I am fortunate to live in a little town in Southern Utah where the weather stays warm for most of the year, the sun shines Every Day, and people from all over the world come to run our marathon every year on the first weekend in October. What started as an event to boost tourism for our town in a beautiful time of year here, has become a sell out event every year! Registration for the marathon happens by lottery for anyone outside of our county because there are so many who want to come to run this marathon! To participate you must register in April, and for those out of the county, it is a frustrating draw because they aren't guaranteed entry.
I have run the race 5 or 6 times, I keep thinking I should count up the years, but I haven't. There are many who have run this marathon more than 10 times. I never dreamed that I would hope to someday be able to say I was a member of that club, but it is getting closer every year!
This year I have been so busy with other... emergencies that my running has not been as regular as it usually is. My training has severally suffered, to the point that I have struggled for a couple of weeks trying to decide if I will do it all. I have always run with B, although he only does it because I love it. This year with his nose accident in June, and then surgery, then other events, and then rolling his bad ankle three times in the past month, he has opted to not do it this year. That left a decision for me to do it alone - not something I have ever done before. I feel a little bad because in years that I have been pregnant, or recently had a baby, he has not rubbed in my face that I couldn't do it, so now the tables are turned, and I don't want him to feel bad that he can't.
I have decided that I really want to run, and so I am planning on it. Last year it rained for the whole marathon, it was a miserable long way! This year the weather has been hot - 98 degrees yesterday afternoon. I don't know what the high was today, but it was still very warm. That is too hot. Today a cold front dropped snow at Mom & Dad's and it has cooled off significantly tonight, they are predicting highs that day to be in the 80's. That will help. I really haven't trained like I would like to have, and Certainly not like others do! I have never felt good about running these huge marathons in preparation for the event, but I usually like to get a couple long runs in before the event (13-18 miles). This year, I only found time to get one long in, and that wasn't too long - I haven't taken the time to clock it.
I enjoy running because it gives me time to connect with my Heavenly Father. Marathoning is something really hard that reminds me on whom I depend, my Savior and Father in Heaven! In years past it has been a strengthening for our marriage that we are committed to each other, to pull each other through hard times. We each have our own hard time, and it becomes a test to see if we will stick together. I hope that running it alone this year doesn't damage our relationship. I saw a bumper sticker recently on our friend's L.S's car that says 26.2 Cheep Therapy. I love that! It is therapy to have time to sort out my thoughts, exercise my body, and connect with heaven. I am thankful for such healthy therapy!
My family is all on their way here for the weekend. In addition to being marathon weekend, and thousands gathering here for the big event, it is also LDS Conference this weekend, and fall break from school so many don't have responsibilities in LDS church services on Sunday so they can break away. Our little town started filling up early this week, and by tomorrow it will be literally busting at the seams!
I love the tranquil, beautiful thoughts of a weekend of running, and listening to our Prophet and members of the Quorum of the Twelve. I needed the messages from Relief Society last week, especially President Eyring's message. I am trying to find a device I can listen to conference on while I run alone this year. I don't normally listen to anything while I run, I usually don't carry anything. On marathon day I wear a waist pack, and take a few life saving things like Ibuprofen, a few salt packets, Goo of my own choosing to fuel, and something sweet to suck or chew when I need it. This year I am seriously considering taking a radio so I can think about something positive when I need that lift.
C has been running cross country with Dixie's team. He says he wants to run the last few (10) miles with me. We have had many medical people say that young people should not run more miles than they are old. C seriously wants to grow taller, and not stunt his growth, so he doesn't want to run the whole race, but I am afraid if he joins for the last 10 he will seriously think I am sooo slow! I would love to have him along, but I am sure I won't be able to keep up with him! He is so darling! I love you C! He has a meet in Cedar on Friday afternoon where he will run 3 miles. In years past we have been busy volunteering at the registration Expo all day the day before, but this year they say they have enough help, and they don't need us there. That is kind of sad, we really love interacting with the athletes - these runners who have a belief they can do hard things are an inspiration! I know that it is not alone that I can accomplish such a feat, but with Heavenly Help all things are possible.
Just BTW: J is recovering. We have changed his bandages twice at home, and his feet are looking much better. They are still red and very blistered, but compared to where we have come, they are healing miraculously! I am grateful to get to change them at home. The air on the blisters hurts, and it is nice to be able to uncover them, clean them, and redress them quickly, minimizing his misery. He is such a tough little man. This lesson is teaching us all a lot about caution, compassion, love, and attitude. He still doesn't like to sit up to the table, when his feet are low, they throb I am sure, so he spends most of his time holding or propping his feet up in the air. In fact, when we carry him around, he cries unless we hold him horizontally! He is am amazing young man! I am so sorry honey!
