The New Year's Half Marathon-January 5th

Race #2 of 2013

Here it is January and the month I was thinking would be hard to get in some fun races because of the frigid temperatures in Utah this time of year, but that is not the case. I saw a local race being advertised called the New Year's Half Marathon, put on by a local guy named Jonathon Crampton. I remember almost signing up and running it last year but chickened out because of the cold weather. This year I signed up way ahead before I could see what the weather was going to be like. If I pay for a race then by golly, come rain, sleet, snow, or shine I am going to be there.  I would just have to bundle up tight and brave the elements.  My friend Josh signed up as well and we decided we would just stick together and not worry about speed.  Besides, we had just run a big race at the Olympic Oval only 4 days previously and so this was to be a more relaxed adventure today.  The race started at 8:00 am but Jonathon told us that anyone that felt slower could start earlier.  I knew I would be at the back of the pack so I got out to the race start about 7:15 am and headed out about 7:30 am. 

This picture was taken inside my car at about 7:10 am after I parked my car at the race start.  Notice the temperature??? Yeah, I was pretty nervous.  I had bundled up well though and even had my trusty face mask.  I warned Jonathon that I was going to look like a bank robber and he said he would tell his neighbor who is a cop to not arrest me.  Oh gee!  Thanks!

Ever see a smiling bank robber before?  There's a first for everything.

I know it looks pretty ridiculous but let me tell you my face was toasty warm!!! See that white piece of paper I'm holding in my left hand?  It's a pretty handy dandy map that Jonathon made for us runners so we wouldn't get lost.  The course was marked really well though and I didn't even need to use it but it gave me comfort just in case I got lost.

My friend Gay Tregaskis from Runner's Anonymous decided to join me and Josh and stick with us slower people.  She is such a sweet lady and I feel pretty lucky to know her.  Here we are showing off our cute little snowmen medals we earned for running 13.1 miles in the bitter and frostbitten world. Somehow, running with friends seems to make the time go faster.  As we got to about mile 11-12 we got to run right by the Timpanogos Temple and it was beautiful and then we realized we were almost finished and I actually felt a little sad.  She mentioned that she couldn't believe it was almost over.  That's how running should be, having such a good time that you've lost track of the time.

My other cute friend Monnica ran as well but I've mentioned multiple times she is a little speedy girl and I can't keep up with her.  She and her husband Cory ran together this morning and did really well.  It was fun to chat and visit with them as we ate our delicious post-race food.
This is my friend Josh who quite possibly would have lost his fingers and toes if Gay hadn't of come to the rescue with some extra hand warmers she had.  It was so cold that the water bottle I had brought and put in my pocket had turned into a nice thick slushy by the time I was almost done running! Maybe I should have wrapped hand warmers around it.
Get ready for lots of photos this year at races with Josh.  He's just as crazy as me in signing up and we will be doing quite a few of the same races. I think there's some underlying competition going on to see who can run the most races in a year.

This cute gal is Chelsea Mckell and I was excited to finally meet her.  She is all over Facebook with The Utah Running Guide.  They advertise for a lot of races and give away free entry's. I haven't won any yet but a lot of my runner friends have.  I'll just have to keep saying my prayers and keeping my fingers and toes crossed that my name will come up someday.  

This is Jonathon Crampton who puts on one nice race and meal spread afterwards.  Part of the website advertising the race reads as follows:
 

The tradition continues on the first Saturday of January 2013....pots of steaming hot chili, french bread, yoghurt, bananas, chocolate milk , a runners' FEAST ....AFTER you complete 13.1 miles in a winter wonderland running adventure though Pleasant Grove, Cedar Hills and Alpine back to my home in Pleasant Grove, Utah.
If you have been here either of the first two years you know this is the best value for money half marathon out there. A small race with 60-70 runners and walkers braving whatever weather January may throw at us as we continue our winter training and racing.
Where: a 13.1 mile counterclockwise loop course starting and finishing at my home in Pleasant Grove. 

I'm a sucker for delicious food and I was anxious to continue strong with finding some races for January.  This race is literally in my neck of the woods so how could I NOT sign up?  

Jonathon's counters were overflowing with food even after everybody had eaten.  I can't even imagine the hours of work in preparing and cooking all this food.  I got to meet his cute wife Kori who actually was my son's high school Mythology teacher. My daughter Kali, was a teacher's aid for her.  It was fun to visit with her.  I learned that she had just barely gotten her gall bladder out over Christmas break and was up and about doing this stuff.  That is way too nice of her to allow 100 stinky, sweaty, frostbitten, crazy runners into her home after what she just recently went through. She's a strong woman and I hope she gets lots of pampering after all of this.

Yeah, Josh was trying to photo bomb my picture.  Nice work Josh.

Baked potato topped with chili and cheese, lasagna, yogurt, chocolate milk, and a pumpkin cookie!! (I downed the chocolate mile before I could get a picture of it)  Where else are you going to find food like this after a half marathon?? I'll tell you where, NOWHERE! This was all so delicious and hit the spot so nicely after freezing out there.  I say freezing but with all my layers and face mask I had on I wasn't doing too bad.  It was only if we ever stopped (which we did multiple times) that the cold would start to creep in.  We just had to keep moving. 

This cute little plump snowman was out in the front yard of Jonathon's home for us crazy runner people to have a photo opportunity with.  Yeah, I think I felt like a snowman out there on the course today.  All in all this was a great race, even if it was zero degrees in the beginning.  I think it may have warmed up to 11 degrees by the time we finished three hours and eleven minutes later.  Yes, that's a terrible time but who's counting?  Oh, I do.