We Are the Champions!

Intramural Championship T-Shirts!

Congrats to SLD and N.D., who won the BYU Intramurals Co-ed Championship tonight!  Their team beat the Care Bears or the Polar Bears or something like that to pick up the coveted intramural championship t-shirst.  I appreciate that you blew out the other team so that I didn't have to worry too much about the outcome.  Thank you for that...I have enough stress in my life already!  :-)

It's been fun watching you play this season.  I'm not very good at watching other people play.  I'm more used to playing myself, but--given that I've only touched a basketball on three brief occasions since moving to Utah--I'm glad that you're giving me some good opportunities to practice how to be an energetic and enthusiastic fan.  

As much as I enjoyed watching you drain outside jumpers, I think it was even more fun to see your passing out there.  It made me jealous that I couldn't play too.  SLD, you had a particularly great bounce pass to finish off a fast break tonight.  You managed to thread the needle on that pass just under the outstretched arms of the defender to hit your teammate streaking down the court for a wide open layup.  N.D., you had a great pass as well where you drove the lane, got the defender to commit to you, and then dumped it off to a wide open teammate for the bucket!  Those types of plays show that you really understand how the game is supposed to be played.

Congrats also to the Crickmore twins who dominated the paint and yet maintained their grace and poise!  I loved cheering you on as well--particularly since you are basically family!

Is it too early to start planning a Three-Peat celebrations?  Maybe we better worry about you winning it all again next year!  ;-)  Good luck on your finals to Team "Los Banditos"!

The Coach

"The Coach and I"

I never met Will Rogers--who famously declared that he never met a man he didn't like--but I think I came pretty close today.  Coach Frank Layden came to speak to our office today and I think it's been a long time since I've enjoyed a speech as much as I've enjoyed his.

Coach Layden coached the Utah Jazz many years ago and has continued as a consultant for the Jazz for many years.  As a huge Jazz fan, I was excited to have Coach Layden come speak.  He is known for being funny, but I could not have imagined how great his presentation was.

He spoke about his life growing up, his career, and coaching the Jazz.  He talked about having having an impact on other people's lives and continuing to educate ourselves.  I can tell that he practices what he preaches.  Coach is nearly 82 years old, but I never would have guessed that if he had not told us what year he was born (1932).  He has a young spirit and an enthusiasm for life that is contagious.

Here are a couple of of my favorite quotes from his presentation:

• “Reputation is a perception of who you are.  Character is who you really are.” – Frank Layden

• “I’ve never been afraid of anything in my life and that includes the Los Angeles Lakers!” –Frank Layden

• "Freedom is expensive" (quoting Winston Churchill and the leadership that he showed during World War II)

• "A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives." (quoting Jackie Robinson)

He also said that we were free to quote him one time, and after that, we could do what he always does which is to say: "As I've always said...."  That line got quite a few chuckles from my colleagues.

But my favorite quote was the one that reminded me of Will Rogers (who was also funny like Coach Layden).  Coach said:

• “Everyone I meet, when I walk away, I hope they feel better.”

That is quite a thought and as you heard Coach say it and share a few examples of that philosophy, I knew that he meant it.  It's definitely something to shoot for.

Coach Layden, thanks for coming to speak to us today.  You encouraged us to have an impact on others, but I appreciate the impact you had on me.  Hope to see you at a Jazz game real soon!

Frozen

"I'm not in Kansas anymore..."

I woke up this morning to a scene that I'm not accustomed to seeing.  I had gone to bed last night thinking that the weather was unseasonably calm and warm for a December in the Rocky Mountains.  I knew that a storm was predicted, but it came quietly during the night.  Unsuspectingly, I opened my front door in the pre-dawn hours to see a fresh blanket of white.  It covered everything.

Should anyone really be up at this hour?

This was the view from my front door bright and early this morning.  It's not exactly a Thomas Kinkade ("Painter of Light") painting, but I really like how the light from the street lamp illuminates the neighborhood.  I'm a Southern California kid and this is something that we really aren't accustomed to seeing.

