Getaway: Raceday!

Our last few blogposts have been telling you about our recent little getaway, up in the mountains of Idaho. This post brings us to the main reason that we took this little trip in the first place.

Several months ago, I was looking for an early summer half marathon to run. Checking one of the local running magazines, I came across this one called the Sun Valley Half Marathon. Sun Valley is a little resort town up in the mountains of Idaho. Before the busy summer tourist season begins, they must attempt to bring in a few tourists. So I signed up and we planned our little getaway around it.

Carrie posted a few pictures about the resort in her last post. Just about 30 yards away from the resort was the start line. Since the race didn't begin until 9:00 AM, we got to sleep in that morning until about 7:00. Then it was time to get ready, go over, stretch out, and get mentally prepared. Don't I look like I'm ready to conquer anything?

At a few minutes til 9, they lined us up in the chute. There were about 235 runners in the race, mostly locals from Idaho. Here we are, all lined up and ready to go. Can you spot me?

Just in case you couldn't find Waldo or Scott, look at the runner in the red on the far right. I'm right behind him.

9:00 came, and we were off!

Hey, number 180, don't you know we're trying to take a picture here? Move your elbow. Oh, we're running a race? Well I guess we'll just take any shot that we can get.

I should tell you a little about the course. Part of this race is sponsored by a shoe company, who gives out a pair of shoes to the first male and female racer to arrive at the top of the first hill (I think it's a mountain, but that's another story). The top of this hill is found at about mile marker 1.3, which means that about the first mile and a third are up a hill with an elevation gain of about 1,000 feet. No, I did not win the king of the mountain pair of shoes. But it sure did sap my strength. I thought I was ready, but nothing like adding 1,500 feet in base elevation, then throwing in a 1,000 foot hill right at the beginning of the race. Needless to say, I would not be setting any records on this run.

But something interesting happened around mile 6. Somehow, my wife, who wasn't running the race, managed to get ahead of me. How did she do that and get in such good position to take this nice little snapshot?

Well, she was able to do this because the course essentially made a big circle. She was able to drive around the little town and get ahead of me to capture a few photographic moments of this great running endeavor (oh, and to take a few pictures of bridges and stuff like that).

Here she managed to get ahead of me again. Look at the space under my shoes. My feet aren't even touching the ground!

How does she manage to keep getting ahead of me? And how does she get such great shots, with me running and the snow covered mountains in the background?

For most of the race, we followed a biking/running trail that ran through the town. But at times, it looked like I was just plain lost.

Hey, get back on the course! Oh, that is the course. Okay, keep going.

At mile 11, there was another "little" hill of just about 200 feet. In my mind, that was just cruel. Yes, this is me actually having to walk up that hill just a bit.

But from then on, it was all downhill, and here he comes to the starting/finish line. I think he's going to do it! Yes, yes, he finished the race!

In dazed confusion, this mighty warrior/crazy idiot received his prize, a nice medal to hang around his neck for finishing.

Then, the kind lady had to point him out to where his lovely wife was waiting to greet him, though definitely not with a hug after 13.1 miles.

I managed to cross the finish line in 1:53. Considering the terrain and elevation, I am very happy with that. I finished in 55th place overall.

So what does a mighty half marathoner do once he finishes? He runs up, packs up all his stuff, takes a quick cold shower to cool off, and packs up his car before check out time. Then, it was back over to the race site for the ceremony afterward. Incidentally, the last few runners crossed the finish line in just over 3 hours total. Everyone cheered, especially for those who tried to sprint to beat their running friends.

And to the finishers go the spoils. Yes, that is free beer for all the runners! No beer has ever tasted better than one after 13.1 miles.
Just in case you are wondering, I have already signed up for my next race, which comes up in late August. But for now, I'm going to wear my T-shirt proudly, which declares that I have finished the Sun Valley Half Marathon.