Ogden!

Friday we went up to Ogden to pick up my race packet and decided to go to the dinosaur park up there. It was really cool. I'd go there any day over the zoo. Grayson was in heaven!
Saturday I woke up at 3:30am got dressed and Jon came and picked me up at 3:45am. The buses loaded at 4:45am and we rode up the canyon and got to the starting line about 5:30. So we had a nice hour and a half of waiting, preparing our minds and bodies, and standing in line to use the porta potties. We also met some cool marathon veterans. One guy had run at least 100 and 2 other guys were on their 30th. Crazy SOBs! The atmosphere at the starting line is so exciting and contagious, the energy is tangible. I can't believe the marathon has already come and gone. It just snuck right up on me. My goal was to run it in 4hrs. Turns out our training didn't quite cut it. Our longest run was only 16 miles... The first 13 miles of the race i felt great. I was right around 1hr50mins and was right on pace. But when I got to mile 18 my legs really started shutting down.  I had to really focus and push myself. Mile 20 there was an Army unit at the aid station and I got all emotional. Last night I asked Dan for words of inspiration and he said, when you think it can't get worse and are having a mentally tough time think about the boys over in Afganistan who wish they could be home doing something fun like running in nice cool weather instead of being in 100+ weather in the middle of a hell hole. So I saw those uniforms, thought of Dan and what he said, and had to try my best to keep the tears back. At about mile 23 my legs stopped working and I had to make a conscious effort to have my brain tell my legs to keep moving. The last 3.2 mile were pretty hard and took me about 40 minutes to complete. I finished in 4hrs 29mins. 4 minutes slower than my first marathon, and 29mins slower than my goal time.... buuuuut oh well. I tried my best and I finished without any regrets. Next marathon I will be more diligent in my training. At the finish line Grayson, Dan, Madison, Kristen, Milo and Jon's mom were cheering me on and I got all emotional seeing all of them... AND the finish line. Oh it was a sight for sore eyes. Any takers for the next marathon?