not find him.  What a bummer!

Felt hungry so I ate one of the 3 gels (something I've never done in previous races) and ate 1/4 banana from the aid table; then made my way to the bag drop off truck still looking for Lowell.  I never found him; instead to my delight, I saw Kathie and Kimmy.  Thanks to Kathie's highness she spotted the 3:50 balloons where we lined up.  It was fun and cozy to share their big blankets before gun time.  Temp was perfectly cold, sky clear with full moon, a slight tailbreeze. 

First 1 -6 ~ Kathie was on task.  She had loaded Kimmy's Ipod and they put on one ear-bud, what a team, such great sisters.  She kept us informed of the pace we were supposed to run and check our splits.  We had to do a bit of maneuvering to get around other slower runners and still managed to stay together.  I heard someone hollered "Smooth".  It was Scott.  We exchanged hellos and I wished him well as he sped away.  My feet finally thawed out after two miles and I ditched my airline blanket.  Drank Gatorade at mile 3.  Somewhere after mile 4, Kelli passed by and we "visited" for a few seconds.  I gu'ed at mile 5, walked while drinking and got separated from Kathie and Kimmy.  Splits:  8:46, 8:32, 8:25, 8:18, 8:20, 8:33.  Time: 50:56 (Cougar's: 52:24,)

Mile 7 - 12 ~ Funny how you could be lonely even in a crowd when you "lost" your running partners.  Heading up Veyo...to my delight Shimelle found me and said:  "This is where we need friends."  We chatted, chanted and I mostly goofed off!  She really helped pull me up this hill.  We passed two older men and I wasn't sure if they could hear me say:  "We don't want to be geeserized!  You gentlemen looked awesome."  Then came the sun and I soon bid Michelle a good run as she took off into the horizon.  THANKS Michelle for helping me chug-a-choo-choo up the Veyo hill.  Gue'd at mile 9.  There was a "runnaway bride" dressed in white tank, skirt and a veil.  She was getting married next Fri.  Congrats.  I pretend she was my running partner.  I tried to stay focus and not fall off the pace for the next two rolling hills.  I kept runaway bride within strides.  Felt a hot spot in the ball of my left foot.  What to do?  At around mile 10.5 I felt an arm wrapping my shoulder.  To my joy and delight,  it was Teena.  I had not seen her all morning and was so surprised that she had crossed the start much later.  She looked fantastic.  Again I bid her good luck and watched her run away.  All these "goodbyes" are not good for my psyche.  Splits:  8:02, 9:56 (Veyo), 9:27, 9:29, 9:45, 9:25.  Time: 1:47:03 (Cougar's: 1:47:45)

Mile 13 - 18 ~  I stopped at mile 13 aid station to gu.  Took off my left shoe and sock and examined the hot spot.  It's about the size of a silver dollar and getting red hot.  I couldn't find any bandaid.  I slathered some Vasoline on; put the sock and shoe back on and retied the other shoe lace.  I tried to focus on good running form during the next 6 miles and not think about the pain with each left foot push off.   My Garmin beeped right at each mile marker, doing a pretty good tangent.  Gu'd again at mile 17.  First sign of cramps showed up at the hill after the overpass.  I thought all this diligent fueling /hydrating and watching my pace would fend off charlie...apparently not!  Splits:  10:02 (fixing the blister), 8:57, 8:17, 8:23, 8:55.  Time: 2:40:25 (Cougars: 2:39:01)

Mile 19 - 23 ~  Things started to fall apart during this stretch...the lonely winding stretch with no spectators after Snow Canyon.  I had a mental lapse here as the pain became bad.  I took a Gu when I saw a silver balloon thinking I was approaching mile 21 but was only at mile 20, no water to chase it down.  I was also annoyed by the aid station on the right side of the road when we were running on the left side doing the tangent.   Later, I saw a mist set up on the right side of the road, again wrong place for the tangent and I had no willpower to run over there.  In hindsight, it might have calmed the cramps.  On the last uphill around mile 22, I saw Kimmy.  I tried to get her to run with me.  I couldn't utter anything as I was fighting off cramps and the painful blister.  I felt bad that she was running sans Kathie.  I missed the Gatorade at mile 23, very crowded and the water cups were less than 1/2 full.  I dared not stop to get more for fear of a full blown charlie horse.  Splits:  9:32, 9:16, 8:31, 9:10, 9:08.  Time: 3:26:04 (Cougars: 3:21:59, there goes my hope of a 3:50!)

Mile 24 - finish ~ These miles were run with charlie horse chasing me.  I tried to high five some kids and when I missed I realized I was in bad shape.  Also hubby was not there on Bluff street where he normally was the last 4 SGMs.  Funny how that played on my psyche.  When the calf cramps came on bilaterally, I would walk or alter my strides to fend off the cramps.  Even my left toes started to cramp up.  I began to panic and mercifully they were passing out wash cloth.  I drizzled cool water on my head, my chest and neck.  I felt its calming coolness and for the first time realized I had not poured water on myself and that it was getting hot.  That last mile was sheer agony.  I dug deep and gave all that I had, stomping out the cramps and prayed that I would not collapse.  Hoping badly to see the finish balloons after the last turn, anything to push me through.  I did not look at my watch not wanting to see how slow I was.  I listened for my name from the spectators, heard it twice.  I desperately needed to hear my hubby's voice.  Finally I heard him just as I looked up to see the clock turned 4:01:00.  Thank God I did not collapse.  KellieS was there cheerfully greeting/watching me in the corral while I walked in circle around the mister over and over.  Every muscle in my legs were spasming.  I finally lined up to get my medal, kept walking until the cramps subsided.  I found a shady corner to stretch.   For a brief moment I seriously entertained the thought of never running another marathon again.  Splits:  8:40, 9:44, 10:46, last 0.26 in 2:26 (9:44)  Time: 3:57:41. 

Wow!  This is getting TOO LONG!  I'm going to bed!

Thoughts:

1)  This is my second best marathon time.  I should be happy with this. 

2)   I still don't know what causes cramps.  I have tried everything except using drugs. 

3)   Why can't I find satisfaction in running for myself?  It seems so selfish to want to PR.  Am I weird? 

Mizuno Inspire 4 Jade Miles: 26.20
Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00Weight: 0.00
Comments(16)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
5.5031.200.001.5038.20
Mizuno Inspire 4 Jade Miles: 32.20Mizuno Nexus2 Miles: 3.00
Night Sleep Time: 14.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 14.00Weight: 0.00
Debt Reduction Calculator
Featured Announcements
Recent Comments: