2023 Run SLC 5K Race Recap - Salt Lake City, UT

Official Time: 23:52
Placement: 8th in the 50 - 54
Results:  Here
Race Website: Here
Weather: 26 degrees. Slight wind from the south.
Garmin Dump: Here
Previous Years: [2022] [2021]

Mile	Time	Comments
1	7:31	Feeling good.  Started a little too soon in the race so I had to do some weaving.
2	7:50	Felt like I was running faster than this.  Still sub 8 is good
3	7:57	Kind of an uphill portion of the race but collected on the final push which was slightly downhill
3.08	0:33	Wanted to get under 24.  Mission accomplished!
	Total Miles: 3.08- 23.52

Introduction

There aren't many races in January and February, so if you want to race, you can't be too choosy.  One race I do enjoy going to is the Run SLC 5K.  This is the third year I've done this one and it is first race of a 3-part series, which includes a 10K and 15K.  I've only done the 5K race on account the 10K conflicts with other races that I like to run.

The race starts off at the Salt Lake Running Company's (a shoe / running store) downtown store and follows about a 1.45 mile out and back course (after an initial .10 of a mile).  The race is well attended and usually brings out the best of the best at the race.

The Race

The race starts at 8 AM and I got into the race site around 7:15 and found one of the last decent spots.  It was pretty much the same spot I had parked in the year before.

I wound up killing about 15 minutes and then did a 20 minute warm-up.  I felt pretty good running in my Saucony Endorphin Pro Speeds 2.  I eyed the competition and there were a ton of serious runners warming up.  

The race started on the button and I had made the decision to start almost dead last.  As you can see from the photo above, the race start is clogged with lots of runners.  The race is chip timed and I cleared it with the timer to start the race a full minute after everyone else had already started.  This would allow me to get off to a decent start and not get elbowed.

It mostly worked.  Although I did spend a bit of time zig-zagging around people before I finally caught up to people running near my pace.  But it was motivating for me to pass people and really work up a head of steam.

I smashed the first mile in 7:31.  I felt like it was a bit fast but I was going with it.  

Another mental boost was how little I was wearing.  With it being 26F, most people were bundled up.  I had doubled up on a shirt but was in shorts.  I felt fast but I'll be honest, my legs did feel a bit chilled at times.

I knew the course well and I kept watching for the turn around.  The race is pretty much one long out-and-back along an older subdivision.  The road is heavily banked too, which would definitely irritate my IT-bands if I ran on it frequently.  

I hit the half way point in a pretty good overall position.  I was still passing people since I had started so late, but I was hurting and the amount of people I was passing was getting less and less.

Mile 2 felt desperate and painful.  I had glanced at my watch a few times and saw myself running in the low 8's.  I just couldn't get into that next gear.  Occasionally I'd get a spurt of speed -- mostly to pass a few people but I was okay with a 7:50 for mile 2.

I had the impression that mile 2 to 3 was mostly downhill, but I was wrong.  It sort of seemed like the race was a gentle incline coming and going.  I suspect my perception was mostly based upon how painful the running was.

I really tried to focus and push through the pain.  The last quarter mile or so is a gentle downhill and I kept willing myself forward towards the I-80 underpass.  I knew once I hit that, there wasn't much left of the race.

Mile 3 came in at 7:57, respectable, but not what I was hoping for.  I thought for sure this one would be about 15 seconds faster.

I was weaving around people near the finish and I could hear the bustle of the finish line celebrations.  Other people had the same idea and were pushing too, but I still had a solid sprint speed left.  I darted around people and really turned on the jets and made the final turn and almost tumbled over the finish line, I had pushed so hard. 

Conclusion

So I'll be honest, I was hoping to do a bit better at this race.  The conditions were just about perfect for me and I had a good warm-up. And by all accounts, any time I can go under 24 minutes is a win in my book.

But I was hoping to take it up a notch this week.  I had run 23:50 for a 5K two weeks ago (the course was short, but I busted out the final .1 of a mile).  That course was quite a bit harder and it included some hills.

This week, I started off pretty aggressively and I felt like I lost focus just after the turn around.  I was pretty gassed at that point and I just couldn't push a little harder.

