Julie Andrews has some odd favorite things. Whiskers on kittens? Really? Raindrops on roses? Well, at least she’s low maintenance.
My list is a little more indulgent. S’mores ice cream. S’mores ice cream with a chocolate cake donut on the side. A fantastic deal on a comfy chair at DownEast. A new episode of the Satellite Sisters or the Two Gomers podcasts. The Top of Utah Marathon.
The last favorite leaves most of my friends scratching their heads. Why would that be my favorite marathon? It doesn’t sell out like the Big Cottonwood Marathon. It’s not as well-known as St. George. It wasn’t featured in Runner’s World Magazine like Ogden. You don’t see ads for TOU along the Boston Marathon route like you do for Utah Valley. So what makes this my most favorite local marathon?
Top of Utah Marathon Day is all about the marathon. There is a 5K early that morning, too, but the half marathon is held a couple weeks before. The only people crossing the finish line mid-morning are marathoners. Less congestion at the finish. Fewer run-ins during the last few miles of the marathon. More bananas and bagels at the finish line for all.
The downhill stretching down Blacksmith Fork Canyon is just downhill enough to give me an edge, but not so downhill that it destroys my quads. Sure, I’m sore the next day and I do grimace a little trying sit down to use the bathroom, but I’m usually back to my old self in a day or two.
The course is laid out in a way that makes it so easy for my family to watch me run. The first time I see them is at mile 14 as we exit the canyon. I then see them at mile 16, 18, and 21. Because it’s a smaller race, we are able to make it a family event. There’s nothing better than seeing your 6 and 9 year old yelling, “That’s my mom!” at the top of their lungs. 
What a lot of my friends find surprising is that I love the last 12 miles of the race. After coming out of the canyon, the terrain gets interesting. The downhill is behind us and the real test lies ahead. We wind our way through neighborhoods and up some challenging hills. The final 10K is a true test of grit and strength. Turning the corner onto Main St. after mile 24, runners are faced with a mile-long stretch of uphill roads. While some may groan (and to be honest, I have, too) this is when I feel strongest. I know I’m almost done. I know I’ve accomplished so much and I know what is waiting for me just around the corner. As tired, sore, and spent as I am, I try to soak in my victory lap here. What draws me to running is the challenge, and this is exactly that.
I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the beauty of the TOU course. The canyon is gorgeous. At one point this year I found myself completely alone. I couldn’t see anyone in front of me. I couldn’t hear anyone behind me. I don’t run with an iPod. Instead, for a brief moment all I heard was the stream to my right and the wind in the trees. The sun flickered through the leaves and gave me just enough warmth to feel comfortable while the breeze cooled me enough to keep me fresh. At my core, I am a solitary runner. This was my idea of heaven. This was my happy place.
Finally, a race is only as good as the people who organize it and these organizers do a fantastic job. The wake-up call is respectable with the last bus leaving for the start at 5:45 am. I’m a morning person, but catching a bus at 3:30 am is painful even for me. The roads are a little beat up in sections, but most are nice and wide and well-marked. The volunteers give me such a boost at every aid station. The finish line is always stocked with chocolate milk and donuts. The finish line area is a beautiful park which offered playgrounds for the kids while runners can seek out shady spots to stretch, relax, and bask in the glory of their finish. The local band plays music while a few spectators dance. I found a park bench where I could gather my thoughts and just smile and soak in the energy.
At mile 24, all I wished was for this race to be over. That’s true for every mile 24 at every race. But every year when I finish TOU, I’m a little sad it’s over. If I could only race one marathon a year, this would be my pick. It will always be one of my favorite things.
A Runner's Write 