I apologize for not posting.  Life is just too busy but that's good because that means I'm alive and kicking!

I'm just going to post about the Ogden Marathon last weekend.  I don't want to forget how hard it was to complete.
I'm watching the weather all week for the conditions when we run.  It changes from overcast and cool to rain.  Rain.  I don't run in the rain.  I look out the window, see rain and stay in bed.  I really don't run in the rain.  I am freaking out.  Seriously.  Freaking out.  I didn't know what to pack or how much to pack.  I was really over thinking the entire process.  Finally the thought came, "You just have to run - just a basic run - go run".  So that's how I packed.  Made sure I had my capris, shirt, long sleeve shirt, sports bra, socks, shoes, jacket, garbage bag, Body Glide and Garmin.  I could just run. 
On Friday, we drove to Ogden.  We being all of my crazy friends - Havilah & Victor, Marc & Stephanie, Dave, Sean and Larry.  We stopped at the Brick Oven and had a great lunch.  We checked into our hotel and then went to the Expo to pick up our packets.  It was a good expo, nothing to shout about.  The shirts are nice - blue long sleeve tech.  At the expo they announced rain and temperature in the upper 30s.  Crazy.
We had another small meal and then back to the hotel to go to bed.  At the hotel, I laid everything out.  I made sure I had everything ready.  I set three different alarms for 3:00 AM.  I was alone in the room and really didn't want to sleep through my alarm.  Going to sleep was hard.  My nerves were okay but there were kids running through the hall until about 10:30.
I got up with my first alarm, got dressed, packed and stretched.  I was ready.  We all met in the lobby and headed to the catch the bus.  The bus ride up was okay.  We were lucky and got on a nice bus.  When we got up there they dropped us off in the rain, in a cow pasture lit by small fires, to stand for two hours.
The two hours passed pretty quickly. 
We all lined up with the pacer we had anticipated we would need.  It was raining still and would continue for the entire race.  It took me five minutes from the gun time to when I crossed the starting line.  There were so many people.  Looking back, the time passed quickly.  The first 8 miles for me were great.  I was worried about my IT band so for the past 6 months I had been stretching it and doing all kinds of strength training so I could avoid any problems.  The first 8 miles  I seriously had to use the bathroom 3 times.  It was crazy.  I had problems with leg cramps during training.  After a little research I decided to take Metasalt.  It contains salt and electrolytes needed so I could avoid the cramping. It worked great but because of the cooler temperatures I retained much more water than I needed.  Have you ever tried to hurry and pull up wet capris?  Not fun. 
Miles nine through thirteen were my toughest.  Every step I wondered, "What the hell am I doing?"  Running around the reservoir was tough.  It was hilly and I was chilled to the bone.  I was starting to sweat running in my garbage bag.  I actually thought it would clear up so I threw my garbage bag away around mile 9.  Stupid.  Stupid.  Stupid. Every part of me was wet.  My feet sloshed in my shoes.  I was wet and cold.  I stopped around mile ten and used the bathroom AGAIN.  Then I trudged on.  Everyone around me was miserable and verbally complaining and negative.  I was done.  I decided that I would focus on something positive.  The next aid station was mile 13 and I could hear the music and a women screaming, "Wahoo!" Seriously loud - she got me through the next two  miles.
Mile fourteen was the only real hill.  It wasn't bad.  The rain actually let up and I took my long sleeve shirt off.  I thought it would dry a little tied around my waist.  After the hill was mostly down hill to cross the dam and enter the canyon.  It was then that the wind picked up, it started to pour again and the run got so much harder.  I was freezing - the wind added another dimension that I just wasn't ready for.  I said a little prayer and asked for knowledge, help in knowing how to stay warm.  I felt like I should put my wet long sleeved shirt back on -- easier said than done.  It did help and I was glad to have it.  At this point my feet were painfully numb.  They just hurt.  My hands were swollen beyond swollen.  When I would walk through an aid station to drink and eat I couldn't open the ziploc back with my fingers.  It was frustrating.
Around mile 18, two women that I had followed the entire were running beside me.  I started a conversation with them.  They invited me to run/ walk with them.  They truly got me to the finish line.  We ran 3 minutes and then walked 1 minute.  It was so nice to have conversation.  I actually fell behind them with a mile to go.  I was just done.  DONE.  Then I turned the corner and  could see the finish line.  I was very emotional and on the verge of tears.  Brian, my mom, Zac, Hayden and Bailee were standing around mile 25 and a half.  Brian walked up and met me, put is arms around me and I just cried.  I just wanted to be done.  He ran with me for a while, then Zach ran with me.  I finally entered the finishing chute and ran across the finish line.  Havilah and Victor were at the finish.  My words to them, "That sucked!"  I found my medal, had a Coke (I don't drink pop but it was all I could find!)  We took some pictures and then everyone went there separate ways home.  I went with my family.  They were all hungry so we went to Chuckarama.  I was still in my wet clothes, I was cold and I just wanted to get home. 

I know this is a long post - sorry.  Recovery from this race has been great.  My quads were sore and my back and shoulders.  I think from being so tense in the cold and rain.  I kept moving Sunday.  Sitting through church was tough but I went on a few walks to get loose.  Monday I felt pretty good.  The rest of the week I rode my bike and stayed active.  Saturday was my first run.  Honestly, the first two miles I felt like crap but it got better.  My foot has hurt all week.  I finally googled plantar faciaitis.  I found some stretches for it - did them and my foot feels back to normal.

This was a great learning experience.  I know a few things I would do differently.  Overall my body held up very well.  The rain added a new dimension to the experience but added a lot of knowledgee for me.  I will do another marathon - maybe this fall???