Timpanogos Half Marathon

Race #24 of 2013

It was time to redeem myself and shoot for a faster run, especially now after feeling better.  I'll just say now how much I love and appreciate antibiotics!!

I got up at 3:20 am and got myself out the door by around 3:50 am.  I headed to Lone Peak High School where the bus pick up and finish line area would be.  The course of this half marathon changed within the last couple weeks because of construction going on at American Fork High School.  I was a little sad about this because of some pretty nice downhill sections that would be cut out of the course now.

We were bused up American Fork Canyon to Tibble Fork Lake.  It's a beautiful mountain lake and an absolutely stunning canyon to run down.  This run rates right up there as one of my favorites.  I wasn't planning to see anyone or meet up with anyone at this race and so when I got off the bus I immediately started doing a little warm up running to get things working.  I then started seeing familiar faces, Scott Wheelhouse, a former neighbor.  We visited and talked a lot about running.  I then saw Scot Weaver, who would be pacing the 2:20 group and whom I told I hoped to not ever see in the race. I had better hopes for this race with my time.  Scot was the driver for our Top of Zion Relay team. (I still need to blog about this awesome relay experience that our team won).  I saw Jarom Thurston, who just ran his third Badwater, but had to drop out this year after 42 miles because of extreme weight loss and dehydration.  I also saw my fun friend Monnica.  She was with Paula from my Runner's Anonymous Facebook group and Monnica was going to help Paula with her first half marathon.  Monnica is just so nice that way.  She ran an entire half marathon with me last year and I remember thinking how kind that was of her to just hang with me and keep me company when I knew she could have run it much faster.  That's a pretty awesome friend.  As the runner's were lining up getting ready for the gun to go off I turned around and saw another familiar face but hadn't met in real life.  Amylee Nicoll, a blogger friend. I was so excited to meet her and she just had this completely blank and puzzled look on her face as to who I was.  When I told her the light switched on and she smiled and hugged me big.  It was a fun moment.  This was her first half marathon after having a baby only 3 1/2 months ago.  Pretty amazing what these young mama's can do out there.

The race started a little late around 6:08 am and then we were off, cruising down the canyon.  It was a cool morning with even a few scattered raindrops.  It was absolutely beautiful.  I just turned on the cruise control and away I went just giving it everything I had in me.  When we got out of the canyon the course went through a golf course and was a little hilly but was still nice.  Then the course ran through a very wooded area on a bike/runner's path. Then the last few miles the course changed from last year.  I could tell this was going to be a struggle.  The downhill was completely done.  It turned to flat as a pancake run and even felt a little uphill.  I had to really find some upbeat music and try to stay focused. I had to dig deep and find some inner strength to just keep pushing to the finish line.

2:09:35.  I didn't beat last year's time of 2:07 but with the course change and more flat and uphill added to the end of the run I am happy with my result for this year.  As I was crossing the finish line I was scanning the crowds looking for my family.  I never saw them but did see another blogger/runner friend sitting on the sidelines, Jerilee Erickson.  I have been inspired by so many running blogs, hers included.   I went back and found her and was delighted to get to meet her in real life and chat about running.  She ran the full marathon which involved started the race at the finish line and running to the starting line and then turning around and going back.  The first 13.1 miles is uphill.  Yucky!  They call it the Sogonapmit Challenge.  It's Timpanogos spelled backwards.  It's pretty clever for sure, but I can guarantee it's one challenge I won't be doing.

After I chowed down on some goodies and made my way over to pick up my drop bag I finally found my hubby and daughter.  She had a friend with her too and was going to do her long run of 10 miles for the day. She is training for Top of Utah Half Marathon and asks me to run with her occasionally. I had told her earlier I would attempt as much as I could with her.  Mark drove us down to a trail head on the Murdock Canal and dropped us off and away we went.  I was slow and sluggish but did what I could.  I was able to hang with her for a few miles and told her to run on ahead and come back and get me every once in awhile.  After about 5 miles Mark texted me and said he was going to be leaving to go to the gym and wouldn't be home for an hour and a half.  I told him to come get me because I wasn't going to last out there that much longer. My total mileage for the day ended up being 19.75.  Long morning indeed!

Once again I am sad I didn't  have my camera with me.  I would have loved getting photos of all the friends I saw at the starting line and finish line.  Another reason I need to upgrade.  So instead I'm posting boring pictures of a shirt and a medal.

 

My Stats:
Mile 1 - 8:58
Mile 2 - 9:26
Mile 3 - 9:45
Mile 4 - 8:54
Mile 5 - 8:46
Mile 6 - 8:42
Mile 7 - 9:03
Mile 8 - 9:41
Mile 9 - 10:54
Mile 10 - 10:15
Mile 11 - 11:18
Mile 12 - 11:23
Mile 13 - 11:11

Half Marathon Total 2:09:35
Average Pace 9:52 min/mile