2024 Provo Haunted 5K Race Recap - Provo, UT

Welcome to the Haunted Half

Official Time: 26:43 (*25.44 for my 5K)
Placement: 4th in my age group, 117th overall
Race Website: Here

Results: Results
Weather: Mid 40's breeze from the south (but felt like the north)
Garmin Dump: Here
Previous Years: [2022] [2021] [2015]

Mile	Time	Comments
1	8:06	Hemmed in start, but still feeling good throughout.
2	8:19	Slowed down a bit. Lactic was definitely building up
3	8:30	Overall, this mile isn't too bad but it felt bad.  Was just done.
3.22	1:49	Given the dropped hat and running through a tunnel, not too bad.
	Total Miles: 3.22 - 26:44

Getting my bib at Utah Valley University

Introduction

About 2 years ago (yes 2!), I picked up a cheap entry to the Haunted 5K Provo edition.  The race organizer, every Thanksgiving timeframe, offers up all of their races for a cheap price.  If you can commit to a race a year in advance, you can save a lot of money.  

Unfortunately in 2023, I couldn't attend the race due to a wedding on the west coast, so I had to defer it to 2024.  So this year, I finally got to collect on money spent back in 2022.  Yeah for me.

So, on Friday I drove to Utah Valley University, scored my bib (and 4 others for friends) and deemed myself ready to race this year.

Folks lined up behind me

The Race

So this race is a big one -- it sold out in the final days leading up to the race -- with 1400 runners potentially racing.  Runtastic's Halloween races are some of the most highly attended races in the Salt Lake Area.  They also had a half marathon going on as well.

Almost at the start

I arrived at the race site at 7:45 for the 8:30 AM start.  I got settled in and used the ample bathroom supply and did a fairly short warm-up.  I managed to meander my way to the start line, sneak up into the front (not 100% in the front but close enough to not be hemmed in too badly).  It was cool out but not terrible and I went out with thin gloves, a t-shirt and shorts.  Other than the gloves I wasn't dressed any differently than some of my summer races.

And off we went.  Initially I was hemmed in.  The race organizers, if they were looking for a way to improve the start line experience, would be to encourage slower runners to start further back (or even having pace areas)

I was hemmed in but managed to navigate my way around people.  I probably lost 5 - 10 seconds here.  It wasn't the worst but it definitely cost me a few precious seconds.

The race was situated at a corporate park and we took off on a small side street and eventually headed down a service road.  I think I ran this service road in 2021.  While my Garmin reports the wind was blowing from the south, it felt like it was coming from the north.

I wound up passing two people that I suspected were in my age group.  I had no idea who else was in my age group but my goal was to go out strong and hang in there.  

I knew going in that the race was going to be somewhat long.  On their website, they had a mapped out course, with the measurement coming in at 3.18 miles.  So I wasn't too surprised to see my Garmin chirp well before the first mile marker.

Pumpkin Finish Line

Despite the congestion, I had started off at 8:06. I felt really solid and the pace came easily.  The course was fairly flat and I was having mini competitions with the runners around me.  In fact, I was willing to bet at that point I was going to have a fantastic race.

We were on bike trail for a bit before circling around the perimeter of a shopping center before jumping onto a tree shrouded bike trail.  If I have one complaint about the course (other than it was long), it was that I'd run within a quarter (or half) mile of the finish line twice and I just want to be done.  I could hear the announcer and the din of the crowd each time.

I knew I was slowing down but I told myself I would hit it hard on the final mile and to be patient.  My mile 2 came in at 8:16 -- not quite what I was hoping for but okay, I'll take it.

Mile 3 was tough.  Again, there was a gentle breeze and it just seemed to take the life out of me.  Also, I suddenly found myself running back in the corporate park.  The mile markers at this point were .12 miles out of sync and I knew this was going to be a long race (they matched up with the half marathon though).

Mayhem at the finish line

This part of the course was dull and I could sense the race course was just making up distance so that it could get in the mileage.  I felt like my pace was in the crapper and I really didn't want to look at my watch and figure out how slow I was running.  I gave it what I could.  I did glance at my watch several times trying to calculate how much further I had to run -- including the shorted distance.

We passed right by the starting again and I knew I had about a quarter mile to go.  I dug deep and finally got off the quiet street and onto the driveway to finish the last part of the race.  

I was deciding on whether to run through the tunnel.  Runtastic's Halloween runs have about a 50 yard darkened tunnel with streamers, low light, etc that you get to run into.  It definitely slows you down due to the lighting and you have to actively move the streamers aside to avoid getting slapped in the face.  I knew it was coming and they give you the option to run along side of the tunnel to avoid it.

The tunnel of doom!

I was wearing a cap and of course at the first round of streamers, it took my hat off (I noticed the runner in front of me had the same experience).  I was tempted to leave it behind and get it later, but I stopped, turned around and grabbed it -- costing me another 5 seconds or so.

