Each Day Is a Gift

Like most night before a race, I slept very little especially in the Trend when hubby gets up to use the bathroom.  He tried to be quiet but the RV rocks a little everytime he moves.  It got cold for him around 4 so he turned on the heat.  Anyhow, I got up at 5:15.  Ate a banana and chobani.  Dressed in capri, long sleeve top, and armwarmersock, fuel belt with handsanitizer, chlorox wipes, pill box, mask, tissues and one Gu.  Three buses pulled in at 5:50 and parked where we would've parked last night when we were eating dinner.  But I had a feeling we should move it to the east side, so that was the right thing to do.  There was one other camping trailer parked at the northeast corner.  Runners started to pull in and parked at the north end and in the middle of the field.  Two porta-potties were stationed at the "entrance" on the south side.  When the last of the buses pulled out (one remained and was not going to the start), I texted Lowell, Amanda to make sure they're already on their way.  It was 6:14am.  Amanda texted me as they got off the exit which is about 0.25 mile away and gave description of their vehicle.  I got out and walked to the entrance where Chelsie (the RD and some race staff) were standing and directing traffic.  I asked them where the finish line is.  It's about 0.15 mile off on the frontage road directly west of the parking lot.  Patrick drove up shortly and off we went.  In the Highlander were also Amanda's two kids (Landrey 15 and Scottie 10).  They're making this a little family getaway trip.  They brought 4 bikes with them. 

Got to the start with 15 min to spare.  Met up with Amanda Roberts, Haley Lane and her brother Joseph Bradshaw (who ended up taking 2nd place overall).  Amanda and Haley drove up from St. George that morning.  Landry would drive Amanda's car down to the finish, he being from Idaho already got his driver's license at age 15. 

We took some group pictures with and without our masks.  Lowell brought bandanas for them to use as mask.  While he shed his tights and down jacket, Haley, Amanda V and I used the portapotties.  The Half capped at 90 for the Half.  We ended up with 85 participants.  There were fire barrels, 5 porta potties, music.  The start line is a reflective tape laid across the road.  The RD made a brief announcement asking who's the first-timer, 4th timer for this race.  He commented that the first timers might get hooked after running this beautiful course and would wanna come back.  He explained the course is semi-closed off, there are couple of ranchers living in the canyon and of course the Fremont Indians State Park & Museum is at mile 8 and is opened at 9am. so we could encounter traffic there.  I've only seen one car going down and one car coming up the canyon during the entire race.

I was worried that I might be overdressed as I looked around most runners were wearing shorts and singlets.  I used the mylar blanket from the race packet to wrap around me so I could avoid the firepit smoke.  The race started on time with a 5-4-3-2-1-rifleshot.  The two Amandas and Joe were off like a bullet while Haley, Lowell and I stayed with the back of the pack.  We leap frogged with few runners.  Ran with a lady from St. George who donated her kidney to a friend two months ago in March.  We came across Willow, a tall 14 year old with her mother Rhonda.  Lowell asked Willow to join us saying it would help her and us.  She said she was having breathing issues.  So Lowell showed her how to breath properly to get more oxygen.  Lowell would make us pose for pictures by running ahead of every mile marker then turn around and run towards the mile marker so he could capture the moments.  He'd make us sing the "boot camp" song with him making up words as we go along.  We stopped at every interesting geoformation and road signs to pose for pictures.  At one point, about 10K into the race, Lowell made Haley posed for a rock-climbing pic.  The canyon walls are that amazing, lots of holes and slots undoubtedly created by years of water and wind.  The clear creek runs alongside to the right of us.  This really is a beautiful course.  So safe too that you can look up at the interesting geo-formation.  We would point out a T-Rex head, a toad, a giant mushroom, a maiden, a fisherman, a dog, a horse, an Indian chief, a giraffe, etc. SO FUN!!! 

We lost Lowell and Haley soon after that "rock climbing" pose.  Willow started asking me how to get rid of cramps.  I asked where her cramp was.  She pointed to her left side just under her ribs.  So I showed her some tricks to get rid of the sideache.  To her delight, she said it works.  Then a bit later, she asked what if it's all the way across.  I figured may be it's her diaphragm spasm.  So we walked and did some exercise to stretch out the rib cage.  Then she asked what if she was not eating well.  Then she asked about what to do for the leg cramps.  Well, needless to say for two miles I gave her lessons on quads and calves stretches, breathing exercises, proper nutritions.  When she wanted to stop again around mile 8 I told her I would run ahead to catch her mom and have her run with us.  She said, why? My mom doesn't like to run with people.  I said but you're a mother-daughter-team, you should run together.  She reintereated that earlier when Lowell tried to get her mom to run with us, she refused.  I learned a litte more about her mom who's actually an ultra runner and does prefer to run solo.  I caught up to Rhonda and told her that Willow is having some issues.  She simply said, Oh I know, she is okay, she will finish.  With that I ran ahead knowing that if Willow doesn't catch up with her mom, Lowell and Haley would run along and accompany her.

The moment we passed the mile 7ish aid station, I realized I had not taken a Gu.  I asked Haley if she saw any Gu at the last aid station and she assured me that there wasn't any and the next aid station should have it.  Anyhow, when I approached mile 9 aid station I decided to take the Gu I carried.  Sure enough, they did not have any energy gel.  The last 5K was flat with a little rollers, parrallel I-70.  It was getting a bit breezy and at times a headwind.  I just kept in sight a runner ahead and would reel each one in.  I passed about 8 or 9 runners after Rhonda and no one passed me.  The last mile has an uphill of 0.75 long, it's a long steady climb.  I was about 60 seconds behind my last victim but that last climb onto the freeway overpass dashed my hope of catching her and my hope of finishing under 2:30.  I had to take couple of walk breaks as my heart rate soared.  The finish line arch was visible on the other side of I-70.  Saw hubby down below on the frontage road calling out to me.  Twitches of leg cramps started to creep up as I ran down the overpass and made the U-turn onto the frontage road.  Saw Amanda V and her family at the U-turn and I commented on the demoralizing uphill of the last mile, then ran straight ahead towards the finish arch to the cheers of the RDs and staff. 

They had fig bars, chocolate milk and bottled water for post race refreshment.  We cheered other runners in keeping a safe distance.  I recommend this race and will come back and run it again in the future.  Haley, Scottie and I ran back up the course when we spotted Lowell and Haley coming down and we all ran in together.  We took some finish line group pictures and said goodbye with "air hugs".  Hubby was extra cautious and stayed some distance away.  We got back in our RV and drove home by 2pm.  It was a quick 24 hours trip. 

Official time: 2:32:15  Splits: 10:03, 10:57, 11:18, 12:05, 11:06, 11:35, 13:37, 11:23, 11:59, 11:07, 11:44, 11:17, 11:38, 9:45