Marathon Moments: Big Cottonwood 2023

Okay, so if I am ever going to get caught up on this blog, I need to pick up the pace.  REVEL Big Cottonwood 2023.  I know this is something we participate in most every year, but this race was Talia's first FULL marathon and a PR for Eli, making it a stinkin' big deal.  Congratulations, runners! 

Finding their names.  If you look closely, you might notice mine sandwiched in there as well.  I cashed in on a race promo code and ran as well.

REVEL races are known for the elevation drop that makes them speedy.  Running down the canyon is so much fun!  However, if you check out Talia's full marathon course, you'll notice that the final six miles are basically flat.  Oof, that's got to feel tough, especially as you hit the wall.

Here's the consolation prize for such voluntary suffering.

As we passed Launch Team's table, we were surprised and amused to discover Eli's mug front and center on all of the flyers advertising their running program.  He's a mighty cute ambassador!

Back at home, Brooklyn helped Talia's toenails get ready to meet their maker.  It was so fun to have her come back for the weekend!

The hardest part about races is the early start time.  It takes so long to shuttle everyone up the canyon that they started boarding the buses around 04:00.  In retrospect, they should have hired more busses because the lines were SOOOO long!  Even though we were there well before the cut-off time, we were starting to worry about missing the start gun.

A photo of our Launch Team friends.  We must be great recruiters because Eli's friend Sam Calderon ran this year as well.

Lot and lots of runners.  Nearly time to start!  It was fun to feel the air buzz with anticipation.  Also, do you love how some random woman bombed the photo of Eli and me?  Pretty hilarious!  Talia wasn't with us since her race started another ten miles up the road at the top of Guardsman Pass.

And we're off!  Eli paved the way.  His legs may not be long, but they sure are speedy!

I guess he decided that he didn't want to be this year's poster child for Launch Team since I found half a dozen pictures where he's posing like this.  The ideas that come into the mind of a thirteen year-old boy...

Tongue's still out, but at least he's smiling and waving I Love You!

The smile here, captured at the edge of a photo when he thought he'd passed the photographer's lens, is so genuine.  Running may be hard, but he likes it!  

Dare I say he's good at it too?  I kept getting text updates about Eli's location broadcasted into my Airpods as the race progressed.   Miles ahead of me, I couldn't believe how fast his pace!  It was fun to cheer him the whole time in my heart, even if I wasn't there at the finish line.

His finish time?  1:43:11.  That's a 7:52 mile, placing him third in his age category.  He even got some special swag for his race medal.  Congratulations Eli! 

Meanwhile I hoofed my way through the same course, albeit at the back of the pack.  I tried to ham it up for the camera, but it definitely wasn't my race.  I hadn't trained and was sick with a nasty respiratory infection that I'd been fighting for over a week.  Frankly, I feel pretty lucky to have finished at all.  

Also, I feel fortunate to still have my earbuds.  One popped out and rolled off the road right about this point, in front of the photographer.  It landed in a scree patch on the far side of the road barrier.  I had to climb over and hold onto the barrier for dear life with one hand and dig through the rocks with my other, all while my feet were sliding on the scraggly steep slope.  Fortunately the earbud landed just within reach and all was well.

Grateful to see the finish line.

Truthfully, my ten minute mile pace is significantly faster than I would have predicted, particularly given the fact that I walked for some sections.   I guess Revel races really are fast.

And now for the lady of the hour, Miss Talia!  26.2 miles of glory.  In case you are wondering, that's a LONG way.  There aren't many sixteen year olds willing to hit the pavement for that long.

My favorite photo bomber.  Notice how she has a special green bib--that's to celebrate her having completed five Revel races already.

Look at her fly!  Watch out, that phone flies too.  Talia may  have ended the race with a shattered screen.  So sad!  But not to worry--rumor has it that she got a decent replacement for her birthday.

So all the way through the canyon Talia was CRUISING--on pace for a 3:30 finish.  As often happens in a marathon though, she slammed into "the wall" around mile twenty.  The last miles were brutal.  It was unseasonably warm, making it really hot given the 7:00 am start time.  (That's pretty late for a marathon.)  Adding to the misery was the fact that all of the aid stations at the end were out of Gatorade, right when you could really use some electrolytes.  In fact, rumor on the street is that a few were accidentally serving distilled water.  No wonder the runners struggled!  

Other unfortunate moments for Talia.  Some runner tossed his partially-filled gatorade cup all over her!  I assume it was unintentional, but the dude just kept going.  DUDE, not cool.

Mostly, the race was hard because it's just far.  The sheer grit that it takes to keep going is admirable.  I love how Talia connected with the older gentleman next to her.  This was her first marathon; he'd run 90 but still remembered running his first at 16.  He kindly insisted that they were going to push each other through and keep going.  Sometimes the running community is amazing.

Another example:  Look at this half marathon finisher on the far left give Talia a "You Go Girl" smile!  Everybody is moving at different paces, but they all shine moving forward, mile after mile.

Brooklyn and I met Talia in the very final stretch to help her push through that last difficult climb.  It's a rare day when Brooklyn looks like she's enjoying the run more than her sister.

You got this, ReddiWip.

And victory!

A four hour marathon with a 9:15 pace.  Congratulations, cutie!  You are so strong.

Speaking of strong, Jason did great navigating the finish area post-surgery.  This race is where Jason qualified for Boston last year, so who knows?  Maybe we'll have a repeat performance next year.  

Thanks to everyone who came to cheer our crew!  Ruby, Brianna, Violet, Susie, and Charles were all there too.

Eli's friend Sam did fantastic on his first half as well, finishing long before I did.  :)  His Dad Andres looks pretty proud to see his son tackle and conquer something so hard.

Hey, these old bones may not move as fast as they once did, but at least they moved.

Celebrating together.

Woot woot, Eli!  We wanted to grab a photo on the 26.2 with Talia but the line was too long.  

Rest well.  You earned it!