I also was coming off of a subpar training week.  I had pulled something in my back, which triggered something in my hip, and I did minimal amount of running the week leading into the race.  On the plus side, I was well rested -- on the downside, I didn't seem primed for speed.

This race is pricey -- coming in at about $40.  It is quite a bit cheaper if you sign up for the entire series but logistically that is hard for me to do.  I did have a nice experience and the course was well marshalled and I had a great time.  Post race refreshments included fruit and snacks and sports beverage.  

The course last year measured in at 3.10, and most people's watches came in at 3.10 or 3.11.  Not sure why mine registered slightly less. 

I really like this race and it tends to bring out my competitive nature.  The fastest runners come out for this one and it takes some talent to hang with them.  It is inspiring to see so many runners out there and be apart of a speedy 5K.

Upcoming Races

02/11: 2023 South Davis Recreation Center Sweethearts 5K - Bountiful, UT (Confirmed)

02/18: 2023 SoJo Date Dash 5K - South Jordan, UT (Confirmed)

02/26: 2023 Las Vegas Half Marathon - Las Vegas, NV (Confirmed)

03/04: 2023 March Madness 10K - West Bountiful, UT (Confirmed)

03/25: 2023 Riverton Half Marathon023 Riverton Half Marathon - Riverton, UT (Confirmed)

04/08: 2023 Eggs Legs 10K - West Jordan, UT (Confirmed)

04/22: 2023 Salt Lake City Half Marathon - Salt Lake City, UT (Confirmed)

04/29: 2023 Blossom Run 10K - Santaquin, UT (Confirmed)

07/29: 2023 Timp 10K - American Fork, UT (Confirmed)

08/19: 2023 Rock 'N Roll Salt Lake City Half Marathon - Salt Lake City, UT (Confirmed)

09/23: 2023 Witch Run 10K - West Jordan, UT (Confirmed)

10/21: 2023 Haunted Half 5K - Salt Lake City, UT (Confirmed)

10/28: 2023 Haunted Half 5K - Provo, UT (Confirmed)

2023 SoJo Break the Freeze 5K Race Recap - South Jordan, UT

Official Time: 23:14
Placement: 10th overall, 2nd in the 50 - 54 age group
Results:  Here
Race Website: Here
Weather: 28 degrees, slight wind from the west
Garmin / Course Map: Here
Previous Years: 2022

Mile	Time	Comments
1	7:57	Off to a decent start. Some fairly dominant hills - but just get through them
2	7:42	Some rolling hills but I rebounded quickly from mile 1's hills (total climb - 120 feet)
3	7:30	Dig deep and push. Aided by heading down the hills that I had climbed.
3.11	0:40	Courses ended at about 3.01 miles.  I kept going for an official 5K
	Total Miles: 3.10- 23.52

Introduction

Well, after last weekend's fairly successful half marathon, I was itching to run a 5K.  My training of late has been focused on this distance -- more speed than endurance.  Also, I have recently purchased a pair of Saucony Endorphin Pro Speeds version 2.0.

These are carbon plated shoes and I was very interested to see if I would see any improvement in my race performance (spoiler alert: they helped a lot).

The only race in town was the SoJo Break the Freeze Race, which I had done the previous year.  It has a fun-run type of atmosphere, with your t-shirt and finisher's medal.  It is also professionally timed.  But really no awards, a simple bottle of water at the finish and a kids race to finish things off.  Very low key and budget friendly.

This year's theme was "the 80's" so there were quite a few people dressed in 80's attire.  Not sure if my neon pink shirt qualifies but that's what I wore.

The Race

The race is held along the Jordan River Bike Trail near the fishing ponds (just south of Lifetime Fitness).  I got there early and quickly grabbed my bib.  Key point is to get there early, as sometime the line up to get your bib can be lengthy.

It was a balmy 26F but the sun was shining and all things considered it didn't feel that bad.  The wind was negligible and while it was chilly, it wasn't terrible.  

I spent a few moments getting some photos and visiting people I had seen in a while before donning my bib, ditching my warm-up sweats.  I figured I ran about a mile to get loosened up and feeling good.

