2024 Witch Run 10K Race Recap - West Jordan, UT

The dawn before the storm

Official Time: 51:12
Placement: 2nd in the 50 - 54, 21st overall
Results: Here
Race Website: Here
Weather: Upper 60's, breeze from the south
Garmin Dump: Here
Previous Years: [2023] [2022] [2021] [2020] [2019] [2018]

Mile	Time	Comments
1	8:45	Hemmed in at the start.  Took a while to get going
2	8:21	Coasting along - settled into a solid pace
3	8:22	Surprised this went as well - had a little allergy attack
4	8:27	Still running pretty well
5	8:29	Intermingling with the 5K runners.  Holding a decent pace
6	8:28	Lots of turns at the end. Chasing down another runner as best as I could
6.04	0:15	Sprint to the finish
	Total Miles: 6:04 - 51:10

Introduction

One of my traditions for the last 6 years has been doing the Witch Run at Gardner Village.  This race is on my "home" course in the fact that I run and train on it all the time.  

Over the years, the race has changed, from a simple 5K that was run at night, to now, a morning race with the traditional 3 race distances: 5K, 10K and half marathon.

The race is well attended by both the serious runner and the casual one.  And it is a great way to see people in costume and familiar faces.

The Race

The morning of the race found me a bit sore from an intensive training week.  Since the Cedar City Half Marathon, I've been building a stronger base and added a few more sessions.  In September there is a bit of a lull in the racing scene so it gave me time to focus my training.

I had picked up my bib the night before the race, saving myself a $5 fee and was dropped off at the race site in the morning to avoid the $10 parking fee (ouch!).  Since I live only a few miles away, after the race, I simply shuffled home.

Runners assembling

The half marathoners had departed at 7:00 AM and I had just missed them.  My race didn't start until 7:30, which afforded me the opportunity to do a brief warm-up and get settled in.

I lined up about 30 - 40 feet behind the lead runners and off we went.  

The starting line has changed this year: normally we start in a larger section of the parking lot and have to make immediate turn and then have traffic waived for us until we got on the Jordan River Bike Trail.  There are a number of safety issues with this (including the cars) and I also found there were some tripping hazards.  This year, we started along a partitioned off corridor along the side of the road.  It was super congested and with lots of newbie-ish runners, it was a slog before I get going.

Half Marathoners Coming in.

Soon, though, we were on the bike trail and another .1 of a mile I could run comfortably at my own pace without having to clip someone's heels.

I tried to gauge who my competition was (I had spotted one of my age group rivals) but since I was running with 5K runners, I wouldn't know for sure who I had to watch out for.  But suffice to say, I was gunning for 2nd place at best.

All of the course was familiar territory and it is basically pancake flat bike trail running.

A pasture along the trail

Mile 1 passed in at 8:45 -- slow but not surprising given how I probably lost 20 seconds (at least) with the slow start.  I was feeling pretty good and just worked at dialing in my 10K pace -- about 8:15 - 8:20.

Soon, we reached the 5K turn around.  A few master level runners peeled off and made the turn to head back.  The amount of 10K runners definitely thinned out.  My rival was running the 10K, which I was hoping he'd be running the 5K.  Perhaps, though I could catch him -- our times aren't too far off.

Mile 2 came in around 8:20 -- pretty much where I wanted to be.  I was still feeling good and just working on keeping an easy pace.  I had a bit of a breeze coming at me, but I didn't feel like it was hurting my pace.  I was working with a few other young men.

On my way to the turnaround, I started to get some allergy issues.  I get this issue when the weather starts to get colder and I get -- for a lack of a better word -- snot that drips down the back of my sinuses and it is hard to get rid of.  I knew this was likely to happen and had been working on clearing it, but I failed.  I probably slowed down a bit during this section.

Typical stretch of bike trail

As we made our way past the Sandy City golf course, I knew the turn around was coming up.  A few of the lead pack were already headed back.  I wasn't sure who, if any, were running the half marathon.  My rival shouted that the turn around was coming up soon. I couldn't wait!

Finally, a simple turn around cone was in place.  At about the point I hit it, my Garmin chirped letting me know I had run 3 miles.  The course was definitely going to be short.

My rival was a solid minute (or two) ahead of me and another masters level runner I had passed about a mile before was still tailing me.  I wasn't sure if he was in my age group, but I suspected I was at worst in 3rd place in my age group.

I also got to see if anyone was coming up behind me and most of the runners were definitely under the age of 40.  Getting their cheers and encouragement spurred me on, and with a bit of a tailwind, I bumped up the pace a bit.

