2025 Lamoille Canyon Half Marathon Race Recap - Lamoille, NV

I think I am on the right in light blue.

Official Time: 1:55:40
Placement: 2nd in age group
Results:  Here
Race Website: Here
Weather: Mid 40's at the start, low 60's at finish
Garmin Dump: Here
Previous Years: [2021] [2019] [2018] [2017] [2016]

Mile	Time	Comments
1	9:42	Uphill to start. Hard getting the engine started
2	9:02	Felt like this should've been faster
3	8:41	Finally the fun part -- glorious downhills
4	8:16	Cruising along
5	8:10	350+ feet per mile of descent == awesome splits
6	8:32
7	9:06	A reality check here as I hit a little bit of an uphill
8	8:14	Dropping again
9	8:34
10	8:19	Seeing more sunlight and it is getting warmer.  Last of the fast miles
11	9:22	Some rolling hills -- quite steep in spots
12	9:15	Picking it up on the flats and down hills.
13	9:44	Please finish line come on!
13.06	0:32
Total Miles: 13:06 1:55:38

All Smiles in the early miles

Introduction

Once again it was time to visit one of my favorite places on planet Earth: Lamoille Canyon.  If you browse around on this site, you'll see I've run this race a number of times and hiked here.  I've had a ton of good times in Elko and running this race is always a special treat for me.

Heading out to the race at 4 AM

The Lamoille Canyon Half Marathon is what I'd like to describe as a "boutique race."  It is kept small -- about a 100 runners for the 5K and half marathon (each).  The feeling is that you are doing a long run with friends rather than eyeballing your neighbor to see if they are in your age group.  Don't kid yourself, though, it is a race and people are shooting for a fast time, but the atmosphere is a bit more low key.

The race is held at the end of a paved road -- the service drive -- to the top of Lamoille Canyon -- about 13 miles from the main road.  It also starts at a thin-aired 8500 feet. The course promises a fast time though, with nearly 3000 feet of elevation drop over the course of 11 miles or so.  If you are looking to set a PR, this race might be right up your alley if you don't mind running downhill.

The Race

I had arrived in Elko on Friday afternoon. I had toyed with the idea of driving down to packet pickup (about a 25 minute drive each way) but after the 3.25 hour drive, I was simply tired of driving.  You did have the option of picking it up on race morning and given the size of the race, I figured it'd be no problem to get it the morning of.

I grabbed a fairly light dinner and turned in early.  I had problems sleeping, although I shocked myself by getting about 3 to 4 hours (at best).  My room's air conditioner really couldn't keep up with the warmth and stuffiness and I wound up sleeping above the covers with a cold rag on the back of my neck.

With a bus loading time of 4:30 AM, I was up at 3:30 AM and I shoved as much food as I could down.  I was out the door by 4 AM and at the bus loading by 4:30 AM.  Packet pickup was a snap and I was on the bus by 4:45 AM and on my way to the top by 5 AM.

I wound up making small talk with a fireman who I sat beside.  I always seem to make friends at this race -- the Elko bunch are usually a friendly bunch.

The drive took a while but we made it and I had about 30 minutes to use the porta pottie and get settled in.  The top of the canyon is usually cold and I had brought a lot of winter-ish gear, but it wasn't terrible and the time flew by.

With about 10 minutes to spare, I walked down the canyon about a third of a mile to the starting line.  We were given brief instructions by the race director (the course is very simple) and told to keep to the left to avoid traffic.  I was able to dump my gear into an awaiting vehicle and I was ready to run: choosing thin gloves, short shorts, Saucony Endorphin Pro 3's and a technical t-shirt.

I didn't have any hard goals on this race. I was shooting for 2 hours though.  Given the downhill nature of the course, I felt that was an attainable goal.  My training hasn't been that great for a half marathon race, so I was a little worried about my endurance.

The race starts off going back to the drop off zone.  It is a horrible experience. I wasn't entirely warmed up and almost immediately it feels like you are breathing through a straw. The air is just so thin.  I told myself to be patient as I started to breath rapidly.  The first half mile or so is just a grind and I was jealous of all the runners who were ahead of me who seemed to be impervious to the elevation.

Once I started downhill though, even though it was slight, my breathing recovered and I began to overtake some of the runners who had gone out a little too fast.

I think I was too conservative going out though and I knew mile 1 was going to be slow, mile 2 wasn't much of an improvement.  I just didn't have a lot of confidence in what I could do.

