Ogden Marathon 2009

Wait, I know what you're thinking because that was my first thought too. Ogden? Who would want to run through Ogden? Actually the course was beautiful! The entire event was incredible start to finish.
Once upon a time, eight months ago, Adam said, "I'm going to run the Ogden Marathon in May." I, apparently having a really good day, replied, "How cool. I want to run it too. May? What day?
"May 16th", came his answer. "Perfect", I said. "We should run it for our anniversary. Now that would be a cool thing to do together." Agreed!
And so it began. Seven and a half long months of running and running and running. After six weeks we were forced inside by snow and spend the next four months scheduling our days around sharing a treadmill. Me and that treadmill, we have a love/hate relationship. I hated being forced to run inside on 13 mile days but found it difficult to part when the weather warmed in March. Running paths and sidewalks scared me and . . . it was going to hurt again, wasn't it? Yes. And it did!
March marked an increase in mileage. Long run Saturdays went into double digits and didn't come back down. We found ourselves running further and further, exceeding our own expectations and loving the sense of accomplishment we were feeling. We were able to run together occasionally but mostly alone. Thankfully, grandma Vickie and fam agreed to watch the kids for runs 15 miles and longer. I loved being able to do those runs with Adam.
Skip to race day.
Alarm sounds at 3 am and we pop right out of bed. Eat, shower, dress, sunscreen, eat again, check and double check the checklist (SportShield, blister powder, Chapstick, ibuprofen, GU, sunglasses, running hat, bib, race chip, watch, drop bag, bandaids, ipods). Bags in the car and by 3:45 we're off. We made good time though anxious that parking would be a nightmare and we'd miss the buses. Parking was close and easy and we made the buses in plenty of time (4:50 am). By this time I can NOT eat anymore bagel or banana and drinking slows down so we're not having to stop and pee every mile. The bus ride takes almost an hour but the bus is warm and I finally relax. I actually fall asleep for a while. Now all we have to do is run. We can so do that!

We reach the "full start" at 5400 feet elevation in the dark. There are only 2000 runners (compared to St. George's 7000) and more port-o-lets than I've ever seen in one place. There are fires going and we look like "huddled masses" around them since it is so stinkin' cold. I'm talkin' see your breath cold. Brrrr! The sun starts to rise and we see our beautiful surroundings more clearly. As the sun hits us we warm almost instantly. They announce the clothing drop truck in leaving in five minutes so we're forced to shed our sweats but at least its time to line up. We find our pace group and at 7:02 am we are off. The first ten fly by but we are keeping to our pace pretty well. The next ten don't fly but they pass quickly. We run around PineView Reservior and through little mountain towns. We come to our only "hill" at mile 14 and kick its trash. At mile 17 we head down Ogden Canyon and its incredible. At mile 22 we exit the canyon and things flatten out. The going gets a little rougher at 22 and 24 but not as bad as I was expecting. I was able to avoid "the wall" entirely and was able to enjoy the sites and the people.

The kids spent the night at grandma and grandpa's house. They and the whole family brought the kids to cheer us on.

(Ella's sign says, "Ella says: Go mom and dad! GOOD JOB)

Ella has gotten very into our training and all the excitement. She was a little disappointed when I explained that kids shouldn't run marathons but when she gets older we'll run one together. She seemed okay with that answer. She wants to run a Kids K this summer. Pappaw will be so proud.

The family made signs for us. The kids were pretty excited.

I promised one running picture and here it is. Unfortunately there isn't a single running picture that we could both agree to post so this is all you get. I'm waving to the kids.

We came across the finish line together (though not holding hands, our last name in not Hallmark). I felt myself getting misty eyed but my brother-in-law, Sean, saved me. I heard him call our names for a picture (just the distraction I needed).

I wanted water and Adam wanted ice. We got our water, ice and our finisher medals.

I wondered at the time how long I'd keep the medal. I'm not the nostalgic, keeper-of-stuff type. In the days since I've decided that I'll keep it forever.

Running our first marathon was incredible. In retrospect, even the training was so cool is many ways. The weekly sense of accomplishment is addictive. The pride I felt when we finished was the same as the day we graduated from college.

Just as Adam and I shared graduation day, we shared this day too. I am so thankful to have done this with Adam. I don't think I would have endured the seven months of training without knowing Adam was doing it too.

I must admit that I've been lost these past two weeks. I realized how dependent I became on "the schedule." Schedules work for us. We want to run some shorter distance races this summer and do some speed work, just for a change.

I want to run the Top of Utah Marathon this fall. I think I could be hooked. Hooked on the security of the schedule, hooked on fighting my 30's, hooked on the accomplishment, hooked on the feeling you get from being at the start with thousands of others that just trained like you've trained and feeling respect for those complete strangers, hooked on my local running store, hooked on Sauconys and really comfortable running socks, hooked on a really good sweat that keeps all the little hairs from getting in your face and hooked on the way Ella bragged to her classmates at school so that when I came for my regular volunteer day they clapped and cheered and gave me hugs.
It felt good y'all. Real good! I have a marathoning friend, Courtney, who I can only hope to keep up with one day, who wrote me once that finishing her first marathon was the coolest thing she'd ever done besides her wedding day and the days her babies were born. I must admit I thought she was nuts. I still thought she was nuts race day afternoon. In the two weeks since, I've decided she's exactly right.

Tomorrow morning I will strap myself to a new schedule, tie on my RIDEs and begin again. I can't wait!


p.s. The good outweighed the day that day but there was still bad.

1) At mile three I felt a strange rubbing on the little toe of my right foot. I finally put a bandaid on it at mile 14 but it was already a pretty impressive blister. That spot NEVER blistered before. I'm baffled.

2)I discovered that my stomach disapproved of my marathoning. Its voiced its disagreement after mile 10 or so and clean through that evening. Again, baffled. I took EVERY precaution.

3) I hate GU. The stuff nearly makes me vomit. It takes a lot of GU to run 26.2 and feel decent. gag!

4) Water from heavy duty plastic bag looking things tastes NASTY! PowerAde made with water from heavy duty plastic bag looking things tastes nasty too.

5)Despite my running shoes being 1 1/2 sizes bigger than my regular shoe size several of my toenails KILLED for a couple of days. Thankfully I'll get to keep them though.

6) Running downhill LOTS can hurt too. Don't forget to train uphill and downhill.

Even if you don't think you can, you can. You are the only one stopping you. Eight months ago I couldn't run a block, literally, not a block. Find a schedule, do what you can, listen to your body and "go man GO" (name that movie).

Thank you to our friends and families for all your love and support. Thank you for the babysitting, encouragement and advice. Y'all are so cool!