Placement: 2nd in the 50 - 59, 12th overall
Results: Here
Race Website: Here
Weather: Mid 40's - slight wind from the north.
Garmin Dump: Here
Previous Years: First year for me.
| Mile | Time | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 7:42 | Went out a little fast. First mile is always the easiest |
| 2 | 8:01 | Reeling it back in. Just keeping up and trying to hold about 8 minutes |
| 3 | 8:10 | Last of the southern stretch of bike trail. Time for some hills. |
| 4 | 9:01 | Giant hill here. Focused on form and got up it knowing I'd get the downhill soon |
| 5 | 8:09 | Some downhill and back to the bike trail. Rebounded here a bit |
| 6 | 8.12 | Final mile running into a slight breeze to the finish |
| 6.07 | 0.28 | |
| Total Miles: 6.07 - 49:46 | ||
Introduction
With the race season coming to a close, I am trying to jam as many races as I can into the final weeks. I know come late December / January, I'll be jonesing for a race.
So I decided that to run the inaugural South Jordan (SoJo) Turkey 5K / 10K. Last year this race was held, but it was virtual, due to Covid.
Eagle eyed readers should have already noticed that this race's course is identical to the one I ran in August for the Rivalry Run. So this time I had a bit of a heads up on the what the course was going to be like and how to pace myself.
The Race
Like the Rivalry Run, this race started fairly late: 10 AM. This time it was welcomed. With the cooler temperatures, it was nice to sleep in a little longer and be able to toe the line at a reasonable hour.
The race started promptly at 10 AM and off we went -- about 50 of us -- south on the Jordan River Parkway. It is a paved trail that is popular with runners, cyclists and dog walkers.
I didn't have many goals for this race other than to race faster than I did last time. I had some vague visions of what my time was 3 months ago, but to be honest I just wanted to really go hard and see what I had. Of late, my times haven't been the greatest (probably over racing) but I was using this as a solid workout and to be honest, the weather was very ideal.
I had surveyed the competition and usually a race this small and produced by the South Jordan people don't usually have age group awards. But still, I wanted to race competitively.
The first mile I went out pretty fast. I was trying to keep up with as many people as I could. I wanted to hold back, but the adrenaline of the start had me going and feeling good. When my Garmin buzzed and I saw the 7:45 I had mixed emotions. The split was pretty good but I knew I was going to pay for it.
I proceeded southward on the trail and on the east side of the Jordan River. I was tailing the first place woman and had a guy breathing down my neck but after that -- no one in front of me and no one behind me. In all honesty, I wanted the guy behind me to either fade out of the picture or just pass me. I didn't like the pressure of having him back there.
Still, it forced me to keep a nice pace and I dialed it back ever so slightly. I hit the mile 2 marker just as we turned west and crossed over a bridge to begin our winding journey back to the starting line.
At this point, also, I started getting backed up with phlegm. I had carried a small flask in my pocket and took a tiny sip. I am not sure what causes it (allergies) but it can become depilating at times. I had to slow to clear my throat to avoid getting sick. Mile 2 arrived with a pace of just over 8 minutes. Exactly where I wanted to be.
The next mile I really felt like I was slowing down. I was hurting pretty badly and the guy who was chasing me gained on me and then passed me. He obviously was taking it easy for the first 3 miles or so and then pushing the final 3.
Mile 3 saw me slow down. But I was re-invigorated a bit as I rejoined some of the 5K runners. I felt like I was flying and it was nice to see friends who encouraged me to push hard and run strong.
Mile 3 also sees "the hill". I remembered it from the last time I ran the course and it is a hill of just pure "up". I focused on maintaining good form and not panicking. Just put one foot in front of the other, and get up the hill. I've done a fair amount of hill training this year and knowing I could get up it and with proper form enabled me to get it done. In fact, I finished that mile significantly faster than I had 3 months ago.
Fortunately after that hill you get to run down the backside of it on your way back. So that kept me motivated and I found another gear as I soared into mile 4. Just 2 more miles to go.
Mile 4 is mostly downhill. You've done the hard work and now you get to run through a neighborhood and back down the dreaded hill. I felt fast as once again I encountered the 5K runners. Some of them were running this stretch but I had found another gear. I hit the start of mile 5 back on target for a pace.
After making my way through a new housing construction zone I was finally redirected back to the bike trail and just had less than a mile to go.
I had remembered when we crossed under a bridge at the outset that I had about .66 miles to go to hit the starting line. It was a sweet relief as I passed by the 2nd aid station and saw the bridge. I started to do the math as to whether I could under 50 minutes. It seemed realistic but I felt like my form was collapsing, but I still had some strength left. Just push!
I was weaving my way around some of the 5K walkers and while my pace was in the low 8 minute / mile zone, I felt like I was running much slower. When I could hear the din from the finish line I knew it was going to be close. I gave it everything I had in the closing .2 of a mile.
Conclusion
I crossed under the finish line on my Garmin in 49:46 -- cracking 50 minutes again. My official time was 49:41 though. Not sure why the discrepancy.
I did finish about 10 seconds (officially) faster than I did 3 months ago. I'll take any sort of improvement, although it seems a bit trivial. There was more wind today (a bit from the north) but August's race was definitely warmer.
I walked off the ensuing nausea and chatted with some of the other 5K / 10K finishers.
The race was a bargain race -- about $25 to register. I did get a shirt and a pretty cool medal. I am told there "may" be awards for the top 2 finishers in each age group. As of right now, that could apply to me.
Overall, I was happy with my experience. It was a low key / low frills race. The course was interesting and it was good to see a lot of people I may not see until 2022. There was simply water at the finish line -- it would've been nice to have bananas or something. The medal and shirt were nicely done though.
My Garmin did measure the course short again, but given it's tendency to do that, I suspect, it is close to a legitimate 10K.
If this race fit into my schedule, I'd be interested in running it again.
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