I got to the starting line just shy of 10 AM and secured a decent spot.  There were about a 100 runners.  Not a huge race by any means but enough to make it interesting.  I was one of the few runners wearing shorts.  I had thrown on some heavier gloves, a skullcap, and 2 shirts.  I felt a little chilled at the start but overall this outfit worked.  I had stashed a heavy jacket near the finish line so I could get into warm clothes right away.

The first mile is a bit of a challenge.  It starts off flat and quickly hangs a few turns before dumping you into a well-to-do-subdivision.  I found a few guys to hang with and was maintaining a solid but not crazy pace.  I also knew at the end of the mile I'd be greeted by a pair of hills.  

I had forgotten how intense they were.  But I knew also that they were short-lived.  Last year they ruined my first mile.  I haven't done a lot of hill work on account of my back injury, which seems to be irritated by hills.

I really hadn't been paying any attention to my pace for the first mile; I didn't want to become obsessed about it.  The pace I was running felt "right".  I was astounded and delighted to see a sub 8 minute mile hit on my Garmin.  I had studied last year's splits before the race and remembered the first mile coming in at 8:15.  This spurred me on to really push the pace and I was running with someone that normally beats me handily in most races.

The course levels out a bit (there was a hill or two) but lots of turns.  A lot of memories of the course came back from last year and it really helped knowing what lay ahead.

Last year, I had taken a wrong turn and it had probably cost me about 10 - 20 seconds.  And I remembered where it happened and I made a mental note not to follow it.  The course was either marshalled or had green arrows on the ground indicating where to run.  

I finally stumbled upon the turn (where I had run straight).  There was a dead end sign there that I had obviously missed last year but from the looks of it, it did look like it was the way to go.  

Mile 2 was even faster than last year's and I was still running with a group.  Could this be the race I was after?  And the final mile was going to be the fastest with a nice downhill stretch.

I was still feeling pretty good as I finished the last of the subdivision and returned back to the bike trail.  I glanced at my watch and realized I had .75 of a mile left and that presumed that the course was going to be short (it was).

The course made its way around the perimeter of the fishing ponds and it was a little heartbreaking to pass by the finish line with still nearly half a mile to go.

The group I had been running with had put ground on me and a woman was diligently chasing me from behind.  I was racing for the sake of time.  I figured I was in the top 10 but with no age group awards, there just wasn't that extra motivation.

Finally I reached the point where the finish line was in plain view.  It was no more than a quarter mile, but it looked to be further.  Just a few more minutes.

I really pushed the final distance and I kept glancing at my watch: how close was I to running a legit 5K?  

Just before I crossed the finish line, I hit 3 miles.  I figured the finish line was at 3.01 at best.  There wasn't a line up to get medals nor people around, so I kept going.  I felt good but I was going to smash the last tenth of a mile to see what I could run for a 5K.

It seemed to take forever to run that final stretch but I did and pressed lap on my watch, for a time of around 23:50.  That was one of my goals from last year: run under 24 minutes.  And so early in the season too!

Conclusion

I was over the moon at the finish.  One, I smashed last year's time (even with credit given to last year's time) and two, I crushed a 5K.  

So, the question is, how much value did the shoes provide?  I do think quite a bit.  Last year I am pretty sure I ran in my Saucony Fast-twich, which do not have a plate in them, but are lighter.  I also have done a nice block of speedwork, so I've been primed for this sort of distance for a while.

The course, I don't think it a very "fast" one, given the hills, either.  I just know I was extremely happy with my time.

Post race refreshments was simply water.  This race is done on a budget: with a t-shirt, finisher's medal, timing and course for $30, it is a decent bargain.  I don't expect very much and mostly I was there for the social experience and as a time trial.

The medal was unique and nicely designed.  The shirt had potential, but it is a cotton one (although nicer quality).  It probably won't make the rotation as a shirt I'll wear regularly.  In the past, I've really liked this series' shirts.

I enjoyed my experience despite not having age group awards. I liked the course and it was close to home.  Given the lack of races in January, and if the weather is halfway decent, I will continue to do this race.