Mile 4 saw me slow down a bit, which was a bit discouraging.  I felt like I was running faster.

I was in the home stretch though and soon I went through the 5K turn around.  There were a handful of 5K walkers scattered about for the rest of the race and I had to use a bit of energy to weave around them.  It wasn't terrible though and they shouted kind words as well.  While I am (very) far from any sort of elite athlete, I definitely felt like one.

The next mile also saw a fairly consistent split of 8:27 or so. 

The masters runner, at this point, had caught up with me.  I was trying to gauge how old he was and I almost asked him.  He looked younger but there was a hint of gray in his hair.  Could he be?  I wasn't sure.  He overtook me but he was in my sights for the rest of the race.

My goal was to try and catch the runner.  He knew I was dogging him, and a few times I made some spurts but I was holding back: the last quarter mile has a series of sharp turns, small hills and places where you definitely have to slow down.  It always costs me time.  

On one of the final turns, the guy missed it and proceeded to head south (you have to do nearly a 270 degree turn).  Fortunately (for him), he figured it out pretty quickly, but it allowed me to gain a few seconds on him.  The course is clearly marked and we weren't alone, so I think he just zoned out on it.

I felt bad for him and I tried to keep up but he knew the finish line was coming up.  With a few other 5K runners coming up and a very short and sharp descent, I had to slow down.  I was hoping I'd catch him in the final .1 of a mile of the funneled chute but he had another gear.

I hadn't really paid too much attention to my overall time, but as I passed under the chute I looked at my watch: finishing in 51:10 and just seconds behind my goal runner.

Conclusion

I felt pretty good about my time.  I've alluded to the fact that racing in 2024 has been a challenge, given the health setbacks I've had.  But this seemed like a step in the right direction.  My splits were fairly consistent, I felt strong and never totally gassed, and I didn't give up.

I wound up getting a few photos and congratulating other runners I was working against.  I honestly felt really good.

Finisher's Medal + Age Group Award

With some fear, I looked at the age group awards:  I was in 2nd place!  It does turn out -- the guy I was running against was in my age group.  Right before the awards ceremony he found me and thanked me for getting him in 3rd place.  Since he had started in the front, and I had about a 10 - 15 second delay before starting the race, I had a bit of a cushion -- I wound up taking 2nd by a mere 2 seconds.  I suspect, his goof on the turn cost him.

Post race refreshments were candy, oranges, bananas, sports drink, carbonated water (provided by a sponsor). 

I had signed up for the 10K race way back during OnHillEvents Thanksgiving day sales.  It winds up being a nice bargain and the medals were a hit.  The shirt was pretty basic and again, the cotton / polyester blend doesn't do much for me.  

T-shirt + socks (I love the socks)

Overall, I was pleased with my experience.  I wish the course was a bit closer to an actual 10KM, though.  The course was well marshalled and there was an aid station we hit twice (I think the 10KM turn around station was misplaced).  I do think with a full 10KM, I would've run about 52 minutes -- nearly 2 minutes slower than last year.

Upcoming Races

10/19: 2024 Haunted Half 5K - Salt Lake City, UT (Confirmed)

10/26: 2024 Haunted Half 5K - Provo, UT (Confirmed)

11/02: Vineyard Blizzard 5K - Vineyard, UT (Maybe)

11/09: Sandy City Thanksgiving 5K - Sandy, UT (Maybe)

11/16: Snow Canyon Half Marathon - St George, UT (Maybe)

11/28: 2024 South Davis Recreation Center Thanksgiving Run 5K - Bountiful, UT (Confirmed)

02/23: 2025 Las Vegas Half Marathon - Las Vegas, NV (Confirmed)

04/26:2025 Salt Lake City Half Marathon - Salt Lake City, UT (Confirmed)

2024 Cedar City Half Marathon Race Recap - Cedar City, UT

Official Time: 1:58:07
Placement: 144 male, 9th in the 50 - 54 age group
Results:  Here
Race Website: Here
Weather: Mid 50's, slight tailwind
Garmin Dump: Here
Previous Years: [2023] 

Mile	Time	Comments
1	9:12	Easing into the race
2	8:45	Letting gravity pull me downhill, but not pushing it
3	8:49	Still coasting.
4	8:33	Feeling pretty good. Largest descent of the race
5	8:39
6	8:41	Course starts to level out.
7	8:51	Pretty much done with hills. Just have to work for it now.
8	8:51	Holding steady
9	9:03	Can't wait to get to the bike trail.
10	9:21	Finally the bike trail!
11	9:24	Just a simple 5K to go
12	9:57	Just want to be done
13	9:46	Can't wait to make the finish.
13.02	0:10	Push the last hundred meters or so. Just happy to be done.
Total Miles: 13.02 1:58:06

Introduction

Last year, I ran the Cedar City Half Marathon for the first time.  It is a well established race -- going into its 15th year this year, and is run in Iron County -- down Cedar Canyon Road.

