Utah Valley Marathon

Boston Qualifier - 1.55.56

Last marathon = Goal reached for Boston

This last week I had the opportunity to work with a soldier transition unit.  We played sled hockey, biked and did some high ropes as facilitators and then they had military briefings as well.  It was a busy great week working with these guys and learning about different things they have done overseas and some of the injuries they have sustained.  We took a tour of Olympic Park where they do the ski jumping in the winter.  This is where they start.  I am going to go watch some of their summer training events.  It looks pretty awesome from up top.

We took another tour of the Ski and Snowboarding Olympic Training Center.  This is their gym.  It was huge and they had pictures of all the athletes they train and there were even a few athletes working out when we were there.

They had a full size basketball court and then off the end of one of the baskets they had this foam pit and trampoline where the athletes can practice jumps and different things in the air.  Some of the soldiers even had a try at the trampoline and jumping into the pit.  These soldiers are standing right by some of the ramps that they use to skate down and practice different things as well.  It was pretty cool.

The week went well and then I had a marathon on Saturday morning.  It was an early start at 5:55am.  I woke up early and pushed off.  I was the only racing wheelchair and there was about seven handcycles.  I drove most of the course before the race but mile two gave me a hick-up on race day.  There was a course marker and we were going downhill.  I thought it was a mile marker and that I was going to be going straight.  Well the mile marker sign turned out to be a right turn sign and boy oh boy was it a tight right turn.  I tried my best to keep on the road but I got a bit loose and rolled  the chair into the woods.  It took about five minutes to get all back in the chair and I kept going.  At about mile 22 I had a flat and just decided to do that last bit on a flat.  I ended up doing th race in 1.55.56 and that qualifies me for Boston so I will be trying to go to that in April.  Here is my road rash from the crash but I guess it was worth it.

Finally some good weather for training and racing

Here is my racing chair in the hotel all geared up for my first race in Boulder, CO over Memorial Day weekend.  It was a 10k with about 12 wheelchair athletes in the mix.  It was a really good weekend and I had a pretty good race coming in fourth and starting the race season a bit later than usual.  It has warmed up a bit here in Park City and my training and races should pick up in the days ahead.

 This was the finish area at the University of Colorado Boulder football field.  Here is a guy that jumped out of a plane delivering the flag for the closing ceremonies of the race.  The elite men and women runners started the race at about 11.  This was after my shower, breakfast and a short nap before I got out to watch the finish of the race.  The place was pretty packed.  It was a cool finish to the days racing festivities.

 Here is a view of some of Boulder.  This was a picture I took after killing some time at a mall near my hotel.  Pretty cool views from the road and town in general.

I went and drove a marathon course the other day and this was one of the mountain run off zones from the snow melt.  They are popping up everywhere around.  I am going to do this course on Saturday and hopefully record on of my better times.  I will pass this at about mile 20 or so.  Hopefully I still have enough gas in the tank to push the last 6.2 at a fast pace.