Saturday, November 24, 2018

2018 Ruby Mountain Relay Turkey Trot 5K Race Recap - Lamoille, NV




Official Time: 26:09
Placement: 1st in the 45 - 49, 12th overall
Results:  Here
Race WebsiteHere
Weather: 32 wet / slightly slippery roads with mild wind from the south and west
Garmin Dump: Here
Previous Years: New to me

Mile TimeComments
18:36Sucking thin air.  Slight uphill
28:47More uphill here.  Challenging running
38:08Downhill and a bit of a tail wind.  Just what I needed.
3.090:37Cross the finish line in one piece.
Total Miles: 3.09- 26:09




Introduction


For a while now I've wanted to run the Lamoille / Elko Turkey Trot 5K.  And most years I just let it pass by.  I am usually close to the race site -- it is a yearly tradition for me to go to Wendover (half way there from Salt Lake) on Thanksgiving.

This year, however, the fine folks at Red Lion threw me a nice offer for their hotel and I decided to take them up on it.  I also got into the race for cheap since I registered early.  I just needed the weather to cooperate.  Getting to rural Nevada in the winter can be dicey... a passing storm can strand you.... or worse put you into a ditch where cell reception is spotty.

We've had a mild fall, and I figured I'd be good.  However, upon making the trip on Friday afternoon from Wendover, I found myself driving in rain.  Luckily it was over 40 degrees so it was just rain.  If I had been driving in 32F degree weather I'd be really really sorry.

It rained most of Friday and the temperature dropped.  Luckily the combination of the two didn't happen.  The roads were slick on Saturday morning but definitely not bad.  However, getting home might've been an issue.

The race starts at 10 AM, which was super nice.  It allowed me to wake up at a reasonable hour, loaf in bed and by the time I got to the race it was reasonably warm out.



The race's headquarters were situated at the base of the Ruby Mountains at the Presbyterian Church of the Crossroads.  This church was completed in 1905 and much of the building is still in its original state.  It is a historical treasure as well as a fairly nice place to start the race.

I knew a few people at the race and I wound up getting my bib / shirt pretty quickly and socializing.  I did a short 1 mile warm up as well and declared myself ready to race.


The Race


The race started out on time.  I was wearing shorts, two shirts, and throw away gloves.  I felt I was adequately dressed and by the end of the race I was rolling up my sleeves because I was so warm.

I started off okay and settled into what I thought was my 5K pace.  I found myself breathing hard almost right away.  For the uninitiated, Lamoille sits at about 5800 feet.  So the air felt a lot thinner.

I thought the road was going to be slippery, but it actually was good to run on.  Anything that was painted, however, was slippery.  But footing really wasn't a concern despite the snow and slush.

The race heads west from the church along the main drag.  There was some traffic, but Lamoille is a sleepy little village and most of the cars passing by where nice (the speed limit is also 25 mph).



The first mile went by quickly enough but I wasn't too surprised to see an 8:30-ish appear on my watch.  I rarely ever speed up on a 5K, and I settled into the fact that this wasn't likely to be a breakout race for me.

Entrance to Lamoille Canyon


The next half mile wasn't any easier as we turned into the entrance of Lamoille canyon.  There was a bit of a breeze coming through the canyon and it was a very tiny uphill.  It felt like I was hurting more than I should be.

I was so thankful to hit the turn around, which I reached at 1.54 miles on my Garmin.  It felt so good to be running downhill with a bit of a tailwind.  Hopefully I could make up some time.



I was running solo at mile 2.  No one was behind me for quite some time and I was chasing down a woman and a young kid.  It was funny to see him look at me every now and then trying to keep ahead of me.  I tried to work off of him and make an attempt at passing but I was pretty gassed.

The final mile, of all things, was my fastest.  It was primarily downhill and I had a tiny tail wind to push me along.  I was counting down the 10ths of a mile until I reached the finish line.  I was so happy to finish.



Conclusion


I wound up finishing with a time of 26.09.  My time wasn't too unexpected.  Running at thinner air on a more difficult course then my previous 5K definitely made a difference.  Still, all things considered it wasn't too bad of a race for me.



I changed into some dryer clothes and hung out in the church.  Post race refreshments were chips, bananas and water.  Pretty basic fare for a fairly cheap 5K.



I snagged a nice t-shirt and since I won my age group, I got a ribbon.  It was also a special treat to hang out in the church.  I've photographed the outside of the church before but it was nice to be able to sit in the seats and admire the stained glass.

