Utah Valley Marathon
June 13, 2015
Wallsburg, Utah
Registration is now open for the 2015 Utah Valley Marathon, Half-Marathon, 10K, and Kids' 1K. This event is celebrating its 8th year of running strong. The Utah Valley Marathon has become known as one of the best Boston qualifying races in the nation. It features cool June starts, and the scenic course drops over 1,800 feet from start to finish. All runners who qualify for Boston on our course receive a free, "Boston Qualifier" technical shirt to celebrate their accomplishment.
In 2014, the Utah Valley Marathon was honored with a "Top 10 Race" designation by Runner's World magazine. This year, American record holder Ryan Hall will both be speaking at the runner's expo and running the half marathon. Ryan and our participants will be treated to the incredible beauty that surrounds the course. Idyllic horse pastures, alpine rivers, the sun coming up over a serene mountain lake, and the final few miles past the iconic BYU football stadium are just a few of the sites that runners enjoy.
The Utah Valley Marathon is one of the few Saturday marathons in the US. This, and the June date, make this race a great one to build a family vacation around. There are miles and miles of hiking and biking trails nearby. Timpanogos Cave, the Museum of Natural History, and LDS Temple Square are all with 45 minutes of the race hotel. The world famous Great Salt Lake and the Bonneville Salt Flats are just another 45 minutes beyond that. If the family wants to extend the weekend into a week, you are within a four-hour drive of Zion, Bryce Canyon, Capital Reef, Arches, and Canyonlands national parks.
Don't get left out. Register today for the Utah Valley Marathon, Half Marathon, 10K, or free Kids' 1K at utahvalleymarathon.com. Where will you be?
Subscriber of the Month:
Rob Rayder
Rob is a long-time friend of M&B, and you may remember seeing his "Medals Tree" on our Facebook page this holiday season. We caught up with him to find out more about his running story and what keeps him motivated to keep putting one foot in front of the other.
Tell us a bit about yourself. When did you start running and why?
For me, distance running began as a mid-life crisis. I was 6 months away from my 40th birthday and did something many people do when they approach a new decade of their life. I took stock of myself. I was overweight and out of shape. I had let myself go in the name of family and career. I feared I wouldn't live to see my future grandchildren, and I wasn't all that young anymore. It was time to take action. It was time to focus in on something new, something adventurous, something that could balance the demands of my body, my mind, and my spirit.
That's when my friend Gil Herron stepped in. Like me, he was now middle aged but had a dream of all his own. He wanted to run in the New York City Marathon. He had attempted the race as a young man, and had dropped out due to an injury. He now looked to erase that blemish from his life's record book, and he pursued his dream with a relentless passion. His enthusiasm rubbed off on me, and I started training for our local marathon, the 2008 St. Jude-Memphis. It was to be held just a few days after my 40th birthday. I couldn't think of a better way to welcome my entrance into "the middle years."
You have run over 90 marathons and ultras in just over 6 years. What influenced you to make running marathons a regular part of your life? How has running touched other aspects of your daily life? 
My pathway to becoming a marathon finisher was filled with challenges and rewards. It had its inevitable up and down swings. The process of training pushed me past many limits I once thought impossible to overcome. Needless to say, crossing that first finish line was one of the most rewarding things I have ever done. A volunteer put a medal around my neck and congratulated me with a big smile. I felt 100 feet tall that day. Right then, I knew I had to do it again. After all, I couldn't just let all that training go to waste. And they gave out medals with almost every finish! I was hooked.
That first year I ran 16 marathons all over the United States. I loved getting a "street level" tour of many of America's great cities, 26.2 miles at a time. My trail runs took me to scenic and secluded places that I never would have dreamed existed. Running was not only good for me physically, but it took me to new places and new frontiers, both literally and figuratively. That aspect hasn't changed even today, after almost 100 long distance races. I sometimes have to pinch myself to believe that someone would shut down a whole city just so I (and a few of my fellow racers) could run amok in the streets. It's surreal.
Over the years, I tried to give back a little of myself to the sport I love. I have written monthly articles for our local running club, the Memphis Runners and Track Club (MRTC), I have served as a volunteer at several race finish lines, I have supported local running groups and small running shops, and I have served as pacer and running mentor to many of those just entering the sport. When you see the sport through another's eyes, it rekindles some of that old passion and keeps me energized about my running.
I have converted my passion for finishers' medals into a volunteer opportunity as Marathon & Beyond's photographer for its annual Top 25 Medals contest. This popular series of articles has appeared in M&B's May-June issue for the past five years. Like running a marathon, taking photographs and cataloging medals has been both challenging and rewarding. It takes an incredible commitment, but being part of such a unique project and working with such interesting and motivated people has been well worth the effort.
You have a nice recap of your 90+ races on the Marathon Maniacs website, ranging from large events with thousands of participants to small races with a few hundred or less. While they all have their own unique qualities, do you have any marathon or ultra experiences that stand out as your favorites? 
My favorite marathons/ultras are those where I accomplish the unexpected. One thing that hasn't changed so much is my weight. I'm not the "typical" runner's build. I'm overweight, bordering on obese, despite my many miles. Everyone under-estimates me as a runner. I love lining up at the start line and over hearing someone say, "Why is THAT guy here?" No one is asking that question at mile 25. It makes me feel 10 feet tall when I do what other people said I couldn't. Thus, 2 races really stand out for me. The first is the Pikes Peak Marathon--run up and down Barr Trail from Manitou Springs to the summit 14,115 feet above sea level, and then back down. The air is insanely thin up there, and the trail is seemingly straight up, followed by an insane plunge seemingly straight down. The trail is tough, but the lack of oxygen is even tougher.
The second race is the Barkley Fall Classic 50K, a race based on the Barkley 100 (plus) miler. The original Barkley race was conceived by the infamous RD "Lazarius Lake" (Gary Cantrell). It is designed to be at the edge of what is humanly possible. The 5 loops though Frozen Head State Park in East Tennessee are filled with every form of misery that Laz could think of. Steep hills, insects, thorns, extreme weather exposure, poor or non-existent trails, poor to non-existent support, and a host of devilish personal touches by Laz has made the Barkley the toughest foot race in the world. I could never do it. But the Barkley 50K classic is only one loop around the park, and IS every bit as miserable as advertised. It took me over 13 hours to finish and is by far the crowning jewel of my running career. No one that looks like me should have made it. I almost didn't. I almost quit a dozen times. But I didn't. That's the beauty of running. Just when you think there are no new challenges out there, something new comes along for you to conquer. Staying interested and having goals is the key to longevity. Everyone needs a reason to train. Everyone has excuses not to run. Finding a reason to get up and go is 99% of the battle.
Do you have any specific goals for 2015? 
As to goals in 2015, things get interesting. My running insanity has rubbed off on my family, especially my 15-year-old son Christopher, who is an avid and accomplished marathoner. He ran his first marathon at age 11, and now, at age 15, ran his PR race in 2:49 in Huntsville, Alabama, this December. I want to support his running career, and help him reach his lofty goals.
The other member of my family touched by running is my wife, Christina. She was diagnosed with Stage 3 breast cancer two years ago, and we have been waging the biggest battle of our lives on a physical, psychological and spiritual level. Before her cancer, Christina was an avid half marathoner. Cancer, chemo, radiation, and a long series of surgeries changed all of that. I have watched her battle her way back, and now she is starting to run again. I want to be there as she gets back on her feet in 2015 and takes back her life one stride at a time.
Thanks to Rob for sharing his inspiring story. M&B wishes all the best to Rob and his family in 2015 and beyond!
