2026 South Davis Recreation Center Handcart Races 5K Race Recap - Bountiful, UT

Runners starting the Half marathon

Official Time: 28:10
Placement: 1st in age group, 63rd overall
Results: Here
Race Website: Here
Weather:  upper 70's slight breeze from the east
Garmin Dump: Here
Previous Years:  [2025] [2024] [2022] [2020] [2019] [2018] [2017] [2015] [2012]

Mile	Time	Comments
1	8:29	Meh start.  Hopefully I've saved energy for the 2nd half.
2	9:26	Felt like I hit a wall
3	9:58	Is this a 5K race or a half marathon?
3.04	0:17	Make an attempt at finishing strong.
	Total Miles: 3.04 - 28:12

Packet Pickup

Introduction

Well, being in Salt Lake for the entire weekend meant that I could double dip and do two 5K races.  I had just run the Deseret News 5K the day before, so I knew this one was going to hurt.  On the plus side, the over 50 age category at this race seems to be a bit easier to place at, so the pressure was slightly off.

None the less, I came to the race, ready to race and do my best.

I've done this race a bunch of times, as evidenced in the history above.  It is a bit of a summer tradition for me and this race I felt compelled to come back to.  I used to do the half marathon, which starts at 5:30 AM, but given the heat conditions and just having a hard time running halves in summer, I opted in for the 5K.

The calm before the storm

The Race

So the race is held on the city streets of Bountiful. The race starts at 6:30 AM, so there isn't much traffic and the course is properly marshalled.  It isn't terribly scenic, but it is an honest course with a fast first mile and the latter half of the race, a grinding uphill.  I certainly wouldn't call it a "personal best" type of course, but it works for a simple, city-held run.

Packet pickup is always simple and they have it well organized.  I was able to procure my bib in short order and grab a shirt.  Given that the race is held at the local recreation center, we also had nice bathrooms.  This is always a plus.

I did a very short warm-up prior to the race.  Normally I like to do more, but it was warm and I could feel yesterday's race fatigue in my legs.  I figured less was more for today.

The race started, more or less on time, and we were off.  The start is congested but it only lasts for a while before you are dumped onto a wide street where you can run at your own pace.

I felt like I was moving well at the start. I was working hard but keeping something in reserve.  The first mile is a gentle downhill and after about 1.25 miles, the climb back to recreation center can be described as a slow, grind back up.  

I was scoping out my competition as the race began, but there were a lot of people.  I hadn't spotted anyone in my age group but I just told myself to run as well as I could and hope for the best.

View at about .3 of a mile

Mile 1 came in at a disappointing 8:29. I was hoping for at least an 8:15.  I hadn't really glanced at my watch during the stretch and was running entirely on feel.  Sadly, I knew it was only going to get slower and harder.

After about 1.25 miles, you make a right turn and you are greeted with the start of the hills.  I am usually able to grind out another 100 meters or so before reality sets in. People sailed past me and I was growing frustrated. I knew I had a race in me from the other day, but my pace felt so slow.

It was warm and I was working hard and I knew the hardest part of the race was still to come.  I just kept focusing on doing whatever I could to hold a solid pace and hang on.  There were moments my pace did increase but it was short-lived.

The course has one aid station and it was so warm, I was tempted to grab a cup.  But I kept going.

The final mile and a half is a long one.  When you make another right turn the road just never seems to end.  It is only a mile, yet you can see the summit of the hill ahead and it just grows steeper and steeper the further along you go.  

I knew mile 2 was going to be slow and it ran up at 9:26.  About 20 - 25 seconds slower than last year (this would be a consistent theme).

The final mile was grueling.  It is about .6 to .7 of a mile and it is primarily uphill. Everyone's pace falls off a cliff.

Runners coming into the final stretch

I still had people to work with, but most participants were cruising by me.  I was trying to find someone to work with or at least work on overtaking, and the pickings were slim.

I soldiered on and finally I made it to the top.  With a quarter mile to go, I can usually find a 2nd gear but there really wasn't much.  I wasn't going to catch anyone and there wasn't anyone closing the gap on me.  My legs were tired and they didn't have the performance I was looking for.  It was also feeling hot and semi-humid.

Although the finish line finally came and I made the final turn and gave whatever I had left, finishing in 28:10 or so.  Disappointing but not totally unexpected.