My commute today was extra long.  It was literally measured in hours rather than minutes.  I texted the picture below to a friend of mine in SoCal to give them an idea of what it was like.

Brake Lights--I saw plenty of those today

It snowed all day.  Persistent but fierce flurries of snow flakes that never really seemed to stick, but also refused to subside.  Even though I'm not used to the snow, I took comfort from watching the relentless flakes swirl around the windows of my office all day.  I love the whiteness and the beauty of the freshly fallen snow.  It blankets everything and, if you're lucky enough to find a quiet spot to enjoy the moment, fills the air with a heavy, reassuring silence.

As I neared my home, the temp dipped below 24 degrees--nearly 30 degrees colder than last night.  But I was glad that I had a comfortable house and warm, electric blanket to look forward to.  So long as I can safely navigate the icy, slushy streets on my daily commute, I'll continue to enjoy the newness (at least to me) of these wintry conditions.  Let it snow!

Imagine Dragons - Demons

Imagine Dragons

"The World Will Little Note..."

Abraham Lincoln - November 1863

150 years ago today, Abraham Lincoln delivered the Gettysburg Address.  The speech itself is short--a mere 271 words.  There are no pictures of Lincoln actually giving the speech and the story is that the reason is because the photographers did not bother to take any pictures because they thought they had a lot more time.

Apparently there is a big campaign here in Utah to get people to memorize the Gettysburg Address.  While I laud the effort, the name of the campaign is too hideous to include in my blog ("Are You Getty Ready?").  I don't know why it bothers me so much, but it does.  But my personal feelings are beside the point.

At the half time of the BYU football game last Saturday, they recited the Gettysburg Address.  I was struck by this line from the speech:

• "The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here."

It's not often that one gets to disagree with Abraham Lincoln.  But I do and I am right and he is wrong.  The simplicity, sincerity, and majesty of Lincoln's words in that Civil War cemetery to dedicate the grave sites of the fallen soldiers has endured.

Indeed, it is carved into the granite walls of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C.  His speech has lifted and inspired generations of Americans for 150 years and will continue to do so for at least another 150.

So many great quotes come from that speech--including expressions that are part of Americana.  Here are a few of my favorites:

• "Four score and seven years ago..."
• "...we can not dedicate, we can not consecrate, we can not hallow this ground..."
• "It is for us the living..."
• "...that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth."

I have been to the battlefield at Gettysburg several times.  It is a remarkable place.  The battle marked the "high water" mark of the Confederacy.  General Robert E. Lee and the Confederate Army never advanced further north than Gettysburg.  After being stopped at Gettysburg, Lee retreated to Virginia and never launched another major offensive effort.  

The battle of Gettysburg turned the tide of the Civil War and Lincoln's Gettysburg Address helped launch the process of rebuilding and healing our nation.  It continues to do so today.  Mr. President, I'm so glad that you were wrong.  We do remember what you said 150 years ago today!

One of only two confirmed photographs of Abraham Lincoln at the Gettysburg Cemetery.
This was taken about three hours before the speech.

Here is the full text of the Gettysburg Address:

Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation, conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.
Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battlefield of that war.

We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.

But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate, we can not consecrate, we can not hallow this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us—that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion—that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain—that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom—and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.

Happy Gettysburg Address Day!

BYU-A-Palooza!

Cosmo!

Yesterday dawned cold, wet, and rainy.  Flakes of snow drifted intermittently from the skies.  At times, it was difficult to know whether it was snowing or raining--it was just wet.  I ended up spending the majority of the day at BYU--almost as much time as I spent there since I volunteered at a seemingly unending law school competition one time.

I went down pretty much first thing in the morning to see my two brothers play in their BYU intramural flag football playoffs.  They lost and it was cold!  The highlight of the game was seeing SLD chase down another player to make a touchdown-saving tackle at the 1 yard line.  I don't know if I've ever been so proud of him!  Great job SLD!  (I was even more proud than when I watched him drain that sweet-looking, three-point swish shot in his basketball game last week!)

