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<\/a><\/p>\nUtah I taw a marathon in Utah.\u00a0 I did.\u00a0 I did run a marathon in Utah.<\/p>\n
Through the darkness of future’s past, Ya know, they warned me it would be in the low 30s at the start line.\u00a0 And so I had packed extra layers in a small \u201cgo\u201d bag that I put next to my main traveling duffel bag to pack in the car\u2026 and about 20 miles out on the I-15 N, I realized that \u201cgo\u201d bag had \u201cstayed.\u201d\u00a0 Fortunately, I had thought to grab a 25-year-old flannel shirt from my Nirvana grunge days and was wearing that on the drive so I could use that as a layer for the morning.<\/p>\n Little did I realize it would become my running uniform for the entire 26.2 miles.\u00a0 It did eventually warm up as the sun got a bit higher, but I kept the shirt on \u2013 partly out of core cold and partly because after a quarter of a century I couldn\u2019t see tossing ol\u2019 Flannigan McFlannel, my newly christened nickname for the shirt.<\/p>\n It was a small race \u2013 the race director had pegged it as 140 marathoners and about that many half-ers.\u00a0 I think the cold kept some folks in bed as the final race results seem to top out at 104 for the day.\u00a0 But as small as it was, it was an incredibly well organized event.\u00a0 Aid stations every 2 miles, course marshals and police ensuring the traffic on the roads respected the runners\u2019 safety, and a general sense that we were all in good hands.<\/p>\n Yes, yes.\u00a0 It could be lonely on the course, as these photos can attest.\u00a0 But the scenery was grand and a reminder that despite long protestations that I need to be near water and sun that there is something magical about the desert mountain ranges of our nation.\u00a0 There\u2019s a quiet solitude and peacefulness that can\u2019t be found in other parts of the country.\u00a0 While last week\u2019s New Orleans course had a solitary feel for long stretches, that felt out of place in such a vibrant city.\u00a0 Here, the being alone never felt lonely\u2026 it just felt\u2026 right.<\/p>\n That isn\u2019t to say there weren\u2019t people.\u00a0 I ran with a nice guy named Scott for the opening 10K or so; he would later go on to win the whole thing outright.\u00a0 And the half marathon started just before I got to 13.1 so I was amongst packs of halfers now and again.\u00a0 I hovered around 3rd<\/sup> place throughout the miles and while occasionally somebody might pass me, I\u2019d overtake somebody else\u2026 and in the end, I was 6 minutes or so behind Scott\u2019s winning time, and a minute or two behind number 2.\u00a0 So after the long and winding 26.2, I finished third with a time of 3:13:54.\u00a0 It was no Boston Qualifying time but it was a good run for me.\u00a0 While the course was mostly downhill, there were a few inclines that were at just enough of an angle to test the muscles and wherewithal.<\/p>\n That’s Scott on the right… and me on the left for what it’s worth.<\/p>\n<\/a> <\/a><\/p>\n
\nThe magician longs to see.
\nOne chants out between two worlds…
\n“Fire… walk<\/s> run with me.”<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a> <\/a><\/p>\n<\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a><\/p>\n