Big Cottonwood Half Marathon

A couple weekends ago Evan and Rachel convinced me to sign us up for the Big Cottonwood Half Marathon. This was the first year they were doing this race.  I was a little skeptical because usually inaugural races can be pretty unorganized since they're new.  This was Rachel's come back race too.  Coming back off of her broken foot from Ragnar. I'm so glad she decided to do another race this year.  Especially since she swore up and down to me as I continued to beg her to sign up for other races that she hates racing and that's why she only does it once a year. 

Ha!  I will make a racer out of her .. she just may not know it yet.

So up we were at 4:30am on yet another Saturday morning.  That's by far the worst part about running races.  The early start times.  When we arrived there was this huge line of cars waiting to get in and park so we headed across the street to park in a different lot. Then as we were walking to the buses Evan and Rachel drove up our side.  Imagine that.  We ended up loading on different buses but then met back up at the top of the canyon.  We weren't up there more than 5 minutes before they started with the 5 minute warning for the start.  We literally had time to drop our warm clothes at the bag drop and then we were waiting on Jeramie to pin his number and get his gear all situated.  In the end I think we actually started the race about 3 minutes after the gun went off.  Not something we really worry about because it's chip timed so we don't officially start until we cross the starting line. Or so I thought anyway.

As we headed out we ran the first couple miles together.  The first one being quite quick.  I was feeling really good.  We ran on the other side of the road for quite awhile because we were just passing runners non stop.  After a couple miles though Evan, Rachel and Jeramie started to slow down. I didn't realize this until they were quite a ways behind me.  I really hadn't gone up there planning to run really hard at all. Just go with the flow and enjoy it.  But I guess I just can't help myself. I am so competitive with myself.  And truly it's just myself and my desire to beat my own times.  So since I was feeling good I just went with it. I figured I would give it everything and when I ran out of gas I would plant my butt on the side of the road and just wait for the rest of the group.

This right here is one of my favorite race pictures of all time.

See how both my feet are off the ground?  That means no dimpling on my legs.

I really debated about what to wear to this race but I'm happy with what I chose.

I was worried the long sleeves would be too hot, but it worked out fine.

This is a great one of Jerm too.

I'm surprised he pulled away from Evan and Rachel so early.

I wish I'd still been with them to participate in this great group shot!

Love love love racing with these guys so much!

So as I continued on down the mountain one by one I passed the 2:30 pacer, then the 2:15 pacer.  I kept thinking, okay the 2:00 pacer will be next. I just have to pass this pacer and stay ahead, then knowing I started a few minutes after the official start meant that I would actually pull out a sub 2 hour half marathon.  For those that aren't runners after completing your first half marathon with no walking this is usually the next big goal.  To finish in under 2 hours.  I'm still a very new runner.  I ran my first half marathon less than a year ago. Which even to me sounds very strange considering how many I've run since then.  I finished Timpanogos (which was my "A" race this year) in 2:01!  I was so close.  As I got closer and closer to the finish line I kept telling myself I'm actually going to do it!!  There are absolutely no words to describe this feeling.

And really there aren't words to describe this sport / hobby.  I wish that I could.  We tell my brother Mike all the time that he needs to start running, he still maintains it will never happen.  And frankly he's stubborn and so I really believe that it will never happen.  But boy you guys are missing out.  The sense of accomplishment.  Running is such a prime example of you get out of it what you put into it. If you work your ass off then you WILL be successful.  It's really just that easy.  But if you don't put the work in then I feel like you will set yourself up for failure.  And that's where I think it becomes harder to stay motivated and stick with it.  There are plenty of lunch times at work when I think to myself I really would rather not go run. I don't want to change out of my work clothes and then ruin my hair for the rest of the day.  And then I just tell myself to stop thinking like that and get to it.  And I swear there are LOTS of Sunday mornings where I would rather sleep in than go for a run. But it's true what they say, you will never ever ever regret a run. You just won't.  Even when it was a miserable run (and there are plenty of those) you still don't think to yourself, well I wish I hadn't gone out and done that.  Another thing about runners, they are the most enthusiastic to get new runners added to the group.  BEST. THING. EVER.

Big Cottonwood Half Marathon

The Stats:

 

Official Finish Time:  1:52:25

Overall Rank:  242/646

Overall Gender Rank:  139/448

Age Group Rank:  29/86

 

Splits:

 

Mile 1:  8:37

Mile 2:  9:16

Mile 3:  8:58

Mile 4:  8:43

Mile 5:  8:46

Mile 6:  8:31

Mile 7:  8:13

Mile 8:  8:13

Mile 9:  8:22

Mile 10:  8:16

Mile 11:  8:13

Mile 12:  8:19

Mile 13:  8:43

Mile 13.1:  8:58

I could not have been happier about my performance.  I didn't go out there with these expectations and I feel so lucky that I was able to accomplish what I did.

I love these finish chute photos of everyone.  This is exactly what running hard for 13.1 miles feels like.  It's written all over our faces.  There is no making this look pretty.

I was SO tired.

Jeramie finished in 1:58:34.  He also went sub 2 hours!

Huge PR for him.  His quickest time before then as 2:12.

He's come such a long way from Salt Lake Half where he had to walk some.

Evan and Rachel finished in 2:04.

Also, a well earned PR from Rachel.  Coming back off a broken foot!

This race is my favorite one I've run so far.  I was still walking funny almost five days later.  The medal was really awesome.  This shirt is a nice one and the race course itself was beautiful.  I will be back to run this next year I hope.  Of all the local races I've done I recommend this one the most.

Love this picture of Jerm and I too.

Such a great great race!

Oh, and the official race photo's were FREE! Unheard of.

I LOVE that we do this together!

We are making such great memories.

 

 

This is almost the end of race season.  Jeramie and I will be running the Provo Halloween Half Marathon in a couple of weeks.  I need to figure out a couple run costumes we can run in.  Then a couple weeks after that we'll be running the Ragnar Relay in Las Vegas.  Then we're done until Salt Lake next year.  It's strange to think that I won't have a race for several months after that.  But I will still be running at least 4 days per week.  I expect to be officially registered for Utah Valley Full Marathon by the end of this month.  So training for that will begin in January.  I'm not worried at all about covering that distance.  In fact I'm excited to take it to the next level.  Do you know that less than 1% of the US population has run a marathon. I will be part of that less than 1% next year.  I can't wait.