Overall, it was nice to do this race.  It wasn't a simple one to get to and in the long run it set me back a bit of money, but like all my travel races, I try to pair it with other fun things: like food, gamblin' and buffet eatin'.

I've run most of the course before in some capacity but it was still pretty -- although I had a hard time appreciating it since the 5K tends to be painful almost from the get go.

If my travels take me to Elko again next year, I'll definitely run this one again.  I always enjoy seeing my Elko friends and doing a low key 5K.












Thursday, November 22, 2018

2018 South Davis Recreation Center Thanksgiving Day Race 5K Race Recap - Bountiful Utah




Official Time: 24:53
Placement: 2nd in the 45-49, 60th overall, 51st male
Results:  Here
Race WebsiteHere
Weather: mid 40's, slight wind from the west and then to the east
Garmin Dump: Here
Previous Years: [2017] [2016] [2015] [2014] [2013] [2012]


Mile TimeComments
17:45Right on target.  Good start here although hampered early on
28:17Back to reality.  A little bit of climbing here
38:33About 75% of this mile is a grind uphill.
3.050:17Crush the last bit
Total Miles: 3.05- 24:54




Introduction


Every year since I've been in Utah, I've done the South Davis Recreation Center's 5K race on Thanksgiving morning.  They hold a series of races throughout the year and they are usually very affordable and professionally run.  There are a ton of choices in the Salt Lake Area for Turkey Trots, and this one is one I will continue to do. 

I've run this course a bunch of times.  They use it for the Valentine's Day run, their Handcart 5K and their half marathon in the summer finishes along the back end of it.  It is run along the city streets of Bountiful.  It isn't too scenic but the course really doesn't need to be.  It is a short and quick race.



The Race

I rolled into the race about 45 minutes before the start.  Getting their early is always a smart thing because the parking lot fills up.  There's plenty of parking though but you can always spot the newbies as they scramble to find a spot to park.


Packet pickup was located in the gym.  They have it down to an art form there and I had my bib, shirt, goodie bag and a validation that my chip was working in under a minute.  As usual, I got a nice shirt and cloth bag filled with promotional items.


The forecast was for rain but other than some dampness on the ground it was smooth sailing.  In fact, as the morning progressed the weather got better.

I wound up stretching, using the restroom a few times and getting warmed up for the next 45 minutes.

A lot of people were really bundled up for the race.  I was in shorts, t-shirt, and throw away gloves (I hate cold hands).  I was perfectly happy with my setup.

One of my complaints in the past is that this race starts late.  Like 10 - 15 minutes late.  The last few times, though, they've started on time.  And this time -- they started on time.  Thank you!  I time my warm-ups, nutrition, etc down to the second on when the race starts.


As usual, a lot of walkers / kids were in front but I only lost a few seconds overall I figure before jumping out onto the street.  I was quickly able to get up to speed.

The first mile or so is a delicious downhill.  It is really easy to get off to a good start and while I held back a little, I was pretty pleased to see the first mile go off at 7:45.

I was still feeling pretty good but I knew I had to stay strong as the race gets progressively harder.  After about 1.25 miles you turn on a side road.  There is a small hill here and it always seems to take the starch out of everyone's stride.  It isn't a bad hill, but it just looks steep.  This is usually where reality sets in for me.

I blew through the water stop and made another right to begin the journey to the back entrance of the recreation center.  This is another gut check because it is just a straight line for the next mile and you can see a distant street light at the top of a hill.  It is tough running here.

This is also a busy street but it is early in the morning and the course marshals did a great job of dealing with traffic.
I hit the 2 mile mark at 8:15.  I figured I was going a little slower so I was reasonably happy with that.

I kept working up the hill and while I wasn't in a death march, I was definitely hurting.  Before the race, another guy in my age division said he was going to be watching for me.  I saw him ahead and I really wanted to catch him.  I could see his knee high socks and brilliant orange shirt.  Every now and then I'd gain on him but I'd fatigue and he'd pull ahead (I think he wound up beating me by about 30 seconds).

I had done a lot of passing in the early miles but on mile 3 I was starting to get passed a bit.  I am a fast starter and I tend to fade at the end.  But it wasn't like millions of people were passing me, but those with a kick at the end were moving past me.

The nice thing about a 5K is that it is over pretty quick.  The final mile blew by and as I crested the hill, I really dug deep.  I wasn't going to set any personal records, but I certainly wanted the best time I could possibly get.

