Sand Hollow Marathon

 

The hottest marathon of my marathon career.

Marathon Maniacs

When

This race

Running Sand Hollow

 The hottest marathon of my marathon career.

Some thoughts from a letter from Jason the race director:

Dear Runners,

Saturday night after a personal record of being awake for 36 hours ( I'm training for an Ultra so it's OK:) I finally couldn't hang on any longer and crashed at 6pm with a huge smile on my face.
I awoke at 2am and to my surprise was wide awake -my lovely wife (who can out-work anyone I've ever seen, and is a 'Hollow legend for her work on the race course each year) was awake as well. We spent over an hour exchanging tales about the fantastic runners we met, their stories and how much we love the the new friends we made.

We then took out pen and paper and wrote down things we could do better and ideas that we had for next year, we did this until 430am and then we drifted off to the lovely "after the marathon" slumber that only runners and race directors know of.

Each year the marathon fills my soul with inspiring performances and smiles of new, old and soon to be best friends. Only two years into the "Hollow I have been blessed to meet so many fantastic runners that I can hardly believe that I get to do this each year!
Every year each one of you leave a bit of your spirit, smiles, agony and pain along the course (and in some cases ecto-plasm and a bit of your cape) this settles into the pavement and builds the legend of the race. I feel it every year when you are gone, the course is alive for a few days after you all return to your homes.
I have a good friend who is a dynamic runner and even better human being who often talks (half joking and half serious) with me about the "gods of the marathon" and how as runners and race directors we need to have respect for the sport and the event. As you know the marathon is ancient and full of legend, I like to think that we are building a legend here at Sand Hol low and in doing so we we appease the marathon gods.
On Saturday I believe that the marathon gods smiled down upon the  Sand Hollow Marathon and blessed us, the weather was fantastic! Last year we had 8 hours of rain and at the end of the race it was 38 degrees! Wow! This year an interesting thing happened; when my last two runners came in ( One with a broken toe and holding hands,and a few tears (from me) it was calm. Less than five minutes later the wind started at 20-30 mph, and it got really nasty for about an hour. How lucky we were! Thank you marathon gods!
I want to most of all thank you- the runners for coming and supporting the Sand Hollow Marathon. I form an amazing bond with my runners and consider them family. I have vivid memories of my 'Hollow friends running with stress fractures in their toes and legs, injured and in pain -yet finishing strong and touching my life. - Thank you.
I watched as many first-timers cro ssed the finish line and became a new person, while inspiring their family, friends and children to greater heights -Thank you.
I watched as the veterans pushed themselves to over 50 marathons, over 100 marathons, and incredibly over 200 marathons- Thank you.
I watched a band of brothers push themselves to the brink so that we could have a good laugh and smile on our faces - Thank you.

I watched the 'mommas do it again and bring a few more friends and brighten up the course. I met two really cool California girls, a Tar heel, a Duck, a few Longhorns and even a Rhode Islander who took a moment to leave a bit of his imprint on our course. -Thank you.
I saw Elite Athletes push themselves, befriend each other, run a great race and then stick around to cheer other runners on.- Thank you.
I saw a few runners cross the finish line with tears in their eyes, and I felt that. -Thank you.
I watched parents transform into heroes in the eyes of their children.- Thank you.

I saw tough men with tattoos get a little tougher and maybe, just maybe I thought I saw a tear fall from their chiseled faces. Thank you.
I saw some folks in the back of the pack (were the real race is) gut it out and find out what they are made of. Thank you.
I watched many of you destroy a hill that did not destroy you. Thank you.

I watched two crazy super-hero guys make everyone happy with their amazing ability to run, joke, testify of shoes and fight crime? all at the same time. Thank you.

(those of you who know me realize how incredibly hard it was for me not to "suit up" and run with Zero and Drop:)
I watched 189 friends come into my life and enrich my soul. Thank you.