Then it was time to get some errands done.  I was still unsure about whether or not I wanted to freeze my fanny in the snow at Lavell Edwards Stadium.  One thing I did know was that I needed even more cold weather gear if I was going to survive!

The view outside the stadium...told you it was cold!

Ultimately, I decided to go--and not just because I had a free ticket to the game.  I went because it was the last home game of the season and I thought that it would be an experience to say that I had been to a game in the snow.

The view inside the stadium from our seats...look closely for the snow flurries...

At the game, my sister told me that she had won a chance to fire the cannon after a BYU score.  She was #8 in line to do so.  The cannon fires after every score (touchdown or field goal) and at the end of each quarter.  Normally, as #8 in line I would not have been so hopeful about my chances to fire the cannon, but this was Senior Day and we were playing Idaho State.  I felt like the odds were pretty much in my favor...

They were.  We scored 49 points in the first half and right before the end of the third quarter, I had my moment:

I also got to hang out on the sideline while waiting for my big moment.  Cosmo came by and I snagged him for the picture above.  I didn't realize that he was so short.  But I guess it helps for all the flips and acrobatic maneuvers he has to do every game.  I'm sure that the pic above will impress no one except for my kids...

I also realized that I made the (international) tv broadcast (on BYUtv).  I'm sure that no one recognized me, but me.  (And since the field goal that gave me the shot at firing the cannon put us up 59-10 was anyone even still watching?  Plus it's not like we were talking ESPN here!)  So in case you missed it, here it is:

I'm at the top left, wearing the white hat standing behind one of the cadets "guarding" the cannon.

On my way out of the stadium, I stopped by to check on my nephews.  The cold was too much for them, so they were hanging out in the Cougar Room underneath the West Stands of the stadium.

Hard at work!

Ever wonder where the stadium orange coated security force hangs out?  Now you know.  They were there too.  I guess the cold was a little too much for them as well.  Plus, no need to worry that the BYU fans--rowdy though they may be--were going to storm the field to tear down the goal posts following this win.  I think that BYU's crack security force/ushers were a little embarrassed when they saw me pull out my phone to get this picture.  :-/

Because you can never get enough of BYU (or Provo for that matter), I headed over to the Marriott Center where there was a basketball doubleheader going on.

Kyle Collinsworth, Matt Carlino, and me

First, the women's team beat Boston College in overtime.  The great thing about the women's games is that you can literally sit courtside.  I met some interesting people including a couple of BYU's star players (above).

Based on the above photo, I think I may have actually grown an inch or two.  If Matt Carlino is 6'2", I'm more like 6'4" or 6'5".  Also, there is no truth to the rumor that Kyle Collinsworth is sporting a mullet...

A true mullet requires a tail in the back

...He just has a bad haircut.   :-/

But did I mention what a nice guy he is?  And how gracious he and Matt were to let me get a picture with them?  Both guys are having great seasons so far and the BYU basketball team is off to a great start this season!  Go Cougs!

IMFL

I love this picture maybe the most of all of them

We finished.  I'll give a more complete report later, but thanks to everyone who tracked us online, watched the finish line camera, sent us these awesome screen shots, posted on FB, texted me, emailed, and prayed for us yesterday.  It might have been the toughest think I've ever done.  

I was so happy to get back to my hotel last night and get a hot shower.  My feet are covered with blisters...an awesome souvenir that will remind me of this race for probably another week.  But I'm glad I did it.  I'm glad it's over and that I don't have to worry about doing this anytime soon.

Here are a few more screen shots from the live finish cam last night.  Troy, Matthias, and Lance--I couldn't ask for better brothers!  You are so awesome for sending these so quickly!  I love them!  Ray Ray, thanks for your Instagram post.  I loved that one too!

Photographic evidence that I did finish the race!

World's Best Training Partner!

So glad it's over!

Did I Shave My Legs For This?