I hauled it to the finish and saw the clock starting to hit 25 minutes.  A good time for me these days is under 25 minutes and for a minute I was bummed.  Then I looked at my Garmin and realized that I had about a 10 second cushion as that is how long it took me to cross the starting line.

I was thrilled to see a 24:54 on my watch.


Conclusion

As stated above, I was pretty happy with my time.  And it turns out I came in 2nd in my age group. 

I didn't have a lot planned for the day but I sort of didn't want to hang around for awards.  I wound up socializing and the time went by quickly enough.  By the time I was starting to think about leaving they started up with the awards.  They were quick about announcing them this year and I managed to snag a cherry pie for my hard work.



For the $25 I spent for this race, I got a fully supported race, a nice shirt, finisher's medal, swag bag, and post race refreshments (your standard post race fare).  I also got to see a bunch of friends too so it was just a nice way to spend Thanksgiving morning.

I plan on being there next year.... and this was a nice race to tie in with Thanksgiving.


Age group award plus ribbon





Wednesday, November 14, 2018

2018 Las Vegas Half Marathon Race Recap - Las Vegas Nevada




Official Time: 2:03:53
Placement: 305th out of 1080 in the Males 45-49, 1888 out of 6902 men, 2927th overall
Results:  Here
Race WebsiteHere
Weather: Upper 50's, slight wind from the south
Garmin Dump: Here
Previous Years: [2017] [2016] [2015] [2014] [2013] [2012] [2011] [2010] [2009]

Mile TimeComments
18:51Bunched in at the start but off to an okay start
28:54
38:54Consistent
48:40Back to the crowds here so got some energy
58:46
68:41Maybe this is "my" race... feeling good
79:03Feeling warm. The 1:55 pacer is out of site at this point
89:09
99:12Darn it. I know I am going to hurt
109:38
1110:09Way off pace.  Shambling along. Wish the race was over
1210:29Thank goodness I am only doing the half
1310:45
13.2902:38Sad finish... but glad to be done.
Total Miles: 13:29 2:03:56






Introduction


The Las Vegas marathon was my first marathon.  I trained with a group way back in 2009 and I really didn't have a plan in mind, other than maybe I'd do the full marathon in Las Vegas.  Mind you, I didn't have a plane ticket, I didn't register for the race, I just trained for it.

Kind of dumb, I know. 

Most people pony up a ton of money for a marathon, mark it on their calendar and go to it.  Me?  I just sort of trained and if things went well, maybe I'd go to it.

I love Nevada (if you can't tell) and any excuse I can combine my passion for Nevada, gambling, buffet-eating, and running, I am in.

This year was extra special.  It was the 10th anniversary of the race and since I had run every edition of the Las Vegas marathon since its inception, my name was put on a board along with about 60-ish other runners who have shown up for every edition.



I can't think of too many things I've done every year for 10 years, but the Vegas marathon is one of them. I've lived in 4 states, have had 5 addresses, and 4 jobs in that time.  I've grown up, matured, and really found my passions in life and I think it was because of this race to some extent that I mustered up the courage to do some of the things I've wanted to do instead of sort of hoping they'd happen on their own.





Last year, I registered to do the marathon for this year at the expo.  I figured I'd be doing it every year until I couldn't do it any more.

Last year's marathon didn't go well and I haven't run really long any time since (I think I've done 1 18 miler).  I started to train in September to do the full for this year and my heart wasn't in it. So I did something sane:  I switched to the half.

Thank goodness I did.




The RnR people were super cool about it and let me switch free and relatively hassle free (it took a few emails) but everything was good to go when I got to the Expo on Saturday to pick up my bib and shirt.



As usual the expo was bustling with people and they had my name up on a banner, I got a deck of cards and a metal cup to commemorate my ten years and a healthy congratulations.  I also signed up for year #11 and snagged myself another t-shirt.

I did manage to get out of the expo without buying anything.  I have a backlog of gels, shoes, and I have more shirts than I know what to do with.... so money saved there.


The finish line around noon

The Race


The Las Vegas marathon is a night race.  It starts at 4:30 PM -- just as the sun as setting.  It is indeed dark and the lights of the strip are definitely a draw.  

The race is also a large one.  This year they boasted of over 40,000 runners, which would be their biggest year yet.

I was attempting to run a 1:55, which given a lower elevation than some of my other half marathons, I thought was realistic.  This course is also fairly flat and my training had gone fairly well.  So I was in corral #10.



I jumped into fairly early and found myself a place to sit where I wouldn't get stepped on.  Word to wise: you are going to be there for a while so find a place to sit, otherwise you'll be standing for a minimum of 20 - 40 minutes.  The time went by quickly though and I made small talk with the folks around me.