Conclusion

So first off, I thoroughly enjoyed doing this race.  There were a lot of people I got to say hi to and the race is just a good-natured event.  The course usually comes in at 3.08, so I figure I ran at least that distance for this race.  Of late, it would seem, my watch has been measuring short.

My performance was disappointing, but really, not unexpected. It was warm, I was tired, and I am now coming from a lower elevation to race in a higher elevation.  All of these factors took a toll on me.  None the less, I did manage to finish 1st in my age group.

They had the typical spread after a race plus some perks:  pastries!  There were some nice high-end donuts present and for a budget friendly race (I want to say I paid about $30) it was a nice addition. There was water and fruit and other typical post-race refreshments available (although they did get thinned out for the later finishing half marathoners).

Awards

Shirt + Finisher's Medal

One of the bigger disappointments for me on this race was the cotton t-shirt.  Every year, Handcart has given out some amazing shirts - that I routinely wear.  This year's was cotton. I could've cried.  It had a cool design on it too.  Sadly, it probably won't be worn much like the rest of my Handcart shirts.

The other troubling thing was the length it took to get awards out.  For a 6:30 AM start time for the 5K, the awards were listed at being given out at 9:30 AM, or 9 AM at the earliest. I think it was to facilitate the half marathon finishers.  This is just too long and by the time the awards were being handed out, many 5K runners had given up and left.  You can pick up your award after the race, but given we were 25 minutes away, it wasn't worth the trip back.

Other than that, though, I had a good experience.  It did wonders for my "soul" to be back in Salt Lake, running familiar races.  Yes, my time, sucked, but there were a lot of things stacked against for me having a "good" race.

Overall, this race is recommended and it is budget friendly and friendly.  I just wish I was still in Salt Lake to routinely run it again.

Upcoming Races

09/12: 2026 9/11 Heroes Run 5K - Las Vegas, NV (Confirmed)

01/23: 2027 Sun Half Marathon - St George, UT (Confirmed)

02/21: 2027 Las Vegas Half Marathon - Las Vegas, NV (Confirmed) 

04/03: 2027 Mount Charleston Half Marathon - Las Vegas, NV (Canceled)

2025 South Davis Recreation Center Thanksgiving Day 5K Race Recap - Bountiful, UT

Thanksgiving decorations along the route

Official Time: 26:51
Placement: 2nd in the 55 - 59, 172nd overall, 129th male.
Results:  Here
Race Website: Here
Weather: mid 32's, breeze from the south.
Garmin Dump: Here
Previous Years: [2024] [2023] [2022] [2021] [2018] [2017] [2016] [2015] [2014] [2013] [2012]

Mile	Time	Comments
1	8:18	A little congested at the start. Steady, downhill pull and holding back a bit
2	8:50	At about mile 1.40 the uphill starts.  Working hard.
3	9:14	Tough mile.  First .75 is progressively uphill.
3.07	0:27	Redline to the finish
	Total Miles: 3.07- 26:51

Introduction

As evidenced by the race history, one of my Thanksgiving traditions is to do the Bountiful Thanksgiving run.  The race offers a 5K and 10K edition, of which I've always run the 5K race.

The course is very familar to me, having run it for their February and August races and I've attended their races faithfully since I moved here.

This race, they had a massive turnout with over 1000 participants.  Usually they draw about 750 or so and with a crowded race market, I was shocked.

Ready set go!

The Race

I arrived at the race at 7:15 AM for the 8 AM start.  They are very well organized and I got my bib and t-shirt in short order.  I also managed to get decent parking: pro-tip: the lot fills up quickly.

I did about a mile warm-up starting at 7:30 and deemed myself ready to go. I actually felt really good coming into the race despite having just raced 5 days ago.  I had tapered and figured I might have a shot of a better than normal race.  The air temperature was ideal, no wind, I knew the course, what could go wrong?

I've written about the course at ad-neaseum: mile 1 is downhill, mile 2 begins the grind back up and the final mile gets even worse but the hill ends at mile 2.75, where the race becomes a fast finish.  It is run on city streets and only the last .25 is on sidewalk.  The course is rectangle-shaped and well marshalled and easy to navigate.

Large turnout today.

