Sand Hollow Marathon

I have to be honest. I did not want to do this marathon. Not at all. I wasn't totally into it when I registered. Then, because of scheduling conflicts, our peak of 19 miles was hit way too soon, like five weeks ago. I actually planned on doing a 22 miler the next weekend. Melissa was out of town, so I had Casey do it with me. I don't know if it was due to the change in running partner, or the cold, rainy weather, or that mentally I wasn't wanting to be there, but I didn't finish. Only did 14. This was the first time I've had to quit a run, and it got me pretty down. Then I decided to do an all day ZUMBA training the day before the race. I knew it wasn't the smartest idea, but it was in St. George, and they rarely have trainings down here. Then, Casey decided last minute to go on a snowmobiling trip to Wyoming, so now I had to arrange for babysitters and also worry that the kids wouldn't sleep well the night before. Friday night came and I was secretly hoping I would come down with that nasty flu that's been going around. Lame, I know.

I woke up Saturday morning healthy as could be. Darn it. So I got ready and picked Melissa up and we started the marathon at 7:30 with just a handful of other runners. The morning was a little overcast, but not too cold. It was actually perfect running weather. We started losing our layers around mile 2. We ran strong and steady and got to the turnaround point (13.1 miles) in 1:54. Not bad, seeing as we were trying to break 4 hours. I started noticing some sprinkles. Nothing major. Around mile 16 it really started to come down and it didn't stop after that. Not once. It was just a constant, steady, very wet rain the whole rest of the way. Yuck. Mile 18 was the bottom of the mile-long, nasty hill, affectionately nicknamed "Nemesis". At that point, my legs and my hamstrings in particular were so tight and starting to really bother me. I decided my best bet would be to walk the hill. I told Melissa to leave me. She looked reluctant, but I really didn't want to hold her back. I wanted to break 4 hours, but she really, really wanted to break 4 hours. She took off and I walked that hill in 13:13. Yikes.

After that it was a nice downcline for two miles. (It's okay if you don't know that word, I made it up. It's the opposite of incline. BTW, I also made up scrunchi, but that's for another time.) I started feeling numb all over. Remember, we had shed our warm layers when the weather was cooperating. I was concentrating pretty hard to put one foot in front of the other. Then this truck pulled up and this angel jumped out and put a big black garbage bag over my head and poked holes in it and helped me get my arms through the holes. Bless her heart. After that the coldness was more bearable. I walked a couple more times, but I was able to pick it back up when I got to the spot where I told myself I would run again. Finish time: 4:08. So I didn't finish under four, but it's a PR, so I'll take it.

Melissa DID finish under four, 3:54 was her time. So proud of her.

I know it looks like I'm walking. I'm not.

You'll have to excuse some of the faces
I made in these pictures.
My face was so numb I couldn't
tell if I was smiling or not.
They're not pretty.

At mile 24, hooray!

I was a little unsteady on my feet after finishing.

I thought I was smiling.

The fans.
Notice how they're always at the finish, come rain or shine or snow or whatever?
They're seriously the greatest.


Flowers from Casey.

My kiddos (and Nicole).

Finishers.