"If we don't suffer enough we won't remember it."

Top of Utah

15% off for Fast Running Blog members at St. George Running Center!

Location:

Orem,UT,USA

Member Since:

Nov 10, 2008

Gender:

Female

Goal Type:

Other

Running Accomplishments:

19 Marathons!

2007 St. George Marathon 3:07

2009 Boston Marathon 3:11:17

2009 Bryce Canyon 1/2 Marathon 1:24:48

2009 Top of Utah Marathon 3:03

2009 Halloween 1/2 Marathon 1:22:38

2010 Bryce Canyon 1/2 Marathon 1:23:48

2010 Top of Utah Marathon 3:01:51

2011 Bryce Canyon 1/2 Marathon 1:22:16

2011 St. George Marathon 2:58:19

2012 Provo City Marathon 2:59:24

2012 Bryce Canyon 1/2 Marthon 1:22:08

2012 St. George Marathon 2:54:39

Long-Term Running Goals:

I love to run! I want to feel good and run for a very long time.

Personal:

My husband Brent and I live in Orem with our three kids ages 12, 10 & 7. Brent is a Marriage and Family Therapist and I'm at home with the kids. I used to be a CPA, but now I just do a little bookkeeping from home. For a lot of years running a marathon was something I did to get back in shape after having a baby. Just finishing was accomplishment enough, now I want to finish faster.

I ran the St. George Marathon in 3:18 when I was 18 and set a record for my age division 15-18. Now I train with the girl who broke my record. I love the marathon and half marathon. Long runs are what keep me from going crazy.

Favorite Blogs:

Click to donate

to Ukraine's Armed Forces

Miles:	This week:	0.00	Month:	0.00	Year:	0.00

Sat, Sep 18, 2010

Race: Top of Utah (26.2 Miles) 03:01:51, Place overall: 6, Place in age division: 1

Easy Miles	Marathon Pace Miles	Threshold Miles	VO2 Max Miles	Total Distance
0.00	26.20	0.00	0.00	26.20

I ran the Top of Utah Marathon today. I was hoping to break 3 hours but didn't quite do it. My previous PR was 3:03:42 on that course last year and I haven't done a marathon since. Last year 3:03 got me 2nd place and this year 3:01 got me nothing. When I registered for the race after taking 4 months (Dec-Mar) off for an injury I thought it would be a miracle if I ran as fast as last year.

For having a PR I think I should have enjoyed it more though. I spent most of the race discouraged and worried. I feel like I'm still getting over my head cold. My hamstring and Achilles started huring me around mile 13. I was afraid I might have a real problem. That hurt for several miles then my Quads hurt. I've had trouble with my quads for over a month now. I didn't do as many long runs in preparation this time and the few I did really wipped me out. I was worried I would totally fall to pieces the last 6 miles. Fortunately my body held together, but I didn't feel confident of that until about the last 3 miles.

My splits were: 6:31, 6:35, 6:41, 6:51, 6:51, 6:45, 6:52, 6:35, 6:47, 6:44, 6:42, 6:32, 6:35, 6:28, 6:41, 6:49, 6:47, 6:52, 6:53, 7:33 (walk @ water stop and stretch), 6:56, 7:19, 7:42 (another walk @ water stop and quick stretch), 7:35, 7:19, 7:16, last .39 @ 7:06 pace

I really sturggled miles 19 through 22, decided I would never do another marathon etc.. I thought I was coming up on mile 22 when I saw the 23rd mile marker. That was encouraging. When I stretched at the water stops I thought I was already in 6th place and couldn't see anyone in front of me. I felt discouraged about 6th place, but kept reminding myself I was on track for a PR. Later I learned one of the ladies ahead of me jumped in to run with someone and wasn't registered. When I passed her in mile 23 she told me she wasn't registered and that I was in 5th. But that didn't last long because Mary Ann ran by me looking really strong at about mile 24 1/2 and I just didn't have it in me to stay with her.

I was happy with my time and how good I felt the last 2 miles, especailly after how poorly I felt a few miles earlier. I swore off marathons at mile 20, but I still want to break 3 hours, so I guess I'll do another one.

Comments

From Scott Ensign on Sun, Sep 19, 2010 at 11:00:10 from 65.100.218.2

nice job on the PR. if it makes you feel better, your race exactly mirrors mine in terms of what I was thinking and where I was having problems and how I felt and when. I also started having muscle problems (calf, hamstring, quad) around mile 14. I am thinking it is the transition from downhill running to level and uphill. The downhills are fun, but they are also tough on the body. Maybe better to do an all out downhill like St george, or better, go run a level course. I have decided TOU is a tough course. Maybe I will try Layton next year, and run a sea level level course just for the comparison.

anyway great job, and way to finish in the top!!

From allie on Sun, Sep 19, 2010 at 11:10:25 from 174.19.51.35

great job, julie. you really ran a strong race and you it's cool to see you shave off time every year. congrats on the PR -- that sub-3 is so close! it will happen at SGM for sure.

it was so nice to see you again yesterday. rest and recover well, and best of luck at SG.

