Saint George Marathon 2015
AWESOME day and a great adventure.
This was my 5th time running this race. It is a challenging course
to run fast. It takes a few times to learn the hills, both the up and down and
how to run them smartly.
I felt strong heading up to it, but I had my doubts and
trepidations also. I wanted to get a PR and get a time in the 2:30 range. My
previous best was 2:40:04. 5 seconds faster would have gotten me there. So
close and yet so far.
Being an IT guy I really like to
analyze and plan all of my races. I had a pipe dream goal of a 2:35. When I
plugged it into my calculator it looked not too far off what I felt I was doing
and capable of. Of course I doubted myself and so I created my pace chart for a
2:38. I figured if I was feeling good after the Veyo hill I would push hard and
see what I could do.
Just getting to the race this year was
an adventure. I had planned to leave home by 9 am. I finally pulled out just
after noon. AS I got to Payson my car started to shake uncontrollably. I turned
around and went back home. I found that one of my tires had blistered and was
way out of round. So I swapped to another set of wheels. These were my race
tires and had wide slicks on them. I figured that they still had enough life in
them to get me there and back. I was wrong. I made it to 5 miles north of
Beaver when the driver’s side rear tire blew out. I pulled off the road and
called my wife. She graciously agreed to bring me another set of wheels.
As I was waiting an officer pulled over
someone to ticket them. Then a minute later a co-worker and friend pulled up.
He was headed down for the race also. After some discussion we agreed that I
would go down with Tal then my wife and Dad would drive down and retrieve the
car. I was worried about leaving it there on the side of the road in such a
remote location.
Tal and I arrived at the expo around
4pm. He helped me finish up the assembly of my items for the elite aid
stations. This was a first time thing for me. I had been very surprised when I
got a call from the race personnel informing me that I was an Elite and could
use the elite aid stations. I saw the ones that Scott Keate had posted online
and figured it was a good idea so I copied it.
After we retrieved our race packets
and checked out the expo we prepared to leave. I had received 2 complimentary
tickets to the spaghetti dinner. We had other plans. So I went out by the table
and the first person who stepped up to purchase tickets I just handed them
mine. It was fun to see their reaction. Always glad to help out a fellow
runner.
We then went over the house where my
sister and her family were staying. She had agreed to let Tal and I spend the
night there in the extra bedroom. Tal had planned to just sleep in the back of
his truck. We unloaded our stuff then went to Tal’s traditional pre-race
dinner. It was very different from what I usually do. We went to IHOP and had pancakes.
I figured it was just carbs in another form. I really liked it.
The night was not very restful for me.
I woke up several times worried that I had missed the alarm. Finally at 3:14 I
gave up and got up. We quietly got ready and drove over to the bus loading. I
always try to get on the first bus. I always take a sleeping pad and bag. This
way I can stay warm and relax before the start. After we got to the start and
went and found a spot. We rolled out our pads and climbed into our bags. I was
able to get almost an hour of restful sleep. A little over an hour before the
start I told Tal ‘good luck’ and I went over to the elite corral. I rolled out
and climbed in my bag again. I stayed warm while others huddled around the
propane heaters that didn’t do much.
I packed up all of my extra stuff and
joined Michael Nelson and another for a warm-up. We than all stood for the
national anthem. I lined up near the front with some friends. I talked to Reed
Seamons and found that we had a similar goal. It is always more fun to run with
others.
The gun went off and we took off into
the darkness. I had my pace band with info for every mile. The bummer thing is
that it is so dark at the start that I can’t see it for the first few miles. It
was a good thing that the first 2 were the same. Of course we went out faster
than I had planned. The first 2 should have been at a 6:09 to ease into it. We
did a 5:47 then 6:03. By now the lead
group had pulled away at the front. We were joined by xxx for the next while. I
crossed the 5k in 18:16. Over the next few miles we reeled in and passed a few
guys. Mile 4 through 6 should have been at 5:58. We ran them at 5:39, 5:50, and 5:36. I
completed the first 10k in 35:54. Coming down into Veyo we should have done a
6:05. Instead we were 30 second faster with a 5:35.
Next up was the dreaded Veyo hill.
Just before the bridge was an aid station. I actually had to stop and grab my
bottle. I guess they didn’t see me coming and didn’t have it out for me. Reed
and xxx kept going and had 10 yards or so on me as we started up the hill. I
was worried about how I would do. The plan called for running mile 8 at a 6:27.