The race is well attended and offers a 5K and a half marathon.

When I ran the half marathon year I distinctly remember telling myself "never again". I was in agony as the final miles wore me down.  I am just not good at downhill racing, I told myself and was mentally punishing myself for even trying.

After the race though, I was really happy with my overall experience and those negative feelings sort of subsided.  A few days later I got an email with an offer code to get into the 2024 edition for a more than fair price (I think about $40).  Being the sucker I am to save a few bucks, I figured why the heck not and signed up.

As the date of the race approached, I'll admit, I had some anxiety and remorse about signing up.  Did I really want to put myself through it again?  Smashing the first 6 - 8 miles and then with my quads shot, try to finish the remainder of the race with a fake smile on my face?  Sure, why not...

Pre-Race

Cedar City is about a 3.5 hour drive from Salt Lake City.  I left the Friday before the race (which was on the next day, Saturday).  I made the trip in good order, checked into my Best Western, which is incidentally located about 2 blocks from the bus pickup / drop off.  

Packet Pickup at the Heritage Center

I then made my way to the Expo to get my bib and shirt.  It was well organized and had a vendor or two and incase I had forgotten something, I could arm myself with some gels and even a new set of shoes.

I'd be up in those mountains tomorrow morning

I decided to go for a short 3 mile-ish run around Cedar City.  It was pretty warm -- about 90F degrees and I found myself sort of short on air -- Cedar City does sit at around 5000 feet elevation -- a smidge higher than Salt Lake.  The run did me good. It helped me loosen up after the long drive and help me calm my nerves.

I had some loose plans for dinner. Pizza? A Buffet? Subway?  I didn't feel like moving the car and so I found the Mandarin Chinese Restaurant across the street.  It worked well and I would definitely go back there again.  It was also cool in the fact that the restaurant was in a refurbished Union Railroad Station.  You could still feel the old timey-ness in it.

I slept okay -- better than last year -- I think partly because I knew the drill and what to expect in the morning.  

In the morning, I ate some cereal, a couple of apples, the plainest, most boring cup of coffee ever and some Gatorade.  I wound up snacking on a packet of Gummies before the race to top off my energy stores and I had some Tailwind that I made as well.

The Race

I was on the bus by 5:40 AM and it took awhile, but the bus eventually got going and we were off.  It was about an 11 mile ride and took about 20 minutes.  The ride up there brought back memories of last year and to be honest, I wasn't anxious or nervous about the race. Despite it being a destination race, it felt like home.  I think in some ways it was because I had set a more than reasonable time goal and I had let myself off the hook on competing.  This race was just going to be about enjoying the atmosphere and getting it done.

People assembling pre-race.

I had about an hour wait at the top and I knew a few people.  They had music, fire pits, and plenty of bathrooms, although they could've used a few more).  

The race's starting line is located at Wood Ranch Park.  It was nice watching the sun rise.  There was a chill in the air and I was glad I brought a light jacket.  I also brought thin gloves which I wound up not needing.  I was okay in shorts but it would've been more comfortable to have had some tights on.

The race started off promptly at 7 AM.  It was hard getting going at just over 8,100 feet of elevation.  But I knew I just needed to get out of the park and onto Cedar Canyon Road and soon gravity would take my plummeting down to Cedar City.

Last year, I went all out in the race and was blasting near mile race pace for the first 5 or 6 miles.  This year, I clearly was not going for a PR or even racing it.  Given some of my heath issues this year, I haven't run a half marathon since March and while I had covered the distance a few times in training, I hadn't really banked the miles and training I would've like to have done.

My primary goal was to finish.  The next goal was not to blow up and finish under 2 hours.  

For the first few miles, as I made my way down the canyon, I was neck and neck with the 2-hour pacer.  I think he was going out a bit too fast but the early miles seemed easy and gravity was doing most of the work, it seemed.

It was beautiful out and I was enjoying the scenery. I remembered a great deal of it from last year but this year I was able to enjoy it a bit more.

Bag pipe players given encouragement to the runners!

