Despite going to bed early, only got 4 hours sleep. Got up at 5:30, showered, dressed, packed up, went to breakfast. Ate an English muffin w/ peanut butter, cornflakes w/ skim milk, 2 cups of OJ. Left the hotel at 6:45, got to the start (in the middle of Old Hwy 91 in southwest corner of Utah) at 7:30 (Utah time, half hour before the 7am Neveda start time). There were exactly 4 p-o-p, one U-haul, one table with small cups water, some mini muffins and a LONG p-o-p line. A few runners headed for the bushes. Walked towards the back of the pop line when a cute petite familiar-looking girl said a cheerful *Hi* to me. Did not expect to see anyone I know except for hubby's co-worker, Jerri, who's in my AG. The cute girl asked if I was Smooth! To my joy and delight, she's MarcieJ, AmberG's friend!!! :) :) :) I immediately knew she'd win this marathon!!! :) SO NICE of her to say hello. I was so bummed about the lack of pop and my own non-readiness that I wasn't myself and not being very friendly! Shame on me! :( With 15 min to go, I decided to head back towards the car and find a bush. There were barbed wire fences along the road and cows on the north side. Luckily I found two giant dirt/rock mounts right close to my car! :) With one minute before start, I took off my jackets, put on the fuel belt RAD gave me and walked towards the start. Hubby followed me with camera in hands. Got up to the front to give Marcie a good luck hug and then walked back to the middle of the pack! :) Walking to the start line 
Waiting for the count down.
The announcer did a 10 sec. count down and we were off! (It's such a small race with less than 200 runners that it's by gun time). The first 6 miles are all downhill in the beautiful Utah's high desert hills. Everyone went out fast. Could not believe how choppy and clunky my strides were. Legs were heavy. Feet were numb. My sitting bones still had the *bike butt* soreness. I feared that all these aches and pains would give me trouble later on in the race. Just before the first bend, I ran up to a gal in my AG, said hello and talked to her a bit. We ran together for about 1/2 mile then I dropped her for good (she was very quiet). Saw some interesting cave openings. So strange to be running without Lowell, RAD or any of my friends. Tried to concentrate on good downhill form but my quads were already complaining!!! O man, hope I can finish this thing in one piece! :( Do those runners look as worried?
Mile 1-6 Splits: 8:35, 8:30, 8:17, 8:29, 8:37, 8:34. Temp was in the high 40s, very pleasant, calm, cloudy. The sun peeked out around mile 3, I handed my gloves and headband to hubby who drove along and waited at the first aid station where only water in tiny 4 oz cups were offered. Around mile 4ish I ran into couple of girls, Kim and Linda, who were talking about their previous marathons. I ran with them chatting 'till the first major hill right after the half. We had to run facing traffic and sometimes single-file. There were only a few spots where drivers could pull over so I never knew when I'd see hubby. The next 7 miles were gentle downgrade, flat, straight desert road in the middle of nowhere in Arizona with huge power poles interrupting the beautiful mountain vista to the north. l to r : 66 yo Mark, Kim, Linda, me. I kept seeing that same lady in black hoodie and leggings at every aid station handing water to me. Turned out she's the mother of two young runners and was there to cheer them but would stop to volunteer ad lib.