Nice weather.  :-/

Rain. Wind. Waves. Did I really sign up for this?  Just as soon as my brother and I dropped off our bags, the heavens opened and dumped rain, rain, and more rain.  Look at that picture above...multiple swells pounding the beach.  Flags pegged.  Beach grass bent under the weight of the wind...I guess things can only get better right?

That's some decent surf out there.  Did I mention there's currently a rip current warning in effect?  Maybe it'll help my swim time...

Most triathletes put countless hours of preparation into a race like this.  In addition to hundreds of hours of training time, no details are left undone.  Nails are trimmed (so as not to tear wetsuits), energy packets are taped to bike frames, and running shoes are carefully placed.  Some triathletes will even go as far as shaving their legs in the vain (misguided) belief that it will shave seconds from their bike times.

I trimmed and filed my nails last night, mixed my energy drinks, rented aerodynamic wheels for my bike, and carefully packed my bike's Bento box with goodies.  I've put a lot of time (at least for me) into preparing for this race.  But I didn't shave my legs for this.  Nor would I ever.  But if this weather holds, I wonder if it will even matter. 

My bike is racked and ready in the center there (note the aero wheels).  See how strong the wind is?  It is actually blowing bikes around on the racks!

I did a race like this once.  18 months ago.  It was one of the hardest things I've ever attempted.  I was hoping for a little better conditions tomorrow.  I guess I'm putting a lot of faith in the weatherman right now.  Because it's not looking great.

If things don't improve at all, I'll be glad that--despite all my other preparation--at least I didn't bother to shave my legs for this.  :-/

 

 

On the bright side, this was lunch!  Delicious!!

And now, the musical stylings of Deana Carter...

Bedraggled...Not Bedazzled

Soaked!

My brother and I decided to go for a short training run tonight.  As we started out, we had a few rain drops.  But by the first mile, it was raining.  By the second mile, it was pouring cats and dogs!  I don't know if I've ever run in the rain where it was raining that hard for that long.

There were literally rivers of water draining off of parking lots onto the sidewalk.  We tried dodging puddles in a futile attempt to keep our shoes dry.  I wasn't too worried until my brother reminded me that wet shoes, socks, and feet could contribute to blisters.  And that's about the last thing that we want a day and a half before the Big Race.  

We ended up doing 5 miles and it may have been the most memorable 5 miler of my life. By the time we rolled in to the hotel at the end of the run, we were soaked.  My brother said that we might as well have jumped in the pool.  He was right.  I think that the fact that we were so wet should therefore qualify as a swim workout too!  :-)

It's supposed to rain tomorrow too and then the storm is supposed to blow itself out leaving clear skies, mild winds, and low humidity for the race on Saturday.  In other words, it should be perfect conditions.  I'm keeping my fingers crossed!

Mr. Irrelevant

I had to get my toes in the water to get ready for the course...

The last player selected in the NFL Draft every year is known as "Mr. Irrelevant."  It has become somewhat of a badge of honor with past recipients of the Mr. Irrelevant designation being honored with banquets, parades, and prizes.

In truth, no player selected in the NFL Draft is truly irrelevant.  It is quite an honor to even get drafted.  Think of the millions of high school football players who never even move on to play at college.  Then there are thousands of Division 1 college football players each season, but only about 200 or so are drafted.  So to have your name called on Draft Night really is a dream come true for any college football player.

My race bib and stickers for my gear...

That's kind of how I feel about this race on Saturday.  There are probably about 2,600 triathletes who will start the race.  I don't know how many will finish, but I do know that I want to be one of them.  There is a tradition that as the athletes enter the finish chute and near the finish line of these Ironman races, Mike Reilly (who has announced virtually every Ironman race for years--including the World Championships in Kona) will get their name and say: "Michael Smith...you are an Ironman!"

This is where the swim will start..love this white sand beach!

The race starts with a mass swim start at 7 a.m. CST.  2,600 competitors will sprint from the white sand on Panama City Beach and plunge into the surf of the Gulf of Mexico for a two-loop, 2.4 mile swim.  All competitors must finish the 26.2 mile run portion by midnight--17 hours later.  