OK, so I realize that it's almost time for a group hug, and I'm sure everyone is feeling the love right about now- but wait, it gets better! My parting gift to all of you is free,
yes F-R-E-E photos of your race. All you need to do is go to http://www.runningguru.com/Index.asp Create an account (takes like 15 seconds) and then you can download all the free photos your little lactic acid filled hearts desire! Use the code "sand" at checkout  and your order will be free! Sand Hollow's way of saying; We Love you!
Please come and run with us next year, please post your photos on Facebook, drop me a line if you wish, and keep on running!

See you next year at the 'HOLLOW !

-Jason

 

Purple Day 5K

 

This race was one Jan and I decided to do because it was in support of epilepsy awareness, so we wanted to run in support of Alicia. Also a friend, Shanna Wilkinson, who also has epilepsy.

They had some fun shirts for sale at the race.

Getting ready for wearing purple was fun. I decided to make a purple skirt to wear for the run. Found a flashy piece of material at Hancock Fabrics and this is how it turned out.

Jan & Marsha purple out.

Here is the morning in pictures:

Me and Harley, he arrived by motorcycle.

There were lots of different family groups who came out in support wearing purple.

This next picture says it all. Makes me sad to see this.

 Race ready, no sweat.

Since I finished the race before Jan I was able to get pictures of him coming into the finish line. Go Jan go. Love you honey.

This was a nice, low key race. Since I like purple that made it even more fun.

Purple costume winner on right.

And who takes a first place in their age group?

Age group first place.

Stats for the Purple Day 5K

Spring Cleaning

 

This week, it's that fabulous time of year when we wring out the old stale winter air and open the windows for the fresh chilly new! If you're not quite excited for spring cleaning, try this fast idea, "The Power of One." Think one drawer, one room, one category. To start small, clean one drawer-you can do this while talking on the phone. Decide the function of that drawer. Use another tub (or a garbage bag) for what you eliminate, and a tub for items that go somewhere else. It's fast and so slick-in about five minutes your drawer is sparkling.  

You can also go bigger, doing one room at a time. A friend of mine did this one summer, cleaning one room as a family each week, de-cluttering the junk, then cleaning the walls, baseboards, and shelves, and organizing the remaining items. A great family project and very doable for the mama.

You can also think about cleaning one category at a time, like the walls or the windows. The idea is many hands make light work, so choose a day and time for whole family involvement.

And remember to include a reward! Include the perk and you'll have more fun in the process.

Enjoy "spring cleaning" into motherhood this week!

Best, Connie

Thoughts about Life

Life is a journey. It's scenery however is different for everyone.

"You've only got 3 choices in life -
   give up, give in, or give it all you've got"
                                                         ~ Unknown

got eggs?

 

By Liz Applegate Ph.D. 

Image by Levi Brown From the April 2012 issue of Runner's World


Why eggs are one of the best foods for runners. Got a dozen on hand? As a runner, you should. Routinely eating eggs affords you amazing health benefits. Here are five reasons to crack one open.

TO SLIM DOWN
In a study, dieters who had eggs for breakfast achieved a 60 percent greater weight loss compared with those who began their day with a calorie-equivalent bagel. Researchers theorize the quality protein in whole eggs (13 percent of the Daily Value) helps control appetite. What's more, egg protein is easy for your body to absorb, which makes it a good muscle-repair food after a long run or tempo workout.

TO PROTECT (YES, PROTECT) YOUR HEART
Numerous studies have debunked the link between eggs and heart disease. In fact, research shows that eating several eggs a week results in cholesterol particles that are less likely to spell cardiac trouble. What's more, a unique protein found in egg yolks blocks platelets (the cells responsible for blood clots) from clumping together inside blood vessels, thereby minimizing heart-attack risk.

TO FIGHT INFLAMMATION
Whole eggs are one of the best sources of the nutrient choline (one large egg has 30 percent of your daily value, mostly in the yolk). Besides playing a key role in brain health, choline helps keep the body's circulatory system clear of compounds that would otherwise cause inflammation, which can lead to disorders ranging from muscle swelling after a hard workout to diabetes and Alzheimer's disease.

TO MAINTAIN BONE STRENGTH
Eggs are one of the few natural sources of bone-building vitamin D. One egg supplies 10 percent of the Daily Value. Brands like Eggland's Best have double that amount.

