St. George Marathon

There are so many things that I learned from running this race --mostly just how to run a marathon, the do's and dont's, that everyone tries to tell you that you don't fully understand until you have run it. A marathon is unlike any race I've ever run before. I thought because I had ran a half marathon I had some idea what it would be like. I really didn't. There were a lot of things I did wrong. I hiked too far in Bryce canyon two days before. I didn't get enough sleep the whole week before. I didn't have enough fuel to eat the morning of. But enough about what I didn't do. Here is my play by play starting with the day before at the convention.
When I went to pick up my number it was at a convention center and there were tons of vendor booths set up. One of them was this booth that they photoshopped you into the background of the marathon.

The morning of the marathon I got up about 4 and got ready and was out the door by about 4:45. When I opened the door to my hotel room this is what I saw. Wyatt had sent me flowers. It was the perfect way to start the day and it made me cry.

I went and got in line to get on the bus. The line was huge and it took quite awhile just to get on. Our bus driver was awesome. As we got to the main road he said, "last chance, I can turn left here and head to Vegas." The bus ride up took forever. The main hill during the race is right after a little town called Veyo, which is about 7 miles from the start line. So we had been on the bus for awhile and I feel us go down this hill so I think it is Veyo and start watching for the start line. Well it seemed like we had driven another 10 miles and then I see the sign for Veyo which means we have another 7 to go. I was like oh crap this is a long ways. When we got to the start line the bus driver got back on and said "I want you to know I only drive winners on my bus." We got there and it really wasn't too cold. I sat by the bonfire for like 5 minutes and then it was time to take off my warm up stuff and get ready to go.

My game plan was to be right in front of the 4 hour pacer and I wasn't quite ready to go when they started so I just jumped in with them. I wish I would have just waited and taken my time. I started off a little too quick. My pace for the first 5 and 1/2 miles was about 8:58 which is right where I wanted it to be, but my heart rate was way higher than it should have been. I needed to maintain a 9:09 average to get the time I wanted. But then right at the 6 mile mark I had to go to the bathroom. It was so frustrating to me. I was hoping I wouldn't have to go at all and to have to go that early was aggravating. So I stopped at mile 6 and had to wait for someone in front of me and I am watching my watch and the time is just ticking. Ugghhhh!!!! So by the time I went through the clock at the 10k (6.1 miles) my pace had already dropped to slower than I wanted to end up. We hit the town of Veyo about mile 7 and sometime around then, I looked over and saw a man that reminded me of Uncle Keith and I just had this overwhelming love for my Uncle Keith and I started crying again. There is so much of the next few miles that is just a blur. The hill at Veyo really goes on for about 4 miles. You get to the top only to realize it is a false summit and then do that 2 more times before you are finally done with it sometime between miles 11 and 12. I kept having to go to the bathroom and I'm not sure why. I don't know if I wasn't sweating as much because it was so much cooler than running down here that that is how my body was getting rid of it, I don't know. But that was the most aggravating part of the whole run to me. In all my trials I had never gone to the bathroom more than once and I think that only happened 1 time. And I bet I literally went to the bathroom somewhere between 6 and 10 times. It drove me crazy. About mile 18 I really started dying. After one of the first times I started walking this old guy ran past me and simply said, "Come on." And I started running again. Then I started feeling like I needed to throw up. I knew I was in trouble. I had gel shots with me and knew I needed more energy but I was afraid if I took them I would throw them back up. So I wasn't sure what to do. I ended up not taking them and I think that was the wrong choice. About mile 22 this girl ran past me and said, "You've got this, you do." I called Jamie and said, "tell me I can do this because I don't think I can." And then at mile 23 I started dry heaving. It was not fun. I honestly didn't think I would make it to the finish line. I just wanted to stop and yet I wanted so badly to finish. About mile 24 you enter St. George and so there are people cheering. And I was walking. UGGGHHH!!! I wanted so bad to run and just couldn't. I needed someone there. If I could go back and change one thing I would make Jamie wait for me earlier in the race. I just wanted someone who loved me to cheer and tell me I could keep going. When I had called Jamie he told me he was right before mile marker 26. I knew I didn't not want to be walking when I saw him so I started running right before then. 

He saw me before I saw him and he just yelled "GO JAMIE." I still tear up every time I think of that moment. I wish I could adequately express the change that came over me at that time. I knew I could run the rest of the way. I knew I could finish. I knew I could accomplish this goal that I had worked so hard for. And then just a short ways up the road Wacey and Jenny were waiting with these signs. All the kids and my mom and dad had signed them.

I ended up 4:45:24. I was hoping for 3:59:59. I felt like a complete and utter failure. Only with the passing of time did my perspective start to change. I finished a marathon. That is an amazing thing. I didn't quit when every part of me wanted to. And I learned once again how much my eternal companion means to me --everything. I remember when I went through the temple for the first time, Jamie and I weren't engaged. I think I had given him the ring back, but we were still dating and he went through with me. I can remember being in the celestial room with all of my family and some of my friends and hugging all of them and then feeling like something was missing. And as I turned around and watched him come through the veil, I knew that everything was complete - everyone that should be there was there. I love him. I love the man that he is. I love the way he supports me. I love his testimony of the gospel and I am eternally grateful that I get to be sealed to him. I am so grateful for the chance I had to run this marathon. I learned a lot from it. 

I am also so grateful for all the friends and family who supported me. When I got home Louise Hawk texted me and said she hoped it went well and when I told her I was feeling like a failure her and Bishop brought over flowers. Brother O'Loughlin - who had tried to help me so much the whole time I trained came up to me and said, "I could hug you. I am so glad you finished." There were friends and family and who prayed for me and wished me well. I am just one really lucky girl!