They give you 17 hours to complete the race.  I intend to use all 17 hours if necessary, but I want to hear Mike Reilly call my name and say: "...you are an Ironman!"  If I can do that--even if I'm the last person crossing the finish line, one minute before midnight--it will be meaningful to me.  It certainly won't be irrelevant. 

If you want, you can follow my progress at: www.ironman.com on race day.  You can click on the race coverage box to track my progress or the progress of any of my fellow competitors.

There is supposed to be a live finish line camera as well.  This link may (or may not) work for that:  IMFL Finish Line Cam

Here are a few more pics from our first day of prep for the race:

My brother and I outside of packet pick-up...Note the official IM backpack swag (The IMSG backpacks were better  :-\)

I texted this pic to my kids.  Pay no attention to the man in the parking lot.  Inside the store was a total tourist trap!

Huge, massive hotels everywhere along the boardwalk...it reminded me of South Padre Island.

Did I mention that I've fallen in love with these white sand beaches?

Just Finish

Panama City, Florida

Florida has been on my mind for nearly a year now.  I finally made it today and this is the view that greeted my brother and I as we touched down tonight.

It was interesting on the plane.  I'd say that about half of the passengers at least looked like they were competing in the Ironman this weekend.  There were all types of people...older, younger, male, and female, but they all had a couple of things in common (besides the Ironman backpacks and associated gear/swag).  They had on running shoes and they looked ripped!

It was also pretty cool that I saw and recognized Mirinda Carfrae--a professional triathlete and Ironman World Champion--on our flight.  She is going to be doing the race as well!  I guarantee she'll probably be twice as fast as I will be!  

I thought that I was in halfway decent shape for this race, but now I'm not so sure.  I guess when you spend as much time as you need to spend for this type of endurance race, you get that lean, fit look.  I'm not so sure anyone would have mistaken me for an Ironman competitor if I hadn't been wearing an Ironman sweater and toting an Ironman St. George backpack.  (Several people on the flight, however, and the girl at the rental counter booth asked if my brother and I were twins though!)

Brothers and seatmates--but not twins...

It's fun to be here with with my brother.  It would be great if I could keep up with him so that we could do a chunk of the race together.  Doing the marathon portion of Ironman St. George in 2012 was one of the highlights of my life.  It would be great if we had a chance to do it again on Saturday.

Dinner tonight was at a Southern style pit bbq place.  Maybe I was just hungry, but it was good!  I attacked my plate with a vengeance and cleaned it up so that there was not a single crumb left.  I had the pulled pork.  My brother had the brisket.  We both agreed that I got the better end of the deal.  The bbq sauce was outstanding as well!  (Sorry, no pics of dinner because my phone was almost out of juice and the food just didn't last that long!)

I can't wait to see the course tomorrow.  I don't have any big goals for this weekend.  My only goal is to just finish the race!

Hitting 400!

"High Five!"

Hitting .400 is the Holy Grail for any major league baseball player.  It hasn't been done since Ted Williams hit .406 in 1941.  A couple of players have come close--including one of my heroes, Tony Gwynn of the San Diego Padres in 1994 (.394).

I'm not a major league baseball player, but tonight, I did something that I had never done before...I got over 400 miles on a single tank of gas.  I fueled up in Flagstaff, Arizona and didn't have to stop for fuel again until Nephi, Utah...422.5 miles!  That worked out to 35.7 mpg.  

Even when my car was brand new, I was never able to achieve that mark.  As the gas gauge dipped lower and lower, I felt a bit like Kramer test driving that car in the Seinfeld episode "The Dealership."  Unlike Kramer, however, I didn't run out of gas.  :-)

Not too shabby for 259,000 miles and 9+ years of service...I guess my car may still have some life left in it!

Nearly two gallons to spare!

"When I Run I Feel His Pleasure"

Eric Liddell - 1924 Olympic Gold Medalist

I ran the St. George Marathon yesterday.  There is a lot that I could say about the experience.  Running for 26 miles gives you a lot of time to think about things and to ponder.  I appreciated and am grateful for many things about yesterday and I feel like it is important to note them so that I can remember them and remember the experience.