Upcoming Races

02/04: 2023 SLC Run Series 5K - Salt Lake City (Confirmed)

02/11: 2023 South Davis Recreation Center Sweethearts 5K - Bountiful, UT (Confirmed)

02/18: 2023 SoJo Date Dash 5K - South Jordan, UT (Confirmed)

02/26: 2023 Las Vegas Half Marathon - Las Vegas, NV (Confirmed)

03/04: 2023 March Madness 10K - West Bountiful, UT (Confirmed)

03/25: 2023 Riverton Half Marathon023 Riverton Half Marathon - Riverton, UT (Confirmed)

04/08: 2023 Eggs Legs 10K - West Jordan, UT (Confirmed)

04/22: 2023 Salt Lake City Half Marathon - Salt Lake City, UT (Confirmed)

04/29: 2023 Blossom Run 10K - Santaquin, UT (Confirmed)

07/29: 2023 Timp 10K - American Fork, UT (Confirmed)

08/19: 2023 Rock 'N Roll Salt Lake City Half Marathon - Salt Lake City, UT (Confirmed)

09/23: 2023 Witch Run 10K - West Jordan, UT (Confirmed)

10/21: 2023 Haunted Half 5K - Salt Lake City, UT (Confirmed)

10/28: 2023 Haunted Half 5K - Provo, UT (Confirmed)

2023 Virgin River Half Marathon Race Recap - St George, UT

Official Time: 1:59:17
Placement: 15th out of 37 in the 50 - 59 age division, 151st overall.
Results:  Here
Race Website: Here
Weather: Upper 30's, no wind
Garmin Dump: Here
Previous Years: [2019] [2018] [2017] [2016]

Mile	Time	Comments
1	8:52	Starting off easy.
2	8:51
3	8:54	Nice and consistent. Still feeling strong, patient.
4	8:48
5	8:57
6	8:46	Hoping to pick up the pace a bit.
7	8:52
8	8:53	Some hills here.  Got some downhill but my legs were feeling it.
9	8:58
10	8:50	Was really hoping to find my next gear here, but I was really struggling
11	9:06
12	9:21	Just need to get this done. Mentally tough knowing the course was likely to be long
13	9:12
13.32	2:52	100% wiped out at the finish.
Total Miles: 13.32 1:59:19

Introduction

One of the few races in January in the state of Utah is the St George Half Marathon.  I've run this race for the past few years, missing last year and the previous year on account of Covid lockdowns.  

Recently, this race rebranded itself as the Virgin River Half Marathon.  It is still the same weekend in January, and it shares some elements of the previous race.  However, they wanted to avoid confusion over the St George Full Marathon's new race, the half marathon edition.

I had signed up for the 2022 edition but I had to defer it on account of a family matter.  So I had to run the 2023 edition -- use it or lose so to speak.

So I made the 4 hour drive down to St George on Friday, got my bib at the pre-race expo, and settled in at the local Red Lion hotel for the night.

Before I did, however, I did have some time to walk a mile or so of the course to get a sense of the new elements to it.  The race started out near the expo center (as this year's was) and it went down a main road before going into some residential running.  Following that it joined up with the bike trail where you made a loop before finishing.

This year's course was almost 100% on the bike trail.  And it featured the Virgin River, which snakes through the area.

The Race

The race started at 9 AM at the convention center on the south east side of town.  My hotel was a very convenient 5 minute drive and there was ample parking.  I sort of kicked myself for not getting there a little later, as I spent a decent amount of time just sitting in my car.  But it did give me ample time to get a photo or two and a chance to visit the rest room.

I have been a little undertrained as far as endurance went, but I've been pretty diligent about my speed work.  I've been averaging about 30 - 38 miles a week, which is a little light (for me) for a half marathon.

My goal was to go under 2 hours and I was really confident I could do that.  Anything under 1:57 would be great for me.  Before the race started I told myself to ease into it and wait until more than half way before bumping up the pace.

The race started at 9 AM sharp and I was off.  For the first half mile or so, the race followed the previous editions.  I had lined up near the 1:55 and 2:00 pacer and my goal was to keep them in sight and just hang with them.

I was little dismayed to see the 2:00 pacer get ahead of me.  I was running about 8:50 where as a 2 hour pace is 9:09.  Oh well, run my own race.

I felt extremely good and I felt like I was keeping my heart rate pretty low.  I found a group to settle in with and just went with it.

