2020 East Canyon 10KM Race Recap - Morgan UT

Official Time: 50:50
Placement: 9th overall, 1st in the 50-54 age group
Results: Here
Race Website: Here
Weather: 68F and no wind
Garmin Dump: Here
Previous Years: First year for me

Mile	Time	Comments
1	8:12	Wow, fast start. Feeling good
2	8:17	Continuing going. This course is flat and I am feeling good.
3	8:54	Okay definitely paid the price.
4	8:28	Got a bit of a second wind here
5	8:55	Again, some tough miles here.
5.91	8.02	Closing in on the finish.
	Total Miles: 5:91 - 50:51

Introduction

I haven't really been to Morgan Utah.  The closest I've gotten is when I hike East Canyon and I make it to the Big Mountain Parking lot.  And I always ask myself -- what is beyond there?

Well this year, with Covid in play, I decided to find out.  Normally, I do the Swiss Days run out in Park City, but the festival was shut down on account of the pandemic.  That left me with pretty much one choice today:  the East Canyon 10K put on by OnHillEvents.  

Normally I'd jump into the half marathon, but my training hasn't been rock solid all summer.  Unable to do much of my training on the bike trail and also because of the high heat, my mileage is at an all time low.  I am, however, trained for a 10K and so I ponied up the money and jumped in to give this race a shot.

Morgan is kind of in the North East quadrant of the state.  You have to take a circular route to get there -- as the crow flies it probably wouldn't be too bad, but with a mountain range in between the Salt Lake Valley and Morgan, you have to take a roundabout way there -- also at about 50 miles (one way).

Fortunately it was smooth sailing and I left just after 7 AM for the 9 AM start.

The Race

Packet pick up was a snap and by 8:15 I was ready to run.  However, with a 9 AM start, it gave me ample time to socialize and warm up.  Morgan is a definitely a small, rural town on the edge of civilization.  It was chilly (about 50 degrees when I arrived) but you could tell it was gonna be a warm one.  The sun was out and I was admiring the hills and mountains in the area.  

As I was warming up, the faster full marathoners and half marathon runners were finishing.  It was kind of cool to see them coming in and just as the 10K started, there were even more runners coming in.  It was interesting to see who was having a good race and and who were feeling the mounting miles.

The race started slightly late -- maybe 9:10 or so but we lined up roughly according to pace and the race director started off in about 10 - 15 second increments.  As soon as I started running I tore off my mask and tucked it in my pocket.

With Covid these days, I am using my own hydration -- avoiding the hand-outs they have at the race.  I had a small 12 ounce flask of water in my pocket.  It probably slowed me down a bit but it was nice to have it when I needed it.

The first mile took us out of the Morgan County Fairgrounds and had us head into town.  There were a long row of classic, old school storefronts along here.  There was definitely some history here:

But before we got into the downtown area we turned a corner and went to a residential area and finally a bike trail.

As I ran the first mile I gave some encouragement to the fast finishers of the other races and dug in deep to really push it.  I was really enjoying the cooler temperatures and the new scenery.  I was pretty jazzed to see an 8:15 mile pop up on my Garmin after the first mile.

After reaching the 5K turn around, we were on a main drag.  It was flat and kind of interesting seeing schools and some homes.  I was catching some of the runners that had started in front of me and I was still holding a decent pace.  More and more racers were coming in from the full and half marathons as well.

NOTE:  From here on out, the photos posted are of the half and full courses, which I drove after the race.

From mile 2 through 3 -- I was definitely feeling it.  I was paying a price for going out too fast.  Also, I was no longer really racing against anyone.  A woman who had started before me was ahead of me and I wasn't making much ground on her and literally no one was behind me.  

The 10K turn around was the 2nd aid station.  When I reached it, I saw the sign on it saying 10K turn around.  I glanced at my Garmin and saw that it read 2.96 miles(!).  I asked the volunteer -- are you sure this is the turn around? And she replied "yes".  I had also seen the woman in front of me turn around here as well.  Drats, another "short" race.

Oh well, I somehow found the energy to kick it up a notch as I headed back towards town.  I was really happy to see a mid 8 minute mile flash on my Garmin upon crossing mile 4.

Mile 4 to 5 has us back along the main street.  It was tough running here.  Occasionally I passed a struggling half marathoner or full marathoner but I was just hurting at this point. I did get passed by a couple of other runners who definitely had more in the tank than I did.

Finally I hit mile 5 and I was back on the bike trail and just a few minutes from the finish line.  Part of me was grateful for a short course.  This was definitely not a PR day for me but I really turned it up a bit as I turned the final corner and cruised towards the finish line.

Conclusion

My Garmin read 5.91 when I crossed the finish line.  Definitely a quarter mile short of a full 10K.  I did talk to a few other people and some got over 6 miles.  I'll have to re-run the route through another tool to see what it measured.

Post race refreshments included water, an orange, delicious Fat Boy Ice Creams, and string cheese.  Usually there is more of a free-for-all with post race food, but with Covid restrictions in place, there were some limitations.