Weird as it may seem, running the marathon yesterday was a spiritual experience for me.  And I don't mean "spiritual" in the sense that I felt closer to nature because of the scenic beauty along the course.  (And it is spectacularly beautiful--red cliffs, white rock formations, volcanic cinder cones, and wide open desert vistas.)  For me it was spiritual because I feel like it helped me feel closer to my Heavenly Father.

At about Mile 11 or 12, the following quote popped into my head from the movie "Chariots of Fire:"

• "I believe God made me for a purpose, but he also made me fast. And when I run I feel His pleasure." --Eric Liddell

I'm not saying that I'm fast.  In fact, I'm not.  There were 2,789 people that were faster than me yesterday.  But I did feel like I felt loved by my Heavenly Father.  We all faces trials, challenges, and adversity in our lives.  At times, it may seem overwhelming.  Certainly a marathon is a microcosm of life in that adversity can be crammed chock full into the 26.2 mile course, but it is a blessing to feel a confirmation that we are literally children of a Heavenly Father, that He knows us personally, that is aware of our individual circumstances, and that He loves us.  And I am grateful for that experience yesterday.

My Brother

My brother and I at the starting line...brrr...it was cold!

I also did the race with my brother.  This is not the first race that I've done with him, but as we get older and are now farther apart geographically, I've realized how important it is to treasure these opportunities.

S. was not even going to do the race.  Neither one of us was prepared--although he was a lot more prepared than I was.  As I drove down to the race, by myself, I placed one last call to him.  I got his voice mail and told him that it wasn't too late to come and that I hoped that he'd do it with me.  I told him that I had a hotel room reserved and that he was welcome to share it with me.

S. was concerned that one or both of us would get hurt and that we would not be able to finish the Ironman Florida (IMFL) race next month.  I admit it was a valid concern and it did worry me a bit, but I wanted to do the race and committed to listen to my body.  I pledged to myself that I would stop if it felt like my body was telling me that it was in trouble.

Well, miraculously, S. had a change of heart.  I was certain that he was not going to make the 5 hour drive to the race, but he did!  Unfortunately, when the packet pick up line closed at 9 p.m., S. was still en route--nearly 2 hours away.  I somehow managed to persuade the race officials to let me get his race number (which saved us some time the next morning) and I was excited when I heard him opening the door to the hotel room--even though I had just gone to bed!

The next morning, I saw S. for about the first 30 seconds of the race.  The runners thronging the start line left quickly shifting gaps and very little room to maneuver.  S. went right, I went left.  And then he was gone amongst the sea of runners surging over and beyond the finish line in the pre-dawn darkness.  I knew I had to run my race and hope that he could run well.  For the entire race, I looked for him in case he had to drop off the pace or got hurt.  I never saw him.

At the end, I just hoped that I hadn't missed him somewhere along the way because he was hurt (or hurting).  Turns out he had a spectacular time--finishing in 3:41 for his first marathon ever.  I'm proud of my brother and that he did so well.  And next time, I'm going to be motivated to keep up with him!

Relieved to be finished!

The Volunteers and Spectators

The people of St. George are wonderful.  They come out and volunteer in droves.  They line the roads along the route and cheer for us.  The ring loud cow bells.  And their kids stretch out their hands to give the runners five as they zip on past.

The volunteers and the spectators inspired me.  They held signs in the cold--many of them wearing parkas, hats, and gloves.  I'm not sure that I could do it!  The signs were great--many were funny most were inspirational.  I really enjoyed the signs cheering on grandma or grandpa.  One of the funniest signs that I saw simply said: "Worst parade ever.":  We were a motley crew!

I saw Ryan Cuff handing out water at one aid station.  Ryan Cuff was one of the best high school basketball players in the history of the State of Utah.  But he is also a good human being and consummate teammate.  He had no idea who I was, but I was proud to tell him that I remembered him and that I had played hoops with him.