My pace was really steady and after a mile we jumped onto the bike trail on the south end of town.  I had walked some of the course on Friday so I got a sense of what I was in for.  It was mostly flat with some interesting hills at various points.  After about 1.5 miles though, I was in all new territory.

The course was pretty enjoyable.  There were views of the Virgin River, beautiful cliffs of red rock and dessert fauna.  It was easy to just fall into an easy lope.

I hit the 5K point just where I wanted to -- about 27 minutes and I was still feeling pretty good.  The next 5K was primarily run in a subdivision.  I think it was put there mostly just to get the miles in.  There were some nice houses and a few people came out onto their porches to cheer us on.  

It was here where I started to feel the first round of fatigue set in.  There were some rolling hills here -- nothing extreme, but it seemed to sort of suck the life out of my legs.  I continued to work with the people I was running with and the 2 hour pacer was pulling ahead of me.  I was still running 8:50's though.

There was a bit of confusion around the 10K point.  At about this point the 10K runners (who were at about mile 3) were on a collision course with the returning half marathoners.  The turn where to head back wasn't extremely clear and the 2 hour pacer decided to straighten it out.  Fortunately there was no missed route for me, but I suppose had I been running solo, I might've made a wrong turn.

Mentally I was fatigued on the way back.  I still had a good 10K left but I was running the route I had already taken on the way out.  And I knew that by the time I got to mile 8, I'd pass by the finish line.  

Finally I hit mile 8.  I looked to my left and saw the finish line -- just about half a mile away.  I could almost taste it.  I looked to my right -- and I had a decent hill to go up followed by a short out and back.

This was another mentally taxing part.  It wasn't terribly long, but it was long enough where you felt like you could get into the groove.

At this point, I knew I had nothing but downhill and flats left.  And this was the point where I felt like I was going to turn on the jets and bump up the pace a bit.

I knew the course from this point on as the last 4 - 5 miles followed the editions I had done in the past.  My inspiration to run fast though -- was short-lived.

I cranked up the pace for about a mile and it was at that point that I returned to the flats.  And I just didn't have much to give.  I had been close to the finish line yet again but I still had a solid 4 miles to go.  The course was no longer new and I felt my pace drop off -- not precipitously but slowly.

And at this point it was finally work to run and maintain that pace. It was no longer easy to hold 8:50s.

I think part of it was endurance and part of it was that I hadn't taken any gels.  While the temperature was cool I knew I was dehydrated to a certain point.  There had been plenty of water stops but when I am running I generally don't swallow a lot of what I take.  

As the miles wore on, I started to do math.  The mile markers had been off almost from the start.  First just a few feet and then .05 and .1 miles.  After mile 10 it was .2 miles off.

I kept turning over in my head -- would the course be accurate or was this clearly going to be a race longer than 13.1  miles.

By mile 11 I wanted the race to be over.  I was convinced the race was going to be long (and it was) but I every step seemed to just push myself.  I still wasn't running too awful -- a little over 9 minute miles but they felt like slogs.

Out and back section of the course.

I kept looking over my shoulder for the 2 hour pacer.  But he wasn't in sight.  Only a handful of runners were with me at this point and a few were starting to pass me.  Always frustrating but I was still on pace for a sub 2 hours, which was my primary goal.

Notice the bald eagle.

Finally the last mile came about and still the mile markers were consistently off by .2 of a mile.  I could see the buildings were the finish line was, but I knew I still had to make a bit of a detour to get there. I was definitely not on the quickest path.

I did my best to quicken my pace out of fear of missing 2 hours.  

I finally hit mile 13 and my worst fears were confirmed -- I was already at mile 13.2.  I tried to put on a brave face for the photographer as I made my way but I know he got one good picture of me and one were my form looked terrible.

Terrible form.

Once I clearly saw the finish line, I pushed with whatever I had left.  I had crossed 13.1 miles in 1:57, so, for me, my goal was complete, but for an official finish I wanted to hit this course in under 2 hours, which I did, in 1:59.

Conclusion

So, I was pretty happy with my finish time.  Yes, I wanted to go faster, but I told myself before the race I'd be happy with a 1:57 - 2:00.  