I have run the race 5 or 6 times, I keep thinking I should count up the years, but I haven't. There are many who have run this marathon more than 10 times. I never dreamed that I would hope to someday be able to say I was a member of that club, but it is getting closer every year!
This year I have been so busy with other... emergencies that my running has not been as regular as it usually is. My training has severally suffered, to the point that I have struggled for a couple of weeks trying to decide if I will do it all. I have always run with B, although he only does it because I love it. This year with his nose accident in June, and then surgery, then other events, and then rolling his bad ankle three times in the past month, he has opted to not do it this year. That left a decision for me to do it alone - not something I have ever done before. I feel a little bad because in years that I have been pregnant, or recently had a baby, he has not rubbed in my face that I couldn't do it, so now the tables are turned, and I don't want him to feel bad that he can't.
I have decided that I really want to run, and so I am planning on it. Last year it rained for the whole marathon, it was a miserable long way! This year the weather has been hot - 98 degrees yesterday afternoon. I don't know what the high was today, but it was still very warm. That is too hot. Today a cold front dropped snow at Mom & Dad's and it has cooled off significantly tonight, they are predicting highs that day to be in the 80's. That will help. I really haven't trained like I would like to have, and Certainly not like others do! I have never felt good about running these huge marathons in preparation for the event, but I usually like to get a couple long runs in before the event (13-18 miles). This year, I only found time to get one long in, and that wasn't too long - I haven't taken the time to clock it.
I enjoy running because it gives me time to connect with my Heavenly Father. Marathoning is something really hard that reminds me on whom I depend, my Savior and Father in Heaven! In years past it has been a strengthening for our marriage that we are committed to each other, to pull each other through hard times. We each have our own hard time, and it becomes a test to see if we will stick together. I hope that running it alone this year doesn't damage our relationship. I saw a bumper sticker recently on our friend's L.S's car that says 26.2 Cheep Therapy. I love that! It is therapy to have time to sort out my thoughts, exercise my body, and connect with heaven. I am thankful for such healthy therapy!
My family is all on their way here for the weekend. In addition to being marathon weekend, and thousands gathering here for the big event, it is also LDS Conference this weekend, and fall break from school so many don't have responsibilities in LDS church services on Sunday so they can break away. Our little town started filling up early this week, and by tomorrow it will be literally busting at the seams!
I love the tranquil, beautiful thoughts of a weekend of running, and listening to our Prophet and members of the Quorum of the Twelve. I needed the messages from Relief Society last week, especially President Eyring's message. I am trying to find a device I can listen to conference on while I run alone this year. I don't normally listen to anything while I run, I usually don't carry anything. On marathon day I wear a waist pack, and take a few life saving things like Ibuprofen, a few salt packets, Goo of my own choosing to fuel, and something sweet to suck or chew when I need it. This year I am seriously considering taking a radio so I can think about something positive when I need that lift.
C has been running cross country with Dixie's team. He says he wants to run the last few (10) miles with me. We have had many medical people say that young people should not run more miles than they are old. C seriously wants to grow taller, and not stunt his growth, so he doesn't want to run the whole race, but I am afraid if he joins for the last 10 he will seriously think I am sooo slow! I would love to have him along, but I am sure I won't be able to keep up with him! He is so darling! I love you C! He has a meet in Cedar on Friday afternoon where he will run 3 miles. In years past we have been busy volunteering at the registration Expo all day the day before, but this year they say they have enough help, and they don't need us there. That is kind of sad, we really love interacting with the athletes - these runners who have a belief they can do hard things are an inspiration! I know that it is not alone that I can accomplish such a feat, but with Heavenly Help all things are possible.
Just BTW: J is recovering. We have changed his bandages twice at home, and his feet are looking much better. They are still red and very blistered, but compared to where we have come, they are healing miraculously! I am grateful to get to change them at home. The air on the blisters hurts, and it is nice to be able to uncover them, clean them, and redress them quickly, minimizing his misery. He is such a tough little man. This lesson is teaching us all a lot about caution, compassion, love, and attitude. He still doesn't like to sit up to the table, when his feet are low, they throb I am sure, so he spends most of his time holding or propping his feet up in the air. In fact, when we carry him around, he cries unless we hold him horizontally! He is am amazing young man! I am so sorry honey!