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| Marathon Memories |
St. George Marathon
By Sheryl Billman
Jennifer asked me to pass along my thoughts about your upcoming St. George Marathon. (for
those of you who don't know...I ran this last year).
I have nothing bad to say about this marathon. From pre-race to post-race, St. George was
truly awesome. The packet pick up/expo was very well organized and located close to our
motel. Because we had traveled all day and wanted to get to bed early, we decided to eat
at the pasta dinner. I was a little scared about this decision...I have heard a lot of
horror stories about pre-race pasta. It turned out to be a nice surprise. It was held at
the same convention center as packet pick-up, so it was easy to get to, and the food was
actually very good.
The morning of the race, all runners are bused to the starting line. From what I can
remember, (it has been almost a year and I usually can't remember what I did yesterday),
the ride took about 45-50 min. Taking the bus was a little daunting for me because I don't
like seeing the course that I am about to suffer on, especially when I started to smell
the brakes on some of the downhills, which are really the nasty uphills from mile 7 thru
about mile 13. ( By the way, this is a HILLY course...did you all know this?..ha,ha)
When we arrived at the starting area, there were several bonfires roaring and hot
chocolate tables to help you stay warm. It was pretty chilly for us last year...low 40's.
Another important thing at the start area...there were plenty of port-a-potties.:) I
started the race in 2 jackets and gloves. I quickly shed all these layers once I began to
run and the sun started to come up. I was very comfortable running in shorts and a
singlet.
Once the race started, there was decent crowd support..not anything like New York or
Chicago, but enough people along the way to cheer you on.
The scenery along this course was some of the most beautiful I have ever seen. While you
are running, don't forget to take in some of the beauty of the land..it will help take
your mind off the your legs. Yes, your legs are going to hurt.
I hope this has been helpful. Please don't hesitate to ask me any other questions. I hope
you all have a great race. |
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