Salt Lake City Marathon: April 21, 2007

In a way, I almost feel like I've sold my soul. I swore, or nearly swore, that I'd never give Devine Racing another penny after what they did with the Salt Lake City Marathon and the 2006 date change. Well, after they reversed that date change this year, I somehow convinced myself that I needed to run it.

Still, I ended up having a pretty good time.

The weather was the big question in the days and hours leading up to the start. Weather predictions had a high for the day vacillating between 40° and 50°, and the chance for precipitation between 10% and 30%. If the drive up Saturday morning was to be any indication of what the race would be like, it was going to be wet. Fortunately, it wasn't.

I arrived at the Energy Solutions Arena (formerly the Delta Center) and boarded TRAX and headed east to the starting line. I found myself alone amongst hundreds of other runners and bikers. Oh well, I've been "alone" since February 23, 2004. I can handle it.

The Bike Tour got started at 6:00 and I was a casual observer of that. One poor guy was clipped into his bike raring to go, but got stopped due to the ebb and flow of the crowded start. My guess is that he unclipped his right shoe but leaned left. With his left foot still clipped in, he couldn't get back up. With the help of others he managed to almost get back up twice only to fall back down each time. Finally, he got all the way up and humbly exited the scene.

By the time my race began, I had run across 3 persons of whom I have an association. One of which was going to allow me to run with her for as long as I could. (I made it one mile.) We lined up close to the 4 hour pace group and listened to a lovely rendition of the National Anthem performed by the One Voice Children's Choir. America's Mayor, Rocky Anderson, the biggest freaking idiot around these parts, said a few words and then they started us.

I almost made it a whole mile before I had to peel off and find a tree. I'll note here that it was the exact same group of trees, if not the same tree, that I peed behind in 2005. I lost my running buddy at that point and ran the rest of the way, all 25.2 miles, all by my little old lonesome self...

My splits:

• Mile 1: 9:36
• Mile 2: 7:38
• Mile 3: 8:18
• Mile 4: 7:33
• Mile 5: 8:07
• Mile 6: 8:36
• Mile 7: 8:41
• Mile 8: 11:27 (Port-a-potty stop)
• Mile 9: 8:49
• Mile 10: 8:30
• Mile 11: 11:53 (Port-a-potty stop #2-way early in the mile)
• Mile 12: 10:11 (Port-a-potty stop #3-way late in the mile)
• Mile 13: 8:49
• Mile 14: 8:29
• Mile 15: 8:44
• Mile 16: 9:06
• Mile 17: 8:48
• Mile 18: 11:01
• Mile 19: 8:51
• Mile 20: 10:01
• Mile 21: 9:40
• Mile 22: 10:00
• Mile 23: 10:26
• Mile 24: 9:52
• Mile 25: 10:46
• Mile 26: 9:37
• Mile 26.2: 2:50
• Total: 4:06:25

The cool thing about wearing a Garmin Forerunner is that it will tell you what your actual time moving was and, according to Garmin, I "ran" my marathon in 3:58:49! Seriously sweet!

I guess.

I won't allow myself to use that time for anything. Still...

So, there you have it. Happy now?

5 Days...

5 days remain until the SLCM.

CBS Fires Don Imus...

I don't like or dislike Don Imus. Never listened to a word he's ever said until this recent brouhaha over his comments regarding the Rutger's women's basketball team. Deplorable comments. Completely unacceptable.

Enough to fire someone over though? That I'm not sure of.

What really bugs me is the perception that activists Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson were instrumental in his firing. I can't think of two more hypocritical people on this earth.

If the firing of Imus is the result of offense after offense after offense, fine. If it's a result of this one issue and two loud-mouth activists spouting off, not cool.

I've been a bit negligent in blogging as of late. Much of that stems from the chewing out I got after my last post. Sheesh! Oh well.

Nine days until the Salt Lake City Marathon. I'm as ready as I'm going to get. Since my last reported run (7.1 miles on March 26th), I've run 7 times.

• March 28-10.14 miles at a 8:41 pace
• March 30-5.04 miles at a 8:36 pace
• April 02-9.04 miles at a 8:32 pace
• April 04-9.1 miles at a 8:56 pace
• April 07-12.49 miles at a 8:42 pace
• April 09-6.11 miles at a 8:40 pace
• April 11-6.11 miles at a 8:19 pace

All were good runs, especially yesterdays. My last mile was done in 7:42--and I had more to give.

Not included was a 21.5 mile bike ride on April 06. I'll probably ride the bike again tomorrow, weather permitting.

Anyways, 9 days to the marathon. I missed/cut short my really long runs and I hope that doesn't come back to bite me in the arse. I'd like to come in close to 4 hours, but anything under 4 1/2 will be acceptable. Weather.com, on it's 10-day forecast, is predicting showers, a low of 44° and a high of 60° on race day. The temperatures sound fine, but I'll pass on the rain, thank you very much. (As if I even had the choice...)

Exactly 4 weeks after Salt Lake is the Ogden Marathon. This is the one I'm really hoping to come through on. My fastest time at Ogden is 4:05 despite my contention that I'm going to PR there. My marathon PR is 3:35 so I've got 30 minutes plus to cut. With the training I've done (and the long training run SLCM is providing) I really hope that 2007 is my year to break 4 hours up there. Who knows, maybe I'll even get my PR! I wonder if I should get a hotel room up there this year?

Plodding on...

Lest I receive further reprimands and/or castigation, I’d better blog.

Hell, I don’t know. I’ve just become somewhat disheartened as of late. Not sure why. Must be that time of the year...

As for running: Last week I jumped ship. I ran 6.1 miles on Monday and then nothing until Saturday. Saturday morning was to have been an 18 mile run but it ended up being only 10. Here’s why: 75% laziness and 25% soreness.

