Race Day!

Race day finally arrived for the Utah Valley Marathon!


My day started at about 3 am when I awoke in time to catch the 3:30 shuttle van to the start area above Provo Canyon in Wallsburg.


Keri was still trying to get over a lingering cough and cold, and was just not feelin the runnin-Mojo, so she opted out of the Half Marathon. She and Landon slept in and then joined in the exciting finish line atmosphere, cheering all the finishers home, and taking some pic's. Thanks for being there, fam!

It was a nice, cool early start at 6 am on a beautiful, mostly sunny day. After a tour of the farming community of Wallsburg and a peek at Deer Creek Reservoir, our course took us down Provo Canyon, with beautiful views of snow-covered Cascade Mountain, Timpanogas Peak, and the fast moving Provo River. From about mile 11 to the finish, the road was all unforgiving concrete, which later took its toll on my legs. After many "unadvertised" rollers down the canyon, I made it to the valley right on pace for my 3:30 "best scenario" goal, as I settled in with the pacer carrying the 3:30 sign.


The last, mostly flat 6 miles down University Avenue, I stopped for water and took a 20 second walk break, and the pace group got ahead of me. I kept them in sight, and repeatedly tried to reel them back in, but was never able to re-join them. Now the valley sun began to warm up, so I stopped under the mister-coolers for some relief. Although a bit uncomfortable at times, I hung in there, occasionally stopping to stretch my calves which were tightening up. The crowds lining the street were awesome, and did not allow me to stop for long. I saw out of the corner of my eye the 3:40 pace group two blocks back, and then I stepped it up and brought it on home.


I missed my BQ goal by 8.5 minutes, but still had a great finish time (for an old guy who doesn't always train too seriously :-))

After a couple of minutes I was able to force a smile, happy to see Keri & Landon. I then limped around the recovery area for a while, ate a banana Creamie and chocolate milk before returning to the hotel for a hot shower!


When we arrived the day before, we drove around town, and showed Landon a few different "historical sites", such as the apartments where Keri & I met!


Here is our second apartment after we were married. Looking a bit run down.


Here is the Brick Oven Pizza on the edge of campus - where Keri & I used to go out to eat on special occasions.


And here is what is left of the Provo Tabernacle, after the big fire there a number of months ago.


Overall, it was an enjoyable race, and a nice little getaway to "Cougar Country". It was good to re-visit our "roots" - as Keri & I will soon celebrate 24 years together - is that right, Keri?! :-)

Hang Doggin 2011

*(Thanks for the great Pic's, Robert B!)
After a 7 month hiatus, Saturday finally presented the opportunity for some airtime! Clover and I converged on Short Divide launch under mostly sunny 75 degree skies, along with two other hang glider pilots and a half dozen paraglider pilots. Conditions were light, but building, with cycles topping out at 14-16 mph. I waited for a slow moving cloud to pass by, bringing sunlight back to launch, hang-checked Clover and myself, paused for a good cycle, then ran off into the airspace!


We found subdued thermals up to 700 fpm mixed in with the ridge lift, and soon climbed to about 600' over launch. We found a thermal with which to drift back to the mountain, but fell out of it as it drifted over the back. I played it safe and came back out front, never to regain all of my altitude. We spent the next 45 minutes refining our rusty thermalling skills, and bobbing around with 4 or 5 paragliders, and one other hang glider. Eventually another cloud moved in and we were all flushed out to the landing zone. Although we did not "climb the mountain," it was great to get back in the air again with my canine co-pilot!


Airtime: 1 hour!