It all started once upon a time in the Marine Corps. I had a good friend that I used to hang out with every weekend. Throughout the years, we made it a point to stay in touch and see each other every now and again. Well, it so happened that we became running partners. We have signed up for the Marine Corps Marathon, the San Diego Rock N' Roll and the 3M in Austin, TX. We even discussed running a few others that ended up falling through. But, I needed a race before my baby is born next month, and he said that someone suggested this race as being very scenic and fun. So, I checked out the price of plane tickets and we were on our way!

The expo was quaint. It was in the hall that was roughly the size of a high school gymnasium. There were a couple dozen vendors or so. And not too many freebies there. But, it was still a good time. Someone was passing out cases (not just cans) of beet juice. I tried a can, and wanted to like it, but it was pretty nasty! The shirts they gave out were good quality tech shirts that were pretty nice to look at. And everyone I met was very friendly.

About the only part I'll complain about is the moments leading up to the race. This was an early start. 6 AM was when the gun went off. There was no parking at the starting line, so you needed to be at a bus. Part of my complain was that there was a different bus stop for the half and the full marathon. My friends originally arrived at the wrong place. Then we had to go somewhere else (about a mile and a half away) to get to our buses. It would've been helpful to have the same location and just two different lines. The other thing was that it was so early. Though the buses started at 3, the last bus left at 4:30; 4:15 for the full. It was about a 20 minute bus ride, which left us up in the mountains before sunrise; tired and cold for over an hour. There were fire pits, but at the time when we arrived, none had been started. I'm not a big fan of a 6AM start times, but it's even worse, when we are trying to get to the bus at 4! I felt this may have been the earliest I had to wake up for a race. I'm one of the types that likes to get plenty of rest the night before a big race, but with these conditions, unless you go to bed at 7 the night before, you really can't get a full 8 hours. And who can fall asleep that early? In my own opinion, the bus should start at 5, but keep going until 6:15 or so with a start time of 7......if not later.

So, let me talk about the race itself. It was downhill for the first (roughly) 2/3. In fact, it really was all downhill. The last 5K or so was just at a slight downhill that seemed flat. But, the first 10K or more was running down the side of a mountain! This is something that was great for me to pick up a lot of speed and not have to worry about getting too tired too quickly. However, I trained for this kind of race. I had gone to the gym to run on a decline treadmill leading up to this. People who are not used to running downhills had trouble as it uses different muscle groups and joints than running uphills or flat terrains. Also, I live in Denver, so the elevation was comparable. My friends at sea level had problems fighting their altitude sickness. So, just because it seems like running down a mountain is easy.....it's only easy if you train to do it as such. In the end, I got one of the better times in a race I've had. The whole thing was beautiful with so many wonders to view. This race did have several pace groups as well. And the medal at the end was above average and had a spinner on it!

The finish line area was great. I sure did enjoy the free massages provided by Massage Envy! Unlike other, similar races like that, the line for the massage was very short in comparison. There were many vendors out there. Some were handing out freebies. Many had discounts and sales to offer. Sadly, this was UT, so no free beer tickets. And Provo, is a pretty town, so it was a nice event. At the end of it, you had to wait in a line to get on the bus to take you back to the original bus stop you parked your car at earlier that morning.

This final thing I want to talk about may not apply to all runners; perhaps not even most. But, the one thing that did bother me about this trip had nothing to do with the race itself, but rather the crazy alcohol rules and atmosphere in UT. Not to say that I'm a huge drinker (I'm not) or that it was the point of this trip (it wasn't), but I do enjoy kicking pack a few after a race. I try not to drink during my training leading up to a race, but I'll have my share after. All the locals told us to go to a place called Wing Nutz. I didn't find it that crowded or interesting. At one point, my buddy asked to get a "strong" drink, but apparently there are clickers that are reported to the state to be sure that no one gets a drop more alcohol than they are supposed to. I asked for a pitcher of beer and the waitress instructed me that this is not allowable unless multiple people are going to share it. Another friend ordered a shot, but the waitress had to wait there until she finished her other drink as you are not allowed two drinks at once. At the Olive Garden the night before, we were offered a "sample" of wine before the meal. But, unlike everywhere else, they had to charge $2 for that "sample," as UT laws state that you can't offer free alcohol. And if the laws weren't weird enough, we eventually left Wing Nutz in search of a more happening place. We were given the names of a few other places to try out. After going around the town for a while on a Saturday night, we found out why everyone suggested Wing Nutz (even though it was kind of lame). I know it's a strongly religious town; and a Mormon one at that, but it is not the best state to be in, if you want to drink it up to celebrate finishing a race.