14 June 2008, TETON DAM MARATHON

It was a great event in many ways. Elevation, hills, cumulative fatigue may have been factors.

The busses depart en mass at 5:30 am from the local high school. What seems like a long bus ride out to the start is mostly through potato farmland. Part of it traces the marathon course. I recognize that we’re approaching the Teton Mountain range from the west. There are some signature peaks with easily recognizable shapes. These are the same ones I approached from the northeast when I was touring the area on June 3.

The start is at the site of the former Teton Dam. After seeing the Flood Museum and several films on this subject this scene is familiar. A major part of the original dam is still in place as a monument to human error. The opposite side of the dam from where it broke has been partially excavated for research purposes. Several of the other out-of-town runners are less familiar with the disaster story so my Professor instincts kick in and I offer an impromptu mini-seminar while waiting for the starting gun.

The mayor is present and is wearing a bib number to indicate he’s on one of the relay teams. He makes some welcoming remarks and announces we’ll be starting beneath a water arch made from the nearby waiting fire truck.

For the first three miles I’m near my new friend Jon. He and wife Mary are staying almost next door to me at the Days Inn and I sat with them at dinner last night when they called me over. They are a friendly and attractive, strawberry blond Mormon couple from Provo Utah. John is younger and faster than I am so, as expected, he pulls away at mile 4. I almost catch back up to him at about 9 miles when he makes a pit stop.

There’s a long uphill portion early on. At this altitude I’m feeling oxygen-deprived so walk the first time for a couple minutes at 5 miles.

At 7 miles there’s a farmer in a field driving the largest drivable piece of farm equipment I’ve ever seen. It was some sort of sprayer and had fragile extensions on both sides that made it perhaps 100 yards wide. What appears to be an old military propeller plane buzzes by low a couple times.

Several times I see a small bright yellow propeller plane. At first I thought it might be a crop duster but when it gets close I see it’s too fancy to be a work plane. I see it several more times in different places including once near downtown after I finish the race. It is apparently a recreational aircraft. It’s really cool looking with that bright yellow against the cloudless blue sky. Later when I get back the hotel and check the newspaper I see that there is an air show is in town.

The first 10 miles of the course are on gravel farm roads. I have to stop near the 10-mile marker to empty some accumulated gravel from my right shoe. I run a bit wild even in motion control shoes and have kicked up a few stones. Removing these is not only more comfortable but also lightens the load.

When I call upon upper body muscles and power walk occasionally it provides a rest and stretch while still making pretty decent time. Folks near me still “running” (in some cases more of a survivor’s shuffle) are not gaining on me.

For a race this size there are plenty of volunteers. They are enthusiastic and encouraging.

At half way I start passing faltering runners.

By mile 16 the spire atop the LDS Temple near the BYU campus comes into view and is a welcome sign that we’re coming into town.

Around mile 18 I hear a noisy engine nearby and assume it’s a farm machine but then see above me an object resembling a bicycle equipped with an airboat fan and dangling from an attached parachute. It’s an ultra light aircraft and the pilot is tracing the course in reverse. He’s close enough that when I waved I can see him waving back.

For the last 5 miles the sun is hotter than I’d like but a cold breeze is building and offsets the intense sun somewhat. I find it hard to believe it snowed here 2 days earlier.

Upon finishing I’m briefly delirious as usual but manage to pull together enough to get some food and find the baggage check.

While recovering I meet Brian who is wearing a shirt from last week’s Governor’s Cup marathon. He did two in a row. He’s 39 years old and a 50-stater. Today he finishes fourth overall and is first in his age group. I invite him to come run Disney with us in January and offer for him to stay at my house. I also bump into Michael whom I met briefly at the potato feast. He’s a fellow Floridian from Davie (Ft Lauderdale area) He was 5^th overall with 3:17.

After figuring out where my car is parked I drive back to the hotel for a 2-hour nap and after a shower am ready for dinner. Leaving hotel I’m surprised to find a large award medal on the windshield of my car. I’m unclear how it got there or what it means. I left before the award ceremony without checking since I was confident my 4:26 was too slow to merit recognition.

The online results http://www.milliseconds.com/ResultsQuery.php?varRaceID=1052

show I placed second in my age group and finished 79^th overall out of 158. Ha! I’ll take it! Apparently one of my new friends from the hotel saw that I placed and graciously picked up my award and put it on my car before leaving town. It might have been Jon and Mary but also could have been Esteban who won our division with a 4:16 and I believe is the fellow I met at the hotel early this morning and saw again at the finish. What a pleasant surprise. Thanks!

Some official race photos are available at

http://www.zazoosh.com/events/searchPhotos/147?query=68

If this link isn’t working just go to the zazoosh site and use my race bib number 68.

The young man running beside me in the first couple pictures wearing blue shorts and a red and white top is Jon who I mentioned earlier.