Another St. George Marathon Report

I copied this from my blog, so I apologize in advance for the oblique references (and for those who have read it before :) ).


(that's me, right before the finish line. I'm the one in the skirt)

Friday morning dawned very early. I got the big kids off to school, the little kids off to my friend Annie's house and got on the plane. I keep forgetting how relaxing and easy it is to travel all by myself. I read and slept and generally had a nice time. Then I got to Vegas, jumped in the car and drove to St. George. Sheree and I stayed at her husband's grandma's house, and it was so nice to have a quiet place to stay. Once she arrived we picked up our packets and drove the race course. Then we came home and had a pasta dinner (Sheree took great care of me!) and went to bed.

Saturday morning dawned even earlier than Friday morning. Let's face it, 4:15 am just isn't morning. It's night. But that's when Sheree and I woke up, got dressed (me in a fancy orange flowered running skirt!), tossed down some bananas and protein shakes and headed for the buses. We got to the starting line about an hour before the race started. Although it had been sprinkling a little bit down in the valley, it was raining hard 26.2 miles up the canyon. Sheree came through again with space blankets and hand warmers and we spent our time either standing by the fire or waiting in the bathroom lines (usually I spend as little time as possible in the portapotties, but I was happy for my time in them at this race because at least they were dry!). The hour seemed to pass quickly, and pretty soon it was time for the race to start. I found the 3:20 pace group (our leader, Darris, was featured in last month's Runner's World article about pace groups). I also hooked up with Bode, my friend Rebecca's brother-in-law, who was shooting for a Boston Qualifying time of 3:15. We decided to run together to see if we could get him to Boston to run with me and Rebecca.

When the gun went off, it was dark and wet. Everyone was tossing off their warm clothes and garbage bags and space blankets everywhere. For the first couple miles, it took all of my effort just not to trip. Several people did. I cast off my warmup pants at the beginning of the race, but kept the t-shirt on until four miles into the race.

Really, there's not that much for me to write about the race itself. In the past, I've noticed a lot about the scenery, the runners around me, and the terrain. This time I was in a zone. It finally started to get light right about the time we hit the Veyo Canyon hill (mile seven). It was big, but we took it well. Bode was a great running companion, he reminded me to slow down when we were taking things too fast, but he really pushed me on the flats. Around mile 15, I started to notice the surroundings and said something like, "oh, it's kind of pretty here." Duh, this is one of the most scenic marathons in America. Seriously, though, I could have been on a treadmill for all I noticed it for the first 3/4 of the race.

Bode and I stayed together until about mile 17 or 18, when he needed to stretch a cramping muscle. I thought he was going to stretch quickly and catch up again, so I kept going to keep the pace. Unfortunately, I never saw him again.

The change I've noticed the most over the course of the three marathons I've run this year is how my stamina has improved. At my first marathon, the whole second half was really hard and the last six miles were agonizing. At the second marathon, I felt good until I had four miles to go, but it took some serious effort (self-talk, praying, visualization, begging) to get me through to the end. Yesterday, I felt great right until I saw a sign that said "seven blocks to go" and realized those were seven freaking long blocks. I got passed by several guys after we rounded the last corner. I was excited to see Rebecca about a block from the finish line, cheering me on. Next time, I hope to have enough left in the bank that I can pour it on at the finish!

Anyway, I came across the line in 3:16. That's 11 minutes better than my time at Country Music in April, but I've read that people generally do about 5-7 minutes better at St. George than at other races, so my actual improvement is probably somewhere in the 4-6 minute range. I was 12th in my age group and the 50th woman overall. There's a cool stat sheet on the website, and I was stoked to discover that I finished ahead of 89% of the male finishers. Yes, I realize I'm bragging.

The finish line was cold. Running for more than 3 hours in the rain (sometimes sprinkling and sometimes stinging, but always raining) finally caught up with me. I started the same kind of uncontrollable shivering that I always get after I have a baby. The ice cream I ate probably didn't help (although it tasted great!). I got a massage (heaven!) and one of Rebecca's daughters gave up her blanket for me. Bode finished at 3:35, and although I felt bad that I hadn't helped him get to Boston, I'm guessing he would have been even more frustrated if we had run all the way to the finish line together and he missed the qualifying time by 45 seconds. I found my friend Cara and her husband, and we all cheered as Sheree came through the finish line. She did a fantastic job and shaved of 45 minutes from her last marathon time!

