Marathon Mayhem!

Salt Lake City Marathon. April 18, 2009.

It was a cloudy morning, the sun had not yet peaked its weary eyes over the east mountains. It seemed all that was missing was wet asphalt and the smell of fresh ozone after a rain shower. Team Zurvival's members all gathered at the starting lines of the Salt Lake City Marathon's 5K event and Half Marathon. The gun fired and the masses moved in one large wave of bobbing heads down the road. Team Zurvival weaved in and out of the crowd, passing the walkers and the strollers. Each member strained to get to the front of the pack and eventually worked to first, second, third, and fourth place, effectively blocking out all other runners. Fast they ran, pulling ahead of all other contenders and soon the finish line was in sight! The crowds hovered close to the gates that separated the athletes from the fans. They rang bells, clapped loudly and yelled and screamed as all of Team Zurvival created a mult-color line; running in unison. A blurr of red, blue, pink, and gray broke the finish line in record time! The crowd grows wild with excitement as the announcer yells "WAY TO GO TEAM ZURVIVAL! A RECORD FINISH FOR THE 5K!".



Ok... that's what could have happened. Here is the real story though. Team Zurvival did run the 5K event, and I did run the Half Marathon and we had a great time! But I can only account for what I ran as the rest of the team was miles away from me. I was running late as the Trax train wasn't there when I got to the station. I waited for the train and met up with a fellow B-12 runner who just happened to be there at the same time. Julie wasn't registered for the race, but was out supporting her friend (another B-12er) as a pacer. We were late already, and then the train had to stop and wait on the tracks making us almost 20 minutes behind. We arrived at Olympic bridge. Julie started off to find her friend (a herculean feat), and I headed to the starting mat to check in with my timing chip. I started down the road on the first mile and got into a good rhythm. At mile 2 I was starting to feel my heart rate raise and a small sweat start to bead. I was warm now and ready to run. Just before mile 3 I spotted Julie on the corner, "Have you seen her yet?" I hadn't and directed her down the road where I knew the runners would be and easy for her to head them off at.

I continued on hitting the first aid station at mile 3. Nature was calling, but I couldn't answer. I was going to break 2 hours this year, that was my goal, and that meant no stopping. The race turned downhill just past the mile marker and I lengthened my stride to take in the nice rest. Some people feel that the downhill on runs are hard on the knees, but I enjoy them. They give my calves a rest and my heart beat lowers giving me a boost at the bottom of the hill.

The split for the marathoners and half marathoners was on the horizon at the bottom of the hill and there was Julie again, sitting on the corner. Again she asked if I had seen Shannen yet. I hadn't. I told her where the runners would be coming back towards the finish line and she headed off to again head them off. Mile 5 was coming up and I was 43 minutes into the run, not quite my best time, especially if I was going to finish in my goal time. Another aid station, more Gatorade, another cliff shot, and I wasn't stopping. I was averaging just under 9 minute miles and I was in a good pace.

Mile 6, started to feel a little pain in my calves... blew it off. Mile 7, back is hurting... it's nothing. Mile 8, quads were tight, but on I went. Just 5 more to go I kept saying, just another 40 minutes. Mile 9 we were running through the neighborhoods of Salt Lake and the crowds were out in support of all the runners. Music, signs, and cheering people were keeping us all going hard. There were the select few that seemed to be taunting the runners though by cooking bacon on the sidewalk and yelling "Come and get it! Bacon! Get your bacon here!". Others were gathered on the corner in their bathrobes and beanies with a cup of joe scratching their scruff with a look of wonderment on their face as if they were thinking, "What are all these people doing? Are they crazy?".

At mile 10 I could feel the wall coming. I was slowing down a bit to 9:30 minute miles. I looked up from in front of me to scan the people I was still passing and there was Julie and Shannen! She had found her finally.



It was inspiring; I picked up the pace. Just a 5K to go! Mile 11 the wall hit hard. The smell of bacon was still in my nostrils, I was hurting all over trying to stay below 10 minute miles and there was a change to the course that I was NOT EXPECTING. A hill for mile 11 to 12! A slow, long hill all the way up State street towards the Capital building. It was cool to run downtown but this seemed UPtown! I was dying. I remembered the words that my friend once told me,"Just put one foot in front of the other dude." And that's what I did, all the way up the hill.

Last mile, I picked up the pace. I was 4 minutes away from 2 hours and I knew that I had failed to meet my goal, but I was going to go out strong. Running up the final last quarter mile I broke out into a dash and then a sprint as the crowds cheers raised up the strength within me.

