Best. Birthday. EVER!!!!!

I ran into a friend at Costco today after the marathon (we were getting pizza with the family).  He asked me "how did you do today?"  I Paused.... I was slow.  really really really slow.  I have no race time bragging rights.

"I did... (I paused)... I did fun."



This journey to finally running the 40th birthday marathon was a  LOOOONG one for me.

I used to live in the townhomes that sit exactly where the St. George marathon finish line points to. For many years, I would spend the day of the marathon just watching everyone cross the line ALL DAY LONG!  I would cheer on perfect strangers and I would cry as people toward the back of the pack came across the finish line struggling for every last step.

I had been a runner/athlete before I was married and had let myself go after my 3rd child.  I had started training for a marathon a couple of times before I had kids and once again before I had my 3rd kid and finally gave up on the idea of a marathon.  From ages 28-36 ish, I let myself go and gave up on health in general.  At age 35 I was in the worst shape of my life.  I was nearly 200 pounds and passed out on a walk half a block from my home.   I wanted ME back.  I wanted the athletic Michelle that could play soccer and basketball and go hiking and run and dance.  She was missing.  I needed her back.
  I began my journey in 2008 walking for just 60 seconds at a time and taking a sitting break until I could work jogging into it.

 My journey has been an amazing transformation, not just physically, but emotionally, spiritually, mentally.  I finally love who I am once again.  it's taken a while, but I feel like I haven't JUST got Michelle back, but I am better than I have ever been.

This year it was my 40th birthday just  a few days before the St. George Marathon.  My husband and friends all knew this was my plan for quite some time.  To celebrate life by running 26.2 miles with thousands of other people.


I registered for the 2013 St. George Marathon around the first day registration was open.  I paid my $90 and was all geared up for it.  I received an e-mail that said my name was NOT selected in the lottery.  WHAT???  I was pretty upset.  I thought that was crazy.  I had been planning and waiting and preparing and excited about finally doing a marathon for a LOOOOOOOONG time.  .

So when I was told no cigar on the registration/lottery (even though they should have taken every resident I found out later) I was pretty upset and wouldn't accept it.  I am lucky to have amazing friends.
Offers of free registrations came in from several businesses and friends.  People reached out to me when they saw how much this race meant to me.
I emailed in my free race registration in early August.
I never received a confirmation e-mail.
So I called a week later or so.
"no problem, we got your registration, you are good!"
Awesome.  no more worries - right?
I was IN!  And so, more training getting my knees ready to take on that killer race.

Still no confirmation... anything.

I was a little worried, but I never did a marathon before and had no idea what to expect.

I started to get worried when the race was a few weeks away, but I was swamped with work stress and kids and just didn't take the time to follow up and make sure it was all 'still good".

The race was coming up.
I saw a link posted to get your bib number.  I tried on Tuesday October 2nd.  My birthday.  the race was going to be on the 5th.  I can't get my number from the site.  I am mildly concerned and just think I must have typed something in wrong.  I try again Wednesday.  No luck. SO I email ... "nope sorry, you are not registered and this late we cannot do anything for you."

I nearly break down in tears.  I feel like someone just smashed my pretty princess party hat.
all that training (Okay so it wasn't the BEST training, but still, I tried to train good).  All that hype of me telling everyone what my plan was.  I was GOING to RUN THIS RACE!  The organizers could either help me figure it out, Or I would figure it out on my own.
THIS WAS MY 40th BIRTHDAY PARTY!

PLUS, it was also a very special run that a bunch of buddies were running to dedicate to our common friend Braydon Nielson that was killed riding his bike training for a triathlon about a month or so before.  I couldn't miss this.

I expressed my frustration again on facebook and multiple friends offered solutions to my dilemna and were there to make sure I could do this.  Many of them have been a part of my journey or clients that have joined me in my journey back to health.

I was again touched at how many people cared about my ability to do this race and it's significance in my life.

The race organizers finally emailed me Friday morning - the day before the race - and gave me my bib number.  8572.  cool.  I was in!

Friday was a busy day at work.  I was done working around 1;30pm and planned on going to the expo around 2pm to get what I needed together.  I had never done a race like this.  I had not prepared for it with supplies.  I had a LONG to do list and plan of what I had to get done and when and I wanted to be in bed by 8pm so I could be well rested.   yeah....
That didn't happen.  After trying to get things done back at work with Bill... we finally headed to the expo at 6:00pm.  I was hungry and cranky and stressed out.  I forgot to get my "booyah" shirt, I didn't eat yet and the dinner at the expo seemed a little overpriced.

I get to race packet pickup and guess what....?  guess, no guess.  Guess. Guess!

NO BIB FOR ME!!!!

Seriously????
Can I just break down and cry right here right now?  (It didn't help that Aunt Flow decided to come visit that day as well - if you know what I mean...)  I was an emotional stressed out basketcase.  I was sent back and forth between tables to try and get my situation figured out.  I kept showing everyone I talked to the last communication with my bib number and the person's name.  No one could find it.  FINALLY....  the woman that sent me the email was standing next to one individual (after many others had tried) that was trying to figure out what had happened.  She looked at my phone with the email on it and said "Oh, yeah, that was me. "  Then she looked too.... Nope.... no bib for me.