The race started a few minutes late but all things considered, it was okay.  The had maneuvered my way to the front but not too close.  It was still congested at the start but after a minute or two I was free to run my own pace.

My goal was to hold a steady pace on mile 1 and hopefully conserve some energy for the latter half of the race.  From previous experiences, I know that my race usually ends (for all intents and purposes) at mile 1.5.  I was hoping to change that today.

Course at the first half mile or so

I found myself getting passed by many runners.  I began to wonder how many were in my age group. It was hard to tell -- there were so many people and some were running the 10K.  Only a handful, of which, split off at about the .75 mile point.  At one point I found myself running with another runner who usually comes in ahead of me.  I wound up passing her.  Perhaps I was on to a good race?

Mile 1 came in at 8:19.  I was still comfortable but I knew I was on the edge of just being winded.

In another quarter mile, we hung a right and began the tougher part of the race.  Immediately my pace slowed and several runs sped by me.  So frustrating.  Given the size of the race, I figured there was a good chance I wasn't winning anything today.

I was working hard and told myself not to give up.  

At the halfway point we made another right at the first aid station.  A set of traffic lights lay ahead and I knew that was the mile 2 marker.  It seemed like it would take an eternity to get there.  I was still being passed and the runner I had caught eased by me.

Mile 2 came in at 8:50.  To be honest I wasn't surprised.  And looking back, it was about on par with what I would've guessed at the start I would've run.  I wasn't having a breakout race but at least I was on schedule.

Runners closing in

Every time I run this race, I think the final mile is going to be a miracle mile.  Hope against hope that I've saved up enough energy to blast the uphill section and sprint to the finish.

Today wasn't that day.  I still gave it everything I had but the only people who I was passing were the walkers who had started out too quickly. Occasionally someone cruised by me and try as I might, I couldn't keep up.

Finally, the summit arrived and my pace quickened as I reached the peak.  I glanced at my watch and realized I was still on target.  I pushed hard, even if I was going to soil myself or puke at the finish. This was the time not to leave anything in the tanks.  There wasn't really anyone close to me but I put on a good show for the spectators.

I saw a low 26 minutes on my watch as I cruised the final segment.  3 miles rang up on my Garmin, but I didn't even glance at it.  It took an eternity to make it to the finish line, but I crossed under in 26:51.

All smiles at the finish

Conclusion

In short, this wasn't the race I was wishing for.  But it was on a race that was in line with what I've been running lately.  It is a challenging course, so I knew I wasn't going to set any personal records today, but it wasn't even close to the 25:51 I ran last year.  In my opinion, it was another quiet period to the end of a pretty lousy year when it comes to racing.

I wound up cycling back about a quarter mile to get photos of friends were running the 10K.  There were just so many runners intermingled with the 10K runners, that I failed miserably getting photos.  I sort of felt bad too for the 10K races, who were zig-zagging around the 5K walkers / joggers.

Results were tough to come by given the lag and the business of the race day but they did eventually come.  I was shocked to see that placed 2nd in my age group.  Over the next 10 minutes I continually refreshed, thinking more results were coming in and it must be some sort of mistake.  But it held.  2nd place was mine!

It took a while for the awards (about 10 AM) but I earned myself a banana cream pie for my patience.

I really enjoy this race.  They always provide a great t-shirt, solid refreshments (donuts, bananas, oranges, drinks) and cheery volunteers.  The finishers medal was nice as well.

The race site is also held at the recreation center, so runners have access to flush toilets and a place to keep warm.

Overall, this race is a fun way to kick off the Thanksgiving holiday.  It is budget friendly and you get a lot for your money.  I think I paid about $30 with the early bird coupon code.

Upcoming Races

01/04: 2026 Chilly Willy 5K - Las Vegas, NV (Confirmed)

01/24: 2026 Sun Half Marathon - Santa Clara, UT (Confirmed)

02/22: 2026 Las Vegas Half Marathon - Las Vegas, NV (Confirmed)

03/26: 2026 Mount Charleston Half Marathon - Las Vegas, NV (Confirmed)

2025 Handcart Days Races 5KM Race Recap - Bountiful, UT

Official Time: 27:10
Placement: 2nd in age group (55-59), 42nd overall
Results: Here
Race Website: Here
Weather:  upper 70's slight breeze from the south
Garmin Dump: Here
Previous Years:  [2024] [2022] [2020] [2019] [2018] [2017] [2015] [2012]

