On July 24, 1847, Brigham Young and his band of Mormon pioneers arrived in the Salt Lake Valley. To commemorate the event, Salt Lake City holds an annual Days of 47 parade and festival. It’s also Pioneer Day, an official Utah state holiday, which is designed to celebrate ALL who came to the Salt Lake Valley,regardless of faith or nationality… but let’s be honest – it’s mostly a tribute to the Church of Latter Day Saints.
First run in 1970 under the heading of the Pioneer Marathon, the Desert News Marathon has always been sponsored by the local newspaper. And since it’s always held on Pioneer Day, the race can fall on any day of the week. The last time I ran it, it was just a Bostonian style race because July 24, 2016 fell on a Monday.
Packet pickup was again at the Marriott and was a low key affair.
Perhaps the most intriguing competition wrinkle is that in honor of this being the 49th running, whoever places 49th overall will win a free one-year lease of a Hyundai Kona.
So now I guess I have to really keep count of where I am in the pack. The odds are not in my favor… but are they ever when it comes to marathoning? You never know what the day will bring.
To that end, I stopped off and bought a new bottle of ibuprofen. My hips, quads, back, sides, basically all over are hurting. It’s one of the only ways I’m like Indiana Jones –
The bus out to the starting line leaves at 3:45 am tomorrow. Gods, I’m struggling with time, be it clock finish, experience, or wake up.
No one to blame though but me. I paid to do this as many a roadside cheer sign reminds me on the course.