I also saw my niece Elizabeth L. handing out water along the course.  I think that her high school cross-country teammates were helping to support the event.  I was really happy to see her (even if she was surprised to see me there) and told her to say hi to her parent for me.  Her family has always been so kind to me and I was grateful to see her.

Utah's Governor Gary Herbert came out to support the marathon runners

The groups that lined the course were so cheering so loud that I turned off my iPod so that I could appreciate the moment.  I tried to make a point of thanking the spectators for coming to cheer for us and thanking the volunteers for handing out water, Gatorade, Clif bars, vaseline, bananas, Gu shots, and other essential items.  It was inspiring to see volunteers raking up empty cups that had been thrown to the side by the runners.  It made me try harder to hit the trash can!  ;-)

But beyond a general "feel good" sort of inspiration, I drew tangible strength and energy from the spectators.  As I ran along the rope line at one point, I looked down at my watch and saw that my pace had quickened by nearly 30% as I ran along the line giving high fives to all the little kids.  It made me worry that I might have expended too much energy--but the fact was that the spectators made me faster.  Literally.

Post race with one of my favorite missionary companions

One of the spectators was an old mission companion of mine.  I hadn't seen him for nearly 14 years!  After the race, he graciously invited me to his home in Diamond Hills and to dinner with his cute family.  Renewing this friendship was yet another thing to be grateful for that came out of the event.

I've blogged about St. George and its volunteers in the past.  They did not disappoint today.  What a great city and what great people!  I'm certainly grateful for you!

My Fellow Runners

Snow Canyon along the route

I'm also grateful for my fellow runners out there.  I felt like you "pulled" me along even when I didn't know if I could keep going myself.  The list is long and distinguished, but here are a few that I remember:

• Daniel. R. and his brother - An attorney colleague from back home.  You inspired me by actually doing the run with your brother and I'm glad that I kept up with you for a bit.  We talked jobs, families, and running.  I hope I get to bump into you at another race in the future!

• Varls - This may have been your first marathon and you bounded past me with a surge of energy and enthusiasm.  Thanks for tapping me on the shoulder.  I didn't see you when I past you, but congrats on finishing!  And I hope to see you in San Clemente or at a BYU game soon!

• David Tanner and his daughter Cheyenne - David was running while carrying a large American flag.  I looked up and saw his flag and was inspired to catch up to him.  We ran together for a few miles.  His daughter was doing her third marathon in 3 weeks!  I thanked him for his patriotism and for his willingness to inspire his fellow runners.  I saw him at the finish line too and thanked him again.

• Ken Duke, Andy, and Richard - Ken is blind and was running his 56th marathon!  Richard and Andy were his two guides that ran alongside him.  I noticed Andy at about Mile 14.  He had pulled out his cell phone to take a call and said: "Hey, I'm doing a marathon.  I can't talk now, but I'll call you later!"  Andy was on his 18th marathon, I think.  He was also wearing a BYU hat.  I knew there was a reason I liked the guy.  It was fun to run with Ken and his guides for a few miles.  I had to push myself to catch up to him.  Once I did, I thought that if I blind guy could do this, so could I!  How could you not be inspired by someone like Ken or by his guides?

There were many more that I haven't mentioned, but I really appreciated the comaraderie of my fellow runners.  Thank you for pushing, pulling, and inspiring me!

The Result

I'm also grateful for the result.  I had people (beside my brother) tell me to skip the race and not to do it because I really have not had much time to train.  There a lot of reasons for that, but they are all excuses.  If I were to do the race, I had to do it and not make excuses.

I'd love to say that I lowered expectations, but I didn't.  I honestly did not know what to expect.  I really could not start training for this race until literally two weeks ago.  The longest run that I have done in the past month and a half was only 6.2 miles.  I really did not have any business starting the race--much less have any expectations for it.

I started the race and was still unsure of what I could do.  At one point, I was about ready to drop back when Daniel R. pulled up beside me and kept me on pace.  I walked for a brief half mile stretch on the big hill just past Veyo.  My thought process was to conserve my energy and not be a hero.  This was Mile 8 and I was still just hoping to finish in less than 6 hours and not get hurt.