We got back to the house with just enough time for me to shower, toss my stuff in my backpack, and drive to Vegas. I got a pizza from Wolfgang Puck's and some chocolates from Ethel's and reveled in the silence of a solo flight with a whole row to myself. I read a whole book (The Mother in Me, which you should read too!) and got home at 10pm to find three of the four kids still up and waiting for me and Eddie relieved to pass the baton.

Yesterday was my first St. George Marathon, but I certainly hope it wasn't my last. I was planning to take a several-months break after the race, but I've decided that I don't want to lose my current level of fitness and even if I don't race again until Boston (oh yeah, I qualified for 2010), I'm going to keep up the training. Another advantage is the lack of soreness. I hardly feel sore today!

Where are all the St. George Marathon reports??

So I've been waiting to hear how others have done. I know there aren't a ton who ran the St. George, but you who did, how did you do??? I guess I will start with my report.

My first ever marathon was a success! I can now say I have ran a marathon. Wahoo! I am still on a high from the race even though my body is sore and tired. This may be a little long but I will try to be somewhat brief though.

My husband and I headed headed down to St. George on Friday morning. We were both running the race. We took our two kids- our 3 1/2 yr. old son and 10 month old daughter. We went to the expo, picked up our race packets, picked up some things for breakfast the next morning, got the kids down for bed and were in bed and asleep by 11 PM. Early for us. My little girl woke up a few times and I kept waking up to look at the clock. I didn't sleep well. :) I woke up before my alarm went off at 4AM. I wore my pink tank top, shorts, my Asics shoes and a big hoodie pullover. I also brought some cotton gloves in case it was cold. I had some Ibuprofen, 4 fuel gels, and some Kleenex in my shorts pocket. I noticed that it was very warm outside, especially for 4 AM and I was thinking it was going to be a hot race.

We boarded the buses very quickly and were on our way! It was a dark and LONG ride up the canyon to the start. I thought we were never going to get to the starting line and I kept thinking 26.2 miles is a LONG way. It started raining as we were driving. Outside it was cold, wet and windy. My husband was very smart and brought plastic garbage bags that we immediately put on after getting off the buses. They kept us dry and somewhat warm. They had a few garbage bags that people were handing out as well. Many people had their small grocery bags on their heads. :) We got to the starting line where there was a huge line of porta potties, fires to keep warm and a ton of people. I huddled by a fire for awhile then headed to the porta potties.

The race was about to begin so I kissed my husband goodbye (he's faster) and found my place near the 4:30 pacer. I was going to follow the awesome advice marathon mommy Lilrunner73 gave me (thank you!) and take it real slow at the beginning and then speed up at the end during the downhill.

A lot of people had shed their extra clothing but I kept on my hoodie and gloves because it was too cold. The gun started the race (I didn't hear the gun go off) and I sat there... and walked.... and 7 minutes later I crossed the starting line! We were off! I started running slowly since there were a lot of people and it was dark. We were warned to watch out for discarded clothing and other items on the road. I was ahead of the 4:30 pacer and stayed that way for the first 6 miles I think. Those first 6 miles went by so fast! I could not believe it. At around mile 6 I could feel warning signals in my knee. I had previously had horrible (IT Band?) knee pain on my training "20 miler" that turned into a 13 miler so I was taking it easy so I would be able to just finish. I slowed it down and kept it easy. I can't remember for sure when the 4:30 pace group passed me.. it was somewhere around this point. I didn't care too much because my new goal for the past several weeks was to finish without killing my knee. At about mile 8 or 9 my knee was hurting pretty bad and by mile 11 or 12 I had sharp pain shooting up my leg. The arch in my right foot kept cramping up as well but this didn't bother me as much as my knee. I was very worried at this point because I was just half way there. I kept stopping, stretch, walk, stretch, run a bit, stretch and the cycle kept going. It helped to stretch and I could run awhile, but then my knee would hurt again. I took one Ibuprofen along here somewhere (I lost the 3 others I had with me when my frozen hands dropped them in the wet pavement)- I had taken 2 earlier before the race. I then tried something the sports medicine doctor had told me when he gave me a shot of cortisone 2 days earlier. He had said that he found that when he changed his foot position so that his toes pointed slightly inward, it helped. So I focused on pointing my foot inward. It felt very weird, but it helped!! After running like that for awhile, the pain would go away. I also started having the aid station workers rub icy hot on my knee. I did that at every aid station. By mile 17 I realized my knee wasn't bothering me and hadn't for awhile so I ran normally again.