I didn't have to go to the bathroom -- thank goodness.  There were absolutely no bathrooms once you got into the starting pens.  And even if you had to go to the bathroom you'd have to fight your way through a ton of people just to get to them. Luckily I hadn't over hydrated and I was fine.

The race started in front of Planet Hollywood (or so) and ran south towards the airport and past the Las Vegas Welcome Sign.  Then it came back and you proceeded on the west side of Las Vegas Blvd before passing the starting line again and jumping onto the east side of the road.  Then you made the long trek to the downtown area while passing all the casinos lining Las Vegas Blvd.


I didn't have any lofty goals for this race, but I was feeling pretty good.  I was well rested, most of my training runs leading up to the race were good and I just felt like I was on target to run a decent race.

Famous last words....

I had stuffed some throw away gloves and I wound wearing them until the start of the race.  I kept them throughout the race and they were much appreciated once I finished.

I wasn't too bright and wore two short-sleeved shirts.  I am not sure why but I guess I was afraid of getting a little chilled while waiting for the start.  Dumb me.  I was surrounded by people, so I was warm and as the race wore on, it made me feel warmer.  I certainly wasn't going to dump one of my treasured Las Vegas marathon shirts so I wound up suffering through the race feeling a little warmer than I'd like to.



It took about 15 minutes for me to reach the starting line and I was excited to get the race going.  I was near the front of my section so I was able to get off to a decent start.  I wasn't too hemmed in and yes there were some walkers and clearly some runners who over estimated their times but for the most part, I didn't have many complaints.

I found the 1:55 pacer and hung with him or at least kept him in my sites as we made our way to the airport.

Within 10 minutes of starting the race it was really pretty dark.  The race organizers had plenty of lights and I could always see clearly.  You still have to watch out for any cracks in the pavement, but generally the road was in good shape.

I felt good and I also felt like my pace was faster than what it was.  I was sort of shocked to see a 9 minute mile for the first mile.  I felt like I had run an 8:30 or so.  That was another warning sign I guess.

I felt like I was holding back for the first 3 miles and I felt good. This could be my race, I kept telling myself.



I was carrying my own Powerade.  I wouldn't have done this but I wanted some place to store my phone while I ran (I have a belt).  There were plenty of water stops with really good volunteers.

I was disappointed with the bathroom situation.  For a race of this size there were hardly any bathrooms on the course.  I saw maybe 10 of them on the entire course.  Seriously.  When I reached the first one, I saw about 10-15 people waiting. 

Occasionally I'd see guys run into the bushes or go against the side of a building.  Many of the businesses had security out to prevent people relieving themselves against their property.  It was just unfortunate.

Luckily I didn't have to go that badly but I would've been hard pressed had I.

Once I got back to the Excalibur I was nearly 4 miles into the race.  I still felt good and the crowd really got me excited.  They had the usual signs, kids high fiving you and women promising sex & beer at the finish.  It was great and I think it helped my pace.

By the time I reached the 10K part I felt okay.  A little tired, a little warm but my pace was solid.  I was still training the 1:55 pacer but it sort of seemed hard to keep up with him.  Was he going too fast?

I told myself to run my own race.

By mile 7 or 8, I was feeling it.  Sometimes was just off in my gut.  Probably too much rich food leading up to the race.  I felt really warm and to be honest, I just wanted to be done. 

This was sort of the dull stretch of course too.  You are approaching the down town area and the crowds are gone and you have a lot of people who seem to be lost on the sidewalks.  It is just a rough part of town.  Also the constant smell of weed (marijuana), porno shops, quickie wedding stuff... .just wasn't holding my interest.

The 1:55 pacer was gone and I knew my pace was slowing down.  How bad was this race going to get?

I was tempted to stop and use a bathroom -- perhaps that would help and I did find a bank of about 20 toilets but they were a solid 100 yards of the course and I decided I didn't need to go that badly.

Seeing Fremont Street was a welcome site and at that point I knew I was headed back to the finish.  There was a bit of a breeze coming at me at this point and it was sort of frustrating.  It would've been nice to have a trail wind (it also explains why my pace going out was a bit faster).

I had been passing a lot of people on my way out and now I they were getting their comeuppance on me.  It seemed like droves and droves of people were passing me as I shambled along.  Thank God I wasn't doing the full marathon.  I kept repeating to myself and when I saw them peel off from us around mile 10 or 11, I thanked myself yet again.  I certainly didn't have a full marathon in me.