Mile	Time	Comments
1	8:18	Solid start.  In control and slightly downhill.
2	9:02	I expected better. I felt like I was running 8:30 - 8:45
3	9:23	Uphill mile.  Once I reached the summit though, my pace quickened
3.07	0:29	Push it to the finish
	Total Miles: 3.07 - 27:11

Introduction

So in hindsight, signing up for the Handcart Days 5K race in Bountiful Utah was probably not a smart idea.  I had just run the Deseret News 10KM a few days before.  I've been battling a lot of over-racing, over-running and over training.

But the Handcart Days race is one of my summer traditions and for a budget price of about $30, it is worth the expenditure.  If you are new to the blog, then this course I do about 3 times a year. Once for this race, once for Valentine's Day and once for Thanksgiving.  In the past dozen years or so that I've lived in Utah, I usually do this course at least twice.

The race is held at the Bountiful Recreation center (otherwise known as the South Davis Recreation Center).  There is a gym to pick up your bib and flush toilets and a place to wash your hands.  Just a nice place to hold a race.

The Race

The race offers a half marathon and a 5K.  At one point, I used to run the half marathon, but as time has taken its toll on me, I've had to resort to attending the 5K.  The half marathon starts at 5:30 AM and the 5K, 6:30 AM.  I arrived at the race just a hair past 5:30 and was able to grab my bib in the gymnasium in short order.

Packet Pickup

I did a very short warm-up since it was already stiflingly warm.  I kept it very easy and did a few dynamic movements.  I was definitely feeling the effects of the 10K race that I did two days ago.  

I told myself that I was racing, but not racing.  I knew today wasn't going to exceed any expectations.  However, I was going to push myself as hard as my body would take it.

At 6:30 AM, we started.  

To save time, the course is basically a neighborhood run along two of Bountiful's larger streets.  With the early start, traffic wasn't that big of a deal and while the roads were open, there isn't much of a threat to one's safety.

Downhill on the first mile

The first mile of the course is a slight downhill and is always the fastest one.  After a mile and a quarter, one turns east and the long hill begins.  Your pace slows and the race really doesn't get any faster until nearly the start of mile 3.  The last quarter mile gives you a chance to rebound, but the race is largely already decided your fate at that point.

The climb at about mile 1.25

I went out fairly conservatively on mile 1.  Strong but not all out.  I felt like I was holding back a bit and I enjoyed the downhill as I benefited from the gentle downhill.  I don't think I looked at my watch once and I was pretty happy to run an 8:19 for the first mile.

I had been scoping out of my competition and I hadn't seen anyone that appeared to be in my age group.  However, I had been passed by a large number of people.  The race is popular with family and children but I was worried as during my warm-up I had spotted some speedy looking people who appeared to be my age.

Runners at about mile 3

Rounding the fabled corner that starts the climb back to the starting area.  I felt like my pace dropped. But I didn't want to get overly anxious about it -- once again never checking in with my watch.

I knew where the mile markers were at given previous history so I knew how much further I had to run at any given point.

I sped by the race's only aid station and was greeted with the long, slow grind.  It is a gentle grade that gradually gets harder.  I had people working with me and it was nice to have some competition, even if they weren't in my age group or gender, to work off of.  It made me not give up.

Mile 2 -- I knew would be slow, but not 9:02 slow.  And I was working too hard for that pace.

As always, I told myself the journey to mile 3 would be faster.  However, mile 2 to 3 is never faster. The hill just gets steeper.  And it is relentless. Again, I felt like I was running fast and I was working hard, but the summit just takes forever to reach.

Once I reached the summit, with about a quarter mile to go, I was able to switch gears, putting in a final sprint to the finish.  My watch did alert me to the fact that I had just run a 9:23 final mile, which was depressing.

Conclusion

What can I say? I came into a tough course, on tired legs, on a warm day -- I expected kind of a slow time and that's what I got.  I had a right to be a little miffed about it, but at the same time, there was no way I was going to turn in a massive, time shattering run.

I managed to check the results in short order and discovered I had come in 2nd place.

Medal + shirt + finisher's award

I wasn't too distraught about my time. Embarrassed a bit, perhaps.  But I was able to grab my phone and get photos and cheer on incoming runners.