I won my age group (only 2 of us) and came in 9th overall.  It was a small race, with only about 50 runners.  The medals were very nice and heavy.  The t-shirt was kind of generic and I am not a fan of the 50/50 cotton / polyester shirt (I prefer the 100% polyester "tech" shirt). 

I paid $40 for the race.  I got a decent race and a fun morning.  And I got to see a part of Utah I hadn't seen before.  I wound up making a long 100 mile route around Emigration Canyon to see a variety of sites.  I took the long way home and took some photos of the reservoirs and scenic area.  I hadn't driven that area at all and was always curious what was beyond the area I had seen before.  

Definitely worth.

The tough question is, will I do this race next year, or Swiss Days....  

2017 Emigration Canyon Half Marathon Race Recap - Salt Lake City

Official Time: 1:53:53
Placement: 4th in age group (45 - 59), 69th overall
Results: Here
Race Website: Here
Weather: Low 50's, Sunny with wind from the NE
Garmin Dump: Here

Mile	Time	Comments
1	9:53	Some downhill but mostly up.... 200+ feet
2	10:33	This mile was all up
3	8:55	Fairly flat here. Saving up for one more uphill mile.
4	10:17	Another 200 feet of climbing and nearly 6000 feet elevation
5	8:42	Little more up and then down
6	7:56	Finally -- downhill from here
7	7:52
8	7:54	Flying downhill with a tailwind
9	8:10	Course is slowly leveling out...
10	8:25	Quads are shot but still downhill
11	8:19
12	8:16
12.98	8:36	Not sure how I managed this pace. Last .4 of a mile was level though.
Total Miles: 12.98 - 1:53:53

Introduction

I am not 100% sure why I signed up for this race.  I think I got an email from them, as I have raced some of their other races, and the idea of racing in a super busy month made a lot of sense.

I think the other thing that made me say okay was that it was in Emigration Canyon. When I first moved to Utah in 2012, I made a drive through Emigration canyon and I actually did a hike or two there.  However, I hadn't driven down Emigration Pass since 2013.  I did remember it being downhill and absolutely stunning.

So I figured why not and get in a nice training run....

The Race

The race was headquartered around the University of Utah.  I had to be there around 6:55 for a bus.  the "U" as locals like to call it was about a 25 minute drive from my house.  Easy parking, no hassles and I made it with plenty of time.  I killed some time in my car before boarding the bus.

The weather was pretty comfortable but I noticed that there was a strong wind.  They were struggling to set up the finish line.  I was really hoping that I wouldn't have yet another race where I'd be running into gale force head winds.

The bus ride pretty much took us the route that we'd be running break.  There were two races, a 10 mile race (which only had 1 mile of killer hills) and the half.  The bus dropped off people for the 10 mile, while the majority continued on to the half marathon site.

I wound up making small talk with a former midwestern runner, so the time passed quickly.  I was happy to note that on the other side of Parley's canyon, that the wind was not a factor.  However, the hills that I'd be doing sort of gave me the willies.

I had about an hour to kill.  The buses remained at the start for those that disliked the chilly air.  I wound up hanging around making small talk and meeting other runners.  The time passed by quickly.

The race started at 8:30 and I decided I was going to take the initial miles conservatively and try to save as much energy as I could for the downhill.  I was hoping for 9:30 - 10 minute miles up and that's largely what I hit.

After the 2 mile, the course leveled out a bit and I picked up the pace.  I still knew I had at least another 1.5 miles more of hills so I held some back.  It was an absolutely stunning course and Mountain Dell Reservoir was beautiful:

I was actually feeling pretty good and when I finally crested the hills, I knew I was in for a pretty decent race.  To make life even better, I suddenly found I had a bit of a tailwind.  How cool is that? Massive downhills and a strong tailwind!

The next 6 miles or so were fun... and probably the fastest mid to late half marathon miles I've posted in a while.  I was sort of worried about my quads, which were paying a price and I felt like once the hills ended I'd be in a lot of trouble.  I had watched the course on the bus but I had a hard time judging the grade just from a quick drive-through.

But I kept knocking out the miles and laying down pretty good paces.

I had worn shorts, a short-sleeved shirt, hat and sunglasses.  That was the perfect attire and I saw some people way over dressed.  I had worn thin gloves but tossed them around the half way point.

The course levels out (for the most part) about a mile from the finish line.  I felt like I didn't have much left in my shattered legs.  The course had 5 water stations (no Gatorade or gels -- just water).  I had brought my own Tailwind which I had been sipping on throughout the race.

Last stretch (taken post race from the finish line)

The last half mile was a grind...  My legs were dead and suddenly I had to maintain my own pace.  The tailwind was kind of gone and I was no longer running downhill.  I noticed that everyone around me felt like they were running through quick sand.  It also seemed like the finish line would never come.

Mercifully it did and I crossed the line in a respectable 1:53:53.

Conclusion

I was pretty sick feeling near the end.  This race just used me up and the downhill section had done a lot of damage to my legs.  It took a while before my stomach could settle down.  Luckily, I sipped on some Tailwind and kept walking until things settled down.

