Sunday, July 4, 2010

2 Weeks To Bryce Canyon Half Marathon

Monday, June 28 2010: Nothing.

Tuesday, June 29 2010: 7 miles @ 11:20 minutes per mile pace. Mel and I took a new loop which was fun. For you locals, we headed down Widowmaker, hung a left at Sky Mountain Golf Course, ran up State Street, then back home. My Jet Blackberry Gu along the way was scrumptious.

Wednesday, June 30 2010: Not a thing.

Thursday, July 1 2010: 13 miles @ 11:09 per mile pace. We knew we wouldn't be able to do our long run on Saturday and instead decided to do it REALLY early before I went to work. My knee was a little testy a few times but all in all it wasn't too bad. It gave me a sense of accomplishment to know that I had run the distance of a half marathon before work.

Friday, July 2 2010: I went out with Tom and a few youth to prepare the 4 mile course for the Hurricane Trails River Run the next day. My job was to use large bags of flour to make arrows to point the way along the course. Toward the beginning, my arrows more closely resembled blobs. But my arrow-making skillz seemed to improve as time went on.


I loved the patriotic theme of the race. Another thing we did was to put wood posts into the ground to guide the way. We tied red, white, and blue ribbons to each post.


The course was challenging, but beautiful. There was an awesome view of the Virgin River for much of the course.


Afterward, the Dansie's provided me with my first meal from Alberto's: carne asada cheese fries and horchata. There is a part of me that loathes them right now because I have had serious cravings ever since.

Saturday, July 3 2010: The inaugural Hurricane Trails River Run! Tom Dansie directed an awesome race. I volunteered to be the "course sweeper" and follow along behind the back of the group to make sure everyone got through okay. I had fun walking with the lady at the back of the pack. She was in her 70's and I admired her persistence and dedication to stay active. I learned that she even ran the Boston Marathon in her younger years. (See more pictures here.)

I also had another companion along the way: my son Jackson joined me and we had lots of fun talking and enjoying the scenery.


After the race I ran another 4 miles @ 9:34 per mile. It was 90 degrees outside and I wondered if my internal organs were melting into goo. Later in the day my self-control was tested. And I failed.

Mel was at work so I didn't have any spousal support to resist my desires for dinner. I made another stop at Alberto's for carne asada cheese fries.


The whole time I was eating, I was just waiting to clutch my chest as every artery in my body clogged up. Meals like this should be illegal. I guarantee that a dromedary camel does not eat this many calories in one day. And although this meal is begging for a heart attack, it was scrumptious.

Which leads me to my need to make a public declaration: I will increase my self-control. I vow to not eat carne asada cheese fries again for at least one month. Well, I probably won't. I will try really hard not to.

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