Deseret News Marathon: Pain to the 100th degree

I am baffled at how my legs still hurt more than a week after completing the Deseret News Marathon. I’m not limping uncontrollably like I was the five days after the race, but there is still an uncomfortable amount of pain.

It was my 19th marathon and by far, the race that I’ve had the longest time recovering from.

Seriously baffled.

The day started out as expected. I went through my normal routine, got to the bus with plenty of time, chatted with friends at the starting line, stayed as hydrated as is humanly possible. But for some reason, the running amnesia hasn’t kicked in yet.

“Run•ning am•ne•sia: (run’ing am nÊ ‘zhe) n. 1. Partial or total loss of memory of the pain inflicted by running, causing a person to repeatedly sign up for insanely difficult activities, like marathons, resulting in even more pain."

Running amnesia is something I have been depending on this year as I attempt to complete the Utah Marathon Grand Slam. Admit it, if you run, this “illness,” sometimes referred to as endorphins, is what you depend on to keep your spirits up.

Yeah, not feeling it. No amnesia here.

In looking back, I may have started out too fast, which isn’t hard in this race. Runners are basically riding the brakes the first four miles. It wasn’t until mile five when I really felt like I was running naturally.

There is a good sized hill at about the six mile mark that lasts two miles, then you’re on your brakes again for most of the remainder of the race.

It’s not really an easy course as some might imagine. It starts at the top of Big Mountain, runs up over the ridge to the top of Little Mountain into Emigration Canyon. Then down the canyon, through the neighborhoods on the east side, down from the University of Utah on South Temple, then it ends at Liberty Park, after making a one block appearance on the Days of ’47 parade route.

If you’re following along, that’s a ton of downhill. There is close to 3,000 feet of elevation drop, which can be fast if you train for it. Apparently I didn’t.

On the shuttle bus from the finish line, I actually heard someone say he “slowed down” on the final descent down from the University of Utah because he’d had too much downhill.

Amen, brother.