The first 6 miles are massive downhills.  About 200 - 300 feet of decline according to my watch.  There were a few sections of flat or even uphill, but mostly you could just coast.  This part of the run was also the prettiest and we were treated to a group of bagpipe players around mile 3.  It was definitely worth a brief pause while running to take a photo.

The canyon walls, pines and greenery eventually gave way to a bit more of a red rock landscape.  Cedar City has about the same temperature profile of Salt Lake City, but it is on the fringes of St George, so it shares a lot of the same geology.  The trees got fewer and there was more red rock canyon walls, mining pits, and desert like scrub.  Also, the course began to level out.  It was still a net downhill but now I actually had to work.

After mile 6, my pace dropped a bit.  My legs were pretty smashed and my lack of long-distance / endurance-based training, was starting to show.  It didn't drop off a cliff but I remember feeling that the final miles were going to be tough.  It definitely didn't feel as bad last year's.  I am pretty sure I went off the rails around mile 7 ... So I was mentally patting myself on my back for not flying down the hills.

At mile 8, I was mentally fatigued -- maybe even more so than physically.  I was breaking down the race and was looking for the first hint of the bike trail.  The bike trail, would signify that I had about a 5K race to go before finishing.  Also the bike trail had a different set of train: houses, parks, soccer fields, and crowds.

The volunteers along the race course were great and enthusiastic, but the first 8 miles -- hardly anyone was there to lend  you a cheer.  Most races of less than a 1000 people are like that but I was feeling it today.

There were a group of people welcoming you to the bike trail, including some Army soldiers.  It was a welcome site and knowing I had about 30 minutes left to go, brightened my spirits.

The bike trail has some undulating hills.  You do get some downhill and overall it is downhill, but I still had to put in an effort to stay under 2 hour pace.  It was also at this point where I started to panic: I REALLY wanted to get under 2 hours.  I had left the pacer behind (he had slowed up to a more accurate 2 hour pace) and I had been on target for something of around 1:55.  

The Southern Utah Cross Country / Track team was on the course providing hydration, support and directions.  The course was well marked and there were some areas where one could've gone off course but every turn had a volunteer, cones or arrows.  It was easy to follow.

The race was large enough so I was never running by myself.  I felt a bit sad though as I found more people were passing me than I was passing.  It felt uncomfortably warm as well, despite wearing nothing more than short-shorts and a tank-top.  

Last year I remember walking and then doing strides in the final mile or so of the race.  I was toying with doing that but I just kept shuffling along.  I didn't want to walk.  

Definitely feeling it on the bike trail

I kept looking at my watch:  I'd run for a bit, guess at how much more I had to run and then see in reality how much longer I had to run. I really wanted to be done and in the last mile I kept looking over my shoulder: was the 2-hour pacer closing in on me?  If he had showed up, I think I would've wept.

Finally, with a  half mile to go, I heard the din coming from Bicentennial Park. This is the city's park that looked to be used for city events and local youth sports (baseball / soccer).  I did pick up the pace here a little but I wasn't going to catch anyone and I clearly wasn't up for any age group awards.

When the finish line came into view, I was knew I was going to get under 2 hours and I was going to finish!

Conclusion

So this race was more of a moral victory than anything else.  Since all my health issues, my running times have plummeted.  I set a realistic goal, realistic pace and I got what I came for.  The final 2 miles, were a challenge, but I didn't feel the screws being tightened until then, versus at mile 8 or so last year.

My time is a far cry from last  year's time and is on par with the times I was putting in, in late Spring.  But this was a gravity-assisted course, so hardly comparing apples to apples.

The course is punishing though.  With all the downhill, it will leave you sore.  Even as I type this, on Wednesday night, I still have some residual soreness.  I did opt to run in the Brooks Glycerin shoes, versus my normal Saucony Pros.  I have been dealing with some plantar fasciitis and I felt like I needed the extra protection -- which actually was a smart move (if I do say so myself). 

Refreshments at the end (just some of it)

This race is a gem:

1) The t-shirt is (nearly) unarguably the best I've gotten this year.  Nice color, nice design, nice material.  This is one I'll definitely wear -- a lot.  Thank you!

2) The swag bag was packed with stuff.  Stuff I could actually use.  There were a few promotion items in it that were worthless, but most of the stuff in there I'll definitely try: hydration, snacks, gels, etc.

3) The medal is honking BIG.  I mean this thing may go down as one of the best medals I've gotten all year.

4) The race was well organized: from packet pickup, to bus loading, to race start, to course management, to aid stations. 

