Saturday, May 15, Brandi, and my brother Dave, and I ran the Ogden Marathon. After 3 prior attempts at Ogden (4:03, 4:12, 4:25), I finally broke four hours with a 3:57 averaging 8:58 per mile. Dave and I ran together through about Mile 14, and Dave finished in 4:11 on his first marathon attempt. Brandi ran 10 minute miles the whole way and only walked while drinking at the aid stations. She finished in 5:02 after stopping 9 times for the bathroom! Dave and I both ran the entire route as well, only stopping for a few seconds to drink at the aid stations (I tried running while drinking Powerade once and I think it is still up my nose). This was my first marathon where I felt really strong all the way through. I kind of hit the "wall" at Mile 24 and slowed to a 9:20 pace, but I was still running well. In past years, I have just crashed around Mile 19 or 20 and walked a lot. I bought a Garmin Forerunner 110 GPS watch, and this helped considerably because it tells you a real-time pace, so Dave and I just held our pace between 8:40 and 8:59 the entire route. The weather was perfect. I never once felt hot as I have in past years, unless you count my short shorts, which are hot. It was loads of fun having a bunch of family with me this time. Running the race alone is cool, but this was better. Thanks to Dave's wife, Erin, who had to baby us all day Saturday after the race buying ice, food, and driving. And thanks to mom and dad for taking care of the kids and being at the finish line!
Outside the runners' area after the race. We look happy, but just after the picture we all hobbled, limped away to the car. Erin kept laughing at us.
The racing bibs. This year they put the timing chips on the bib (back). It was supposed to click at mile 23 and send a text to my dad's cell phone that I was approaching, but it didn't work.
The massage party in the Marriott the night before. We were smart and got a room in the Marriott two blocks from the bus loading downtown, and right at the finish line. It was perfect.
Brandi getting ready - lubing and bandaging and dressing. We got up at 4:15 and were out the door at 4:45 am. Buses load in the dark from 4:45 - 5:00 and drive the 26.2 miles up into the mountains.
Dave getting ready the night before - putting our bibs on, our race gear together, and getting race bags ready to take to the start. You can peel off layers at the start, place them in your bag, and then throw them in a truck. They are waiting for you at the finish.
Dressed for the cold mountain air. Yes, my shirt says, "Bong," (Billabong), but that had nothing to do with the massage party the night before.
Dave at the start line just after the bus dropped us off. The line of lights are the buses lined up dropping off the 2,500+ runners.
Waiting in the cow pasture. We run down the canyon behind Brandi for about 5 miles before breaking out into a high mountain valley, circling a reservoir, running through Huntsville, and then dropping down Ogden Canyon at Mile 18.
Chilly but not too cold. As Brandi came out of the porta potty, she grabbed the inside handle to open the door and there was blue liquid all over it. The only blue liquid in that porta potty was in the toilet. She thinks someone dropped something in, fished it out, then grabbed the door handle. Nasty! Dave also realized at the finish that he had spent the entire 26.2 miles wiping his face and eating with the same hand he lubed himself up with at the start.
The pasture has these drums full of firewood cranking heat for all the runners. We all smell like smoke, but we're warm, and the smoke smell is soon replaced by sweat.
Dave lotioning up for the sun a few minutes before the start.
Joe approaching the finish in downtown Ogden coming over to give a High Five to the kids, Erin, and Mom and Dad.
Brandi coming down the home stretch looking pretty as always (no blue hand anymore either).
Annie and Emmy running with Brandi to the finish and James smiling.
Dave looking strong at the finish. He said he got all teary-eyed when he saw the fam and when I met him in the runners' area for a hug. My first three marathons I was this way, too. It's just a really emotional experience to run that far, be that drained, and then see family supporting.
Annie and Emmy (above) with their drums on stage in front of a pretty large crowd at Swanney Park.
Emmy playing alone (some songs require the drummers to begin a line or processional as the group joins into the song one by one and the drummers use multiple drums, moving from drum to drum as everyone joins in gradually leaving just one drummer again).
Annie drumming. Some of the traditional Japanese songs have the performers wearing animal "masks" mostly for fun, but also out of symbolism to a particular song's message, origin, or purpose.
Annie rocking.
Emmy rocking - green masked.
Emmy crouched down smiling. During some songs, as participants move into and out of the drum line, they will duck down behind the drummer or drummers waiting their turn to jump in.
The middle school group with a few younger kids - Annie 3rd from the left in an orange mask. Emmy is second from the right in a green mask.
The two hosers.