We have to run back to the top of the service drive

Miles 3 through 6

The course suddenly got more "fun".  This is where the efforts came easily.  I settled into a nice rhythm and I began to soak up the beauty. I was cruising at below 10K pace without a care in the world.  To my left, a stream could be heard babbling and to my right (and left) impressive walls of rock.  Also, despite it being 6 AM there was plenty of light to see, but I wasn't baking in direct sunlight.  There seemed to be a nice breeze at my back too.  Perfect!

I was still picking people off.  I was keeping myself motivated by finding someone ahead of me and trying to reel them in.  With a race this small, I wasn't really running with anyone for very long and it gave me a drive to run a little faster.

I hadn't seen anyone in my age and honestly I didn't care. I was running strong and I was questioning whether I was going too fast, as I hit paces that have cost me in the past.

I wound up consuming a Roctane GU, which definitely perked up my pace.

Miles 7 though 10

Mile 7 was a bit of a hiccup. I knew it was coming and mentally I was ready for it.  Here, the race levels out and there is a bit of a hill you have to climb.  Your quads have been pounded by the preceding miles so making yourself push, when everything hurts is definitely a challenge.

At this point I was working on keeping up with a woman runner.  She was holding a solid pace and a good hundred or two yards in front of me.  There was another runner (or two) even further ahead but she kept me in the game.  Over the course of these miles I picked up my pace every so slightly and started gaining ground on her.

As I sped down the S-curves of the canyon, I noticed that soon we'd be running in broad daylight.  We'd lose any sort of shade, which I was really enjoying.  I also knew the final 5 kilometers where most people's dreams of a great race are dashed.

If only the race continued to drop a few hundred feet over the final 5K.

Final stretch

Mile 10 through 13

I was on the woman's tail by the time we hit the sunlight.  I was honestly kind of surprised I had caught up to her.  At about the final downhill, I overtook her and figured it was time to start working on the next competitor.

I was still running, what I felt was strong, and was trying to summon my inner speed -- recalling the great final 5K I had had at the Sun Half Marathon in January.

It was getting warmer and the uphill sections came more often.  The woman I was "competing" against, kept overtaking me on the uphill portions.  Once we had ascended, I would resume more normal pace as we either took on the flat sections or got another small downhill.

This back and forth lasted until mile 12.  It was fun while it lasted, but I felt like my pace dropped off a cliff.  She obviously had another gear and she put me in the rear view mirror.  It was good spirited and after the race we congratulated one another on our efforts.

The final mile was a doozy.  There just wasn't much left.  I felt like my once smooth, easy going glide was now a desperation shamble.  I was overtaken by a few other runners in this final desperate time.  There is a bit of a drop as we headed into Lamoille Grove -- the village's park -- but I couldn't take advantage of it.  Glancing over my shoulder, I didn't see anyone I was too concerned about passing me.

I knew there'd be photographers at the finish and I put on a brave face as I ran on the grassy lane that was lined with American flags to the finish.  There was a lot of crowd support here, with families cheering people on.  For a small(ish) race, this almost felt like crossing a finish line of a much larger event.

Finish line Chute

Conclusion

So, from about mile 8 or so, I knew I had a good shot at finishing under 2 hours.  I had banked so much time on the faster sections.  While my times were definitely slower on the final 5K, I was still in solid contention to finish under 2 hours.  I was really pleased with a 1:55:40.  However, there is no way, I could've gotten anywhere near this on a flat course.  I suspect the race does give you about a 5 to 10 minute boost.

All smiles at the finish line

Post race refreshments were chips, Gnarly sports drink, water, and chocolate milk.  I think there were bananas as well.  Typical fare for a race.

I loved the finish line vibe. The park was decorated with American flags, there was an announcer shouting finisher's names.  The 5K runners were getting awards and people were just friendly and willing to recount their race.  It was also a picturesque day: sunny, warm and just enough of a breeze.  I didn't mind too much that it took a while to dole out the awards.

Shirt + finishers medal + age group award

The new starting time (6 AM) also gave me plenty of time. Normally I have to rush back to the hotel to get cleaned up and out of the room. This time, I had another hour to loaf around and mingle.

Initially, I had thought I had won my age division (55 to 59).  I had fears they were 10 year brackets.  I do think my name was called out in first, but looking at the results, one of the top finishers was definitely in my age group.  So I am claiming 2nd.  The age group award was a simple ribbon. 