The course was LONG.  Even checking Strava, most people's race came in at 13.30 to 13.35 miles.  I mentally made a note of when I hit 13.11 miles and it was about 1:57 -- closely mirroring my last half marathon.  What I was most happy about was that I had more or less managed a fairly consistent pace.  Although I never found my race gear, and other than the final 2.5 miles, I was holding my own.

So I had a hard time getting into the course.  Not sure if it felt "all the same", I just wasn't in the mood for a run / race, or that we circled by the finish / start line 4 times.  It was different, mostly flat and easier than the previous editions of this race.  I think I was so focused on maintaining my pace, that I forgot to enjoy the process of running.

Post race refreshments were bananas (awfully brown ones), sports drink, water, and a few other snacks. I think a gourmet cookie provider had some absolute sugar bombs for the race as well (awesome!).  The expo was a great place to start the race, with a warm shelter, flush toilets and a place to clean up a bit after the race.

The race was organized extremely well and there were ample water stops with volunteers who knew what they were doing.  There was one part of confusion where the 10K and half marathon runners sort of milled into together where I think if a pacer hadn't told me where to go, I would've taken a wrong turn.  But other than that, an extremely easy course to follow.

Overall, I was happy with my experience and race.  This will continue to be on my races to do every January and apparently there'll be another new course next year.  It'll be interesting to see what they turn up.

Upcoming Races

01/21: 2023 Break The Freeze 5K - South Jordan, UT (Confirmed)

02/04: 2023 SLC Run Series 5K - Salt Lake City (Confirmed)

02/11: 2023 South Davis Recreation Center Sweethearts 5K - Bountiful, UT (Confirmed)

02/26: 2023 Las Vegas Half Marathon - Las Vegas, NV (Confirmed)

03/04: 2023 March Madness 10K - West Bountiful, UT (Confirmed)

03/25: 2023 Riverton Half Marathon023 Riverton Half Marathon - Riverton, UT (Confirmed)

04/08: 2023 Eggs Legs 10K - West Jordan, UT (Confirmed)

04/22: 2023 Salt Lake City Half Marathon - Salt Lake City, UT (Confirmed)

04/29: 2023 Blossom Run 10K - Santaquin, UT (Confirmed)

07/29: 2023 Timp 10K - American Fork, UT (Confirmed)

08/19: 2023 Rock 'N Roll Salt Lake City Half Marathon - Salt Lake City, UT (Confirmed)

09/23: 2023 Witch Run 10K - West Jordan, UT (Confirmed)

10/21: 2023 Haunted Half 5K - Salt Lake City, UT (Confirmed)

10/28: 2023 Haunted Half 5K - Provo, UT (Confirmed)

2022 Year in Running

Total Miles: 1405

Race Distances:

5K: 22

10K: 6

Half Marathons: 1

Best Races of the Year:

Run SLC 5K

Las Vegas Half Marathon

March Madness 10K

Early in 2022 I was running extremely well.  I had put in a solid effort throughout the winter and I came out pretty strong.  My goal was to run consistently in the 23's for a 5K and I started to see that I was fully capable of hitting that time in my first legit race of the year.  In a very competitive race, I ran a 23:50.

One of the races I was most proud of was the Las Vegas Half Marathon. It was my only half marathon of the year (more on that later) but I've never run particularly well there.  My endurance training hadn't gone quite as well as I had hoped and I was apprehensive about the race.  I expected another 2+ hour sufferfest.

This year, though, I ran well and knocked out a 1:57.  I felt like I had paced it really well, dialed in my diet and did extremely well for myself.  It wasn't a PR effort by any means, but given the circumstances, I didn't cross the finish line disappointed.

Finally, I ran well at the March Madness 10K.  This was another legitimate course and I nearly broke 50 minutes.  This was another one of my goals in 2022 and I came within 34 seconds of it.  I think I lost some time on it as a result of allergies but overall a race that I remember running well at.

Worst Races of the Year:

West Fest 5K

Sound of Hope 5K

Looking back at my logs, I felt like I really only had 2 races where I felt I had run poorly.  The comments below do NOT reflect on the organizers.  They are 100% my performance-based thoughts.

The West Fest 5K was humbling.  The course was very long (according to my Garmin) but still, for a 5K, I ran it poorly.  I ran nearly 28 minutes for 3.3 miles.  Even accounting for the extra quarter mile it was just a dud of a race for me.  Granted, this was my first race in ages and it was also my first race after Covid and dealing with my stress fracture.

