St. George Marathon

I have decided that I can't really catch up on this blog, so we are just going to talk about me. I am sure I won't always talk about me. I still have some stuff to say about my kids, but since my memory is going, I figure I better write about this before I forget, which could be any minute now.


So, I have this awesome friend, Kori from college who has connections to the St. George Marathon. She called and asked if I would like to run in the St. George Marathon with her. I said, "Sure, I guess, why not?" I am not the fastest runner or the most competitive person ever, I just go with the flow. When else would I get an invitation like that? So, Gary and I both got into the race. About a month before the race, I call Kori and she can't run. Then right after that Gary gets a stress fracture from a 20 mile training run we did (he did 20, I did about 18). I was on my own. Luckily, at the last minute Lindsey Forrest got in the race and I now had a running buddy.


Lindsay and I get to the starting line by 4:30am. It was the warmest morning in history in the St. George marathon. We didn't really need to bundle. That was nice for me because I am not a fan of the cold.

The gun goes off at (see, I can't remember now) maybe around 6:45am or so? We start running with the 4:15 pace group.

Mile 1: We are running at a 9:45 mile pace. It feels good and I am happy.
Mile 2: Started talking to people and made some new friends. Everyone is so happy and smiley.
Mile 3: Still feeling good and running at a good pace. I run into Alyson Weaver from my stake and she blows by us. She is fast.
Mile 4: Met a cute girl that would probably be a running friend if we lived close to her. Too bad I can't think of her name.
Mile 5: Still doing okay, but I really have to go the bathroom. Lindsey and I find some trees before the aid station. I refuse to be one of those people who are ALREADY peeing on the side of the road, down their legs...I know gross, but it was happening. Lost our pace group.
Mile 6: Poor Lindsey starts to hurt really bad. She keeps a brave face and keeps moving. We try to find our pace group.
Mile 7: I can't remember, Lindsey said there was a big hill, but it wasn't so bad, ohh, I think it was the one that curved a little.
Mile 8: Still feel okay. Got the ipod going...Magic by B.O.B.
Mile 9: I think this is were I see Tracy Spratt and Melanie Wilson from my stake. That was cool. We grabbed hands and bonded.
Mile 10: The miles are starting to muddle a little. I don't know. I was running. I am sure Michael Jackson got me through this part.
Mile 11: Lindsey told me to go on without her. But, I feel bad and tried to keep with her.
Mile 12: I think this is where we stopped for the porta potties. There goes Tracy and Melanie....bye.
Mile 13: Halfway and the biggest hill I have ever seen. Make it through though. I think this is where I lose Lindsey.
Mile 14: Running with my music and in my happy place.
Mile 15: Started having the people at the aid stations rub Ben Gay on my knees....ahhhhhh!
Mile 16: I see Lindsey's parents. Jill hooks me up with four ibprophen...ahhhh! I hang out with them for a little and wait for Lindsey. We start off again. Lindsey tells me to leave her, I say I feel bad, she says that she feels bad if I didn't. I say well, "okay, I am getting old and may not be able to do this again". I make sure she is cool with it...we exchange I love you's, high fives and I go. Poor Lindsey is still in so much pain.
Mile 17: In the grove....lighting it up like it's dynamite....thank you Tao Cruz.
Mile 18: This is the farthest I have ever run. what? what? That was cool.
Mile 19: Another big hill...thinking whoever said this run was all down hill...lied to me.
Mile 20: Thinking to myself how nice it is to know exactly what I need to be doing right now and know what I need to do to get it done...instead of the million things that I try to juggle all at once in real life.
Mile 21: Total runners high. I have never experienced anything like it. Thinking to myself, "Crap, I am going to have to try this again. (Before this race, I was only going to run a marathon once....I now think there may be more in my futures). The Ben Gay now goes a little above my knees and a little below.
Mile 22: All down hill, only four more miles.
Mile 23: The Ben Gay now gets applied to every inch of my legs. Told the girl she missed a spot. Heard a little snap in my leg. Turned out to be nothing...yay.
Mile 24: Getting hot...I see a guy passed out on the side of the road who just tossed his cookies...luckily he did not have a big lunch.
Mile 25: See a sign that says we only have a little over a mile left. I think to myself. I should just run this mile fast and knock it out. I speed up.
Mile 25.1: I realize I am not that kind of person and slow down, even walk some. I had a popsicle which made me sick, the heat was blaring, I was done.
Mile 25.2: Tried to run again...then I stopped...again....that went on for awhile.
Mile 25.5: Thinking to myself, "What the heck am I doing? This is the worst thing that I have ever done in my life. Why didn't I get pregnant when everyone else got hurt so I didn't have to be running this thing? Raquel and Hollie were so smart!!!
Mile 26: See the finish line. Speed up.
Mile 26.2: Cross the finish line. My friend Kori is waiting for me and tells me it is okay to stop now. I never had been so happy in my life to stop something.
I think my finish time was 4:55 or something like that. I was just happy I finished before they closed the course. I will have to say that in the end it was a pretty awesome experience. I would love to run that race again. I think you all should do it. Who is with me?




Yes, my teeth are red from the Popsicle I just ate. But whateva....I just ran a marathon!!!!