5) The finish line food at the end was epic.  Snacks, Coke, protein products, sports drink, water, even some local restaurants providing food.  I don't have much of an appetite after a race, but Coke is my absolute favorite after a long run.  Well done Cedar City!

6) The finish line area had live entertainment was incredibly relaxing to sit in the sun, make new friends, and soak in the atmosphere.

7) I was able to jump on a shuttle bus a mere 50 yards away from the finish line and get driven back to the bus loading area.  I then had about a 10 minute walk back to my hotel. 

I really enjoyed my weekend (I wound up going to Mesquite, Nevada for two nights after the race to enjoy the food, pool and casino).  I want to put this one on my list to do again.  There may be some life changing plans coming up soon, so I hate to pony up the money now, only to not be able to do the race.  But if I am in the area, I'd certainly do this race again and I would highly recommend it to those looking for a blazing fast half marathon course.

Celebratory (Virgin) Pina Colada

Upcoming Races

09/28: 2024 Witch Run 10K - West Jordan, UT (Confirmed)

10/05: BLOCKED OUT WEEKEND

10/19: 2024 Haunted Half 5K - Salt Lake City, UT (Confirmed)

10/26: 2024 Haunted Half 5K - Provo, UT (Confirmed)

11/02: Vineyard Blizzard 5K - Vineyard, UT (Maybe)

11/09: Sandy City Thanksgiving 5K - Sandy, UT (Maybe)

11/16: Snow Canyon Half Marathon - St George, UT (Maybe)

11/28: 2024 South Davis Recreation Center Thanksgiving Run 5K - Bountiful, UT (Confirmed)

02/23: 2025 Las Vegas Half Marathon - Las Vegas, NV (Confirmed)

04/26:2025 Salt Lake City Half Marathon - Salt Lake City, UT (Confirmed)

2024 Hooper Tomato Days 5K Race Recap - Hooper, UT

Entrance To Hooper City Park

Official Time: 25:42
Placement: 43rd overall, 5th in the 50 - 59 age division
Results: Here
Race Website: Here
Weather: mid 60s with breeze from the south
Course Map / Garmin Route: Here
Previous Years: First Year for Me

Mile	Time	Comments
1	8:03	Hemmed in, initially, but got going. Felt a little uphill
2	8:18	Settled into a decent pace. Felt like it was harder than it should.
3	8:42	Really faded here.  A bit of a breeze and going uphill.
3.10	0:41	Throw whatever I have left at it.
	Total Miles: 3.10 - 25:45

Wishing I was this car -- one of many on display.

Introduction

Normally, for Labor Day Weekend, I like to do the Swiss Days 10K, up in Midway, Utah.  But this year, the race was changed to a 1 mile race (rumor has it the race director quit).  It just wasn't worth the hour drive up there so that left me scratching my head -- what do I do?

I did a bit of searching and settled in on the Hooper Tomato Days 5K in Weber County.  It was the shortest drive, a race I haven't done before, and it was cheap -- about $23.  It also offered cash prizes to the age group winners.

The details of the race were a bit sparse, but I plunked down my money and set my driving maps to Hooper City Park for the 8:30 AM race start.

The Race

It is about a 45 minute drive to Hooper and I made decent time. Hardly anyone was on the freeway.  Parking was a little disorganized but I found a spot and made my way through the park and got my bib and technical t-shirt -- that was a bonus -- I wasn't expecting that.  I also got a goodie bag filled with coupons and product samples -- again a bonus.

8:30 is a bit of a late start for a race, particularly for a summer one.  It was warm, sunny and a little breeze was coming from the south.  I had no idea of the route other than it looked really flat, it was on roads and a bit of bike trail.

I had heard the race was lightly attended, but in fact, it was well attended, with 175 runners or so.  Many of them were quite young. I think a lot of Roy High School students were there.

I had done a bit of a warm-up and as I lined up I looked over the competition.  I didn't see anyone that looked to be in my age group and took a bit of satisfaction that I'd probably snag a top 3 spot.  The age groups were 10 year deep though.

Typical stretch of road we ran along.

The race started on time (another plus) and we were off.  

The lead runner was dressed in a tomato outfit (to commemorate Hooper's special day).  I think there was a special prize for runners who could catch him (suffice to say not many caught him -- he was fast)

The race started off with an immediate turn and we ran down a residential street.  Another series of turns brought us to what I would consider their "Main Street".  We had driven down the main road to get to the park and they held back traffic for us as we made our way east for the first mile or so.