I just wanted to be done.  I kept telling myself to dig deep but there wasn't anything.  My stomach wasn't having it, my legs were sort of tired and I just couldn't get any oxygen.  All the energy and Person Records dreams were gone and I just wanted to finish without walking.

I shook my fist at the running Gods when the 2:00 pacer passed me.  If I couldn't break 1:55 at least I wouldn't run over 2 hours -- or so I thought.

I kept at it and kept working each quarter mile down. Sooner or later I would finish and I kept remembering that the final few miles were like an easy run on my bike trail.  I could do it.

And I did.  I kept a brave face when I went through the picture areas but I was really hurting.  I just felt way way off.  I was so exhausted upon crossing the finish line that I was just thrilled to grab my medal and rest against a fence.





Conclusion


Shari had spotted me coming in and she had warmer clothes for me and a Coke.  Coke totally settles my stomach after a race.  I worked up the energy to get near her where she tossed it over the fence and I could change into something warmer.  I sipped gingerly at the Coke as well.

I felt so light headed and I wound up dry heaving a bit.  I am not sure why.  It wasn't like I hammered the pace.  In fact, my finishing pace was like the death march of a full marathon.

I haven't been feeling all that well and my sinuses haven't been happy.  It turns out I could have some allergies and I had even been to the doctor for it a few days before leaving for Vegas.  I have had a lot of mucus build-up and sinus pressure.  It has affected my breathing as well.

It took about 5 minutes before I knew I wasn't going to pass out.  Even a medic came to check on me.  I was mad at myself.  I could understand feeling that way after a marathon, but a half?  What the hell was wrong with me?

2018 Las Vegas Half Marathon Medal


The exit is about a quarter mile walk from the finish line... maybe even longer.  Basically from the south end of the Mirage, past the epic-sized Caesar's Palace and then to the north end of the Bellagio.  I was pretty cold despite a jacket and gloves.  I grabbed some of the freebies they were handing out but I was sort of stewing about my sub-par performance.

It is also a little lonely in there.  You are surrounded by runners, some who are in groups and I don't know a soul in there.  Shari had gone back to the hotel and it was just a lonely walk and I felt sort of anonymous about the whole experience.  There definitely wasn't an afterglow of any sort.  We had dinner plans so I couldn't camp out anywhere and relax either, so the whole thing was anti-climatic for me.

Running shirt, 10 year commemorative glass and free t-shirt for next year
It was a long walk back to the Mirage and I was beginning to question myself.  Was I done with long distance running? Am I going to relegate myself to the 5K / 10K now?  I was in a gloomy and sort of sad mood.  My dreams of sub 1:55... gone... It was even discouraging to see the 2 hour pacer fly by me.

Overall, I liked the course.  It was more or less the same as last year, but there was definitely more Las Vegas Strip and less of the glamorous side. 

The shirt was nicely designed and was of a heavy-duty tech material.  Definitely felt thicker than previous editions.  The medal -- kind of ho-hum.  Like most of the other RnR medals, it was heavy in weight but the design... yawn. 

The post race spread was a beer, water, chocolate milk, Gatorade, chips, pretzels, chips, bananas, oatmeal bars, etc.  Pretty standard fare.  I grabbed what I could carry and put in my pockets.  I had no appetite whatsoever (which kind of sucked when I went to a buffet about 30 minutes after finishing).

I paid $99 for the race; a year in advance.  I am running on a one-of-a-kind course so I was happy with the price.  Had I paid $200 for it?  Probably not so much.  But the deal is on this race is to sign up way in advance.  I felt like I got my money's worth on it and I plan on being there next year.  I got a cool shirt, above average medal, an awesome course, course support with enthusiastic volunteers, and there is a strong / energetic vibe.

The course to me, seemed a bit long.  I checked in with a few others and their Garmin was well over 13.10.  My Garmin was on target with all the mile markers from the get go but around the half way point it fell off and kept drifting further and further out.  In the early miles I was zig-zagging so I would expect it to be off from the start, but it seemed to get more off the longer the race. At least the course wasn't short, but it would appear I ran nearly a quarter mile longer.

After 72 hours, I am still a little bummed about my time.  I am not losing sleep over it, but I am definitely not walking on air.  For me, it was just another race with a less than great performance.  Sadly doing the same race each year, you can compare where you were in times past.  10 years ago, I think I ran the half in about 1:45 or 1:50 -- at marathon pace.  Now, that is my goal pace.   Aging / getting older is a tough pill to swallow for this guy.

