I awoke around 5am to good tunes. I got up unwanting but made my way towards the bathroom to see if I was so lucky. I spent some extra time sitting there this morning;trying to convince my body that it was a good move. I got somewhat lucky...better than nothing I thought. At these moments I always look back at the night before and and try to calculate if the amount that came out equals the amount entered. By my calculations I was in trouble.
So I quickly went through my normal, routine race morning. I was dragging. I came downstairs to get a drink and noticed that the crew was outside waiting. We invited Marc, Jessica, Bob, and Millar in. I was second guessing what to wear because I knew it would be a cold start. I ran upstairs and grabbed a hoody. We all pilled in the car. Mercedes, bless her heart, came along so that she could drive the car back home.
So, were at the starting line. Wait let me back up to last night at the packet pick up. So, I pick up my Shaun Christian bag. Well, so I thought. It turns out that it was Kathy Christensens' bag. Shot out to Kathy. Back to Bridal Vail Falls. So, I got out of the car in search of the timing peeps. It was damn cold with the typical early morning canyon winds. I found the timing peeps who were already aware of the mix up. Shot out Kathy!
It was dark and cold, I made my way over to the fire pits where everyone else was trying to get warm. The race director made some announcement and everyone made their way to the starting line. I was guessing that there were around 90 people? I still don't know how many there were. I gave some hugs out and we all wished each other good luck. A couple of seconds passed and then the race started. I was towards the back and started to make my way up. I decided right then that I was going to push it. In my head I started playing games and went through my last weeks prep work. Ok..... last Saturday a ran the Provo Half slow and easy with my boys and friends. Sunday I went and ran 22 miles with Aime. Shot out Amie. That was a tough run with plenty of wind and hills. I didn't run again until Tuesday's 5 miler with Alex. I hadn't run since Tuesday, I said to myself. I thought... well not the most optimum prep week but I was still running hard and still making my way through the pack down the canyon. The field started to dwindle down.
It was so dark that I couldn't see the leader. I ran with a group of about 4 and then 2 by the time I hit the mouth of the canyon I could only see four-five guys ahead of me. Well two of the guys stopped just ahead of us on Center and University and shrugged their shoulders like... were the hell do we go? The guy right in front of me knew and turned West on Center. Another runner came up from behind and joined us. When we Got to where we could see the big hill on Center I could see two guys way up there cresting the hill. I thought WOW those guys are moving cause I thought I was running hard. I got to the top of the hill and stopped and to shed my pants. NOTE TO SELF: go pick up your pants! So at this point I thought I was in around 8th place counting the two guys that passed me while I was shedding. I made my way back up to those guys that passed me and passed them.
At mile 9 or so there's a loop section. Well, one of the volunteers at the loop crossover, bless her heart, sent me and the one guy next to me the opposite way. Well she sent us right into the steepest hill of the day only we were going up when we should have been going down. Anyways, no big deal, it was the same distance.
At mile 18 I took my third and last gel. I was feeling pretty good. My legs were saying "What,.. in the hell makes you think we were ready for this" By mile 22 my stomach was cramping every so often and if there would have been a port-o-potty right there I would have paid it a visit. I calculated that I was in 5th. I was making ground on number four and caught his heals a quarter mile from mile marker 23. I rode his heals right up to the mile marker and then passed him. I took a look at my watch and thought I would need to run a 19:45 min. 5k to break 3 hours. I knew that I had slowed down from my earlier pass and but didn't know if I had that fast of a 5k left in me. I kept going and making a little ground on number 3. At mile 25 I knew that I would not catch the third guy and played the not getting caught game. I turned the corner and saw the glorious finishline. I ran my same pace not thinking much or more importantly not looking at the time! There was no fancy clock to tell you where you were time wise and I was going of normal time and not race time on my watch. As I approached the finisline I saw the time turn to 3 hours right before I went through. The clock was behind the finishline and it was too late by the time I saw it to sprint and break 3 hours. I wasn't that bummed really. I was happy with what I had done. I waited and watch my friends come through. It was a great race. I ended up in four with a 3:04:5 a 6:52 average pace.
