Salt Lake City Marathon

With my welcoming crew, Rachel, Jessie and Melissa,
just after crossing the finish line. #1 Cohort!

With my great support crew, Keith and Tyler.
Thanks for cheering me on!

What?: Salt Lake City Marathon
Date?: April 18, 2009
Start time?: A little after 6:05 am
Finish time?: 3 hours 49 minutes and 27 seconds later
Boston Qualified?: Missed it by 9 minutes!

This past week was absolutely crazy. I had a paper due Monday, one due Tuesday, and another due Wednesday. I turned in a final on Thursday, took an oral exam on Friday. And then raced in a marathon on Saturday and then went straight back to Provo to take a written exam! Really it was a marathon week of sorts.

Friday night I went up to Salt Lake and stayed with my brother and sister-in-law, Tyler and Rachel. They were so good to let me stay with them. I had a great pre-race spaghetti dinner and they provided a nice place for me to get some rest for the big race. I signed up to do the early start--to start an hour ahead of everyone because I had to go back to Provo to take that final. Usually to be in the early start you have to know that you will finish the marathon in over 6 hours. I am lucky they made an exception for me.

I ran by myself practically the whole time. It was nice to think that when people cheered, it was just for me. The fast men from the regular start marathon passed me between mile 15 and 16. And then no woman passed me until around mile 21 or so. So for nearly 21 miles, I had all these people along the sidelines thinking that I was in first place. I didn't mind too much. It was nice thinking that I was the first place finisher. But, little did all these people know that I had started an hour earlier than everyone else. By the time I reached the finish line, 3 girls had passed me, the last one just a half a mile to the end. I came across the finish line as the 4th place winner. All these reporters came up and started asking me how it felt to finish in the top 5. I had to explain that I had an hour head start and I wasn't really in the top five. Although, I liked pretending that I was.

It was a good race. I felt strong the whole time and I finished strong. This course was much easier than what I trained on. Ashton's dad and brother came out to cheer me on, and missed me at every spot. I was going a little faster than what I told them I think I could run it. I had some friends from school come up also, and they just barely made it to see me cross the finish line. So I wasn't aiming to qulify for Boston, but now I can see that it is a good possibility. So maybe next time I'll aim for qualifying. That would be so much fun! I can't wait to run another marathon!