Mile 7-13 Splits: 8:13, 8:24, 8:37, 8:57, 9:29, 9:21, 9:00. The half was at the little town of Littlefield. We encountered the first major uphill leaving town. I had taken one of the GU I carried and drank water and heed which was only offered every other aid station in tiny 4 oz cups. Fearing that I would cramp up after all that quads punishing downhill, I asked hubby to give me some electrolyte caps as he drove past. He has never had to *crew* me on the fly. He handed me the electrolyte package and the Gatorade Prime [courtesy of Teena's *birthday tri race packet*]. NO, I can't swallow the salt cap w/o water. NO, I can't drink the cough-syrup-like-Prime. I kept running, holding the salt cap for another mile. We had to cross some cattle guards that scared me to death...one misplaced step...my foot/leg would be caught between those big iron grids!!! Finally saw some parked cars ahead, I gestured over and over that I needed a drink. Hubby said I looked so funny doing that when he was actually driving a little ways behind me watching my gesturing to no one in particular up ahead! :) Mile 14-20 Splits: 10:03, 10:59 (took inhaler), 9:44, 9:33, 9:07 10:22, 11:36 (Asked hubby for some BioFreeze [courtesy of Teena's birthday race packet] to spray on my legs and then returned the bottle to hubby while he was driving past. Don't think it worked...it just made my legs very cold...not helping as it was already cold with wind chill, silly me! :)
From mile 16 to the finish, we encountered some strong headwind in the hilly winding part of Arizona. Kim and Linda started to pull further away. I was leap frogging with a 66 yo gentleman that I pretend was Lowell. He was a strong runner. He would soon pass me for good. At around mile 16 I passed Kurt who was wearing the same green Boston shirt as me. He had passed me earlier and I tried to talk to him but he had ear buds on and did not respond. This time when I passed him, he started to talk to me. We ran together the remainder of the race except for the last 5K. He seemed to be struggling. He had pulled a calf muscle the week after SGM where he ran 3:29. It was really neat to talk and encourage him along. He is a member of the Marathon Maniac. He would apologize for taking a walk break and I actually welcomed it. All that 4/1 pacing I did with Lowell must've got'n in my system because I'd start running after a min of walking without thinking and Kurt would follow. We stayed together 'till the last 5K when he bid me a good run and wanted to just walk. Kurt and me. 
Mile 21 ~ 11:48 Lots of walk breaks with Kurt and a gnarly uphill with nasty headwind. 22 ~ 10:25 The legs had nothing left to take advantage of the backside of the hill. Saw a guy laying on the weed/dirt, he's done? 23 ~ 11:35 One last hill. Kurt walked. I tried with all my might to run. The lungs were willing but the legs were hurting BIG time!) 24 ~ 10:18 Figured I could finish under 4:15 if I kept the pace under 11mm. Quads would scream with each touch down and calves had nothing left to push off! :( 25 ~ 10:44 Bonking big time! Took a drink at what I thought was the last aid station. The senior volunteers were offering little cups (Sacrament cups) of Gu. They were arguing about whether Heed had carb or just electrolytes. I thanked them anyway! I really was running the entire time even though the splits did not show it. Passed one guy and soon was passed by two other guys. :( Legs were screaming for me to stop. Looked at my Garmin and realized if I kept a 10mm I could BQ (4:10 for 2013, but I don't need it...so not motivated!)... just couldn't go any faster! STINK!!! :(
26 ~ 10:37 This mile was icky! Not knowing where the turns were and watching for traffic. Although it was very nice to have volunteers stopping traffic at the crossings! My Garmin read 4:00:00 when I reached mile 26. O man! why couldn't a marathon be 26 miles! Oh, they had an aid station and a p-o-p with 1/2 mile to go, WHY??!! I took a drink anyway just to thank the poor volunteers who had no takers!
0.32 ~ 10:18 Had to hop over two curbs and turn to run inside the convention center to the finish with my Garmin registering 26.32 and the clock at 4:13:23, good enough for a win among 12 in my AG.
Crossing the finish inside a giant tent/convention center. Other than family members and volunteers there were no spectators or anyone cheering along the course or finish.
I was so cold that the heated convention center felt nice. Turned to watch Kurt run in. Walked around looking for recovery drinks and food. They had an offering of beer, coffee, water, donuts, bagels and muffins. I took a bottle of warm water and one muffin and went to congratulate Linda, Kim and Mike and waited for Jerri to come in. Waited for the award ceremony, took my cowbell and hurried back to the hotel in SG so I could shower and head home. Jerri and me.  The legs hurt pretty bad on the drive home. Will need to do some
serious recovery which I have ignored all year. Am feeling very
grateful to finish the year with 9 marathons, a 50 miler, a
half-marathon PR without any serious injury. Wondering what 2012 has in
store for me! :)
All this for a cowbell?!!! :)
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