...Where the Deer, and the Buffalo Play...

Saturday I ran in the inaugural Layton Marathon. Calling it the "Layton Marathon" is a bit of a misnomer, because most of the course is in unincorporated Davis County or Syracuse, with the last four miles to the finish actually being in Layton City.


I was a bit uncertain about this course, as it has a significant hill at mile seven, and the rest has a gradual incline. I spent the night before at Mike & Annies', which was nice because it was only a ten minute drive to the finish area at Ellison Park, which meant I "only" had to wake up at 4 am! I caught one of the buses for the ride to the start on Antelope Island. As we drove across the Great Salt Lake causeway road, the distinct odor of salt and brine shrimp filled the air. Once on the island, the lead bus missed the turn, but we got turned around a couple miles later and headed in the right direction.

Antelope Island, a designated Utah State Park, is a 42 square mile island with a herd of 500 buffalo, bighorn sheep, pronghorn, deer and numerous other wildlife species.


The starting line was about .8 miles north of the Fielding Garr Ranch house. Located on the southeast side of the island near Garr Springs, this historical structure is the oldest continually inhabited Anglo home in the state of Utah (from 1848 to 1981 when the island became a state park), and it is the oldest Anglo-built house in Utah still on its original foundation.

We arrived at the starting line, consisting of about 10 porta-potties (not enough for over 300 runners trying to go before start time - I just used a bush as it was still dark!), a warming "awning" with a big sideline portable heater, a water table, and a starting chute with a timing RF pad start line. Temperatures were in the low 40's with no perceptible breeze. Because of a few inaugural glitches, the race began 15 minutes late at 6:15 am. There was not any gun or horn, just race officials yelling "Okay, it's started!!" Fortunately we were chip timed, so the people still in porta-potty lines did not lose any race time.

Fortunately, the first six miles were run in the dark (so I didn't have to observe this buffalo-runner in fish-net stockings and garters!) on a closed two-lane paved road, traveling northbound toward Buffalo Bay. A few people had headlamps or glo-sticks, and there was just enough ambient light to see a few steps ahead and avoid other runners. To the East I could see all of the lights along the populated Wasatch Front, including the Bountiful temple on the foothills - a stark contrast to the remote setting of the island.

By mile seven the sky began to lighten, as the sun approached the east horizon. The course began a 200' climb in about 3/4 of a mile distance. I slowed my pace to allow for the incline, and an aid station halfway up the hill allowed for a nice break.


That hill was soon behind us, and we could now see the descent toward the seven mile-long causeway road leading to the mainland.

As we continued north, I saw deer to my left, and a small herd of seven buffalo to my right, about fifty yards ahead. Suddenly, six of the seven buffalo decided to cross the road full of runners at a full-gallop, mini-stampede! From my perspective, I could not tell if there was a gap in the line of runners big enough to allow them to cross the road. An adult buffalo can weigh up to 2,000 lbs and reach speeds of 35 mph! The scene before me could be used for a textbook high school physics problem (thanks, Mr. Hatch!) applying Newtons' Laws of Motion. However calculated, a 150 lb runner would be tossed like a rag doll were a collision to occur...fortunately they crossed the road without incident or injury, allowing all buffalo and runners to continue safely on their way.

Somewhere on the causeway road I passed the halfway point at 1:58, about a 9:00 per mile pace. I wanted to force myself to run a reverse split (slower first half), so that I would save enough for the gradual uphill of the second 13.1 miles. There were spectators scattered along the north side of the road with signs, cow bells and bike horns to encourage the runners. By now the sun was up, but a nice cloud layer prevented the temperatures from climbing much higher than the 50's by the finish. The glass-like lake reflected the clouds and mountains, as the lake-stink wafted in the air. The "pop-pop" sound of gunfire echoed across the lake from the shoreline, as some hunt must have officially begun at sunrise.

We exited the State Park gate and worked our way through Syracuse. After passing mile 18 my legs were actually feeling pretty good, and I began to think that I could maintain my 8:30 pace to the finish. We passed a corn maze and continued down to Gentile Street, now heading east toward Layton.

As I passed mile 21 my heart was still very willing, but my legs began to fade. All I needed was four ten minute miles and one nine minute mile and I would finish under 4 hours! But the Wall smacked me hard, forcing me to dramatically slow my pace.

I accepted that the flat to slight uphill course would not allow a sudden miraculous recovery, and revised my goal to simply beat my TOU finish time. I hung in there, didn't get sick or woozy, but my legs would only go so fast.

*(Thanks for these last three images, Annie!) I continued and pushed on, until finally I turned the last corner before the finishing straightaway!


The announcer called out my name as I crossed the timing mat at 4:12 - a minute faster than TOU three weeks ago! I saw Annie and the kids waiting there at the finish line. She got a few great pic's, and it meant a lot to me to see them there.

I think I'll take a nap now!