The Ogden Marathon 2012

I totally forgot to blog about this blessed event and it has to go down in the history books.  Not sure I will ever have the desire to do a full marathon again. It is not even on my bucket list, which at the moment I cannot even find the so-called bucket list. At one point I wrote a "realistic" list and titled it. "40 Things to do before I turn F-O-R-T-Y" Now where did I put that list because I am so adding to it: Run a Full Marathon!!!! And will happily check it off!

It was a typical February and I needed to start training for Ragnar once again and this years training partner was Liz and Mandy (who lived in PRICE). So these fools were training for the Ogden Marathon, please note they ran the St. George Marathon last Fall.  I thought for sure my knee would give out or a number of things would stop me from keeping up with these fine ladies. Then the "unspeakable" came up in conversations a couple times that I should go ahead and get a spot and just run it. I told my brain I would not commit unless I could get through the 18 miler with no problems. Well Liz and I did it in the sleet at 6:30 in the morning starting up past Morgan....who does this?! We stopped for doughnuts at the Morgan Gas Station on our run and it was easy sailing from there. It was a great run. Her Dad has a pic somewhere on his phone I need a copy to prove we started in a storm.

So I put out some feelers on KSL, three contacts to be exact to buy a spot and didn't get any bites. The next run was 20 miles. Liz and I drove to Sprigville and met up with the Mandsters in the middle and ran up and back down Hobble Creek Canyon. Again, another glorious run that included cookies at the golf course at mid point! If my memory is correct I believe it was this day that I was contacted by a super cool marine dude that sold me his Marathon spot. Just in the nick of time too. I was able to transfer it to my name. YAY!

So the next couple of weeks I honestly was not running and training on mid-week runs like I should have been. Saturday runs were still going good and the big day was approaching. I felt at this point like my diet was good and I had it down what my body could train and run with and to pop some Motrin and Tylenol every now and then was a big bonus for me.

Race Day came and we boarded a bus bound for the start line.  The race started at 7 so after meeting with the Honey Buckets it was game time. I was in a state of mind that this was a training run and to keep my mind in a calm and collected mood, as to not freak out and become a major head case. Let me just say I am a major goof ball and made a foo' out of myself by posing for the cameraman at the start line. The START LINE PEOPLE, before we ran across the line I posed for the cameraman and face planted on the asphalt. I believe my right shoe got caught up in the my left shoe that had the time tracker looped on it. The loop caught my shoe lace and sent me flying. So embarrassing to say the least. SOOOO I gave myself a pretty good hand bruise and some road rash to the left knee. My friends honestly saved my can this day in so many ways. I jumped up and again psyched myself into thinking this was a training run and to remain cool. Once I started running Mandy reminded me not to look at my knee. I also remember her saying so sincerely, "oh no not Amberlee not this." She later said she thought for sure I would get back on the bus and call it a day.

I had set all this little goals in my head that I wanted to accomplish along the way of the 26.2 run. The first was to run and stay with Liz and Mandy up until the damn, which was oh I'd say mile 15. Literally touched Mandy's arm at the damn and said goodbye see you later. I could no longer keep at their pace. Next I wanted to run it and not walk, especially when I got to the Ogden Park Walk path. Totally ran the whole thing with no walking. Yes, I did like a 15 minute/mile pace towards the end BUT I did not walk. Third, I wanted to finish at 4 hours and 45 minutes and I finished at 4 hours 52 minutes, close enough for me! Plus I had two bathroom, Honey Bucket breaks. The second bathroom break I kind of started to break down mentally and was like what the Hell did I get myself into and started to sob just a wee bit. Then I kicked my head in gear and literally ran out of the potty to get back into the ZONE.

Hi-Light of the run by far having family to cheer me into the finish line. My baby girl on Rich's shoulders surrounded by Logan and my in-laws, brother in-law and niece Kat. Then opposite side my parents, brother and niece Demi and nephew Kaleb. I got through the finish line and then caught up with my parents and honestly had an emotional melt. I never thought it would be so emotional. I hugged my Dad and cried and cried that I was so proud of myself and that I met all my goals. I later called my brother to see if his kids thought I was the biggest ninny. He said they thought it was cool and it was good for them to see me do it!

Now it is all said and done I honestly believe it is mind over matter. I was in such a ZONE with my music and ambition that I got through it and am so glad I did it and thanks to some great friends that pushed and supported me the whole way.