The run I had planned would have taken me down American Fork Canyon, through the Cedar Hills golf course, over by the Mt. Timpanogos Temple, by my place and then up to Jerry’s. What I ended up running was down AF Canyon and then straight to Jerry’s by way of the Canyon Road. 10.4 miles. I was going to put in 8 miles on the treadmill when I got back to my place to make up for the shortage. Well, it didn’t happen thanks to my inherent laziness. Once that wore off, however, the 8 minute miles we were running down the canyon had really started to take their toll. I hurt. I even tried tricking myself into running up Provo Canyon with Corbin along side on his bike, but that didn’t fly.

Today I ran 7.1 miles on stiff legs. A little rough starting out but things got better as I went. My planned 6.1 became 7.1, and that’s that.

Individualism v. Collectivism

With an increased interest in sociology and psychology, I've thought many times how individualism and collectivism affect lives.

I'll update this blog entry later with more information once I get the chance to review it.

"Look dad! No training wheels!"

This is my youngest. I had her tonight for a couple of hours. Her back tire had a leak so I got the bike too.

The tube was repaired and the bike put in working order and off she went.

This is the first time I've been able to see my Addi ride her bike. It was such a momentous occasion that I went in and got my camera for a few snap shots.

She's just about out-grown this bike. I picked it up for her about 4 years ago, but got the boot before she learned to ride it. Fact is, she just barely learned to ride it sans any parental guidance.

But she so desperately wanted me to see her do it all by herself. And now I have.

37 DAYS

Only 37 days 'til the 2007 Salt Lake City Marathon. 65 days to the Ogden Marathon.

No running today. Just a bit of depression. There are just some days that aren't worth the effort. Today would be one of them.

Pointless observation:

The musical contrast between Lyle Lovett and Judas Priest is huge.

I ran 6.1 miles today at lunch after running 4 of the most miserable miles of my life yesterday.

Yesterday: 1.5 miles into the run I had to stop and walk. I knew within the first 100 yards that it was going to be a hard run, but not like that. At mile 2, I stopped and decided right there and then that my planned 6-miler was going to get cut short. So I'm doubled over while I wait for one of my running buddies to run out to the fire hydrant we normally go to when running 4 miles, and then together we plod back to the start. I made it all the way back without a stop, however, feeling quite uncomfortable generally.

The culprit: a triple cheese burger I had eaten for dinner the night before. And me with a cholesterol level of 255...

Today: I started out and immediately started feeling nervous. Once I got warmed up though, things improved greatly. So much so that I ended up putting in my second fasted time for the year on the trail for that distance. My average pace was just over 8:30.

Today's run was a good one.

12 miserable miles...

12.03 mile run this afternoon in 1:47:something. My average pace was somewhere near 8:52 I think.

• Tunes:
• Rock Me - Great White
• Heavy - Collective Soul
• Let's Get Rocked - Def Leppard
• She Sells Sanctuary - The Cult
• World's Forgotten Boy - Billy Idol
• Anytime - Journey
• I Feel You - Depeche Mode
• So In Love - OMD
• Sweet Child O' Mine - Guns N' Roses
• Shake It Up - The Cars
• Locked In - Judas Priest
• The Party's Over (Hopelessly in Love) - Journey
• Shock to the System - Billy Idol
• Only The Young - Journey
• Route 66 - Depeche Mode
• Armageddon It - Def Leppard
• Turbo Lover - Judas Priest
• Bohemian Rhapsody - Queen
• Save Your Love - Great White
• Real, Real, Real - Jesus Jones
• Fire Woman - The Cult
• Messages - OMD
• Right Here, Right Now - Jesus Jones
• Kyrie - Mr. Mister

Having just listed all the songs I listened to on my run today, I was hit with the thought, "What's the point?" And so, I don't know that I'm going to continue to post the tunes. Because I decided not to.

I'm tired. I feel like crap. I have to work and I can't nap. DANG!!!

My run: I had just about talked myself out of actually doing it. The morning was a bit colder than expected and there was a stiff breeze blowing out of the north-west. I hadn't eaten breakfast and after downing 4 chicken soft tacos from Del Taco, I wasn't optimistic with my chances.

But, after berating myself over the issue for a while, I threw on the running clothes--and a brand, spanking new pair of shoes--and headed out the door. I figured that I could always turn back early.

8/10ths of a mile into the run I was wading through the strong smell of farm country: manure. I knew that there was the potential for worse a few miles further along though.

My running wasn't exactly fast and I felt pretty comfortable. My new shoes are great! (I don't know if a 12-miler was a good way to break them in though...)

At mile-3 I was approaching the Timpanogos Special Service District Water Reclamation Facility. The sewage treatment plant. I don't know about you, but anything that processes sewage and uses the words "Water Reclamation Facility" in its title makes me a bit uneasy. 10 million gallons of sewage each day... That's what the web site says. That's just gross! And to actually run by it? Luckily, the wind was blowing in a good direction.

Up over the freeway and along the bike path that parallels Pleasant Grove Blvd. They did the path with concrete. Why not asphalt? It would sure be easier on a runner's joints!

A stop at the theater for a beverage (a quick shot of Pepsi) and I was on my way back to the start by way of the Mt. Timpanogos Temple. By mile 9 I was really starting to fatigue but I felt good and kept plodding along--no walking breaks the entire 12 miles! SWEET! See how good I am?

Back at grandma's, I quickly downed a glass of milk and huge amounts of water, showered, and "napped" for an hour before heading over to the theater.

And here I am.

I'm tired. I feel like crap. I have to work and I can't nap. Dang!!