Overall, I was very happy with my experience. The course was easy to follow, there were several aid stations (I think 4 but I could've used another).  The volunteers at the aid stations offered encouragement and had hydration ready to go.  The bus ride to the top was nice too -- coach buses are always nicer than the yellow school buses.

The finisher's medal was pretty basic and the cotton t-shirt was a bit ho-hum. I still wear their grey technical one all the time that I got years ago.  I wish they'd go back to that style of shirt.

Overall, though, I was had a wonderful experience. This course is so incredible and I hate to spoil the secret that this canyon is indeed Nevada's Swiss Alps.  Definitely put this race on your list if you want a fast time and don't mind smashing your quads to get it.

Upcoming Races

06/21: 2025 Run Timp 10K - American Fork, UT (Confirmed)

06/28: 2025 Taylorsville Dayzz 5K - Taylorsville, UT (Confirmed)

07/04: 2025 Sandy City 4th of July 5K - Sandy, UT (Confirmed)

07/12: 2025 Farmington Days 5K / 10K - Farmington, UT (Maybe)

07/19: 2025 Mantua 5 Mile Race - Mantua, UT (Maybe)

07/26: 2025 Handcart Days Races 5K - Bountiful, UT (Confirmed)

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

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

2021 Lamoille Canyon Half Marathon Race Recap - Lamoille, NV

Official Time: 1:48:21
Placement: 15th overall, 1st in age group
Results:  Here
Race Website: Here
Weather: Mid 40's at the start, low 60's at finish
Garmin Dump: Here
Previous Years: [2019] [2018] [2017] [2016]

Mile	Time	Comments
1	8:48	First quarter mile is up hill at 9000 feet elevation.  Takes your breath away!
2	8:10
3	7:51	Finally the fun part -- glorious downhills
4	7:38
5	7:34	350+ feet per mile of descent == awesome splits
6	8:05
7	8:28	A bit of flat here
8	7:54	Back to cruising downhill.  Wish the rest of the race was like this.
9	7:54
10	7:55
11	8:56	Out of the canyon and into the hot sun and last of the fast miles.
12	9:02	Rolling hills and flat here. Only a tiny bit of downhill running.
13	9:34	Legs were so shot.  Just dying to finish.
13.04	0:24
Total Miles: 13:04 1:48:21

Typical stretch of road in Lamoille Canyon

Introduction

Finally this race came around.  It is one of my favorites and one I try to do every year.  Last year, due to Covid-19, the race was altered a bit and during that time I was not comfortable with traveling and staying in a hotel.  So unfortunately, I passed on the race.

This year, however, the race looked like it normally was and with a sense of safety, I entered in it this year.  I wound up signing up a few months before the race's start due to it being close to capacity.  I am glad I did, as a few days later it sold out.

The race is located in a small, sleepy village called Lamoille bordering the beautiful Ruby Mountains just south of Elko Nevada.  The Lamoille Canyon half marathon starts at the paved road's end at the top of the canyon and works its way down to the base.  You get an amazing 3000 feet of elevation drop for about the first 10 miles before having a bit more of a drop (and some climbs) before finishing at Lamoille Grove Park.

The course is absolutely stunning and beautiful.

All smiles before the race.

The Race

The race is an early one.  It is a summer race and therefore temperatures -- once you get out of the canyon -- can be quite warm.  With a race start of 6 AM for the half marathon runners (5:15 for the full marathoners), I was up at 3 AM, driving to the park by 4 AM and on a bus by 4:30 AM.  So definitely a LONG and early morning.

I had loaded up on some black tea, Wheaties and a few cookies before heading out the door from my hotel.

Unlike previous years, the temperature at the top was very reasonable.  I had brought a lot of warm clothes in anticipation of it being a chilly morning.  I was still dressed in sweats but I didn't need any gloves, hat nor jacket.

I easily killed off the 30 - 40 minutes before the race by visiting the restroom and admiring the view from the top of the canyon.  The race started promptly at 6 AM.

I was trying hard on this race.  Given my recent improvements on my weight and doing harder workouts to build my speed, I had hopes that I would turn in a decent time.  My goal was to run under 1:50, which I think was entirely doable on this fast course.

