Top of Utah - September 18th, 2010



Gettin "inked up" the night before



I can see the clock....



Boy have we come a long way.  Back in 2003, Michelle and I decided to run a marathon.  A grandiose idea at the time, but one that would change the direction of our lives.  I remember thinking at the time how crazy this idea was, and as we trudged along to a 4:52 finish wanting nothing more than to be done so I could throw my shoes (and cotton tee shirt) away and never run again.   Little did I know at the time, I would come back to this race, 7 years and 10 marathons later to accomplish what I never thought possible.

As the weeks led up to the marathon, I was quite unsure how things would turn out.  My last marathon (Salt Lake) this spring had been extremely disappointing.  With Boston on my mind, I went out way too fast and bonked at about mile 20!  Even with 10 marathons under my belt, I'm still as stubborn as a donkey when it comes to pacing and nutrition.  Michelle's always told me I'm a poor planner...well Salt Lake was validation for her!  That being said, I decided earlier in the week to write up a nutrition plan, and try to follow it the best I could.  Now that Michelle has picked herself up from the floor...I'm happy to say that I finally made a plan and stuck to it!  Yippee!

I also made a unique decision not to wear a watch during the race.  Too often I find myself watching my pace, pushing too hard early in the run, and ultimately losing focus on the prize at the end.  If Triathlon has taught me anything, it is to go all out and worry about the time later!  I also, wanted to run for the fun of it...no pressure, no problem.  Yes, I still ran a bit too hard in the beginning, but the unknown of pace and actual time kept me pushing all the way to the end. 

I really think the combination of nutrition and running with a sense of peace, rather than pace really worked out in the end.  The course was beautiful, the many colors of fall in the canyon made the first 14 miles go by faster than I could have imagined.  I even saw a huge bull moose on the course...seems to be our family theme animal this year!  It was an awesome sight.  Also loved seeing Michelle on her bike and the kids in the bike trailer at mile 20.  It was a huge lift when they pulled over and cheered their little heads off!  Made me so happy!  Thanks for the support...love you guys so much.

When Michelle proposed the idea of starting a blog, the concept was around us qualifying for Boston as a couple, and finishing an Ironman together.  She's the prepared one, and I'm here because of my damn good looks!  Unfortunately, looks aren't everything, or so I've heard.  I'm happy to report that I crossed the finish line in 53rd place with a time of 3:08!  I held up my end of the bargain this time and joined Michelle as a Boston Qualifier!  I knew I had it in me, just had a hard time making it a reality.  Thanks for the patience babes!

So one major goal accomplished, and on to the next.  2011 is the year of the Ironman!  Oh wait, forgot, I still have St. George Marathon this coming Saturday.  Whose idea was it to sign up for two marathons in three weeks?  Oh yeah, that guy who 7 years ago thought he'd never run another marathon as long as he lived! 



The family celebrating after the race



Tri (and run) hard!