2023 SoJo Date Dash 5K Race Recap - South Jordan, UT

Official Time: 25:32
Placement: 2nd in the 50 - 54, 10th overall
Results:  Here
Race Website: Here
Weather: 32F - breeze from the south
Course Map / Garmin Dump: Here
Previous Years: First year for me

Mile	Time	Comments
1	7:40	Gentle downhill at the start. Slightly congested, but off to a good start
2	8:31	Definitely was feeling it at about 1.25 miles. Hardest part of the course coming
3	7:37	Dream killer slow grind hill
3.25	1:45	Smash the final quarter mile.
	Total Miles: 3.25- 25.35 (24:33 for 3.10)

Introduction

So I signed up for the SoJo Date Dash 5K primarily on a whim.  I didn't have anything on my race calendar for the day and I had a case of FOMO.

The race is located about 5 miles down the road from me and it was reasonably priced.  The SoJo race series is a fairly low-key event, offering a cheap race experience with all the thrills of a race.

The Race 

I arrived at the race scene about 45 minutes before the 10 AM start.  It was nice to have a leisurely morning and be able to get a decent sized breakfast down before the race.  It also had warmed up enough to make the brisk morning, tolerable weather-wise.  

The race was lightly attended so pickup wasn't a big deal.  I socialized for a bit and then started off on a 1.2 mile shakeout run.  I felt sluggish and I was having a hard time getting into a "race mentality".

The race is held on the Jordan River bike trail.  It is a paved trail used by dog walkers, cyclists and other runners.  It is scenic and flat.  I had run the course before -- in parts -- but never in this configuration.  I had studied the course and knew the route but I was less than thrilled to see a monster hill at about 1.75.  I had taken on the hill before so I knew what I was in for, but I knew that today was not going to be a "personal record" day.

The race started at 10 AM.  The race doesn't offer age group awards and the award system is sort of haphazard at best.  The top finishers usually receive some sort of prize but it isn't advertised what the criteria is.  So I was mostly running this as a hard workout.

I took off at a solid pace.  There was a bit of a breeze coming in from the south and unfortunately there wasn't anyone to shield myself.  It definitely felt cold -- had I underdressed?  I was wearing a light hat, thick gloves, 2 t-shirts and short shorts.  Usually that covers me for a 5K race at this temperature.

The first mile was entirely on the bike trail and I smashed a 7:40 mile. Not too shabby, but I certainly felt winded.  I suspect I went out a little too fast.

After the first mile, we jumped into a residential neighborhood.  I was chasing down some runners ahead of me, but I didn't see anyone behind me.  I knew the course, but at the same time, there are quite a few turns.

The runners ahead of me were moving pretty good but I was making ground on a few of them. I kept picking out runners to try and work off of.  The route got a little hilly at times -- mostly downhill so I felt my pace quicken.  But I was holding back a bit -- I knew the hill was coming.

I finally rounded the corner and the hill appeared.  I haven't done much hill work on account of my back injury, which seems to aggravate it.  My goal was to simply maintain a strong effort, get up it, and recover.

It was a painful process and yeah the hill is steep, but the distance up it is reasonably short -- maybe .10 to .15 of a mile.

Mile 2 hit at 8:30.  I was expecting something in the 9's, so I was actually pleased to see this.

After some flat running, I finally got the hill going down.  It was exhilarating and I felt a quickness in my turnover.  I wound up catching one of the runners and I started to work on getting the next one.

A few more turns and I returned back to the bike trail.  I had measured the course from the bridge to the finish line at just over .63 miles.  My Garmin indicated that this course was going to be significantly longer than just 3.10 miles.

I looked over my shoulder and there was no one closing in on me and the runner ahead of me had clearly gained some ground on me.  Part of me slowed down a bit.  My time was well off a "normal" 5K and with the course being long and no one in pursuit, I let off the gas a bit.

The finish line finally came into view and my Garmin read 3.10 miles -- I lapped it for a 24:33.  Definitely slower, but not unexpected given the course.  I had also run a 7:37 mile -- thanks for the massive downhill.

I turned on the jets for the final .15 of a mile and crossed the finish line in 25:35.

Conclusion

I was handed a water bottle at the end, which I think indicates I got a top finisher prize.  Not everyone got one and I suspect since I was in 10th place overall, that that was my prize.

I had run about what I expected I would've considering the hill.  If the course had been entirely on the bike trail, I think my time would've been more in line with what I've been running of late.

The course was marshalled well and I got a nice shirt.  The medal is probably one of the cutest I've ever gotten.  Post race refreshments was simply water.  For a $20 race, I got what I ordered and I had a decent experience.

If this race pops up on an open weekend I'd do it again.  For the price, it was a nice experience and a good opportunity to socialize.  

