La Grande Corsa | The Big Race

It has been over a week since the big race (April 17) - I could not remember my PW for this blog when we were traveling so here it is - now.  I really enjoyed running the race in SLC - it was much easier than I expected.  Probably because I trained for the marathon and ended up running the half marathon.  A lot of things seemed to add up for the half marathon being the best thing for me to run - my physical therapist stating I "...should probably reduce your exercises with a lot of impact...,"  three weeks ago, seemed to be the cherry on the top.  So the half it was.  Things seemed to go very well.  Our hotel was about 100 feet from he starting line so that reduced a lot of logistical concerns.  It was a great day weather-wise.  Sunny, and out of the five times I have run the SLC half, 5k , bike marathon it was the warmest.  Got a little too warm near the finish which is way different than previous years.


Back to the Race (Torna alla Race)

I missed the gospel choir at the start (they were there the last two years).  The start was packed - it was at the Legacy Bridge at the University of Utah (the race ended at the Gateway Mall in downtown SLC).  We lined up in the back of the middle third and it took us five minutes of walking to cross the start line after gun went off... (was there even a gun - or was it just a countdown???).  Once we crossed the start and began running I immediately found myself winding through the walkers and slower runners (probably should start lining up in the middle from now on...).  Michelle was with me and Chris, Jason, and Austin were making a break for it.  I did not see Rachel or Chelsea until a mile from the end.  Michelle was going to walk but kept up with me very well.  Started out with 10:30 min/miles which seemed very easy.  My plan was to run the entire way but walk through the water stations (which is what I did).  Michelle kept up with me very well until about mile three.  I slowed down to see if I could see her but she did not catch up so I kept on going.  I ran alone for the rest of the way.

Water Tragedy (Acqua tragedia)
I never felt like I need to take walking breaks so I kept the walking short at the water stations.  The Garmin was telling me around mile four that my times were slowing down to 12:00 min/mile - I was still feeling good.  The next two miles were downhill so my pace picked up.  I was getting pretty thirsty at mile six and was looking forward to the next water station.  I remember that there was one coming up soon from my previous years runs.  When I got close I saw a hole (~8" diameter and 4" deep) in the middle of the road that I jumped over - I remember thinking that I "hope Michelle sees it because they are like magnets to her."  Getting closer to the water station I remember seeing some bog round orange and black things waving in the air.  I wondered, "are those some kind of flags marking the next water station?"  Why would they do that?  The orange and black things ended up the water coolers.  Apparently they did not have any cups and were holding the coolers in the air for people to put their mouths below the spigot.  I was much more thirsty than previous water stations so I figured I had to stop and get in line.  This is the only time I stopped during the whole race - just to wait in line for a couple of sips of water...  Tragedy in my book.  I took my sops and easily got going again.

Let the Entertainment Begin (Che il divertimento comincia)
As usually about mile three my runners high started kicking in and I was pretty much zoned out for the next few miles.  I saw a to of people around me that I felt like I knew - I might have actually known them but everyone kept on running.  In long distance runs you usually settle in with the usually crowd that you will be running the rest of the race with at about mile seven - at least that is what happens with me.  So, I picked out the usuals and tried to pass them about mile seven.  I passed a few but settled in with "my crowd" for the rest of the race.  There was a group of women that had a faster pace than I did but every mile they would stop on the side of the road (considerate) and do yoga and stretches.  They would pass me then stop again.  I got to see this the rest of the race until we hit the hill at mile 11 where my marathon training let me pass them permanently.  It was entertaining watching them and the different things they would stop and do on the side of the road.  The leader of the marathon passed me just after mile 11 past Liberty Park.  It was motivating to see the leader, running all alone with a pace car.  I temporarily picked up my pace for about a mile.  Mile 11-12 were going up State Street.  A gradual hill that got steeper at the top.  I tried to pass a few people but they ended up returning the favor, back and forth until we got to the top.  We had to run through some road construction and I took the tangents zigging and zagging through the construction and ended up ahead.  I am not sure why people stay in lanes like they are driving a car when you are running a race...  It was downhill the rest of the way to the finish and I really picked up the pace.  I felt great and passed a lot of people the last mile.

Finish (Finire)

I immediately started seeing people I knew just after I crossed the finish line.  Susie and Rodrigo, Austin and Jason, James and Martha Willis, Chris, then Michelle (a lot of others too).  I felt like I could have run a lot further (of course, I trained for twice the distance I just ran...).  It was good to see everyone.  Chris got some updates on Chelsea and Rachel on the marathon course.  I kept on suggesting we run the course backwards to find them then finish with them.  No takers.  We got all our post race snacks and were talking to people.  Chelsea texted that they were at mile 23.  We walked out to the Jazz BBall place and waited.  I decided to walk up the course and run back with Chelsea and Rachel.  I walked, then sat, then walked and finally saw them.  It was fun to run the last short distance with them.  I peeled off before the finish parade zone and got some good video of them crossing.

It was a to of fun - pretty cool to do it as a family.  It was very easy but felt good to rest the remainder of the day.  Rachel and Chelsea did great running the full marathon with impressive time.  Now it is over it is easy to say "I want to do it again."