The Sound of Hope 5K was baffling to me.  I was racing a lot of 5Ks at the time and my times were progressively getting better.  It was a flat, accurate course but after halfway through I just died and it was a gut-buster to the finish.  I ran a 25:11, which was a major step backwards.  I suspect the headwind and a bit of heat caught up with me but I wasn't happy with my race performance.

Goals and Setbacks

So first the setbacks. 

In early March 2022, I had a back issue.  At first it wasn't too bad but it was generally always there.  I kept running on it because I could mostly ignore it and I had a bunch of races I had committed to.  

Of course, it got progressively worse, even after rest and self-treatment.

My mileage plummeted and some days I could run 10 miles relatively pain free and other days I lasted 10 yards.  Finally in late April or so I went in for an official diagnosis.

I wound up having a stress fracture in my lower back.  There isn't anything they can do for it other than wait for it to recover.  I took 2 weeks off of running but was told I could resume running and keep it easy until it recovered.  I also did a round of Prednisone which drove me absolutely nuts.

It was still bothering me in May so I finally saw a physical therapist.  The fine folks at Canyon Sports Therapy worked with me.  It took a while, but I finally got the symptoms under control and was given a regime of exercises and stretches.  I am still doing those exercises today, which is a first for someone who loathes strength work.

I do believe it has made a difference for me.  I feel like a much stronger, more stable runner.  I've also noticed that my shoes don't wear down as fast as they used to as well.

I still deal with the back issue from time to time -- even 7+ months later.  

Finally, in late May, I also got Covid.  The actual cold / flu wasn't too awful (it definitely was NOT fun) but the recovery seemed to take forever.  I had no energy and got winded very easily.  I would argue that it took about 2 - 3 months before I felt like myself again.  I was able to get in some running but I definitely couldn't hit those top gears like I used.  By the time September rolled around, I felt like my old self.

All of these setbacks cost me several half marathons (I didn't attend more half marathons than I completed this year).

So I had a few goals for 2022:

Run 23:30 -- consistently for 5Ks.  I semi did this.  I came up a bit short but I think that had to do with my injuries and Covid.  My training was definitely there and I was inching closer to it by the fall season.  However, it just came too late and I never really had that "A" race that I could smash for a finish.  

I am happy that I followed a process on this.  I did work hard and did weekly speed sessions and my times were getting consistently better despite the setbacks.

Increase the mileage by 10 - 20%: Yet another fail, but sort of close.  I miss most of April and May, running a minimal amount of miles.  Even the summer months, when I could run just about whatever I wanted to and feel 95% okay with it, didn't see me hit the mileage I wanted to.  It was consistently hovering around 25 - 33 miles a week.

It wasn't until Oct / November where I started to see a large increase of mileage and that was because I started to use heart rate training and keep my easy runs easy.  More on this in another section.

Eat Healthy Foods: This was another so-so goal. It wasn't spelled out what I wanted to accomplish here. Yes, I had plenty of candy, chips and sweets.  But I also ate more healthy stuff as well: snacking on nuts and fruit.  My weight did creep up a bit (as of this morning 184) but overall this was of mediocre success.

Growth This Year

This year also saw me obtain some new habits.  

With the stress fracture back injury, it was drilled into me that I need to do some stretching and strength work.  I had been doing some leading up to the injury (and whether it was the root cause of my back stress fracture remains a mystery) but my physical therapist gave me plenty of take-home exercises to do.  

This whole process started in the middle of May and as I type this at the end of 2022, I am still doing my exercises pretty much as directed.  My routine is pretty simple: a series of stretches and then a variety of strength exercises with a theraband.  

The results have been good.  My shoes seem to be wearing down less (i.e. I get more miles out of them) and I feel like my core is more stable.  

The other thing I am currently working on is incorporating heart rate training. 

I came across a number of videos on YouTube telling me that Zone 2 was the way to go and it could greatly transform your running.  

The wisdom I was hearing was that most people do their easy runs too hard.  It wasn't the first time I had heard that advice.  But I could certainly relate to some of the side effects of constantly running at zone 3 and how super easy running could fix it.