Finally they decided to get me a new number 8573.  I was more tired, hungry and moody then ever by this point.  I just wanted to go eat and go home and sleep.
While my husband was dealing with some clients in the parking lot, I decided to go get my joints taped at the Strength tape booth.  The line was long, but I knew in the end, it would be worth it.

I was glad to have my bib.
and new head band...

Jimmy Johns drive-thru for dinner after 8pm and then home to get final details together before going to bed.  I decided that half of my to-do list had to be deleted.  including laundry.

I hadn't done laundry all week so my favorite running clothes were ...  well... I have no idea which dirty pile they were in.  I am not a great housekeeper.  The big secret is out.  If it was ever a secret.

I find a Zumba tank, mediocre bra, mediocre running clothes.  At least I had some really cool running socks that Jared at Classic Sports told me I would need to save my toes.  (Glad I listened - no blisters).  No Booyah shirt.  :(  I took a bath and went to bed with wet hair around 10:00pm

3:30 am Saturday October 5th - my alarm goes off and I am thinking... "WHAT WAS I THINKING?"

4:00am - drive to the buses.  I realize I have no idea where to meet my friends since I was so preoccupied with just making sure I could even be in the race in the first place.  I text Polli and she gets me straight.

4:30am - Bill drops me off, I kiss him goodbye and keep my eyes open for someone I know while getting into line for the bus.  I decide that today is a good day to make new friends.

I sit next to a guy named Mike.  He's from Ogden Utah.  55 - He started running just a few years ago.  He let's me know details about the race I missed out on... a little too late.

Lessons I learned
Mike Lesson #1 - the bib is NOT self adhesive.  I didn't have pins.  I thought the bib must be self adhesive.  It isn't, by the way.  Mike gave me one of his 4 pins. In the stress of making sure I even had a bib, the organizers neglected to give me pins.  I was just clueless.  I was feeling pretty blonde at this point.

Mike  Lesson #2 - Mike tells me not to think about how long the drive out there is.  Well I wasn't until he mentioned it.  Crap... that's a long drive.  And I am going to run it?

Mike Lesson #3 - there will be a trailer to gather your items you do not want to run with.  I should have brought that big blanket and winter coat after all.  :(

I'm learning a LOT!

At the starting line we meet up with friends at the northern most fire...  um... I think I must be really early. I can't find anyone I know...  So I find random strangers to sit with and chat.
More lessons to learn...
Lesson #4 - A pillow... good idea!
Lesson #5 - Chairs??? Sitting on the ground was hurting my butt.
Lesson #6 -  bring your breakfast with you.

 Meeting new people is fun and educational.

 I find Cathy Ford and step over Corey Reese, who had just run the course backward and was joining us at the start to do the course again... weirdo.  Who does that?  Oh,  him.  They are hanging out at the fire pit with the purgatory guys.

Lesson #6 - is from Cathy - the guys from Purgatory correctional facility keep a good fire.  the best.  always hang out at their fire.

We finally find most of the "friends of Braydon" and head to the start around 6:45am.
it's cold by the way.  really really really cold.

I meet a new friends.  Tige is a friend of Cathy's and the three of us and Turd'l miller share a blankie to stay warm.

So many awesome people I know are at the start to run together.  We meet toward the back to keep a pace with June Anderson and help her out like Braydon was planning to do for her.  There are loads of us!  I feel like Romper Room lady saying this...
I see: Cory and Melanie and Michelle and Hellen and William, and Stirling, and  ... well the list goes on.  So many great people planning on running together in memory of Braydon.  This is the best birthday party EVER!!!!


Cathy and Tige and I stay in the blanket and start a 3/3 split (3 minutes of running and 3 minutes of walking).  Cathy is usually really fast but has decided to take it easy and run slow with me.  YAY!  I never get to run with her.  She is usually toward the front of the pack, so this is a rare opportunity to spend time with someone I never get to see anymore.

There are so many people.  we lose sight of many of our friends.  Some are ahead with the 5hour 30 minute pacer balloons and some are behine toward the 6hour mark (no official pacer).  I knew my friend June Anderson was in good hands with all those friends around her.  She would have great support.  I thought.

I have absolutely NO expectations for this race.  I have not run further than 11 miles straight.  I did the red rock relay and got about 15 miles 3-5 miles at a time over 2 days.  I wasn't ready to run 26.2 miles.  My only goals were
1 - finish with a smile
2 - NO INJURIES!

We Had so much fun!
Nice easy pace. lots of walking breaks.
The weather is perfect.
The aid stations are awesome!  I get a mini coke bottle from Kari.  I get Red vines and a twix candy bar at another aid station. this is junk I usually avoid, but this is a party.
One aid station even has Hot dogs at Mile 24.  Dude... Stoked.

Signs along the way make me laugh:

Cathy, Tige and I are laughing, talking and really enjoying the race Braydon style.  Smiling and enjoying the journey.  Don't get me wrong, we are working.  I am starting to feel my knee give me problems about mile 6.

