Marathon #107 - Utah Valley Marathon June 3, 2023

Utah Valley marathon has always been one of my favorites!! It’s a perfect descent going throughProvo Canyon passing reservoirs and the gorgeous Bridal Veil Falls. My main goal has been Badwater 135 in 4 weeks so I wasn’t trying to PR this event. I wanted a sub 2:40 - good enough for a solid run but not too hard on my body that I’d need a recovery week. I can’t afford a recovery week this close to Badwater.

The night before the race Mattie and I slept in our camper van in Smith’s grocery store parking lot which is next to the shuttle bus pickup. It’s so convenient to be able to get a little extra sleep, not have to drive, not fight parking, etc. I can just roll out of bed, walk 100 yards, and catch the last bus. Yeah, that’s how I roll hahaha!

My tummy was gurglingALL night. I never expect a “good nights sleep” before an event. It’s a bonus when it happens. But man, those gurgles… YUCK!!! They kept me up all night.I hoped it would pass and that it wasn’t a sign of gut problems. I tried my best to sleep and rest but was never able to fully sleep.

The alarm went off at4 am but I was already awake so it was more of a reminder to get up and get over to the bus. I had all my nutrition ready and already set out the night before. For my nutrition I had a small 5 oz hand held bottle. I put in 1 spring gel and 3 scoops of Bucked Up Long range (470 calories) then added as much water that would fit, which isn’t a lot hahaha. I sip on that right before an aid station and follow it up with water at the station. This system really works for me. I’ve used it at 5 marathons this year and have loved it! 

I jumped out of the camper van at 4:10 and ran to the bus! I had my breakfast and sipped on Bucked Up’sFull bore to help with blood flow on the LONGGGGGG bus ride 26.2 miles up the canyon. The top was about 45 degrees. I wore 2 huge hoodies and sweat pants tonot freeze beforehand but I knew once I was running it would be perfect!! I did my 10 min warm up with my friend Kirsten and Blake. Feeling OK so far..

I went to toe the line10 min before the race start. I got right up to the front… like right up thereat the starting line, and BAM…HOLY CRAP… imma crap my pants. Stomach went HAYWIRE!There was NO where to go! I had all the athletes by me. I couldn’t cross the timing chip… so I darted UP the dirt hill…let me just say… thank you for soft long grass at the top… The entire crowd was watching as I stumbled down the hill to try to get back to the front of the pack . My friend yelled out “what did you find up there, Ash?” Which was one way to get everyone laughing. Hahaha!

At that point, I knew it was going to be an interesting run….

The gun went off at6am. Legs and heart …READY! Gut… umm squirmy and gurgly.. yikes!

The first 7 miles went by with no problem. Gut was silent! For just a moment, I thought I might be OK.But, 7 miles is all I had cause after that my gut was nothing but loud! I slowed from my 6 min mile pace to 6:20-30. Slowing down helped but I finally had to stop in the porta potty. I was QUICK but I still hated adding the time to stop. Some things you can’t control. So I controlled the only thing I could control- my attitude! I found myself reflecting on all the races I’ve done the last few years with ZERO issues. And, I began to analyze where I went wrong on this race. But after throwing up multiple times after the race, I realized I had the flu not just a bad gut. Fortunately, it had nothing to do with how my nutrition had been and I was just unlucky and picked up a flu bug somewhere. I used to get runners gut nearly EVERY SINGLE RACE! It made me remember and BE GRATEFUL for all those races when things have gone RIGHT!

The last 6 miles of the race are pretty flat. This is usually when my legs slow and I’m really feeling them on this particular course but since I hadn’t been able to give it the pace I wanted earlier in the race, they still had plenty of juice in them to maintain and even pick it up a little. Not a lot… but a little bit. Too much faster and I’d end up back in the porta potty. So it was a balancing act trying to hold a pace that was just below the ‘porta potty threshold’. I carried that pace through to the finish line.

I finished with a 2:45time. Finishing 2nd female overall and first in the master’s division. A nice little bonus was that I broke the master’s course record! Hey, I’ll take that as a WIN! 

Although it was far from perfect. It was still so fun. I love what I do and I hope to always feel this way. I was so shocked to hear the cute lady that won first overall female has ZERO desire to ever do another marathon. I was legit in shock! Like, you just freakin’ WON and ran so strong. Are you not feeling a high? I was still ina high and I had a crappy race haha! I told her “I hope to see her at another marathon in the near future” …

I truly LOVE this sport. I love the energy. I love the feeling! This girl is going to run to the grave!!

Lessons learned from marathon#107:

·     Control what you can control. In this case, it was my attitude

·     Even a crappy race is an awesome race because I’m able to do what I love

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