I was concerned when I looked at my watch and saw much slower than that. I caught
up to Reed and just kept churning the legs. It felt slow, but I just pulled
away from him and never saw them again until after the finish. I actually ran
up the hill in a 6:24. Mile 9 was a concern. It was supposed to be a 6:09. I
lost time running it in 6:21. Next up 10 – 12, I actually averaged close to the
planned 6:13. They were 6:12, 6:29, and 6:13. I continued to slowly gain and
pass people. I caught up to a guy and as I passed him I said ‘come on, we got
this’. I thought that he would hang with me and we could use each other. Well
he slotted in right behind and drafted off me for a mile or so. I finally put
some distance on him just after the ½ way. I found out later that this was
Pepi. He is a STG legend. Mile 13 was to have been run in a 6:05. I actually
did it in 5:54. I crossed the 13.1 at 1:18:45.
I was feeling good and decided to just
go for it. I didn’t really look at my pace band after this. I just ran by feel
and pushed as hard as I could. I was able to do an actual negative split.
Overall the 2nd half I ran faster than the 1st. Miles 14
through 19 went in 6:00, 5:39, 5:26, 5:48, 5:51, and 6:07. At each of my aid
stations I took my water and drank maybe ¼ cup. I had a gel and Glokos taped to
each one. I only took the Glokos gels. They are very liquid and I was able to
keep them down. According to the results I passed 38 people in the first 19
miles.
Going up the last incline at mile 20 I
was able to hold it together. Miles 20 and 21 were 5:52 and 6:02. I would pass
2 more people before the end. Mile 22 I saw a guy in the distance. I worked
hard and reeled him in. I then gapped him on the next downhill. Here is where I
felt a wall. I ran this mile in a 6:02. I made an on the fly goal to keep the
rest of the miles at a 6:00 or better.
The race had been very solitary since
just after the ½ way point. The rest of it would be the same. I finished mile
23 in a 5:55. I finished the 30k in 1:50:23. After mile marker 23 I saw another
person out in front. One more to pull me along I thought. I gave it all I had
and caught him at about 23.5. As I passed him I saw it was JP. I had met him at
the UV marathon. He is a great guy. I told him to hang with me as I was feeling
strong. He was done and slowly dropped back. He ended up losing 2 minutes to me
by the finish. It is amazing how much time, slowing, costs you in the last few
miles.
I was now in the city. I actually don’t
really like this part. There are just a few too many corners and the roads are
too crowned. I soldiered on, pushing the legs as hard as I could. Mile 24
passed in a 5:50. I was running on pure will power now. As I was going down one
of the streets I heard my name. I looked over to see Hawk, Amber and the family
from Runner’s corner. Then just a few seconds later I saw Golden and his wife
jogging up the road. Mile 25 went by in a 5:55.
Only 1 to go. I was sure I was going to
hit the wall and have to walk. At around mile 2, Reed had joked that we were
going out too fast so that we could bank some time and then walk at the end. I
felt like my form was shot and I was hobbling along. I finally turned that last
corner and could see the finish line. I pushed even harder as the cheering
crowd seemed to lighten my stride. Mile 26 was a 6:00 flat. All of the sudden I
heard my name yelled out. I glanced over to see my sister Brigitte there. Now I
really pushed. It was all ‘guts’ now. The body screamed NO but I forced it on. That
last .2 was an average pace of 5:30. For my finish sprint I actually got down
into a low 5 pace. I crossed the line and stopped my watch. WOW, 2:35! I was
amazed. That equates to a sub 6:00 average pace for the whole marathon! I
remember thinking that I would never be able to run even 1 mile at a sub 7.
This is my new marathon PR by 5 minutes. After I crossed the line I faltered a
bit and medical staff asked if I was OK. I told them I was and just kept
walking. I really felt like I needed to vomit. I usually do somewhere after Dammeron
and after the finish. This time I never did. My calves were killing me, but I
felt better than ever after a marathon.
I hung around the finish for a half
hour or so and congratulated the next few runners. I then went over to the
massage tent. I had to wait a bit but when it was my turn I was fortunate
enough to have Heber work on me. He is the person I have been seeing for the
last few months. I know that the work he has done on me has allowed me to train
better and was another reason I did as good as I did.
So the final tally was an official
time of 2:35:33, 13th overall and 2nd in age group. I even finished
in front of Amber the fasted female.
It was a magical day with me being
able to do something I never thought possible only a short time ago. I have so
many to thank for their help, advice and encouragement. I now look forward to
the Pony Express 100 miler in 2 weeks on the 16th.
“Don’t just push the
envelope, Rip right through it”
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