7am race start – woke early & took advantage of free train transit to U of U campus.
Most scenic marathon start-to-date, locale blanketed by the towering Wasatch Mountains (Utah’s Rockies). 6,500 participants, caps off for [singing of] our nation’s Anthem – and pop, we’re off.
My legs felt tight at mile 3 — not sure if caused by running a half marathon 6 days ago or running with my Thursday night group just 2 days prior. Just a twinge but still came as a surprise.
Checked out the elevation map in advance (lesson learned from last month’s Georgia Marathon) – running solid to mile 10. A steady 5 mile climb to mile 15, then one last hill at mile 20. Paced my first half 1:56 & gutted up the top of mile 15. Pushed to mile 17 but that was it – empty, no more in the tank.
Water break.
Started running tandem with a young guy from Ogden. Running, walking, shuffling but ultimately finishing what I started. Along the way Timothy encouraged another runner, Natalie, completing her first marathon. Tears streamed down her face as we neared the finish – only .2 miles away. Super emotional day – I’m a better person for having finished with these folks.
Crashed an hour in Washington Square, showered, then up & off to Temple Square. Gait wasn’t pretty – more of a stumble – but enjoyed showing my friend Matt Temple Square & soaking in Spring. Flowers were colourful, wildly vibrant.
6 down, 44 to go. Next month’s marathon – Maine (Kennebunk to Biddeford, along Maine’s rugged coast).
Salt Lake City Marathon — Saturday April 19, 2014
469 K R Haga Louisville, CO 4:41:23
UPDATE
Early flight on Sunday meant spending Easter at home – just in time to start a new tradition, outdoor dining at Casa Alegre, our first Mexicana holy holiday feast 🙂
TRAINING UPDATE
Signed up for a 25k trail race (15.5 miles) in Larkspur Colorado the week before my next marathon. Then no running or cycling for 6 days, only swimming. And Nutella — it’s baaaack for 3 weeks thanks to Ashton.
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- 30 minutes ’til marathon start
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- chatting it up w/ fellow finisher, Timothy of Ogden
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- FINISHER!
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- spring has sprung in Utah
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- starting new traditions @ Louisville’s Casa Alegre
Off to Salt Lake City for a 3 day marathon weekend – my 6th marathon & first Saturday race day.
Runner’s Expo bib pick up at Energy Solutions Arena (home of the NBA’s Utah Jazz), then off to Antelope Island – my pre-race Utah adventure. The Great Salt Lake is large enough to be seen from space — [so for me] an obvious go-to destination.
Antelope Island is accessed via a causeway west of Ogden. Pronghorn Antelope? Yeah, yeah they’ve been reintroduced to the island – but why did I go? BUFFALO. Free roaming herds of buffalo inhabit this island – so much so that each October they roundup herds, update vaccinations & sell off 100-150 head to maintain balance.
Quick stop at the Visitors Center to boost my knowledge base –
- Why salty vs fresh water? [lake is a bowl with no water outlet]
- Do fish inhabit Salt Lake? [nope, only brine shrimp]
- If no fish, what do the sea gulls eat? [lotta gnats & other insects]
- First Anglo to settle Antelope Island? [fur trapper Jim Bridger]
Bucking against ranger advice, hiked up Buffalo Point for pic ops of the Great Salt Lake. Amazing landscape shots against Utah’s snow-capped Rockies (Wasatch Mountains). Beautiful but then… GNATS
Hundreds of gnats settled on my cap, shirt, neck, in my ears, eyes, mouth. Appears the rangers were right – it really is gnat birthing season. Rushed back down the trail, stepping on a snake on my trek return. Not a rattlesnake (which is what I initially thought) but rather a Great Basin gopher snake. Vigorously shook off, ducked in my rental & turned the AC on high. Goal? Freeze all remaining insects resting on my body & clothing. I’m not crazy squeamish but these swarms were epic.
Meanwhile…only 20 minutes away on the other side of the island roamed herds of BUFFALO. On a cerebral level, I understand these are genetic cousins to our domestic cattle – but in person, these massive mammals represent the American West. Native to our continent, muscular, strong – I’m a HUGE fan. WOW!
Saw jackrabbits which ridiculed the size of my neighborhood’s bunnies – huge feet, enormous ears. Didn’t leave before snapping shots of deer & a coyote. Whole lotta wildlife.
Can’t imagine day-to-day life for those first frontier pioneers but for me, Utah’s Great Salt Lake – a ‘must-see’ destination.
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- ready to get my April marathon on
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- bib pick-up, home of the Utah Jazz
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- pre-race must-see, the Great Salt Lake
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- that landscape, that view — WOW!
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- their side of the Rockies is almost as beautiful as ours
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- Buffalo Point – short hike, quick pic, hundreds of gnats
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- (literally) stepped on this guy on my trek back [gopher snake]
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- mule deer
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- island predator
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- BUFFALO!
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- today’s WOW shot
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- symbol of the American West – SPECTACULAR day!
A short hour east of Wyoming, we continued our Oregon Trail journey thru Nebraska.
Another obligatory photo at the state sign change, then 30 minutes to Scotts Bluff – arriving well before 5pm when park rangers close key roads & the Visitors Center.
Quick stop at the Oregon Trail Museum (a bit dated, built in 1949), then UP to Scotts Bluff. Whereas the drive across Nebraska had been desolate, monotonous & void of people, Scotts Bluff was a geological surprise. Towering clay cliffs, SPECTACULAR views, massive gorges slicing thru the rolling landscape below – WOW, WOW, WOW!
Ash & Tom nabbed their first Nebraska geocache before hitting rural roads south, ultimately merging with I-80 West to Cheyenne.
Dinner? Heck yeah. Stopped at T-Joes Steakhouse & Saloon where Ash, Tom & my friend Matt threw back a shot of whiskey & ordered a plate of red meat. when in Wyoming, right? 🙂 Started with “cowboy caviar” — Rocky Mountain oysters. Yep, an all-cowboy meal — even my fish was breaded & deep fried to death. LOL>
Forgot how much fun road tripping can be. LOVED LOVED this day – looking forward to summer!
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- livin’ the good life — in Nebraska
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- unexpected beauty in western Nebraska
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- Saddle Rock
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- Dome Rock
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- The Gorge, Scotts Bluff
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- soaking it all in
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- the Old Oregon Trail
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- Eagle Rock
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- Go West!
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- Rocky Mountain oysters (cowboy caviar)