But I'll be back and I'll try hard (or not) again next year...


Wednesday, November 7, 2018

This Week(s) in Running 10/8 - 11/7


Fall colors along the Jordan River in Salt Lake City


Miles Year to Date:  1651


Running Update


With the cooling temperatures, I am finding myself a little more motivated to run.  I am also finding that my pace is a little better too.  I am itching to see if this translates to any faster times.  The last week or so of training runs have exceeded my expectations.  My volume is a little down, but I think the quality of my runs are better.

Hiking up behind the state capitol building


I also haven't been doing as many races in the month of October and early November.  Usually I go on a decline this time of year on account I am preparing for the Vegas marathon, but this year I don't have that on my plate.  I just really have enjoyed putting in ordinary runs and still having some energy to do some hiking.


Cat Update


Faithful readers may recall that I have been feeding a cat the past few years.  When I came back from Arizona in July we finally "reunited" and it was super excited (I believe it is a female cat) to see me.  In fact, she ran up to me and started to rub against me and meowing a lot.



We have since generated a pattern and she meets me on the bike trail at the same exact spot around 4:30. She is now there every day waiting for me.  I dump food for her and she eats it and I give her some rubs and clean her up a bit.  I am tempted to bring her in, but so many things can go wrong when bringing a cat -- particularly one that might be a feral -- into a house and to make it worse, I already have a well-behaved cat.  Sometimes adding a new cat to an existing one is a recipe for trouble.




Las Vegas Marathon


In September I realized my training wasn't going well and I just wasn't motivated to do the full marathon again.  It would've been my 10th year in a row doing the Vegas one.  The last half dozen marathons I've done haven't gone very well and I didn't want to put myself through another one.

So I dropped down to the half.

I am sort of okay with that.  Part of my ego is bruised and the streak is going to be over, but I am going to be participating in the race.  It will be year #10 of making a presence.  I am getting a special bib and my name on a banner, so that is cool but this year won't be as brag worthy.  I can't think of too many things I've done 10 years in a row so this is pretty special.  Also it is pretty cool that I had the "nutz" to sign up for this race in 2009 and head out to Vegas solo and do it.

In that time, I've moved from Illinois to Utah to Arizona and then back to Utah.  I've had nearly half a dozen addresses and 4 jobs.  Still amazing all the races and miles I've put in since I started this marathon "thing" back in 2009.



However... this year I finally get to race it. I am running pretty well and am eager to pick up the pace and if the weather and situation presents itself (I can maintain a decent pace), I'd like to really try hard at this race.  The weather looks ideal but they are forecasting 20 mph winds...

Also this year I can finally enjoy Las Vegas.  When running the marathon I had to stay off my feet, watch exactly what I ate (and most of the time failing), and obsessing about the weather and whether my training would hold up.  That pressure is gone.



Fall Running


Finally, I love fall running.  The weather is usually perfect.  It gets dark earlier and the leaves are changing.  It is just a joy to run.  In years past I've sort of missed it as I was tapering for the marathon -- and just about every run was dictated by a schedule.  This year, I've really enjoyed just logging miles and enjoying the fall weather.  If I feel like running 12 miles at half marathon pace, then that's what I do.  I've really enjoyed not having a marathon on the horizon.







Upcoming Races


11/11: 2018 Las Vegas Half Marathon - Las Vegas, NV (Confirmed)
11/22: 2018 South Davis Recreation Center Thanksgiving Day 5K - Bountiful, UT (Confirmed)
11/24: 2018 Lamoille Turkey Trot 5K - Lamoille, NV (Confirmed)
12/01: 2018 Santa Run at Gardner Village 5K - West Jordan, UT (Confirmed)
01/19: 2019 St George Half Marathon - St George, UT (Confirmed)
02/09: 2019 South Davis Recreation Center Sweethearts 5K - Bountiful, UT (Confirmed)
02/16: 2019 Saints and Sinners Half Marathon - Boulder City, NV (Confirmed)
03/02: 2019 March Madness Half Marathon - Bountiful, UT (Confirmed)
03/09: 2019 Sand Hollow Half Marathon (Flat and Fast) - Hurricane, UT (Confirmed)
03/16: 2019 Lucky 13 10K - West Jordan, UT (Confirmed)
04/13: 2019 Slc Half Marathon - Salt Lake City, UT (Confirmed)
05/05: 2019 Reno Half Marathon - Reno, NV (Confirmed)
07/26: 2019 Legacy Midnight Run 10K - Farmington, UT (Confirmed)