I rode a UTA Trax to meet up with a friend Layne Koldewyn, who had just flown in from a Las Vegas business trip. We headed straight to the Dee Events Center for packet pick up. After meandering around the expo for a while, we went to Noodles and Co. to top off our carb stores. His parents live in North Ogden, so we took advantage of their place to rest for the night. This was the first time in my history of participating in the marathon that Melissa stayed back at home, rather than coming up with me and spending the night in less than desirable Ogden area Motel. She would have some friends over at our house to socialize with, and could avoid waiting for me in the rain I would be running in.
Layne and I headed out in the morning to get parked and to take a last minute restroom break in the Ben Lomond Hotel before boarding a bus to the start. Our goal was to be on one of the last to leave, so we would have less time waiting at the start. In the process, we lucked out and were able to step aboard one of the nicer charter busses. The ride went quickly as we chatted all the way up amongst ourselves and with a couple other runners seated ahead of us.
While at the start, the conditions felt great for a race. It was slightly cool, and there was some minor precipitation in the final moments. I really enjoy running in rainy weather, as I had done so the weekend before. The forecast called for greater chances of rain as race day approached. I was prepared with clothing to keep warm at the start, as well as a beanie to keep rain from pounding down on my head, and some gloves to keep my hands warm.
After dropping our bags in a Penske truck, The National Anthem was sung, and the countdown commenced. Off we went. Within the first mile, a runner name Rob Smith pulled up by my side, and acknowledged me. He was a participant in the Wasatch Running Center Grand Slam of 2013, and I became acquainted with him as we competed in the standings. He ultimately placed second overall, and I came in third. It was a friendly rivalry. We latched on to a mutual pace, and conversed all the way to the half as the rain gradually intensified. The miles seemed to go by quickly. At this point, I had to make a short pit stop, and Rob peeled off ahead.
From the half until mile 17, I tried to buckle down and run by feel. It seems that these miles have wiped me out in the past if not run conservatively, and leave me spent as I drop out of the canyon, and then for the final 5k. The rain was refreshing, and kept me cool. I had to remove my beanie and gloves a couple times to wring them out. My socks were also totally water logged, but they didn’t bother me. As I dropped down from the Pineview Reservoir Dam, I could tell that my legs still had some kick to them, and my overall goal pace of 7:00-7:15/mi. could still be maintained. This allowed me to really enjoy the beauty of the Ogden Canyon as I headed down the greatest drop of the course.
The last 3 miles have been a challenge in the past as I have struggled to maintain pace. This year I felt consistent and relatively strong. I saw Rob around mile 24, which surprised me as I didn’t expect to catch him. His calf was cramping up and had really shut him down. He shouted for me to “Go for it” as I ran by. The last couple miles went as well as I would’ve hoped for, as I felt sore but not fully spent.
Once I cleared the finish line arch, my legs went into total shut down. My calves tightened up and were brutally sore. I made my way to the far end of the barriers, across the grass, and over to the drop bag retrieval. It was far more brutal than the last few miles I had covered! Upon grabbing my bag, I heard someone asking if anyone wanted a massage. My legs were really killing me at this point, so without hesitation, I hobbled right over. The last one I had received was at the finish of the Layton Marathon in 2010, so I had forgotten how rough they can be on already aggravated muscles and connective tissues! Damn, it really hurt! I had to clamp down tightly with my mouth shut to keep quiet as the masseuse kneaded out the knots and accumulated lactic acid. My body cooled down since I was no longer running and I laid there in drenched clothing. I had to work on keeping my shivering under control so they could attend to me.
The massage was without doubt, completely worthwhile. I was not fully restored of course, but I could make my way back over to the finish line without full agony. It timed out perfectly, as Layne had just come across and I was able to meet up with him to see how his race went. He was only slightly disappointed that his time was a little slower than he thought he was capable of. The cool air and rain had left his hands numb and unable to function when trying to grab water and his Hammer Gels at the aid stations. He felt this slowed him down by at least 10 minutes.
I came away feeling ok with my performance for the day. I had told Layne that my goal was for somewhere between a 3:05-3:10 finish. My performance of 3:13 at the SLC Marathon a month before was a good indicator of this time goal.
After the race, Layne and I headed back towards Salt Lake for a bite to eat at Pei Wei. It was great to chat about our race experiences while eating some warm food after being in the rain for a few hours.
My splits were:
1st Half: 1:31:54 2nd Half: 1:34:26
1. 6:57 14. 7:26
2. 6:58 15. 7:31
3. 6:49 16. 7:11
4. 6:39 17. 7:06
5. 6:44 18. 7:13
6. 6:53 19. 7:05
7. 6:51 20. 7:21
8. 7:09 21. 7:08
9. 7:06 22. 7:03
10. 7:01 23. 7:03
11. 7:13 24. 7:15
12. 6:54 25. 7:15
13. 6:59 26. 7:19
.30, 2:13 (7:18/mi.)
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