There have been so many things that people have lost out on because of Covid and the things that I have lost out on are minor compared to many people's losses. I think of weddings that didn't happen as planned, graduations that were missed, loved ones that had to be in the hospital by themselves and funerals that could not be attended. So I can't complain when I think of how much I have not lost because of Covid. But my mom said that disappointments are still real for those who are disappointed and one disappointment that affected me was the postponement or cancellation of races.
After my NC race in February, I had a half planned in April that was postponed until June 6. This was the race that Camden also was planning on running. Then I had a series of three races planned for Memorial Day weekend in KY, WV, and OH. I was going to take Nathan with me on that road trip. Then those were cancelled/postponed until 2021. And after training for the second time for the Memphis race, this one was, of course, postponed until 2021!
Bummed and disappointed, around the middle of May I saw an advertisement for a Vacation Races half marathon at Zion National Park in Utah on June 6! I had not stopped my training schedule for that long, so I felt confident that I could handle the race. I looked into plane tickets, which were cheap, and asked Dave about it, and he said go for it! Dave has been my biggest supporter in this crazy goal of mine and I am very grateful for his support!
I decided to take Nathan since we missed our road trip; and then decided to take Camden too since he was the main one in our family that was always stuck at home! So the three of us headed to Utah by way of Vegas so that I could run in state number 4!
Vacation Races did a great job throwing together a race so quickly. I heard of it about 2.5 weeks before it happened! It was a staggered start night time race through a desert trail near Zion National Park. I started the race at 7:00 on Saturday night and finished around 9:45. Although I ran the whole way, even slowly up the hills, I did stop several times to take pictures. It was truly the prettiest place I have ever run! And the first time I have seen this area of the country. Of course, pictures do not do justice to this place!
I was glad I had started at 7 and could see the sunset and that I didn't have but about 30 minutes of real darkness. The last 2 miles of the race were down hill and I thought I could go faster then, but because it was super dark (I had a head lamp), I had to run very carefully through the sandy and rocky trail. It was a full moon that night, but also overcast so there was not much light from the sky.
It was super cool to run pretty much alone over a trail I had never seen before. And although they asked spectators not to congregate at the finish line, since there were so few runners, Nathan was able to stand at the end and cheer for me!
I am very grateful for my family who was there for me. And glad to have moved Utah to the finished list! I have now completed 4 states!
Because the race was planned so quickly, they did not have time to get the finisher medals for us at the race. So several weeks after it was over, I received this awesome bling in the mail! And it glows in the dark! I have to say, Vacation Races races are starting to become addicting!
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