Teton Dam Marathon

I did it!

13.10938 miles in 2 hours and 12 minutes!

It was a perfect day for a run: overcast with a slight breeze.  Roy started out the race with me.  He ran by my side for probably almost 2 miles and then ran back.  Lucky him, he’d ducked out before we hit the never-ending steep hills.  These hills are what qualify this race as a relatively tough marathon.

I listened to my audio book and kept moving, although I lost considerable speed once I felt I was at a 90-degree angle.  Alicia is an experienced runner, and she gave me some advice before the race and made sure we ate pasta and got plenty of rest the night before.  One piece of advice was to take at least one gulp of water at every station.  I did, but I also splashed it all over myself since I didn’t want to stop running.  I should have asked her what the trick to that was.  Of course, she was running the full marathon like a champ.  I’m definitely not there yet. 

My favorite part of the race was at one of the few downhill segments.  There was nothing but quiet and green fields on either side of me when suddenly a car crammed with people honked at me.  Hanging out of the open windows were Roy, Lynn, Sydney, Alli, and Skylar!  I think I had eight or nine miles behind me at this point, but still a lot to go.  So I kept moving when they all leaped out of the car and jogged beside me.  For the next few minutes I got encouragement and good laughs.  Roy kept telling me how proud he was, and they updated me on Alicia and the rest of the race.  Skylar drove the car back up and they all jumped in, leaving me alone with my audio book again.  But now I felt refreshed and couldn’t help but smile.  Two teenage girls that had been running behind me told me that I had “awesome friends” to come out and find me like that.  They’re right.

And they were all there at the finish line too. When I rounded the final corner I was met with a street completely covered in cheering bodies.  A lot of them were LDS missionaries that had their black name tags clipped onto their "Dam Volunteer" shirts.  I didn't expect that at all!  But even other volunteers and people I didn't know were cheering me to the finish.  Crossing went by in a blur.  Suddenly all my friends were around me and hugging me.  Somehow a bottle of water was in my hand and a metal was around my neck.  Then Roy's Mom, RaLyn, and Leah were there- then they were gone- then pictures... maybe it seemed so fast motion because my heart was still pounding so fast while my body was at a standstill for the first time in more than two hours.  

The really emotional part was when Alicia made it across the finish line after running over 26 miles.  Group hugs all around!  I never realized how fulfilling something as simple as running could be.  I loved it!  I love how supportive my friends are.

And my fiancé too!

 By the way, not long after I started my race, Dennis began his 10-K with his brother Mark and his daughter Leah.  Mark is an experienced runner and ran with his bro to coach him through the race.  You gotta hand it to Dennis, a 10-K is ambitious for anyone but especially for someone with his knees!  Even MY knees killed me by the end of the day.  This is what became of us...