Donuts -- they had more!

Post race refreshments this year included high end donuts, bananas, sports drink / water, oranges, packaged snacks, and yogurt / granola mixes.  It was actually a nice spread given the budget of the race.

The shirt was nice and one I'll definitely wear again.  The medal was cool and I think they've given out the cow bells before for an age group award.

Overall, from an entertainment standpoint, I had a great time and the race is a good value.  They've also greatly improved on the time it takes to hand out the awards.  So all in all, a great morning out in Bountiful.

Hopefully the next few races, with some recovery, will see an uptick of race times.  I've been working too hard of late not to get any benefit out of all the training I've been doing.

Upcoming Races

08/02: 2025 Runtastic Heber 5K - Heber, UT (Confirmed)

08/09: 2025 Alpine Days 5K - Alpine, UT (Confirmed)

08/16: 2025 PC2PG 10K - Lindon, UT (Confirmed)

08/23: 2025 Path to Opioid Prevention Half Marathon - Riverdale, UT (Confirmed)

02/22: 2026 Las Vegas Half Marathon - Las Vegas, NV (Confirmed)

03/26: 2026 Mount Charleston Half Marathon - Las Vegas, NV (Confirmed)

2025 March Madness 10K Race Recap - North Salt Lake, UT

Official Time: 54:15
Placement: 18th overall, 2nd in the 50-59 age division
Results: Here
Race Website: Here
Weather: Low 30's, very light winds from the south
Garmin Dump: Here
Previous Years: [2024] [2023] [2022] [2021] [2020] [2018] [2017] [2016]

Mile	Time	Comments
1	8:17	Nice start, although a little slower than I would've liked
2	8:27	Definitely fatigued. If I can hold this pace, I'll be happy
3	8:44	This is going to get ugly....
4	8:57	Yuck
5	9:09	Even yuckier. I felt like I was running fast, but I wasn't.
6	9:01	Had a pacer help bring me in.
6.20	1:39	Just want to be done.
	Total Miles: 6.20- 54:18

Introduction

Another one of my traditions -- for several years now -- is to do the March Madness race.  At first, I was a frequent runner of the half marathon distance, but as the years have gone by, I've dialed it back to do the 10KM race.

The race supports the local foodbank and is a low-cost, simple race that harkens back to the days of going to race, running your guts out, grabbing some food and calling it a day.  The race is well organized, accurately marked and fits into just about everyone's budget -- especially if you register early.

Getting ready to race!

The Race

The race started an hour earlier this year and I made the trek up to Legacy Park in North Salt Lake and arrived at 7:15 AM.  I found easy parking, grabbed a bib, and donated some food for some extra raffle tickets. 

The weather was ideal for racing.  Chilly enough to warrant thin gloves and light arm-warmers, but definitely not anything more than that.  There wasn't much wind at all either.  

Typical stretch of bike trail

I was fatigued, however, having done the Las Vegas Half Marathon, a mere 5.5 days or so before.  While I felt like I was over the worst of the soreness, I definitely didn't feel particularly springy or fast.  Coming into the race I wanted to run fast, mostly for redemption over my failed efforts at the Vegas race, but I was also realistic that unless the running gods were truly backing me, it was going to be a long shot.

I did a warm-up of about a mile and some drills. I felt okay and my warm-up at times left me feeling a bit drained and other times I felt like I was just experiencing pre-race jitters / self-doubt.

The 10K race started at 8 AM and we were off.  The 10K race had less than 75 runners and most were shy about crowding the start. I held back as I knew I really didn't belong there, but I was off with the first 10 or so runners.  I was working with another runner who I know is definitely faster than me.  We chatted ever so briefly and I decided I was going to blow up if I hung on with her for too long.

About .4 of a mile to go

I glanced at my watch periodically and I was running at about 8:15 -- what I felt was my 10KM pace.  It did feel like I was going too fast.  I decided to go with it.

During the first 2 miles I was working with another runner that normally I can go rail-to-rail with.  I told myself, if I was holding pace with him, than I felt confident that I could hang on.

Mile 2, despite my best efforts came in at 8:30. I was definitely slowing down and I was questioning my life's choices.  My head was telling me I was running fast, but reality wasn't matching up.  Also, it was humbling to have the 5K winner (15:30 or so) blow by me well before the turn-around despite my roughly 5 minute head start.

