St George Marathon

okay last year my cousin JaNae did STG and loved it soo much she wanted me to do so I hesitantly signed up for the runners series, I went to St George in January and did the St George half then in March we went down and did the Lake to Lake relay. got my guaranteed entry into the hard sought after St George marathon. Still not really wanting to do it, and waiting till the VERY last day I finally signed up. finished of all my spring runs and went into a runners hibernation state. mid July I tried to start my training with no avail. I decided to sign up for a couple of halfs to hopefully kick start my training. It didn't work, I went into STG with a couple halfs run and no more than that since June.
I wasn't nervous just worried since I knew I hadn't trained. Don and I made it to st george just in time to meet up with some friends for dinner, not thinking there was room for us at the table we slipped outside and sat in the fresh air. We ended up speaking with an older couple about running and cycling and triathlons. It was a nice dinner even though we missed our friends.
headed to the expo got my bib, shirt, ect, and saw Tom and JaNae. Made quick arrangements and headed back to the hotel to sleep.
We got up at 3:15 to leave. Melissa drove and Kimberly joined us. We got on the 2nd bus heading up. it was windy and cool at the start, we found an unlit fire and sat around it and someone came and started it. we talked and waited. Finally the start. My hope was to finish-then to finish in under 5 hours. I started with a friend Christine, she was doing a 5 minute walk and a 1 minute run. It was a little faster pace than I wanted so once we hit the hill-Veyo. I dropped back to my own pace.
I was feeling sore, knowing it was because I was so under trained, at mile 14ish my ankle started to hurt a little and it promptly started to bother the back of my knee, mile 16-17 it wrapped around to the front of my knee. I would tell myself to run through the song I was listening to on my ipod, then I could walk. I did that for a while but then I just couldn't any more. it was too much pain. I saw many a sag wagon pass, I even saw a couple people get in. :( That was NOT gonna be me. I had put too much into this race and even though I didn't want to be there I was NOT giving up. I cried for a bit, wished Don was there. it took so long to get to the mile markers. I thought I would be out there all day. I talked to a couple people but they always started running and I could never keep up. The pain came up to my hip. It was really bad and I was actually a little worried I wouldn't make it at this point. And it hurt to run down hill and that was mostly what was left. long sloping hills that you can really pick up pace and get done quick, I had to walk down. I saw a sign that said Liberty blvd. it seemed like eternity until I finally made it to that street!!! There was a bike trail a long side of the road we were on and I kept hoping Don was gonna come but he didn't I texted him letting him know my condition. I hoped to finish in under 5:30 at this point.
We were finally into town, as I turned into town there was a sprinkler thing to run through it felt good, I walked over to the water station and they had candy . I figured I had 3 miles left, I was gonna eat some candy, I got a red vine and a kit kat and ate them up had some water and was on my way. wondering how I was gonna do this. by now I could run for maybe 20 seconds before I was in too much pain. The pain was no longer in my hip. I ran/walked as far as I could. Not long after the candy station Don did come by on his bike and helped me finish, probably a little stronger than I would of if he hadn't. The finish line couldn't get to me quick enough. I was determined to run through it. I walked quickly through the finishers area, grabbed ice cream, chocolate milk, a piece of bread and a plate of food. found Don and we sat on the grass for a while then he went and got my drop bag and we left. Yes I finished. I was pretty miserable, but I have never been so happy to be done!! That was soo long! My watch gives me a moving time of 5:37. :(

happy things-
I found another pair of my FAVORITE shorts at the Nordictrack booth at the expo!! I haven't seen them at their booths since I first got them and this time they were in the clearance bin (only one pair though).
I got to spend time in St George and see God's beautiful creations-Snow Canyon, We gotta bring the kids here!!! I remember being there as a kid!
All along the course I was reminded, by signs, I am pacing The Haunted Half in two weeks and it is gonna be a blast cuz I have a friend running it with me!
my phone is being replaced for free (see sad things),
I finished marathon #5.

sad things-
my knee still is sore and I have a really bad sunburn!
I ran with my phone in my bra and my sweat shorted out my battery charging area so I can't post my pictures.



so that's it. I'm gonna take it easy on the running. I hope I haven't completely burned myself out, I really had planned to do the buffalo run in March-50 miler but I think I'm gonna have to wait. I am gonna spend some time in the pool and on my bike. I really hope I am gonna be ok to run in 2 weeks, and at ragnar LV in a month.