The miles just kept flying by and I couldn't believe how fast the marathon was going. I kept waiting to "hit the wall" as most people do somewhere around mile 20 or on. It never happened for me! I felt awesome. After my knee stopped giving me trouble, I felt like I was flying by people. I fully expected to get the side aches that I normally get when running, but that didn't happen. I didn't dare take off my black trash bag until mile 20. :) I must have looked kinda funny since most people had dropped those way back in the single digit miles. I was fully enjoying every minute of the marathon, taking in the amazing beautiful scenery (still raining) and the runners and spectators. I saw a barefoot runner- a big man with absolutely nothing on his feet- ouch! I ran by 2 young boys around the age of 10 or 12, one running his second marathon. A young girl that was 8 (?!) years old running the marathon! Anyhow, it was awesome.

I got to mile 23 when we were entering St. George and people were lined up along the street. I still had not "hit the wall" but those last 3.2 miles stretched on because I felt so close to the finish line, but it didn't come. I was so excited to cross and I knew that no matter what, I was crossing the finish line. Emotions started flooding me and I was trying to not completely lose it. I kept trying to keep back the flood of tears because just the day before, I wasn't sure if I would make it (the furthest I had ran up to this point was 15 miles). I felt so incredibly blessed to have made it that far. I picked up the speed the last hundred yards and finished at 4:48:57 chip time. I negative split the last half, running it much faster than my first half by 15 minutes! I was more than happy with my time. I do wonder how I would have done injury free. My family cheered me into the finish line and I found my husband waiting for me at the cool down area. It was a sweet reunion. He had been waiting there for over an hour and I think hypothermia was setting in for him. :) We booked it out of there so he could get a hot shower.

It was an absolutely amazing feeling crossing that finish line. It was an amazing journey getting there. I've learned a lot about myself along the way. I am even more amazed at what the body can do. I started out never running more than 3 miles in my life, and my body adapted to running. It was an amazingly organized race and I can see why people love the St. George marathon. The majority of race reports I read were not happy ones so I think a lot of people really struggled with the weather conditions (rain, chilly, head wind) on this race. I have nothing to compare it to so I thought it was awesome!

All you running mommies inspire me and I don't think I would have done a marathon without your amazing examples. I want to hear all the other race reports!

4 Weeks and Counting!

Time is ticking away ladies.... who is running St. George?  I need to hear from you.  What do you have left on your training calenders?  The heat down hear has been crippling my ability to finish my long runs.  I have done 2 back to back halves the last few weeks... and I am going to do a 20 miler this week, what are you doing this week?  I am so off my original schedule that at this point i am happy to try anything :)

Good Luck!

I know there are many of you waiting to find out if you are in the St. George Marathon. I remember anxiously waiting last year and hitting refresh a hundred times! (I also remember calling Jeff and saying, "I have good news and bad news. The good news is that I get to run the St. George Marathon. The bad news is I have to run the St. George Marathon!" I was 8 1/2 months pregnant when I found out I was in! I had a wonderful time training and it is a beautiful course!!

Keep us posted! Let us know if you get in!

Also, good luck to JP, I believe you are racing this weekend.

St. George Marathon Accommodations

So there has been some talk about some of us running the St. George Marathon on October 4. My husband and I are planning on it, so we just went online and reserved a room at the Hilton Garden Inn on 1731 Convention Center Dr. in St. George. I thought it would be fun if we all stayed at the same place, so I thought I'd let you know. It doesn't cost anything to reserve a room - you just have to give a credit card number. You can always cancel it if you don't get into the race. I know that rooms in and around St. George will fill fast once they announce the lottery winners, so it would be a good idea to do it now.

Do any of you have alternative plans or arrangements for St. George you'd like to share? It doesn't have to be the Hilton. I just know I'd like a comfy bed the night before and the night after the race. :)