Top of Utah 1/2...Finally!

Wow, I wish I would have written this right after, but things were kind of crazy and for once, I didn't have any pictures!  Jodi shared hers with me, so photos are thanks to Jodi and her husband, Dave.  

It was a whirlwind of a decision to run it in the first place.  I ran 5 miles the Thursday before to see how my knees would do.  Before I hit the two mile mark they started to hurt, but I just ran through it to see if it would get much worse.  It really didn't so by Friday I had decided that I'd regret it if I didn't just do it.

Saturday morning at 5:00 a.m. we set off to find an address in the dark that neither one of us had ever been before.  Luckily for us, we found it.  I was shocked at the number of people there.  I guess it makes sense though, it was a great training run for the whole marathon which is in a month and with it being the middle miles, the sweet part of it.  The weather was perfect, cool with a slight breeze at our backs.  It was only 66 degrees when we drove home.  

After our sweet smelling visit to the porta potties we tried to get a place in the line.  However, it was like being squeezed in like sardines and there was no moving to the back like we wanted.  So the gun went off and we were pretty much mowed over by all the fasties trying to get by us.  Hey, there was nothing we could have done different.

  

I knew I had started out too fast, but just tried to keep it up, knowing I'd have to slow down.  I got a side ache and so did Jodi so there wasn't much conversation going on during the first bit.  I distracted myself with all the fishing places Janz and I went to while we were dating and I eventually settled  into the pace and it wasn't as uncomfortable as when we first began.  My left knee started hurting before mile 2 and I just kept on going.  About mile 5 the right one kicked in and for some reason, went away after a couple more miles, though the left one just kept on a hurting.  We ran the whole time, stopping briefly for drinks and orange slices that were WAY good!  Mile 11 we actually stopped to drink and my left knee completely locked up.  I wished I had never stopped.  Starting again was pure torture and I limped ran for about 10 steps before it started to loosen up.  I was really worried about the finish and stopping for good and the ride home.  Around mile 10.5 we started the uphill portion until about mile 12 and that was a killer.  However, my body didn't ache like it normally does at the end of a race.  I can usually feel it in my hip flexors and just general achiness, but not this time.  I do think I hydrated really well the day before and maybe that made all the difference for me.  Or maybe my knee just hurt so bad that it was blocking out all other pain.  

It was great to see where the finish line approximately was and when we pushed it for the last bit, I kept looking for where it was because my lungs were just not going to make it much further.  At last I saw the timing marks on the road and missed seeing the clock.  I didn't wear my watch, I didn't want to even know my pace or where I was because it was just for fun, so when Jodi said that it was 2:02 I was really shocked!  Stopping wasn't as bad as I thought it would be on my knees.  Good thing.  We got drinks, bread and more oranges and headed for home!  What a great run!

When I got home the family was getting ready to leave and wanted me to come along, so I took an ultra quick shower, stretched and then iced my knees on our way to Ogden.  The soreness didn't kick in until later that night and the next day and it was pretty much all in my hamstrings.  But by Monday morning I was walking normal and felt pretty good and all ready for more pain from my stupid bellybutton hernia surgery.  Up and running the next day, my foot!!!  I've really gotten good rest though for my knees because I haven't been doing much of anything.  Today's the first day I've felt mostly normal.  I'm not even going to try running for a week because I can feel my knees just sitting in one position for too long.  But I think I'll be up to balancing on the roller next week and back to lifting weights at least.  Even if I had to wait for a month, it would have been worth it.  I don't know if I'll ever have another race like it!  It was a great course, absolutely gorgeous scenery, great weather, I had the best running companion, it was simply the perfect race.