Running on Twinkies

December 26, 2024

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Location:

Bountiful,UT,USA

Member Since:

Jan 24, 2009

Gender:

Male

Goal Type:

Other

Running Accomplishments:

Winner of 1994 Teton Dam Half Marathon, 1:25:01.

Best Marathon: 3:23:40. (Deseret News 2006).

Completed Utah Grand Slam (2006).

Completed 8 Marathons in 1 year, the last four were each two weeks apart.

Marathons to date: 25.

Short-Term Running Goals:

Stay Healthy

Sub 3:15 Marathon

Train consistently

Finish in the top 10% at all races 

Long-Term Running Goals:

Sub 3 hr marathon

Complete a 100 miler

1st Overall at any race

 

 

Personal:

Hi, my name is Matt and I love to run! I especially enjoy trail running. I am married to Susie and we have six children Connor-10, Jed-8, Jaxine-7, Evan-4, Eliza-2, and Susanna-0. Look for me at your next race, I wear the same bright yellow Twinkies shirt at all my races.

Favorite Course: Mid-Mountain Marathon, Park City, Utah

Favorite Blogs:

Click to donate
to Ukraine's Armed Forces
Miles:This week: 0.00 Month: 0.00 Year: 0.00
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
33.000.000.000.0033.00

The alarm went off at 4 a.m. I got up and made the necessary preparations for the day. I was out the door and started running at 4:32 a.m. Today's run was a challenge run. I turned 33 years old this week and decided to run 33 miles as a Birthday Challenge. I ran up to Bountiful Blvd and headed to the Bonneville Shoreline trail. When I got to the trail, I also got to the snow. Earlier in the week, when I planned this run, the trails were dry. Then Thursday night it snowed 6 inches. Some of the snow had melted, so there was a thin crust of snow over most of the trail. I headed up the the radio towers, then down into City Creek. I was coming down the trail where it meets the road. It was still dark out and there was a thin sheet of ice across the road. When my feet hit hit the ice they were swept out from under me. I scraped my elbow and got a bruise on my backside, but it was nothing serious. I headed up to the capitol building. I got there at 6:02 which was two minutes late because I was meeting Craig and Scott there. The three of us ran back up City Creek and back onto the Bonneville shoreline trail heading south. The trail was very choppy. There were several sections that had been heated up the day before and were now frozen. We took the trail all of the way to the bottom of Dry Creek. At this point I had gone 16.5 miles which was half way so we turned around. Coming up out of Dry Creek was difficult and slow for me. Towards the top of Dry Creek I passed a fly. The level parts of the trail were runable, but I was walking the uphill at this point. By the time I got to the bottom of City Creek I was out of water. I had to borrow some from Scott. Thanks Scott. When ran back to the capitol and the vehicles. Scott had brought some food, so I refueled. After resting for a few minutes, I said goodbye to my running partners and headed off on my own for the last nine miles. The hill coming out of City Creek was a challenge. I ran when I could but walked most of the way up. I was very excited at the top of the hill. I only had five miles left and it was easy running. I made it back to the paved roads, which were quite boring. The last three miles were on the road. I crossed the 50k mark at 7:01, which is an hour faster than the 50k I ran a month ago. I made it all the way to mile 33. It took me 7:25:34. 

Conclusion: I ran 33 miles up and down hills big and small, through snow, ice, slush, and mud, and finished with a smile on my face. A big smile. 

Comments
From jun on Sat, Mar 06, 2010 at 22:48:28 from 97.126.237.192

That is so awesome you finished your birthday challenge. Congrats. It was an honor to run a chunk of it with you. We should head out in a few weeks and do it all again, but this time I'll be in for the whole 30+ and there won't be any snow.

From Aaron Kennard on Sat, Mar 06, 2010 at 23:49:47 from 174.51.250.151

Freakin' awesome man! That sounds epic. Nice job on nailing the birthday challenge.

From Aaron Kennard on Sat, Mar 06, 2010 at 23:50:35 from 174.51.250.151

I like how 80% of your running for the week was in 1 day!

From Scott Wesemann on Sat, Mar 06, 2010 at 23:56:07 from 75.162.73.244

Running 33 miles is pretty amazing no matter where it is, but what you did today was extremely impressive because of the trail conditions. That run was tough, and I didn't even do half of it with you. Great job Twinkies. I'm happy you made it and you and Jun have inspired me to do a birthday challenge of my own this year, although it will be on much easier terrain.

That was a lot of fun today. Let's do it again soon.

From Bryce on Sun, Mar 07, 2010 at 00:28:45 from 174.52.190.220

Nice job! that sounded tough, but I loved the "finished with a smile", that's what it's all about. Great run.

From fly on the Wall on Sun, Mar 07, 2010 at 15:14:52 from 166.70.192.189

Well done!! and great to run into you. Had I not seen Jun first, I'm not sure I would have recognized you without your Twinkies shirt. The guy I was running with did a very similar birthday run a few months(?) ago, but your trail conditions were much more brutal. Today I was hammered after "only" 21 miles!

FYI- The guard house at the bottom of City Creek has restrooms on the back (uphill) side that are open year round and you can refill water there. Also the JCC at the mouth of Dry Creek on the left (south) has let me refill. And, if you go all the way to Red Butte Garden you can refill at the drinking fountain just inside their front doors.

From Bill Mandler on Mon, Mar 08, 2010 at 09:02:57 from 24.119.13.42

Very Impressive run!!!

Belated HAPPY BIRTHDAY as well. What a GREAT present to give yourself.

From Twinkies on Mon, Mar 08, 2010 at 23:01:03 from 67.166.116.191

Thanks for the comments guys.

Jun - We can definitely do it again when the trails dry out.

Aaron - 80% in one run, I need to balance things better.

Scott - The trails were tough. Thanks for joining me.

Bryce - Ending with a smile is always good. That's why I run.

Fly - Thanks for the water tips. I knew about City Creek, but not the other two. We should do a trail run together some time. I run the trails between North Salt Lake and City Creek often.

Bill - Thanks it was a good present.

From fly on the Wall on Mon, Mar 08, 2010 at 23:11:09 from 166.70.192.189

I run the trails between North Salt Lake and City Creek often and will be out there next Friday, Saturday, and/or Sunday.

From Jon on Mon, Mar 08, 2010 at 23:14:53 from 75.169.140.238

Happy Birthday, and awesome run.

From baldnspicy on Tue, Mar 09, 2010 at 23:54:11 from 72.95.173.26

Wow, that run is awesome! I think after you hit 40, your birthday runs start to go backwards, right? :-)

You're talking about the state capitol, right? My grandparents (passed away) had a house going up the hill from there on E. Capitol. It was on the east side of the street and their back yard was incredible! The views were simply stunning! I'm jealous of all the trails you have to run on!

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