The first half mile is actually quite cruel.  You are eagerly anticipating running downhill, but first you must go about a quarter mile up the canyon (while starting at about 8800 feet) and make a lap around the end of the road's circle.  You aren't even really warmed up and it's already hurting.  Fortunately, this year it seemed easy.  I just bided my time, worked my way around the circle and then accelerated into race pace.  Could I be off to a good race?

The first 2 miles aren't crazy downhills, so you can work your way into the race.  I was pretty excited to see my splits go by in faster than normal half marathon pace.  I was just letting gravity pull me.

I was a little dismayed though -- I was carrying my own hydration and I had mixed 2 packets of powder into my 28 ounce flask.  It was WAY too strong.  I had only needed one.  It wasn't until about mile 7 that I finally had a chance to dump some of it out and refill it with water to dilute it (I had already suffered through using it as well up until that point).

I hadn't been in the canyon since 2019 and all the memories of the times I've done the race before came back at me.  All the familiar sites and smells (the Ruby Mountains have a fantastic smell to them).  I was just enjoying the shade, the mountain air and all the views.  Just a wonderful and beautiful experience.

After 2 miles or so the course really picks up.  The downhill gets a bit more serious and my splits matched the descent.  As I expected, I started to hit sub 8 minute miles.

So questions began to run through my mind: Did I have the endurance to go this hard? Was I going to crash and burn?  Should I slow down?  

I still haven't quite figured out downhill racing, but I was hoping I would get it done and hit my goal.

The miles continued to tick along and I was coasting as best as I could.   Around mile 7 or so I hit a wall -- I think there is a bit of a flat stretch there and my legs just weren't responding.  When you go from letting gravity pull you and achieve a fast pace to suddenly having to work, it feels like you are running through molasses.  Fortunately, the flat section wasn't terribly long and I was able to start running down hill again.

The race finally starts to get serious around mile 10.  At this point, you are no longer protected from the sun and the downhills pretty much stop.  It is still net downhill but there are some serious hills to go up and mentally you have to be prepared for them.

I had been running mostly solo but I wound up catching up with one of the lead women and I overtook her at this point.  But every uphill I did, she'd pass me but I'd regroup and on the flat or downhill, I'd pass her back. Unfortunately, I did lose the battle and by mile 11 or so I was in a world of hurt.  

My pace came to a crawl and it took everything I had to keep going.  I think a bit of it was that my legs just felt like rubber.  The other part was that I was dehydrated and a little undertrained as far as endurance went (my longest run in the past month was about 10 miles).

I kept looking at my watch and doing mental math: could I still break 1:50?  It was going to be close.

As I got into mile 12 I willed myself to just finish.  Every now and then I'd muster up a sprint or so but that was about it.  The heat seemed oppressive and it seemed like my legs felt like they weighed 100 pounds each.

Finally I saw the coned off area for me to make my final right turn and head down under the finish line.  It couldn't come fast enough!  I did my best to show I wasn't dying inside as I ran down the line of US Flags to the finish line banner.

Conclusion

I checked my watch: I hit a 1:48:21.  Well under my time and matching my 2016 time.  The hits continue to come in 2021 as I make gains that are turning back the clock.

I grabbed some water and found a shady spot to collapse in. I was just exhausted.  It took a while for my system to "find itself" again.  I was pouring cool water over the back of my neck to cool off and hydrating myself with what was left with my electrolyte drink.  

Part of me also wanted to soak in the satisfaction of a race well done.  The last 2 miles were definitely ugly, but I nailed my goal and turned in a really nice race.

No pancakes this year, but they did have chips, fruit, chocolate milk, and water.  It took a while for my system to be able to handle a chocolate milk but I got some onboard.  Also, I had brought a can of Pepsi with me, which managed to stay somewhat cool to drink.  It helped my stomach.

It took a while before the awards were handed out, but I am glad I stayed.  I wound up socializing quite a bit and had some fun conversations with people.  I also got to see some of the lead marathon runners cross the finish line.

I wound up finishing in 15th place overall.  Better than I expected (out of about 100 runners).  I also won my age group, which I hadn't expected.  

Finisher's awards were recognition, a special photo and a ribbon.  The t-shirt was nicely designed but not of the 100% polyester material that I like.  The finisher's medal was definitely customized and featured Nevada and the canyon.

I thoroughly enjoy this race.  It has a small town vibe and it is a small-ish race.  People are generally friendly and I came away with a great sense of satisfaction.  In addition, I got to run in one of the prettiest places on the planet.