A little too soon, I think, I wound up grabbing some food.  It was catered by Ruth's Diner and they were serving up some eggs and hash browns.  The race director had warned us that the finish line may not be set up  -- let alone food at the end -- because of the strong winds.  But by the time I finished, the winds had diminished and it actually was a very nice day.

Post race food

They had also freshly made carrot, orange, ginger juice, which was so nice.  They also had the typical post race spread of bananas and such.

There was no medal for this race.  Total bummer.  They did give you a participation pin, which seems to be standard for this race director.  Most people were upset with no medal, but there was no medal promised anywhere.

The shirt was passable.  I could've not gotten a shirt and saved myself a few dollars.  But I like shirts and I usually wind up wearing them.  Plus, in this case, it will likely be the only memento I have of this race.

Overall I was very happy with my time and strategy on this race.  I hadn't been feeling 100% all week and I had fears that this race was going to be a very long morning.  But the gods of running blessed me with a solid tailwind and some smooth downhills.

I talked with some other runners and they felt they had a slower time than usual for their halfs.  For me, I was ahead of schedule and so I took that as a very positive sign.  

This race isn't for everyone.  The downhills aren't too gentle, as advertised.  Also the roads are cambered so I found my hips and knees taking some punishment.  The course was stunningly beautiful though.  There was so much to look at and I enjoyed all of it.  However, it wasn't closed to traffic, but those driving through the canyon know to expect runners and cyclists (this course is a popular training ground and a course for other races).

Would I run this one again?  Probably.  I would love to get a medal at the end though -- even if I had to pay another $5 for it.  It seemed sort of anti-climatic not to receive one (although mine go into a shoe box).  It seemed like others had a similar feeling as well.

Mormon Pioneer Trail Hike - East Canyon - Salt Lake City, UT

View from the Top of the Trail

Introduction

Last year, I had the opportunity to explore the Big Mountain Trail.  I noticed while I was there that there was another trail called the Mormon Pioneer Trail.  This trail is located up route 65, midway between the I-80 and Morgan. 

The Mormon Pioneer Trail is a historical trail that follows the path of the original Utah settlers as they came into the Salt Lake Valley some 170 years ago.  I don't know how they got their wagons down the trail and it must've been a massive undertaking.

The trail is also unique in that you generally start at the head of the trail at the top and work your way down to the Little Dell Reservoir.  This route is about 5 miles long (each way).  The decline isn't terrible and actually the trail is used by cyclists and runners alike.  It isn't rocky and the ascent is generally forgiving.  Keep your wits about you, as some of the cyclists were a bit aggressive and were cruising down the trail at breakneck speed.

This trail hugs the Route 65 road and you can almost always hear cars passing by.  So I never really felt like I was "out there".  Also, the trail crosses the road a few times and you have to walk through a campground to follow it.  

Most of the views can be found at the very top and the bottom near the reservoir.  The rest of the trail is surrounded by trees and to be honest, wasn't terribly exciting.  The trail, however, was pretty shady and is good for a sunny day.

I shot a lot of photos and I hope to run this trail some day as I think the footing is reasonably good and would provide a hard, but not gut busting workout.

Enjoy the photos!

Burch Hollow Trail - Millcreek Canyon, Millcreek Utah

Introduction

This past Sunday I was looking for a hike to do.  Of late, I've been exploring Millcreek Canyon.  It tends to be a little lower elevation and thus should have a bit less snow.  Also, this is the time of year to venture into it on account there are generally less people willing to put up with the cold temperatures.  The canyon seems to be a super busy place for runners and hikers alike.

I made the 15 minute journey to the canyon and drove another few miles to the Church Fork Trailhead parking lot.  The parking lot is about 4 miles from the entry gate and is clearly marked.

A few weeks ago I did the Church Fork Trail that took me to Grandeur Peak.  This time, I took the trail east on the Pipeline trail for about 1.5 miles.  I then had to take another spoke for another 1.5 miles before taking another 2 mile hike to the top.  I definitely could've parked in Elbow Canyon and gotten a lot closer.

Either way, the Pipeline portion and the spoke trail are reasonably flat and were suitable for running.  In fact it was still fairly busy with a variety of runners and dog walkers.  Once I jumped on the official Burch Hollow Trail, it became a bit more arduous.  With the elevation climb, the trail got thinner and I saw less and less people.

Despite the 28F degree weather at the start, I quickly tied my jacket around my backpack.  I certainly didn't need it on this hike as I was working up a pretty good sweat.

The trail was muddy as we've had some snow in the past few days and the sun had melted most of it.

The view from the top was worth the effort it took to get up there.  I got some awesome views of Gobbler's Knob and the canyons on the other side of I-80.  There is definitely more areas to explore up there but it was snowed in and I hadn't really brought a lot of supplies up for that long of a hike (I had anticipated about a 5 mile hike one way).

Coming down was a joy and I managed to run / walk most of it.

Enjoy the photos!

The View from the top -- looking at East Canyon

The View from the top -- looking at East Canyon

Typical segment of trail

The tough ascension part

The View from the top -- looking at East Canyon

The View from the top -- looking at East Canyon

The View from the top -- looking at East Canyon

Looking at Gobbler's Knob from the Burch Hollow Trail