 |
| Inflatables at the Packet Pickup |
Placement: 4th in age age group, 107th overall
Race Website: Here
Results: Results
Weather: mid 40's, breeze from the north
Garmin Dump: Here
Previous Years: [2023] [2022] [2021] [2020]
Weather: mid 40's, breeze from the north
Garmin Dump: Here
Previous Years: [2023] [2022] [2021] [2020]
| Mile | Time | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 8:43 | Congested start. Took a while to navigate around people. Decent hill halfway through |
| 2 | 7:59 | Cruising now. Mostly a downhill mile. Enjoying this segment and felt FAST! |
| 2.96 | 7:42 | Smashed this mile. Really happy with it. |
| Total Miles: 2.96: 24:25 | ||
 |
| View of the lake at Sugarhouse Park |
Introduction
Last year during the Black Friday sales, I wound up signing up for the Haunted Half 5K put on by Runtastic Events. This race organizer puts on several races around the Salt Lake area and their Halloween runs are probably their most well attended event. They have a sister event the following week in Provo that also offers a 5K and half marathon.
I would love to sign up for the half marathon, but I just hate gambling on my fitness and signing up for the race so close to the race date winds up being expensive (I think the registration got up over a $100 for the half marathon).
This race is well attended, competitive and generates a huge crowd -- with over 1,000 runners in the 5K and close to that number for the 5K.
 |
| The starting line |
The Race
I had grabbed my bib at the expo the day before, so when I rolled into the race around 7:45 AM (8:30 AM start), I was ready to go. It was a chilly and breezy morning as I walked about half a mile from the parking spot to the race headquarters: Sugarhouse Park.
 |
| People I had to work around at the start |
I knew I was going to warm up quick, so opted with summer attire -- shorts, t-shirt and thin gloves. I wore the Saucony Endorphin Pro 2 shoes which have served me well.
The park itself is iconic and home to many 5K races. The Salt Lake City Marathon makes a lap around it and a lot of charity races throughout the year are held there.
The half marathon runners had started at 8:00 AM and had been bussed to the top of Emigration Canyon. They had ample bathrooms and I wound up doing a quick warmup and strides to get ready. I felt pretty good, but some soreness / fatigue in my legs.
The race started promptly at 8:30 AM and we were off. We did a quick jog to exit the park before crossing a street and heading into a tree-lined subdivision. In the fall, it is a pretty place to run. The houses are older and it is just a fun place to run. Also the first mile is a gentle culminating with a pretty steep climb. I wasn't too shocked to see an 8:45 mile.
Given the size of the race, the first quarter mile was pretty congested. I wasn't way up in front but I probably should've jockeyed a little closer. There are a lot of "fun runners" and I often had to navigate around walkers, people pushing strollers, etc. But eventually I did get to let loose.
I noticed right away that the mile markers were way way off. I've run the route a few times and it usually comes in at 3.05 miles, but the mile 1 marker was off by at least .1 of a mile. I certainly didn't think the route had changed.
 |
| Half marathoners coming in just after mile 12 |
At the summit of the largest hill in the race, we finally got to run downhill. Memories of previous times I've run the route came back at me and I knew this was the mile to make up some time. I felt like I had worked pretty hard to get where I was but I was renewed with energy and I careened down the gentle slopes -- dodging patches of potentially slippery leaves along the way.
Once again the mile 2 marker was off but my Garmin rang in a sub 8-minute mile. Could I salvage the race after a slow start? I did get some shouts of encouragement from the other racers and I was still feeling solid.
Upon passing the 2 mile marker (along with the 12 mile half marathon marker) I entered Sugarhouse Park to run a lap around the perimeter. It starts off with a nice downhill and then a series of small uphill climbs. I am never thrilled with running a lap around the park -- it doesn't feel fast and the finish line is so close, yet so far away.
 |
| Costumes and photo opportunities galore. |
I didn't really see anyone in my age group and the one guy I was trying to keep in my sights, who I suspected was in my age group, had put a good 30 - 40 second lead on me (it turns out he was in my age group and why I didn't get an age group award).
I felt like I wasn't running very fast and there were moments when my pace felt like it dropped to a crawl and other times where I simply rebounded and overtook a few people. I kept replaying in my head all the sessions that I've done in training and had to dig deep to complete. I knew I could handle it.
Finally the finish line came into view and I could hear the music and announcer shouting out names. I still had so far to go.
I ran by the 3 mile marker and sure enough I was at about 2.80 miles or so. Sometimes race organizers misplace the final one but it seemed to be eternity to get to the finish line.
Sadly, due to high wind conditions, the race organizers couldn't put up the inflatables along the finish line. Usually the last .10 of a mile involves running by a ton of blow-up Halloween decorations. Also, you run through a long, dark tunnel filled with streamers. It definitely slows you up (I think most runners were happy not to run through it) but it definitely adds to the Halloween atmosphere.
The finish line experience was sort of anti-climatic and I wasn't 100% sure where it ended but I sped through the finish line, finishing in 24:23 at a distance of 2.95 miles.
 |
| Smiles at the finish line |
Conclusion
So a race converter basically puts me at around 25:40 or so. About average for my current level of fitness. I felt, however, that I could've chipped away a bit more time at the end and I probably lost a good 15 - 20 seconds from weaving and losing time at the start.
I did, however, feel that the race was a success. I ran strong and it just felt like a better experience that my most recent races.
I was disappointed with my age group results -- 4th place -- 2nd in a row. Turns out the guy I was trying to keep up with was in my age group and was the deal breaker for going home with 2 medals.
Post race refreshments were hydration (sports drink), bananas, oranges and donuts. There was also a protein bar maker there that was offering that as well.
 |
| Bib, shirt, medal |
The t-shirt design this year was above average -- but still a cotton / polyester blend. I probably won't wear it much. Please race directors: 100% polyester, sports-tech. The medal was a work of art and I really wanted the half marathon one: it was definitely a step above the 5K one.
I was really disappointed with the lack of a finish line experience. It isn't the race director's fault but one of the joys is being cheered in by the crowds as we speed down the final stretch surrounded by inflatable objects.
I do believe that last year, we started a bit further west along the service road, hence the discrepancy in the race distance. The race's course was the same, but I think this was the primary reason why the race wasn't even 3 miles (most people got between 2.95 and 3.05 miles).
All in all, it was a great experience. The weather was perfect and many of my friends were in attendance. While not a stellar performance, it was a small step in the right direction for me. At this point, I'll take my wins where I can.
Upcoming Races
11/02: Vineyard Blizzard 5K - Vineyard, UT (Confirmed)
11/09: Sandy City Thanksgiving 5K - Sandy, UT (Maybe)
11/16: Snow Canyon Half Marathon - St George, UT (Confirmed)
11/28: 2024 South Davis Recreation Center Thanksgiving Run 5K - Bountiful, UT (Confirmed)
02/23: 2025 Las Vegas Half Marathon - Las Vegas, NV (Confirmed)
04/26:2025 Salt Lake City Half Marathon - Salt Lake City, UT (Confirmed)
No comments:
Post a Comment