The finish line was just a few steps away. There were the other members of TEAM ZURVIVAL cheering me on! Taking pictures! Shouting and clapping! I was done! Yes! Time for a cup of coffee! and maybe some bacon? We all celebrated at Starbucks and dined on coffee candy and great hot steaming cups of joe. Another memory in the books for Zurvival! Congratulations to Lindsay & Andrew Taylor, Ettienne Butler, Kristin Vincent, Gabe & Brian Zettel, and Chris, Holly, & Tally Martineau. Team member Liz was missing in action, but we will catch her next time!



2:05 was my final time. Next time I will break 2 hours. And next time maybe other team members will run with me. Team Zurvival would like to thank all those who supported us on our run and in our rund raising for Huntsman Cancer Foundation. We met our goal and had a great race thanks to all of you. Thanks to the B-12 running club for all your support as well and help with training. Now its on to the Sapper Joe in May! GO TEAM ZURVIVAL!

Easter Camping!

Easter weekend, forecast of rain and possibly snow. The Zettler's headed out to Antelope Island for a weekend of fun-filled, egg hunting fun. White Rock campground was our destination, which is kind of funny since this is number 2 camping trip for the season and both have been to a different White Rock.

When we arrived Gabe and his troopers were already set up and ready and dinner was on the fire. It was only noon, but this trip we had the pleasure of having a real chef cooking dinner. Joey, a cousin of Gabe's had a chili verde on the fire as well as a made-from-scratch macaroni for the kids. When dinner time came around we were all hungry little wolves and we tore that awesome verde up! I recommend the recipe to everyone!


Here it is for those who would like to find out how good it really was:

"Here is the general recipe and you can make it larger or smaller depending on how many people you have.
Sautee about six ozs. pork and a half a onion until browned. Add a touch of corn starch, a pinch of cumin and stir and add three roasted and diced Aneheim and a jalepeno (more if desired). Add enough water to cover meat. Simmer until pork is tender, usually two to four hours. Sautee onions and rice (already prepared) then add water, chicken base and tomato sauce. Simmer until cooked all the way through."

We ate until we could fit no more into our bellies! Then we all sat back and relaxed into the evening as the kids played and dug a large hole out in the open area near our campsite. On the horizon we could all see a nice storm headed our way. The front was closing on us fast so we started to ready the camp for rain. And rain it did.

For around 2 hours we all endured the cold misty rain, hovering under the canopy or hanging out in the tent until it let up. All except for one... Andrew. He ran around outside with his little face turned up and his tongue hanging out as he tried to catch the rain in his mouth! He got soaking wet.

The rain subsided and everyone gathered around the fire to dry out and get warm as they ate the warm S'mores. The night air became cool and as the fire died out we all retired to a warmer sleeping bag.

(On a side note, if you are ever camping at Antelope Island, make sure you camp at Bridger Bay and not at White Rock if you want to see a beautiful sunset. We drove over to Bridger because we knew from previous trips that the sunsets were beautiful on that side of the island).

The next morning the Easter Bunny came. Once all the kids were up and outside the hunt was on for the Golden Egg that the Easter Bunny had hid very well. All the youngsters swarmed the field looking for all the eggs filled with money, candy and toys. They had a great time and finally found the Golden Egg.


Shortly after everyone was busy eating breakfast and then helping pack up camp. We had all decided to head over to the Bridger Bay beach and spend the rest of the gorgeous Easter day in the sand.

On the beach the kids played with the seagulls and dug more holes in the sand.


We all walked to the edge of the Great Salt Lake and skipped stones and waded in the water. All except Andrew... he ran into the water, shoes on and all. That kid loves the water!


A great trip and a great way to spend Easter. We all went home with sunburns and sand in our shorts!

White Rock... The Season Begins

Too early for camping you say? HA! No it's not...

The Zettler gang went at it again this past weekend. After doing a little exploring online of the possible places to go that might be a bit warmer this time of year, we decided to head to Skull Valley. This place has so much history. Skull Valley, Utah is home to a few of the remaining Goshute tribal members. It only comprises 30 square miles of land and borders the Cedar Mountain Wilderness Areas and Dugway Proving Grounds used by the US Military. Skull Valley is also the future home of spent nuclear rods or radioactive waste. Energy Solutions recently received the license from the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission to build the site, however, the US Bureau of Indian Affairs and US Bureau of Land Management has not granted the permissions to build or to run a railway to the proposed site. Cedar Mountain Wilderness was partly created just for this reason.