Upcoming Races

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

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

03/18: 2023 Vineyard City Gold Rush 5K - Vineyard, 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 South Davis Recreation Center Sweethearts 5K Race Recap - Bountiful, UT

Official Time: 24:12
Placement: 1st in the 50 - 54
Results:  Here
Race Website: Here
Weather: 26F slight breeze from the south.
Garmin Dump: Here
Previous Years: [2022] [2021] [2020] [2019] [2018] [2016] [2015] [2014] [2013]

Mile	Time	Comments
1	7:27	Gentle downhill at the start. Slightly congested, but off to a good start
2	7:57	Definitely was feeling it at about 1.25 miles. Hardest part of the course coming
3	8:15	Dream killer slow grind hill
3.09	0:34	Smash the final quarter mile.
	Total Miles: 3.09- 24.12

Introduction

Each February for the last 10 years or so I've run the South Davis Recreation Center's Sweethearts 5K.  It is a Valentine's Day themed race and generally well attended.  It is also budget friendly - coming in at about $20 if you register early enough.

The race is also nice in that you have a large recreation center to keep warm in (with no need for porta-potties) 

The course is familiar, in that I've run it over 20 times.  So it is usually an early year indicator of where my fitness is at.

The Race 

Race morning came in feeling cold.  In fact, it was a balmy 26F.  Fortunately, there wasn't much wind -- ideal running conditions for me.

I arrived at the race site shortly after 8 AM for a 9 AM start.  Packet pickup was a snap and I was ready to race in short order.  There was a big swim meet there, so I had to park away from the start, but I incorporated it into my warm-up.

I wound up running about a mile for my warm-up.  I kept it easy and did some strides as well.  I had a hard time getting ready for the race, though.  My legs didn't feel particularly springy or fast despite wearing the Saucony Endorphin Pro 2s and the race started about 5 minutes late, so I had sort of lost that warm-up heart rate bump.

The course at about mile 1

I was in short shorts, 2 t-shirts, gloves and a skullcap.  It worked and I felt lighter than most of my competitors.

I've written about this course many times -- it is a residential run that forms a square around the recreation center.  It starts out with a gentle decline, and then after about a mile and a quarter, you have a long ascent, culminating with the steepest part at about mile 2.5  The hills aren't terrible, but it is grind to say the least and the one that starts at around mile 2 is always demoralizing.

I hit the first mile at 7:27 as I zig and zagged around other runners.  Fast and right on target given the gentle decline.  I was also feeling pretty good.  Was this my "day"?

The initial rush of runners had faded and I was chasing down some of the fast starters who had gotten hung up on the first hill.  I also was getting passed once in a while too.  It was a fairly big race so I was never really by myself until the end of the race.  Also, I didn't see anyone that seemed to be close to my age group.

I was oxygen debt upon hitting the half way point.  I was still on target for a decent race, but the hardest part of the race was coming up.  In the distance, I could see the top of the hill, which was marked by a lonely traffic light.  A little more than a mile, yet so far away.

Once in a while I'd glance at my watch -- I felt like I was running fast - but my watch snapped me back to reality.  I saw it report back that I was running at about 8:20.  Clearly, I wanted to be under that, but it was just the mental grind of the slope.  

As I sped through a traffic light, mile 2 saw me hit 7:57.  Not too awful -- could I salvage this race?

My legs felt like they each weighed 20 pounds more than usual. My breathing was labored, but my determination to run fast was there.  I was continually infuriated every time I glanced at my Garmin -- despite my best efforts, I was drifting closer to 9 minute miles.  Where was my speed?

I kept focused and kept glancing over my shoulder. No one was behind me and the few I had been chasing had put ground on me.

Finally I hit the final turn.  I didn't have much and I wondered if I could smash the last .2 of a mile or so and continue my streak of going under 24 minutes.

Conclusion

So my streak of running sub 24 minutes for a 5K was broken.  I just didn't have it.  It was reasonably close -- finishing in 24:12 -- good enough for first place in my age division.

I was a bit dismayed for this 5K.  I should be an expert on this course, but I always feel like I ran "wrong".  It is a hard course to negative split and I usually feel good after the first mile, it always winds up catching me half way through the race.

It took a while to get out the awards, but since I had parked so far away, I ran to my car (and then some) as a bit of a warm-down.  There were plenty of refreshments at the end: hot chocolate, bananas, oranges, drink and even hot oatmeal and muffins.

The prizes are all stuffed Teddy Bears, which I was awarded for my age group win.  The medal was also better than usual this year. It seemed larger and had a spinning thing in the middle.

Overall, I was pleased with my experience.  The race is budget friendly -- offering a very nice shirt, finisher's medal and nice age group prizes.  I registered before Christmas, paying about $20 for a nice morning out.

This race will likely continue to be a must-do for me in February and one that sets a tone of how the rest of the season will go.  I am running pretty much where I was last year, except I do feel like I am a bit less fit and heavier.

Upcoming Races

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)

03/14: 2023 Vineyard City Gold Rush 5K - Vineyard, 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 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)