Timpanogas Half

So I spent the weekend in Utah for my cousins wedding.  I knew I had to do a long run on Saturday so I contacted Kim Wells who I trained with for my first marathon.  I knew she had just qualified for Boston last year so I knew she'd be a great person to run with and try to keep up with.  She couldn't because she was doing the Spudman Triathlon in Idaho on Saturday.  So I tried the next person I could think of that was close to my pace--Steve's old boss Derrick Butters.  He was also doing the Tri!  But he said he had a bunch of friends doing the Timpanogas half and that I should try to get in.  So I tried to register and it was sold out.  But I didn't let that stop me!  I contacted the race director and begged.  There are always people who sign up but don't actually show up to pick up their bibs.  So he said he would contact me through email after 8pm on Fri to let me know if I could register.  He never sent me an email so by 9pm I called him and he said if I went online he would open it up for me.  I was the last one to register!

Never mind the majestic mountains, nice cool overcast weather, fresh clean evergreen air, rolling river, and perfect slow downhill...this was my canyon!  I had returned home!  I have many great memories of Silver Lake where the race started like countless walks, Sunday drives, hikes, and horse back rides (Thanks to my favorite cowboy Bishop Allen).  I had run down this canyon with Christine Nieporte and Kim Wells before I ran my first marathon.  Then came the Cedar Hills golf course where I had run so many times before.  Then down through my favorite "Rave Run" in Cedar Hills through a cascade of trees in the woods.  Down the path through Heritage Park, past Deerfield Riley's old Elementary School--high 5vd Shae Majic at that corner...(the Hildebrandt family was all over the course as well as Kasey who took 2nd overall in women).  I affectionately took in the familiar farms and silos.  But nothing was as sweet as seeing the Mount Timpanogas Temple in all its magnificence.  I have missed my old view.  I used to see the temple through my front door and every window on the west side of my house.  Needless to say, it was such a great view.  To see the temple is like coming home to heaven.  Ironically, it was also located at the last few miles of the race!  I was hurting at this point and all I could hear in my head was Carrie Woodward saying..."Be comfortable with being uncomfortable.  Hang on.  Come on body, GO!"  It was really me saying "COME ON, LET'S FINISH THIS!"  I was hurting so bad at the end.  I got the biggest boost by running past the 1:55 pacer.  I was so elated!  It really hit me that I was actually breaking 2 hours for the first time!  I wasn't just breaking 2, I was blowing my goal away!  I must have passed 25 runners in the last quarter mile.  I was sprinting!  I almost cried when I crossed the finish line.  I loved seeing that clock at under 2!

I started late so I knew I had to look up my time to be accurate.

1:51 was the time.

I was there alone so there was no one to celebrate with but myself.  I smiled to myself and thought--WOW, I did it!