 Bugger.  This makes me really nervous.  Can I do this and not be injured after all?

Veyo...  we decide at Veyo pies to see if we can get a pie.
No pie, But Cathy scores us a filled croissant and we split it 3 ways.  I can only eat a couple of bites.  totally yummy but very very sweet.  :)  YUM!  I will have to go back another day and get some when I am not running.

My brother Robert Proffit and his wife Peggy and their kids are there with a happy birthday sign.

It's good to see them right there.  Robert says he will run with me if I want.  I get distracted by a croissant and eat it and forget to have my brother run with me.  I don't even think about it until about a mile later.

We walked Veyo hill.  :)  yeah, we could have pushed.  But we didn't.  and it was fine and fun to just walk it and enjoy it.

At some point we realize we won't be able to keep our pace and finish with team Booyah.  We finally realize we must be way out in front of our group of buddies.  a couple of guys in the group are running back and forth - up and down the course looking for June Anderson and can't find her.  I wonder how many miles they are getting in.

Our little trio decides our aging aching and untrained muscles probably can only handle about 16 miles or so of this running pace and we will walk the last 10 totally on track to finish with team Booyah in plenty of time.

I figure out my knee pain is probably from poor running form since I have been pretty lazy.  I fix my form, do a few butt kickers and change things up and my knee pain goes away.  YAY for good form!  funny how much of a difference it makes.

I can keep going.  YAY!

We share old high school dating stories and laugh.  I like "racing" this way.
Mile 16... my running legs are shot!  I am glad to be done with running.  This is longer than any straight run I have done yet.  I am happy that I made it that far running off and on.

Aaaaannnnnd.... we're walking.  The last 10 miles.
It seems like a short distance in my mind.    I am glad I am not alone.  This was the best way to do my first marathon.  FUN, slow and happy!

We had agreed to stop at mile 23 and wait to meet up with Melissa Nielsen (Braydon's wife) the rest of the way in with all the rest of the Booyah tribe.  Cathy and Tige are ahead of me since I stopped to stretch at some point.  I see they don't stop and just keep going past Melissa  I stop to say hi and figure out what the plan is.  Do I wait?  Do I try and catch up to my other friends?  Or do I just go on my own?  I go on and see if I can catch Tige and Cathy.  I am hoping the slow down, but they don't.  So... I just decide to go even slower and see if everyone else catches up.  I mean, I really don't want to spend my birthday party alone and cross the finish line without the party people.  That was not my party plan.  I stop at mile 24 aid station and eat a hot dog.  Why not?  I have time to kill.
BY THE WAY....
about mile 20 my feet are killing me!!!  Holy cow.  This is when I develop serious respect to ANYONE that finished a marathon. period.  No matter how fast. Walking or running.  It hurts!  I had pains in places I never felt pain during a run before.
the bottoms of my feet, my hips, backs of my knees.... yeah.... I was pretty much done.
just a few more miles....
I was glad I was walking without pressure to beat some crazy time I was thinking about setting for myself.

I find Tige.  Cathy ditched him.  We decide to finish together and then go back and find everyone else.

As we get close to the finish, we find more Booyah shirts. We finish together.  It was fun to see Lyle Anderson as the announcer.  I didn't know he was up there,  He did a great job announcing.

Looking at these pictures as I write this blog is the first time I realized how really slow we really did finish.  It's slow.  But it's happy.  That was my goal.

Now we wait for June and the others to come in.  They are with the "sweeper" barely in front of the cut off vehicle.  we all run across the finish together.  It's emotional.  Melissa has tears.  I have tears.  So many of us are feeling Braydon's presence with us as we cross together as a team.

BOOYAH!
We finish with cheers of BOOYAH - the term Braydon was most known for, and a group hug.
I punched William Shake in the arm for being emotional.  Then I feel guilty for doing it.  Sorry dude.  My bad.  Real Men get tears too.

It was the best Birthday party ever. Thanks Braydon for making my party awesome.  Sure most of these people had no idea they were throwing me a birthday party.  that's fine.  I am also convinced this was the best way to do a first marathon.  I had SO much fun, I was MOSTLY pain free - or at least injury free.  and I laughed and enjoyed friends the whole time.

Will I ever do a marathon again?  I told my hubby this was going to be my one and only.  But... duude... I had SOOOO much fun!  I would do one again, BUT - Only if I can do it this way.  Trust me, it was challenging enough for me.  6 hours of run/walking 26.2 miles is tough!

Braydon's passing kind of changed my focus from making this about my birthday to more about celebrating him and what he was all about - supporting friends.

I have come to terms with the idea that I do not have to try and keep up with anyone else.  I can do this for me, I can do this for someone else and I can do both at the same time.  I loved being with other people.  In Braydon spirit, I would do this again if I was helping someone else to do it.  (or part of a party)

I haven't really called myself a "serious runner".  I think I am finally figuring it out...

I am a social runner.  I need other people in my world to keep me going.  Thank you Booyah clan!  I love all of you!
Booyah!