From jtshad on Sun, Sep 19, 2010 at 11:16:59 from 69.20.183.178

Congrats on the PR and well run race!

From Lily on Sun, Sep 19, 2010 at 12:03:46 from 67.199.181.73

Julie! You did so awesome! I knew you were going to be close to the 3 hr mark. I was so glad to run with you the fist half. It helped me so much.

Keep going. Do more marathons. You have a knack for them! I've seen your potential :)

From Kelli on Sun, Sep 19, 2010 at 12:04:39 from 71.219.65.246

Amazing how quickly we forget and decide we will do it again.

Congrats on the PR, especially after an injury, head cold, and some marathon battles!

From melanieb on Sun, Sep 19, 2010 at 12:06:16 from 75.169.215.187

Julie Great Race! You are amazing! You came back stronger this year and faster! (Wish I could say that about my race times)2 min PR on a tough course. If you feel up to it you can run with us in SG.

From Jon on Sun, Sep 19, 2010 at 13:24:32 from 98.84.70.166

Sounds like an awesome run, overall, esp. given some of the quad problems. Nice job.

From MichelleL on Sun, Sep 19, 2010 at 14:31:52 from 70.58.32.131

Wow, that is a great race Julie. It is hard to be so close to 3:00, (I got a 3:00:41 once) but to PR after injury like that is wonderful.

From Teena Marie on Sun, Sep 19, 2010 at 17:22:09 from 174.19.55.35

A huge congratulations on the PR, especially considering the four months you had to take off and the injury.

I'm sorry you didn't enjoy it more. Perhaps the memories of this race will get more joyful with time! :)

You are amazingly fast! Congrats again.

From Jeff L on Sun, Sep 19, 2010 at 17:54:41 from 74.81.227.112

Good job, Julie. Considering that you were swearing off the marathon when you passed me, you finished very strong. Good job again.

From josse on Sun, Sep 19, 2010 at 20:17:28 from 75.196.165.112

Great job on the race. Yes I think you will do another, it's just in our blood. I think you are capable of going well under the 3 hour mark, you just need to get those legs nice and healthy. Can't wait to train with you and the girls.

From Jason McK on Sun, Sep 19, 2010 at 22:20:03 from 97.126.182.184

Nice job on the PR and age division 1st!

From Burt on Sun, Sep 19, 2010 at 22:48:27 from 68.225.214.248

Great report Julie. Interesting how you were so down on yourself and still PR'd. You're a strong runner.

From Christi on Tue, Sep 21, 2010 at 19:59:48 from 174.56.35.183

Hey-This is Christi (who placed 7th at TOU) Great race-You ran awesome! I am sure you can totally go under 3 hours next time.

From AmberG on Tue, Sep 21, 2010 at 20:43:01 from 75.162.131.210

Julie GREAT JOB, Congrats on your PR. . . I agree with Burt, it is amazing you were down on yourself even with a PR. I think it depends on how you felt in terms of if you view it as a great race. Maybe if you felt chipper throughout you would have said it was a great race with that same time? I think it's amazing that through your injuries and everything you came and ran a strong race. Are you coming down to do SG? Great job though, I swear off marathons almost everytime I run them, :) at least through a few of the miles! Way to hold on, you do have incredible talent!

From julieesplin on Thu, Sep 23, 2010 at 14:57:17 from 75.169.171.57

Thanks everyone. I am happy with my PR I just wish I would have felt better doing it. I was sick for three weeks with a cold and although I wasn't as sick as I was the week before I still didn't feel 100%. I had the body aches and needed to take a decongestant to breath out of my nose, etc. Now that it's 5 days later and I'm feeling healthier it's easier to put into perspecitve just how much that cold took out of me. I felt tons better on my run today than I did on any run the last three weeks. This gives me a lot of hope for enjoying St. George more.

From Smooth on Thu, Sep 23, 2010 at 15:06:11 from 67.41.235.104

I'm late in commenting on your race! Glad you're relishing the GREAT performance!

CONGRATULATIONS on the PR and AG win. The newspaper mentioned you as one of the reason this year's TOU has a deep field! You ran SO AWESOME despite the cold and illness. It was GOOD to see you fly by at mile 14. You were so fast I couldn't even get a cheer out to you! You are one talented runner! BEST luck at STG.

Add Your Comment.

Keep it family-safe. No vulgar or profane language. To discourage anonymous comments of cowardly nature, your IP address will be logged and posted next to your comment.
Do not respond to another person's comment out of context. If he made the original comment on another page/blog entry, go to that entry and respond there.
If all you want to do is contact the blogger and your comment is not connected with this entry and has no relevance to others, send a private message instead.

Debt Reduction Calculator

Featured Announcements

Most Recent Entries:

New Kids on the Blog
(need a welcome):

Lone Faithfuls
(need a comment):