By the halfway point, I was still feeling strong and starting to realize that I had a lot left in the tank.  My 13.1 mile time was 2:04--not great, but not terrible either.

Every finisher medal is unique

Mile 18 was where the wheels came off the train for me two years ago in this race.  There is a long hill just after the aid station and it can be discouraging and demoralizing.  In my case, it was two years ago.  This time, as I approached that same spot, I got a little emotional.  I realized that I still had enough left in the tank to finish and to finish strong.  I think it was at this point that I finally realized that not only was I going to finish, but I was also probably going to PR (set a new personal record).  My Garmin data actually shows my heart rate spiking at that point.  It was exciting to realize that I was going to meet my goals for this race and set new marks to shoot for in the future.

With about 3 miles to go, I realized that I had a chance at breaking 4 hours for the race.  I've always wanted to run a marathon in less than 4 hours and I tried to push harder.  Unfortunately, it was too much.

My final time was 4:03 and I couldn't be more thrilled.  It beat my time from 2 years ago by about 23 minutes.  I know that I gave it my all on that course.  I also know that there is room for improvement if I am willing to put in the training and time in the future.

Thank you St. George Marathon for such a fun event!  Hope to see you next year!

Carrie Underwood - See You Again

Carrie Underwood

Wide Open Spaces

Wide Open Spaces

I made it to my storage shed today.  Everything looks like it made it.  :-)  As I left to head home, I noticed the mountains above.  It reminded me of this Dixie Chicks song that I've always loved.  And it made me happy that I'm living in such a beautiful place.

Across the valley, you can see Mt. Timpanogos on the left and then to the right of that is Y Mountain (and BYU).  I have many memories of driving up to Salt Lake as a kid in our big blue suburban with kids piled everywhere.  We would excitedly look for the "Y" on the mountain (not so easy to see the white "Y" when the mountain was covered in snow!) and then "Timp" always reminds me of the legend that says Timp's peaks hold the outline of a sleeping Indian princess.

Then, if you look south, you can see Utah Lake.  I love that a thunderstorm seems poised to sweep through the south end of Utah Lake in this photo.

The view to the South...

To the North, I can Point of the Mountain (which is steadily being chopped away by the companies mining sand and gravel from it) and the Adobe building in Lehi.  Wide open spaces, indeed...

Point of the Mountain is to the left...

The movers did a good job with the storage unit.  This is what it looked like when I opened it up:

Can't hardly wait to unpack this...NOT!

The main reason for going there was to get my passport, which I need for my first day of work tomorrow.  I opened up one box and didn't see it.  Then I realized that I was in trouble--because I really need my passport to verify my employment eligibility and I didn't want to spend all day hunting through boxes!

I said a quick but sincere prayer.  Then I opened another box:

Eureka!

Or perhaps more appropriately, Hallelujah!  It was literally an answer to prayer!  And I was so grateful.

I am so excited to be here that I couldn't stop myself.  I'm staying with my sister and her husband for a little bit and I couldn't help but notice a couple of items that needed a quick fix.  Luckily, I had my toolbag and set about trying to make myself useful.  Here's a partial list of some of my projects today:

• Fixed the shower knob (this was total self-interest...It was working, which forced me to have a cold shower last night.  I didn't want to have another one tomorrow!)
• Fixed the toilet paper holder in the master bathroom
• Fixed a slow draining sink in the guest bathroom (out of respect for my sister, I am NOT posting pics of the clog)
• Fixed the towel rack in the guest bathroom (it was pulling out of the wall because the builder hadn't used drywall anchors or drywall screws)

That was all before dinner.  Dinner was at one of my sister's houses (J.--I have 5 sisters!).  She put on quite the spread!

We finished off the evening by going to visit 3 more of my sisters...it totally felt like a family reunion!

Three of my cute sisters

New city...new job...lots of stuff to do...but I feel like I'm off to a good start.  I've traded the beach for the mountains, but I'm loving the wide open spaces!  :-)