Brad Merrill [Bib # 849] [Photos]

Marathon Day: short version: cold,snow ,wind,slow times ! Temp--34 deg., wind 5-6 mph, wind chill factor--22 deg., light snow falling!

Friday afternoon: Left the house in what should have been plenty of time to make the planned 4pm Olive Garden encounter (RW forums) in plenty of time. (Carl Tenpas & wife Joann from Grand Junction, CO, Barbara Hanan & friend Betty from Big Sky, MT, Becky Burnett and husband Rick from Farmington, UT, Kimberly Ziebarth from Layton, UT as well as myself and my wife Cyndee. We missed Dan Head from Washington state & Jackie Woods from Bountiful, UT.

Freeway is backed up northbound, get off and head east on I-80 to 700 East. Wind around until we get back on I-15 at 600 N. Pull into Olive Garden parking lot at 4:20. Have a great meal with great friends. Stop for batteries for the camera in Brigham City, Carl & Joann pass us while getting them and then we pass them back in Sardine Canyon. Meet up at packet pickup. We discover Dan has already picked his up.

Cyndee & I are staying with (in laws) in Logan. I sleep well. Am at Merlin Olsen Park at about 4:45, right by where we board the buses. I never do hook up with everybody. About 5:35 I finally give up looking for the others and get on a bus.

About 1/3 of the way up the canyon or so I wipe the fog off the window and see the snow. After disembarking I hit the porta potty line then go looking for Carl, Z, Barb. Look in Visitors Center (the starting line is at an elk preserve-Hardware Ranch) I don't see them, run down to starting line area to warm up. Get into an area where I think I will probably end up time wise. (boy, was I wrong! Different weather, maybe)

I was wearing some old sweat pants over my shorts & a sweatshirt over a coolmax t (short sleeve). The sweat pants lasted until 10k, the sweatshirt all the way.

My watch time was 5:14:12 runnercard time: 5:14:19.3

Splits:

1. 11:17
2. 10:18/21:35
3. 10:13/31:49
4. 10:03/41:53
5. 9:56/51:49
6. 10:03/1:01:53 (10K 1:04.xx)
7. 11:26/1:13:19 (took a minute to get those sweats off)
8. 10:26/1:23:45
9. 9:55/1:33:41
10. 11:20/1:45:01
11. 10:52/1:55:53
12. 12:38/2:08:32 (first potty stop at beginning of this mile, at this point I lost Carl.)
13. 10:27/2:18:59 (13.1 2:20.xx)
14. 10:31/2:29:30
15. 11:19/2:40:50
16. 11:32/2:52:22
17. 12:05/3:04:27
18. 14:06/3:18:34 (I think this is where I stopped to remove some sand grains/rocks from my shoe. Also the last time I saw Z until after I finished.)
19. 15:35/3:34:10
20. 13:10/3:47:21 (I still felt good about making 4:30 or at least sub 5 at this point)
21. 15:52/4:03:14 (had to administer some Vaseline to some chafing at beginning of this mile & potty stop)
22. 15:38/4:18:52 (began walking much more)
23. 13:58/4:32:51
24. 13:56/4:46:47 My brother in law Brian ran with me just after the mile marker here (24) until after we passed the 26 mile marker. It sure helped.
25. 12:58/4:59:45
26. 12:20/5:12:06
27. 26.2 2:06/5:14:12

What a feeling! I don't know how to describe it except as a combination of euphoria and relief. Especially given the conditions. Cold weather, light snow, light breeze.

My father in law & his brother came around the corner in the last mile and high 5 ed me, lots of encouragement from the spectators, especially given conditions. My dad made it up, my in laws were there and a running friend who was volunteering got to give me my medal. COOL!

Today (Mon) & even yesterday (Sun), I was feeling pretty good. Not much in the way of soreness - except for the chafing. Thanks everybody for sharing my first with me.

See you on THE ROAD AHEAD!