So I learned a bit more about it and most were coaches were telling people you should run in Zone 2 -- which for me is about 126 - 134 beats per minute.  

When I first attempted to do this I found myself either drifting into zone 3 (which is a middle ground which doesn't offer you much value) or getting frustrated because I was going into the upper 130's and 140's.

I felt like I wasn't even running.

My easy pace was original 9:30 per mile.  For me to hit the zone 2, I had to run at 10:30's, sometimes 11's.  I complained to everyone who would listen: it was too hard and how could this benefit me?

I stuck with it and each time I did it, I felt like this couldn't work.  I'd be walking to hit the heart rates in zone 2.

But I finally found a calculator. This one worked for me, at RunningUniversity.  I had been using the plain old age graded tables which didn't take into any account of "me".  I started to play with the numbers and I found out that the traditional tables -- were too low.  I was an established runner who had a slightly higher than normal resting heart rate.  I definitely knew my max heart rate from plenty of 5Ks I had run.  Once I plugged the calculations into my watch, I found it was easier to hit zone 2.  

The pace that corresponds to that zone is about 10:30 and sometimes 11.  Some days I can run low 10's and still be in zone 2.

The promise on Zone 2 training is that eventually I'll be able to run in Zone 2 with a much faster pace, but it takes time.  I am generally reading about 3 - 4 months.  I am starting to see some results but the final verdict won't be in until Spring.

Some things I have noticed:

1. I feel fresher, more often.  I don't struggle with soreness and a feeling of being over trained.
2. I am able to hit my harder workouts harder and complete them.  I no longer think about or cut them off early.
3. My mileage has increased by about 30% without feeling beat up.
4. In the late season my 5Ks were improving.  But whether this was a result of speed training, cooler temps, or a combination of factors remains to be seen.

I am enjoying it to some extent.  I do believe you cannot do 100% of your runs in Zone 2.  You do need to train fast and being able to tolerate the discomfort of a 5K.  But right now, I try to do about 80% of my weekly mileage "easy".  I also have to keep my ego out of it for Strava purposes.

By March or April, I should know if I want to continue this process and whether my easy pace improves.

Goals for 2023

So the goals for 2023 are somewhat similar to 2022's.

1) Continue to work on speed.  How:  Continue to perform at least once weekly speed sessions.

2) Smash 24 minutes for the 5K:  How:  See #1 but also continue to race 5Ks.

3) Continue to make my easy days easy.  How: Work in Zone 2 and be sure that 80% of my weekly mileage is "easy".

4) Get some longer races in.  How: I only did one half marathon in 2022.  Most of that was because I was injured and missed a lot of the spring training / races.  Keep fit healthy.

5) Continue to do strength training.  How: I've got a pretty good routine down that I do a few times each week. Continue on working my core, hips and stabilizer muscles.

6) Get in a destination race that I haven't done before.  

Upcoming Races

01/14: 2023 St George Half Marathon - St George, UT (Confirmed)

02/04: 2023 SLC Run Series 5K - Salt Lake City (Confirmed)

02/11: 2023 South Davis Recreation Center Sweethearts 5K - Bountiful, UT (Confirmed)

02/26: 2023 Las Vegas Half Marathon - Las Vegas, NV (Confirmed)

03/04: 2023 March Madness 10K - West Bountiful, UT (Confirmed)

03/25: 2023 Riverton Half Marathon023 Riverton Half Marathon - Riverton, UT (Confirmed)

04/08: 2023 Eggs Legs 10K - West Jordan, UT (Confirmed)

04/22: 2023 Salt Lake City Half Marathon - Salt Lake City, UT (Confirmed)

04/29: 2023 Blossom Run 10K - Santaquin, UT (Confirmed)

07/29: 2023 Timp 10K - American Fork, UT (Confirmed)

08/19: 2023 Rock 'N Roll Salt Lake City Half Marathon - Salt Lake City, UT (Confirmed)

09/23: 2023 Witch Run 10K - West Jordan, UT (Confirmed)

10/21: 2023 Haunted Half 5K - Salt Lake City, UT (Confirmed)

10/28: 2023 Haunted Half 5K - Provo, UT (Confirmed)