2019 Lamoille Canyon Half Marathon Race Recap - Lamoille, NV

Official Time: 1:54:26
Placement: 19th Place overall, 3rd in the 45 - 49
Results:  Here
Race Website: Here
Weather: Upper 30's at the start, mid to upper 50's at end
Garmin Dump: Here
Previous Years: [2018] [2017] [2016]

Mile	Time	Comments
1	9:05	Ouch, first quarter mile is uphill.... at nearly 9000 feet. Gasp for air!
2	8:33
3	8:26	Cruising down hill
4	7:59
5	7:54	Fast miles. Almost felt out of control here. Altitude was making short of breath
6	8:35
7	8:51	A little bit of up hill here. Getting some fatigue in my legs
8	8:13	Last of the downhills.  Got a bit of a second wind here
9	8:23
10	8:35
11	9:27	Now some rolling hills
12	9:27
13	10:04	Felt horrible here
13.07	0:48
Total Miles: 13:07 1:54:26

Introduction

Well if you are a regular reader of my blog, you know I have a special affinity towards Lamoille Canyon.  It is a little known canyon just south of Elko.  Locals know it as a great place to hike and fish but outside of Elko County, it gets little attention.

Lamoille Canyon is just a beautiful area though and I look for just about any excuse to go there -- either for a hike or for running.

So it didn't take much thought for me to jump into this year's edition of the Lamoille Canyon Half Marathon.  It is one of my favorite yearly events and it is also one of my favorite races of the year.  Just getting out of town for a long week, running in my favorite canyon and the whole experience just resonates with me.

Race Setup

I took off on Friday afternoon after excusing myself at work at the half way point.  I was on the road by noon and made the hour and 40 minute drive to Wendover. We did a bit of gambling / sports / buffet eating betting before heading into Elko, another 90 minutes from Wendover.  It is a super easy drive and the speed limits are fast.  I thoroughly enjoy the drive and it never gets old for me.

Packet pickup was at the Elko bike shop and I hit rush though and it was a solid 20 minutes to get my bib / shirt and swag bag.  It seemed like everyone decided that around 4 PM was a great time to get their bib.

We did a bit more gambling and relaxing.  We grabbed dinner at JR's Restaurant -- across the street from the Red Lion.  No more buffets before a race for me.

I slept like crap despite a nice room.  I've never slept well before this race -- and it's not because of the hotel -- it's just being in an unfamiliar area.  If I got 4 hours of sleep, I was lucky.

The Race

I was up at 4:15 AM and out the door by 4:45.  I made the 30 minute drive in no time at all and grabbed a great parking spot near the finish line.  Was one of the first to cycle through the bathrooms before jumping on a bus.

I know when taking a bus ride to a race it is super smart to get in the front.  My bladder was overactive and thank goodness I was first off the bus.  There were only about a hundred of us up there but 3 bathrooms.... 

After using the restroom, I did some socializing and did my best to stay warm.  As you can see from the photos there was a decent amount of snow up there and the temperature was in the mid 30's.   As a veteran of the race, I knew what to expect and had the appropriate attire.

The race started promptly at 7.

The first quarter mile is just awful.  You starting off running to the circle at Road's End (elevation around 8800 feet) before turning around.  I always tell myself to take it easy and not stress out about it but running at the elevation and just starting your engine, so to speak, is just plain cruel.

Luckily the pain is short lived and I can get my breath again as the downhill starts.  I had dressed down to shorts / t-shirt and cheap gloves.  I was perfectly fine with this.  And soon enough, from being chilled, I was working up a good lather.

The first few miles flew by.  In a blink of an eye I had blasted out a speedy 5K at just under 10K pace.  Gravity was assisting me as the course progressively gets more downhill.  Although, I felt like my breathing was a bit labored and I summed it up to the elevation.  I simply felt like I wasn't getting enough oxygen.

For the most part, I was within talking distance of someone during the early miles.  As the race went along though, the runners got more dispersed.  But it was nice to have company for the first 6 miles or so.

The canyon had caught fire last year and it was sobering to see all the damage.  The upper areas hadn't really been affected by the fire, but as we descended down the canyon on the service road, I was witness to the damage the fire had caused.