We were headed to a place called White Rock. Loaded up in our usual vehicles, we drove out Friday afternoon in the direction of the setting sun. We turned south at State Route 196 which cuts through Skull Valley Goshute Indian Reservation. This road was made into a state owned road in order to thwart the shipping of hazardous nuclear waste without permit into Skull Valley. 98 miles later we were arriving at an outcropping of rock that seemed alien to the landscape; White Rock.

White Rock was an old ranch back in the 1960's. In 1968, a mysterious death of several hundred sheep led to an investigation which revealed government testing of biological and chemical weapons testing. Vx gas had killed the sheep. Even though the military denied that Dugway Proving Grounds, which was only 0.5 miles from one of the sites of the dead sheep, had anything to do with the deaths of the animals, they agreed to properly dispose of the carcasses. Hush money is even said to have been paid to local farmers. Read more details here: http://www.corpsfuds.org/reports/INPR/J08UT1100catx.pdf . These sheep are still buried there to this day.

The road from SR 196 to the campsites was populated by open range cattle and a few antelope. Into the setting sun again we turned, large dust plums raised into the air behind our SUV's. Gabe attempted to do a bit of offroading and ended up high-centered on a small sand embankment. The Jeep was unstuck easily with just a bit of pushing and we were off to the West side of the rock outcrop where we found a suitable camp site (on the way in I gave Lindsay and I a shot of adrenaline by taking a very very steep trail that almost resulted in us tipping over!).

Camp went up quickly, a roaring fire to get cooking coals ready slowly burned down. Gabe and I threw the first shoes of the season, but we were just warming up. Dinner was a new concoction: Hobo Stew Burritos. They were delicious and will most definitely be a regular at future campouts. We all hit the hay, fat, tired and smelling of camp smoke! Just the way we like it.

That night an owl hooted us all to sleep nearby as the Big Dipper rotated around the North Star.

Fresh coffee, eggs, and bacon in our gullets, we headed out for some exploring. The peaks of White Rock were calling and we answered. We did a little bouldering at the top of the peaks, took some gorgeous photos and took in all that White Rock had to offer us up there. It was good to be camping again!

It seems that this area is a hot spot for paintballers as we could see leftover paintball shrouds all around and as we were descending the rocks a group pulled up and started to play. Everywhere we looked, remnants of soapy paintballs lay. Not sure what impact they have on the environment, but I do know they make it ugly. Probably not as bad as what Dugway has done in the past.

Back at camp, we all loaded up into the Rover to drive out to the Dugway Geode Beds. "Approximately 6 to 8 million years ago (Miocene epoch), volcanic activity occurred in western Utah and deposited an extrusive igneous rock called rhyolite. Trapped gasses formed cavities within the rhyolite, and millions of years of ground-water circulation allowed minerals to precipitate into the cavities. The result is geodes with spherical shapes and crystal-lined cavities." - http://geology.utah.gov/utahgeo/rockmineral/collecting/rkhd0500.htm . On the way we stopped in at Dugway for gas and some refreshing drinks. (This took approximately 30 minutes as I had to get a vehicle pass from the security guards, if you are a civilian don't even try this). We used the restrooms and asked for some quick directions as we knew the general location, but weren't exactly sure. The older lady behind the counter looked at us and squinted her eyes as if she was thinking real hard, "That's far! I don't remember how far since I ain't been out there for over 20 years, but it's far". A full tank of gas and an adventurous spirit got us there just fine.

We finally figured out that it was 40 miles from Dugway to the geode beds. On a washboard road, this makes for a rough ride. Along the way we passed through Simpson's Springs, one of the old Pony Express stations. Even though the Pony Express was in operation for 18 months it is often thought as part of the great history of the West. Simpson's Springs was used long before the Pony Express as a fruitful watering hole in Utah's west desert. Read more about it here: http://www.utahoutdooractivities.com/simpsonsprings.html .

Along the way we also noted a herd of feral horses that seemed to be attracting an audience. Feral horses, or Mustangs roam the 480 + square miles of the Utah west desert and frequent the BLM water holes that were built for those especially dry springs. They were a nice sight, and brought a feeling of rudimentary wilderness to the overall trip.

We finally found the geode beds and started to look for the tell-tale soft light soil that is indicative of where geodes are to be found. Patience has a lot to do with finding geodes, as we soon found out. Digging and sifting, digging and sifting and finally we found a few smaller geodes.
Mark Twain once said, "There comes a time in every rightly constructed boy's life when he has a raging desire to go somewhere and dig for hidden treasure." We fulfilled this desire.