TO KEEP YOUR VISION SHARP
Yolks contain the pigment lutein, which helps prevent age-related Macular degeneration (a leading form of blindness). And while spinach and other greens contain higher amounts of lutein, eggs provide a more absorbable form.

Cracking the Truth
Questions about eggs?
Let us lay them to rest

BROWN OR WHITE?
Nutritionally speaking, they're the same.

IS CAGE-FREE BETTER?
For the hen maybe; for your health most likely not.

OMEGA-3 EGGS—WORTH IT?
Yes. One yolk equals one ounce of salmon.

GO ORGANIC?
The nutrition jury is still out, but it's an earth-wise choice.

Shamrock Half Marathon

This year, when I was looking for a race to do on St. Patrick’s Day I decided that I was going to try the hills I’d heard about in this race. Last year on this weekend I was running in Moab in the Canyonland's Half Marathon. I really enjoyed that race but they don’t offer a finishers medal and so I’d opted not to try the lottery this year.

Half Fanatics Marsha & Angie goin' green.

Flat Angie

Mother Nature was threatening rain today, and so I was prepared that I might get wet. I was excited to run today because I’d spent a lot of time working on my green costume to run in. As you can see, Angie also spent a lot of time working on her green running outfit. One thing that Angie does that is so fun is she lays her outfit out and then takes a photo of it. She calls the photo "Flat Angie."

This race was a small, but was well organized race put on by Fleet Feet Sports in American Fork. Picking up my race number and awesome long sleeve race shirt was easy. The start was near the parking so I just waited for the race to start in my van.

When I saw Angie arrive I got out and put on my race belt to run. Also, I knew we would want to take a "group" picture of the two of us Fanatic/Maniac.

Lots of runners wore green today.

This wasn't my best race, it wasn't my worst. There were a lot of hills in the course, and it didn't take long for the wind to come up. Much of the time since we were running east and west the wind, which was blowing from the north didn't bother me too much. But when it was blowing right at me there were times it felt like I was hardly moving.

Shows the stormy weather making the wind.

Since I am slower runner than Angie I ran this race pretty much by myself. I decided to run my last mile in with no run/walk when I saw that it was downhill to the finish line. My visor flew off twice this last mile, strong wind and more traffic.

Running into the finish!

The coolest thing, Angie waited for me to welcome me into the finish line. Thanks Angie. What a great way to start the day!

Shamrock Half Marathon Finishers

Race stats:

First mile 11:31
Last mile 10:13
Elevation gain: 768 feet
Time:  2:47:46.6

What is Marathon Fever?

Marathon Fever is described generally as an irrational urge to run 26.2 miles. Onset may be sudden, or may occur after a long and gradual incubation period. Symptoms may include signs of mania; a sudden increase in levels of technical fabric in one's wardrobe; a change in sleeping patterns (e.g., waking up at 5 a.m. to run); hoarding of energy gels; and compulsive spending on such items as shoes, visors, and GPS watches. The first recorded case of Marathon Fever occurred in Greece, circa 490 B.C.

How is Marathon Fever transmitted?

New runners may contract Marathon Fever any number of ways. Most commonly, newbies pick it up from a friend, relative, or coworker who has recently run a marathon. It can be transmitted through the air, as a marathoner talks about his or her exploit; or virally, as when a runner views one of those motivational-quote images via email or Facebook. In rare cases, a runner has picked up Marathon Fever simply by touching a marathoner's finisher's medal. Note that, contrary to widespread belief, Marathon Fever CANNOT be transmitted through bites. If a marathoner bites you, you should wash and bandage the wound immediately, especially if the bite has broken the skin. But you are not in danger of contracting Marathon Fever.

How is Marathon Fever treated?

There is no known treatment for Marathon Fever. Sufferers must let the illness run its course. Usually this means entering, training for, and finishing a marathon. This may result in blisters, bloody nipples, stiffness, body aches, loss of gross motor control, and confusion -- all signs that the body is ridding itself, at last, of the sickness.