Road Trip + Marathon = AWESOME

In two days, Jeff and I will depart on a road trip to go run a marathon that goes through 3 states in the DESERT! 

I love road trips. I love the desert states. I love running.

Therefore, driving from Denver to go run the Mesquite Tri-State Marathon is pretty much the most awesome idea ever. (This was actually Jeff’s glorious idea after the canceled NYC Marathon, WAY TO GO JEFF!)

Thursday- We will leave after work and drive to Grand Junction, CO to stay the night.  We did this same drive schedule before the Utah Valley Marathon and are staying at the same hotel and eating at the same restaurant that we did 2 days before that race.  It worked in June, so why change what already worked for us!

Friday- We will allow ourselves to sleep in and then drive through gorgeous Utah to Mesquite, Nevada.  We will have all day to drive the 5 hours, so we will take our time and stop along the way…maybe check out Zion National Park? When we get to Mesquite, we will pick up our race packets, eat and get to sleep early.

Saturday- MARATHON DAY! The bus to the start line leaves Mesquite at 5:30 AM and the race itself starts at 7:00 AM. The course starts in Utah, runs through Arizona, and ends in Nevada.  It goes downhill  the first half (hopefully my quads can handle it) and the second half is basically flat with 2 “major” uphills (those will suck, but oh well, marathons aren’t exactly rainbows and gumdrops).

The weather is looking very promising to make for good race day conditions; partly sunny in the 40s-50s during the race and minimal wind from the east/southeast.

I’m hoping the winds shift a little bit so they are more from the NE, but what we have here shouldn’t be an issue.  Let’s hope this course and weather make for a BQ time for Jeff and a big PR for me!  (worst case we bonk and I will just blame it on the whole NYC marathon being canceled thing, ha!)

After the race we will stay in Mesquite, check out the area and most likely play some cheap blackjack and drink some cold brews.  Small casino towns always make for interesting (and sometimes depressing) people watching.  I think Mesquite is a big retirement community, but I am an old woman trapped in a 30-year-old’s body so I will fit in nicely.  Maybe we can even play Bingo?!?

Sunday- We will get up early and drive all the way back to Denver. 

GETTING SO EXCITED!!!!!! I love road trips.