After such a bone jarring ride, it was time for a game of horse shoes and some cool drinks. Back at camp we threw shoes as the sun settled again into her bed and gave way to the sliver smile of a moon. Bean and cheese and rice burritos were a filling dinner and we all gazed at the vast amount of stars in the sky as we warmed our bums by the fire. We all knew that a storm was on it's way in the next day and that we would have to leave early, so we waited for the last bit of flame to die out and crashed.

Coyotes lulled us into the night this night. As the temperatures dropped and the winds raised into the morning, the cold front came down. We all awoke to gale force winds and frozen rain. Luckily we had prepped the campsite the night before and it was a quick pack-up. Frozen fingers packed bags and zipped packs. We drove out of the camp site just as it started to dump on us.

It was a frozen drive home, an amazing site to see the storm coming at us across the desert. All the animals on the plain had their backs turned into the wind as snow started to coat their hides. We stopped for breakfast and toasted our coffee mugs to the first camping trip of the season. Game on!

Corner Canyon Chaos

Took the kids with me for a run yesterday... a gorgeous spring day. We decided to explore a bit up Corner Canyon. The trails were a bit muddy in parts, but that just made it more fun! I decided to take the running stroller on the trails and add a bit of weight on the hills. It did. I pushed that stroller up quite a few steep hills, but the trails on the downhill were a blast! The kids and I kept a good pace up the hills, stopping only when the our calves screamed at us. We reached another trailhead about 1.5 miles up from the car and decided to make that our half way point thinking we would be doing a short 3 miles round-trip. We were wrong!

At the Ghost Falls trailhead we started down a windy serpentine path that was just wide enough for the stroller. Well traveled by bikes, we followed the tracks in the mud through the scrub oak that were covered with a blanket of orange moss. The shade provided us a much needed break from the warm spring sun that had already kissed the cheeks of my daughter. We raced down the hill at a good pace, the stroller was catching air on the small bumps over the tree roots that jutted out into the pathway! We were all hooping and hollering as if it were some wild roller coaster ride as our feet pounded into the mud. My new trail shoes did me right!

It turns out we did close to 5 miles by the time we were done winding back and forth back to the car. We followed a small spring runoff creek all the way down. The water was cool on the feet and made for a refreshing break at the end of the run. Unfortunately, we all didn't make it down to the bottom. My son had taken a different path down and I had thought we would reach the car before him. He wasn't there!

2 hours later... after calling for backup to possibly search the ravine, after asking every biker if they had seen a kid in a bright orange shirt on the trail.... after driving around to see if he had popped out on another trail head, I received a phone call. He was already home! An additional 4 mile walk... apparently he had made it back to the car and was waiting. He was sick of waiting he said... so he walked home... without telling me! We had words...

All in all a great day on a great trail!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/26333262@N03/sets/72157615747585256/

The Last of the Snow?

Time: 12:00. Place: Woodland, UT. Date: March 15, 2009. What: Snowshoeing with the fam. A gorgeous day in the Uinta Mountains where the snow sticks sometimes to the middle of June, but not so much this winter. Even though we were in the lower elevations (9000 ft. or so), the south facing slopes were a bit on the skimpy side for snow. Three years now this area has been a favorite for snowshoeing and backcountry skiing, but this year has definitely been a mild winter.

Even though, the snow was powdery in the shade and made for great fun on the downslope. We did a short 2.25 mile hike and took it real slow so that we could take in the wondrous view at the top of our climb. Snowmobilers were everywhere too! I really do dislike snow machines! Tracking up the pristine snow and polluting the the airwaves with the droning sounds of engines revving. I reveled in the poetic justice as we passed a few guys who were trying to get one of their nasty machines unstuck with a rope. They had to ditch one and ride back for help. We continued on our way at a tortoise pace, but we were moving, they were not! I recalled something a biker once yelled at me when I was running, "There's an easier way to get there buddy!". I just smiled and ran on as I thought, "not if you get a flat tire bucko!". There is something to be said about slowly trudging to the top of the slopes, out of breath, heart pounding. You've accomplished something. You've beat the hill; it builds character.

We continued on, downhill this time, all the way back to the Rover that we spotted from atop the hills. A steep hill gave way to a fun slide back down to the trail reminding us that Mother Nature still holds suprises. (Without the shoes we would have been chest deep in powder!).

A nice short retreat for a Sunday. Another day at my place of worship! The backcountry is always a treat! Unfortunately, with the warmer weather, the snow is receding fast. Unless I get back up soon, I am sure that this could have been one of the last trips of the winter season. Maybe another snowboarding trip, a hike to the top of Lone Peak while the snow still sits high, who wants to join in the fun?

