Reasons to Run: My first marathon

Four hours, 30 minutes was my goal for my first marathon.

For a first-time marathoner, I was warned that my only goal should be to finish, but I'm stubborn and my long training runs were averaging a 9:30-minute pace, so I kept 4 hours, 30 minutes in my head.

The week leading up to the marathon was not ideal race conditions. I got little sleep and worked too hard, but I ate well and was excited for the Ogden Marathon. The day before the Saturday race I was stressed and tired. It all melted away by the time I got to Ogden with my aunt and friend Brittany.

Our hotel had signs welcoming runners. The restaurants along historic 25th street passed out fliers advertising carb-loaded runner's menu specials. Residents wished us "Good luck." The expo was packed and fun.

Once I picked up my bib number with "Amelia" printed across it I got butterflies in my stomach: This was my race, and I was ready.

I stopped at the Clif Bar Pace Team booth where the marathon pacers were answering questions and their reassurance made me feel even more confident about my goal.

My sleep that night could not have been better. I slept like a rock from 9:30 p.m. until 4 a.m. I laid out all my clothes, energy gels and iPod the night before so I spent my time that morning rolling out my legs on a foam roller and eating breakfast, which was a peanut butter and honey sandwich.

I tried not to panic when we got to the buses and I realized I forgot my banana and I couldn't find my training partners Candice and Melinda. I tried not to panic again on the seemingly endless bus ride up Ogden Canyon.

"I'm going to be running this whole thing?" I thought.

The start line was a cool 50 degrees and the fire pits were a warm way to stretch. Although we boarded the buses two hours before the race was supposed to begin, 7 a.m. crept up on us. When I went to line up with my pacer, I spotted Candice. She was in the 4 hour, 15-minute section, which made sense for our training pace, since mile splits for her projected time would be about 9:45 minute miles.

"Why not?" I thought. "Better to push myself than to run slow."