After an initial clogged start, I was able to get into position and got into 5K race pace.  I haven't run that much all week on account that I have been dealing with some plantar fasciitis and I felt a little flat. With the sun and warmth, the pace just seemed hard.  Was I going to crash and burn?

The first mile buzzed in at 8:03.  Much better that I expected.  

I still hadn't spotted anyone in my age group and I was overtaking a lot of fast starters.  With a lot of pre-teen and teen runners, they had bolted off at the start at a pace they couldn't hang on to.

We did another series of turns before jumping onto a pretty nice bike trail.  The runners around me had thinned out and I was working on trying to catch anyone I could.  I don't think there were many runners behind me but I still found satisfaction at working on catching the ones I could.  

Runners coming into the finish line.

Mile 2 felt hard though.  My pace was dwindling and I began to wonder if the course was accurate -- would I have to run more than 3.10?  I probably should've mapped the course prior to my run but there was a fear that if I pushed a little too fast and the course was long, I wouldn't have the speed endurance to finish well.  There were no mile markers on the course.  The course was well marked with arrows and volunteers at important intersections.  Also there was police presence along the main arteries.

The volunteers at the first aid station gave me a shout saying I was the first "old guy" to be coming through.  Not sure how I was supposed to take it, but it was useful information.  I think I had a shot at winning my age group.

Mile 2 came in at 8:18. I was happy with that and if I could hold onto it for the rest of the race, I'd feel pretty good about my performance.

I had a general sense of where I was in proximity of the finish line, but given the series of turns and constant northward trend, I again had fears -- is this course going to be long?

Finally, we started to head south and I got hit in the face with a bit of a breeze.  I was very confused as to how much longer we had to go and I thought I could see it far in the distance and I think part of lost hope.  It was also slightly uphill.  Not a terrible uphill but definitely a climb.  In fact, the entire race felt like it was slightly uphill (although my Garmin says otherwise).

We finally made another turn and I could hear the din coming from the finish line.  I glanced at my watch and given the distance remaining, it seemed like the course was going to be long.  There is no way that the finish line could be that close?

I picked up the pace as much as I could and finally familiar sites of the Hooper City Park came into view.  I got a much better sense of where I was now but again, looking at my watch, it felt like the course was going to be 3.15 at least.

We made the final turn and I looked over my shoulder and no one was behind me for quite some time.  My watch rang up with 3 miles, with around .1 to go. Wow, the course was going to be spot on!

I put on the final push and crossed the finish line -- hitting 3.10 miles on the button.

Me with the Tomato Mascot

Conclusion

So my official time was 25:42 for what I feel was a legitimate 5K (looking at Strava, most runners got 3.10 or slightly above).  My time was on par with what I am running currently, and while I knew my overall time was going to be record breaking, my end result was a bit ho-hum.  I ran the last mile in 8:42 -- about half marathon pace.

I was pretty spent after finishing but I quickly regrouped and got the results.  I had come in 5th in my age group.  I knew that had been possible, but wow, I was NOT expecting that.  It turns out the top 3 were several minutes ahead of me and the 4th place one passed me on the grinding hill at about mile 2.5.

There were no finishing medals and refreshments was simply bottled water.  The vendor was providing free samples of their energy product, which was refreshing.  I would've loved to have seen at least cut bananas or oranges.

For $22 or so, the race was a bargain, and I have absolutely no complaints about it. I love the t-shirt and it is one I will definitely wear.  The morning was beautiful and I enjoyed the course and running someplace new.

I wasn't very happy with my time and was kind of "meh" about it.  But I showed up and got it done.  

The awards, however, were a bit misleading as the website did say the top 3 got an award but only first place did (and it sounded like they had some VERY nice overall awards).  Suffice to say, I didn't place so it didn't matter.

I'd certainly run this one again, but if Swiss Days comes back, I'll likely go back to that one. My little group of runners all miss Swiss Days.  But this one is a good one: it was well organized, accurate and well run.

Upcoming Races

09/07: 2024 Cedar City Half Marathon - Cedar City, UT (Confirmed)

09/28: 2024 Witch Run 10K - West Jordan, UT (Confirmed)

10/05: BLOCKED OUT WEEKEND

10/19: 2024 Haunted Half 5K - Salt Lake City, UT (Confirmed)

10/26: 2024 Haunted Half 5K - Provo, UT (Confirmed)

02/23: 2025 Las Vegas Half Marathon - Las Vegas, NV (Confirmed)

04/26:2025 Salt Lake City Half Marathon - Salt Lake City, UT (Confirmed)