My pacer had left me behind and I was hoping I'd eventually catch him (I never did).

As we headed north on the Legacy bike trail I kept looking for my competition.  With 10-year age groups, I knew my margins might be a little short.  

I couldn't wait until the turn around.  Maybe I'd be able to negative split, or at least hold on to my dwindling pace.  

I hit the 5K mark at about 26:26 or so.  All things considered, not too bad.  I was huffing and puffing though and every mile so my pace dip by about 15 seconds.

I got some shouts of encouragement from the other runners which spurred me on a bit but to be honest, I was toast.

There was another runner who may have been in my age group a few minutes behind me and I didn't see anyone that looked to be in my age group that had beat me to the turn around. Perhaps I could capture an age group win despite a less than stellar race.

I couldn't wait for the race to be over. I wasn't getting anywhere fast.  I was trailing another runner but more often than not, another runner would pass me.  I did encounter some 5K runners who were walking the course, but those were pretty few.  I just couldn't get anything going and I was throwing hasty looks over my shoulder: was anyone coming after me?

Finally, I was running at half marathon pace.  It was a major effort and there were times I just wanted to walk.  I was debating even on walking for a bit and doing some quarter mile repeats, just like I do in my sessions.  

Around mile 5, a friend of mine joined me.  He had just finished the 5K and was doing his cool down.  Silently he just worked with me and got me in, providing just enough incentive not to give up.  He knew I was suffering.

Finally the finish arches could be seen and it seemed to take forever to get there.  But I knew eventually I would get there.

Appropriate shirt for a March race

Conclusion

This wasn't the race I wanted.  Last year, under terrible weather conditions, I ran 53:33.  I shrugged it off because there were 30+ mph gusts of wind.  I figured this race, I'd be a lock to beat that and then some.

I finished in 54:18 -- about my slowest 10K (under normal circumstances) in a very long time.  

If I had to chalk it up to something it would be general fatigue. Just about every run I did this week I felt every single step.  I am not sure, however, I would've done anything differently.  Yeah, it was a difficult experience, but I was there to race.

In hindsight, I should've dropped to the 5K.

Finisher Medal + Age group Award -- no shirt at this race.

I wound up socializing and taking photos of runners. By the time I had finished, the weather had significantly improved and it was actually a very pleasant morning.  Gone was the cold, and now it felt like a fresh, spring day.  

There really wasn't an awards ceremony.  You got your result and if you placed in the top 3, you got a bonus medal.  Score! I came in 2nd.  Another runner in my age group finished several minutes ahead of me, so it wasn't even close.

Yeah I was not a happy camper

I wound up winning a winter hat in the raffle -- the bonus one with this, though, is that it had an LED light on it, so it would be great for early morning or late winter runs.  Just about every year I win something and they have some cool prizes.

Post race refreshments included chocolate milk, water, fruit, candies, chips and a few other snacks.  I wound up only taking a bag of chips and a few banana slices.  

Overall, I was happy with my race experience.  This race came in at under $30 (I think) and you got a professionally timed, supported race and that was accurate in nearly every aspect.  I think every time I saw a mile marker, but my watch went off and the turn around came in at 3.10 miles.  You really can't ask for anything more.

The course is flat but a little on the dull side. It is a bike trail run after all.  But it is ideal for those seeking a fast time.  I had a total ascent of 7 feet, according to my Garmin.  I do think it was a bit more than that but not much more.

Put this one on your calendar if you need a time trial and a race that gives more than it takes: free photos, nice awards, affordable price, plenty of food at the end -- just professionally done from start to finish.  Plus it supports the local food bank.  Normally they do have a half marathon in the race, but due to permitting issues, only a 5K and 10K were offered this year. Hopefully next year, the half marathon will be brought back.

Upcoming Races

03/15  2025 Lucky 13 10K - West Jordan, UT (Confirmed)

04/26: 2025 Salt Lake City Half Marathon - Salt Lake City, UT (Confirmed)

05/10: 2025 Run Farmington 10K - Farmington, UT (Confirmed)

02/22: 2026 Las Vegas Half Marathon - Las Vegas, NV (Confirmed)