See the pictures of our trip here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/26333262@N03/sets/72157615342160112/show/with/3358636296/

Who Couldn't Use a Shot of B-12?

"Wanna run 12 miles this weekend?." A typical conversation at work. In the past it's been, "hey, do you wanna run 2 miles tonight?" Or, "let's go for a mile swim tonight." You see last year Team Can was formed. Three coworkers decided to see what the all the hype was about triathlons, well actually Carter knew very well what tri's had to offer, he'd already done a couple. We each took a strong suit and started to train for the Yuba Tri.

Carter being a strong biker became our shoe-in for the bike event. I was a strong swimmer in high school and throughout my life so I said I'd do the cold water. That left Mick as our runner. Long story short, we took first in the Olympic distance relay team event. We were hooked.
This year it's been training training training. We've all been doing what we can to get ready for the spring and summer races. The Salt Lake City Marathon, a couple of tri's, oh and the Sapper Joe. A 30K and 50K race this May. Dean Karnazes, Mr. Ultramarathon man, has written a few books. They play on audio book at work so that we can all share in the pain and anguish he describes on his 100 mile, 200 mile runs, and the 50 marathons he ran in 50 days. We all think about what it would be like to run a 100 miles in 24 hours.

So there we were... at work talking it up and it was on. 12 mile long run this Saturday. Mick coined it the Bountiful 12-miler... or the B-12! Quickly it became known as the First Annual B-12 race and invitations were made to all friends who have a hankerin' for runnin'.

It went off like clockwork. Those that turned out were treated to fruit and gatorade. We started off with a 3.5 mile loop to get warmed up and then headed off to the new parkway that parallels the Legacy Parkway. A great support group met runners with water and gatorade at spots along the race path providing a short rest for the racers.

All in all everyone finished in great time. Approximately 2 hours for just 12 miles... well almost. It seems that the course was just shy by 0.5 miles. But what a great feeling coming into that home stretch to finish a great run!

Thanks to those who put the B-12 together:
Mick and Tara Garrison
Jarin Andreasen and brother
Carter Dunn
Cori Fitts Bendixen
Shannen Barry- RosserJulie Christensen Warr
Lindsay Taylor

See the pictures from the run here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/26333262@N03/sets/72157615280761786/

Time to Brush the Dust Off...

The other morning on my run I heard Robins chirping. Growing up I have learned that when the Robins are out, Spring is here. The weather is still cold and we just had a huge snow storm, but the early signs are here.

It's time to brush the cobwebs out and blow the dust off. That's what I'm doing here on the blog; blowing the layer of dust off this old journal.

Last weekend the Zettler's went to Lava Hot Springs. A wonderful excursion away from the mundane! Always a great experience the Inn at Lava is a familiar spot for relaxation and good memories.

We all set out on a Saturday morning for a leisurely drive up to Idaho where the winter temperatures were well in the 30's. McCammon exit was soon enough at our windshield view and we turned for the last 10 miles into Lava.

The Inn is a somewhat restored hospital that was built in the 1920's. Some even say they have a ghost there (we actually conducted a ghost hunt there a few Halloween's ago)! Each room is decorated with dated furniture, with a few amenities found only in select rooms (hot tubs!). Bathrooms are shared down the hallway of each floor and in the morning a fabulous breakfast awaits you downstairs.

Pizza and beer has been a favorite dinner in Lava Hot Springs at another local Bed and Breakfast that hand tosses all their wares. The local "Head Shop", or the Purple Moon sells trinkets, CD's and other imported artwork and sculptures that give you the feeling of being in the Orient or Ancient Egypt as you walk into the incense filled doorway. We popped in as normal.

Hot pools galore! That afternoon, evening and the next morning we all spent hours soaking in the pools that range in temperatures; 109 to 44 degrees. A contest somehow broke out on who could stay in the cold pools longest. A balmy 44 degrees leaves the body in agony after 12 minutes of submersion!

A nice run in the morning after breakfast through the small town left me feeling invigorated and Lindsay and I went to the local small coffee shop afterward for a shot of WAKE UP! A great feeling, the sun beating down on your back after a short run and your nose in the quaffs of coffee steam.... mmmm.

Until next time... this little secret town opens up many more fun activities in the summer time. We will be back soon.

See our trip here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/26333262@N03/sets/72157615070430248/

Visit the Inn's website here: http://lavahotspringsinn.com/lhsinn.htm