The Moab Trail 1/2 Marathon

Recently my husband and daughter ran the 2026 Moab Trail 1/2 Marathon. They were originally going to do the marathon but weren't able to train quite enough, so they switched to the half. This is a unique marathon in that it is somewhat remote. The night before, we picked up their packets at the starting (and finish) line. It didn't seem very organized and it was down a pretty narrow road. The next day, to get to the course, the runners had to be dropped off at an elementary school and then got shuttled to the starting line. Spectating was basically impossible so we opted to do other activities while they ran. The weather was really nice with temps in the 50's, sunny, and not much wind.

The very old shuttle van they rode in:

The course was 13.1 miles with about 1800 feet of elevation. It was quite rugged but beautiful. Some of the bridges had washed out because of the extensive rains the week before, so they put down boards to get across the water.

There were some challenges with congestion along the course. It was difficult to pass people because the trail could be quite narrow.

It took them about 3.5 hours to complete the race. Susanna was worried about her knees causing her problems but in the end, they didn't hurt. Once they got to the finish line (no parking at the finish line by spectators so we didn't come for that part. Also, there was no cell coverage anywhere along the course) the line to take the shuttle back to the elementary school was about an hour. So Scott texted us by satellite, they started walking and we picked them up along the way.

It is definitely a unique course and very different from the average half-marathon/marathon. About 1000 people participated in the 1/2 marathon. Scott's final assessment of the Moab Trail half-marathon: It's an amazingly beautiful course. If you're not trying to set a time record and have a good running companion like I did, it's a pleasant run. The aid stations were amazing with lots of food and drink and cheerful people. If the drop-off and pick-up logistics were smoother and more convenient, it would be a perfect trail run experience.

Comments

Hansen Family Reunion 2026, Wednesday and Thursday

We had another Hansen Family Reunion at Bear Lake! In total, there were 93 of us there with 11 missing--our biggest yet! We enjoyed seeing everyone and catching up a little bit. Here are some pictures. My goal was to get a picture of everyone, so if you don't see a picture of yourself, keep scrolling. Also, more individuals coming on the post for Friday. Sorry for the weird angles on some of them. Michelle made dinner the first night, chicken and vegetables with Michelle's specialty--lots of sides and plenty of leftovers. After dinner and clean-up, we had a FHE lesson outside on the lawn with Melanie in charge of the lesson after a few raucous songs. The newest addition to the family, #103. On Thursday morning, Kent and Melanie chaired breakfast with eggs and sausage and plenty for everyone. The cook with his breakfast sandwich: After breakfast, some of the group went rock-climbing, courtesy of Everett, David, and Susanna while more people went on a hike--the Limber Pine Hike....

Nauvoo Pageant!

I have been a negligent blogger this last month. My reason is that we have been super busy. At the end of July, we went to the Nauvoo Pageant. We were able to participate once again in the Gold Cast like we did in 2007 and 2014. We picked up our daughter at the end of her cross country camp in Price, Utah on our way out of town. Then we drove to our friends' house in Golden, Colorado near Denver to stay the night. It was fun to reconnect if only briefly. The next night we were in Lawrence, Kansas, visiting my brother and sister-in-law and their family. That was also fun but short. We left the next morning, attending nearby church before taking off. We arrived in Nauvoo around 4pm with just enough time to have dinner at our cabin before going to our orientation at the pageant building. The next day we went to the pageant building to get our costumes and to learn how to do our hair in the 1840 styles. ...

Visiting Susquehanna: The Priesthood Restoration Site

On our way home from Palmyra, we decided to go a couple of hours out of our way to visit the recently opened Priesthood Restoration Site along the Susquehanna River. This is where we believe that Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery received the keys of the Aaronic Priesthood from John the Baptist which gave them the authority to baptize. This site also has the restored Isaac and Elizabeth Hale home where Joseph and Emma lived for a year as well as the home where Joseph and Emma lived on their own. We spent a couple of hours there and I wouldn't have minded a few more minutes but we had a long way to go that night. It's a beautiful setting, very much in rural Pennsylvania. However, on the day we were there, cars at a racetrack nearby were detracting from the peace and quiet. I'm guessing that's not as big of a problem on weekdays. The Hale Family was quite well-off for their day so their home was probably nicely decorated with wallpaper and carpet. ...

Search This Blog