The snow gave way to burned out trees and scrub.  The grass was coming up and some of the trees might survive, but many were charred and leafless.  It was really sad seeing my favorite canyon in somewhat of a ruin.  On the plus side, the rivers and waterfalls were plainly in sight and it was comforting to hear the water splash or roar over the rocks.

I started to come out of my funk midway through the race.  As I descended, I got more oxygen in me and I started to hydrate more at water stops and using some of the hydration I brought for myself.  I toyed with taking in a gel, but really didn't feel the need for it (in hindsight I probably should've used one).

Part of me wanted to keep running in the canyon but part of me was looking forward to getting out.  When I could finally see Elko in the distance, I knew the race's end was coming and to be honest after the quad pounding of nearly 3000 feet of elevation decline, I wanted to give them a break.

Unfortunately, exiting the canyon means that there are rolling hills coming, including some hills that might be easy peasy on fresh legs, but would spell disaster on dead legs.

I knew this was coming and braced myself for it.  I actually felt like I did okay and while my time wasn't too bad on those first couple of hills, it was demoralizing because I was so used to coasting and not having to work on maintaining any sort of pace (this race is hard to have any consistent pace due to its nature).

I wondered how the marathoners -- who started an hour before us -- were fairing on the rolling hills after running all that downhill.  I really don't think my legs would've tolerated that.

The final mile is always the toughest.  There is just nothing left.  My quads were shattered, I was thirsty and the sun was beating down on me.  It wasn't a terribly hot day but the sun just felt intense.  Couple that with the fact that you have to run now and not just coast, it makes the final mile hard.

I kept looking behind me to see if anyone was coming as I fell into a death march pace.  I willed myself to go faster but my legs just felt like lead.  My ego was at play here and I tried but I couldn't muster up anything.  I kept looking at my Garmin.... please.... 

Finally I could see the flags for the entry in Lamoille Grove Park and to be honest, I almost walked the last .1 of a mile.  I was just "done" but with pictures being taken and again with me ego, I pushed and let the crowds bring me in.

Conclusion

I wasn't sure how I did compared to last year.  I seem to recall finishing around 1:53 and figure my 1:54 wasn't too awful.  I later learned I had finished in 1:50.  Talk about a bruise to the old running ego. 

Definitely my slowest race.  Given though that I put on a bit of weight during my running hiatus due to a hamstring pull and the fact that I am just starting to get back to regular training, it wasn't too surprising with my time.

Post race refreshments are always good.  They had chocolate milk, ice cream, fruit, sports drink, and chips.  My stomach was touchy so I kept to the basics.  They also had pancakes.

I know quite a few people in Elko, so it was great catching up and talking to folks who had run the marathon.  Again, I have no idea how anyone has 13 more miles in their legs after blasting down that canyon.  I am not sure there was another mile or two left in me at the end of that race.

I wound up nabbing 3rd in my age group.  Luckily, the guy who normally comes in first (and I get second) was a no show, otherwise I would've been out of the money (so to speak).

The medal is cool.  It isn't anything fancy but it is definitely personalized for the race and commemorates the rebirth of the canyon after the fire of 2018.  They also had a cool Lamoille Canyon t-shirt.

I paid about $60 for the race.  This is the going rate for a half marathon these days and considering all that I received I was satisfied with what I was charged.

Course support was good.  They had gels, fruits, water and sports drink at about every 2 miles starting at mile 3 (the premiums came later in the race).  The mile markers were off and got more off the further the race went.  Fortunately, overall, the race is accurate in overall distance.  Bag drop was also stress free as well.

My race result isn't what I had hoped for.  It makes me sad / angry as this course is fast.  But considering, I've been eeking out about 2 hour half marathons the past 6 months, my result is not surprising.

I will likely do this race again next year.  It just a joy to get out of town and experience the canyon.  I probably would've hung out at the post race awards / festivities a bit longer, but hotel check out time was coming so once awards were over, I headed out.

2018 Ruby Mountain Relay Turkey Trot 5K Race Recap - Lamoille, NV

Official Time: 26:09
Placement: 1st in the 45 - 49, 12th overall
Results:  Here
Race Website: Here
Weather: 32 wet / slightly slippery roads with mild wind from the south and west
Garmin Dump: Here
Previous Years: New to me

Mile	Time	Comments
1	8:36	Sucking thin air.  Slight uphill
2	8:47	More uphill here.  Challenging running
3	8:08	Downhill and a bit of a tail wind.  Just what I needed.
3.09	0:37	Cross the finish line in one piece.
	Total Miles: 3.09- 26:09

Introduction

For a while now I've wanted to run the Lamoille / Elko Turkey Trot 5K.  And most years I just let it pass by.  I am usually close to the race site -- it is a yearly tradition for me to go to Wendover (half way there from Salt Lake) on Thanksgiving.

This year, however, the fine folks at Red Lion threw me a nice offer for their hotel and I decided to take them up on it.  I also got into the race for cheap since I registered early.  I just needed the weather to cooperate.  Getting to rural Nevada in the winter can be dicey... a passing storm can strand you.... or worse put you into a ditch where cell reception is spotty.

We've had a mild fall, and I figured I'd be good.  However, upon making the trip on Friday afternoon from Wendover, I found myself driving in rain.  Luckily it was over 40 degrees so it was just rain.  If I had been driving in 32F degree weather I'd be really really sorry.

It rained most of Friday and the temperature dropped.  Luckily the combination of the two didn't happen.  The roads were slick on Saturday morning but definitely not bad.  However, getting home might've been an issue.

The race starts at 10 AM, which was super nice.  It allowed me to wake up at a reasonable hour, loaf in bed and by the time I got to the race it was reasonably warm out.

The race's headquarters were situated at the base of the Ruby Mountains at the Presbyterian Church of the Crossroads.  This church was completed in 1905 and much of the building is still in its original state.  It is a historical treasure as well as a fairly nice place to start the race.

I knew a few people at the race and I wound up getting my bib / shirt pretty quickly and socializing.  I did a short 1 mile warm up as well and declared myself ready to race.

The Race

The race started out on time.  I was wearing shorts, two shirts, and throw away gloves.  I felt I was adequately dressed and by the end of the race I was rolling up my sleeves because I was so warm.

I started off okay and settled into what I thought was my 5K pace.  I found myself breathing hard almost right away.  For the uninitiated, Lamoille sits at about 5800 feet.  So the air felt a lot thinner.

I thought the road was going to be slippery, but it actually was good to run on.  Anything that was painted, however, was slippery.  But footing really wasn't a concern despite the snow and slush.

The race heads west from the church along the main drag.  There was some traffic, but Lamoille is a sleepy little village and most of the cars passing by where nice (the speed limit is also 25 mph).

The first mile went by quickly enough but I wasn't too surprised to see an 8:30-ish appear on my watch.  I rarely ever speed up on a 5K, and I settled into the fact that this wasn't likely to be a breakout race for me.

Entrance to Lamoille Canyon

The next half mile wasn't any easier as we turned into the entrance of Lamoille canyon.  There was a bit of a breeze coming through the canyon and it was a very tiny uphill.  It felt like I was hurting more than I should be.

I was so thankful to hit the turn around, which I reached at 1.54 miles on my Garmin.  It felt so good to be running downhill with a bit of a tailwind.  Hopefully I could make up some time.

I was running solo at mile 2.  No one was behind me for quite some time and I was chasing down a woman and a young kid.  It was funny to see him look at me every now and then trying to keep ahead of me.  I tried to work off of him and make an attempt at passing but I was pretty gassed.

The final mile, of all things, was my fastest.  It was primarily downhill and I had a tiny tail wind to push me along.  I was counting down the 10ths of a mile until I reached the finish line.  I was so happy to finish.

Conclusion

I wound up finishing with a time of 26.09.  My time wasn't too unexpected.  Running at thinner air on a more difficult course then my previous 5K definitely made a difference.  Still, all things considered it wasn't too bad of a race for me.

I changed into some dryer clothes and hung out in the church.  Post race refreshments were chips, bananas and water.  Pretty basic fare for a fairly cheap 5K.

I snagged a nice t-shirt and since I won my age group, I got a ribbon.  It was also a special treat to hang out in the church.  I've photographed the outside of the church before but it was nice to be able to sit in the seats and admire the stained glass.

Overall, it was nice to do this race.  It wasn't a simple one to get to and in the long run it set me back a bit of money, but like all my travel races, I try to pair it with other fun things: like food, gamblin' and buffet eatin'.

I've run most of the course before in some capacity but it was still pretty -- although I had a hard time appreciating it since the 5K tends to be painful almost from the get go.

If my travels take me to Elko again next year, I'll definitely run this one again.  I always enjoy seeing my Elko friends and doing a low key 5K.