Running down the inflatable alley is always fun and there was a decent fan base cheering us on -- it felt like I was finishing a marathon.  I finally sped under the inflatable pumpkin finish and I saw the first number for my minute time was in the 26s.  Yuck.

Happy / Sad Eddie

Conclusion

So, I was disappointed but hopeful that I was going to place in my age group.  I hadn't seen too many people in my age group so I had hopes I'd place.  But it was a big race and over a 100 people had finished before me, so I knew my chances weren't great.

Turns out I finished 4th -- again.  

So all things considered I ran "okay".  Not great, not terrible, but simply right about on par.  I clocked my 5K at 25:44 (or so) given that I had lost a few seconds at the start, it is about average for what I am running right now.  I was baffled though because I did feel like today was going to be a good day, but the final mile -- it just wasn't there.

I had a good time, though.  All things considered this is a fun event.  Provo is such a pretty area and running along the fall colored trees next to the Provo River -- that is cool.  The course was nearly 100% flat as well, so it was primed for a good race.  There were, however, quite a few turns, but I actually enjoyed that as it broke up some of the "sameness".

Finisher's 5K medal + shirt

The medal -- as usual -- was very cool.  The shirt was basically a repeat of last week's but a different color.  Not a fan of the material, but none the less a cool Halloween shirt.  Post race refreshments included sports drink, bananas, oranges and donuts.  There were vendors there as well giving out protein bars and samples.

Although I am frustrated with my race time, I did have a great time and it was a picturesque fall racing day.  I couldn't ask for a nicer day in fact.

For a race that had 1400 5K runners (plus spectators) and a large half marathon race (I think nearly a 1000), the race was well organized and marshalled.  They had marshals to ensure people weren't cutting the course as well as providing instructions on where to go. 

Put this one on your list to get you in the Halloween spirit!

My attire for the race!

Upcoming Races

11/02: Vineyard Blizzard 5K - Vineyard, UT (Confirmed)

11/09: Sandy City Thanksgiving 5K - Sandy, UT (Confirmed)

11/16: Snow Canyon Half Marathon - St George, UT (Maybe)

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)

2024 Utah Valley 10K Race Recap - Provo, UT

At the 10K start line

Official Time: 50:25
Placement: 6th in age group, 61st male
Results: Here
Race Website: Here
Weather: 55F -- no wind - sunny
Garmin Route: Here
Previous Years: [2023]

Mile	Time	Comments
1	8:19	Off cautiously. A bit of an incline here
2	7:57	Nice downhill - joining with the half marathon runners
3	8:14	Still holding steady but definitely working
4	8:42	Slowed down -- a bit of a hill. I knew this was coming
5	8:14	Final downhill stretch. Hurting but nice to get some momentum
6	8:32	Working with other runners. Surprised that I was able to run this. Felt slower
6.07	0:24	Accelerate to the finish.
	Total Miles: 6.07- 50:25

I found this funny

Introduction

Back in November at the Snow Canyon Half Marathon, I felt compelled to sign up for the Utah Valley Half Marathon.  I had run the 10K about 5 months early and had a good experience.  The price was halfway decent -- about $80 -- and I got an extra shirt.  Feeling adventurous and spontaneous, I wound up signing up for the race.

Fast forward about 6 months, and after having dealing with some injuries, setbacks, and health issues, I began seriously questioning whether I'd be able to complete at half marathon.  I can run and have been running, but my endurance just isn't there and my long run is somewhere around 6 to 8 miles.  So, a few weeks ago I decided to switch to the 10K -- I am capable of running that distance and at least I'd get something in.

This race is a big one and very competitive.  The course does tend to come in short, but overall it is a fast one, with a gentle downhill.  There is also a nice spread of food and excitement at the end, so it is well worth attending.

The Race

I drove out Friday to Provo to collect my bib at the expo.  I had to drive through horrendous traffic to get there: a terrible accident made what should've been a 35 minute drive into a 90 minute drive.  Once I did get there, though, I was able to pick up my bib and visit some of the exhibitors.  The Utah Valley Race is the last of what I would deem are the 3 major northern Utah races for the spring season (Salt Lake City and Ogden are the others).

It was a lot of work for a 10K but I had to collect other bibs for other people and let's face it, this is a big race.

Race morning had me arrive in Provo at just shy of 6 AM to catch a bus that would leave no later than 6:10 AM to a church about 6 miles away.  The Utah Valley race is well organized and there was plenty of parking and it was an easy routine to simply park and go.  It was a fairly decent bus ride -- about 15 minutes (we had to take a roundabout way) but once we arrived we had the ability to hydrate, warm-up and some porta-potties to use (I wound up finding a vacant one about a quarter mile away in a construction zone -- points for me!)

The race started at 7 AM and they instructed us to go off in waves with those running sub 8-minutes miles to lead the way.  At 7:05 the sub 10 minutes would go.  I wound up waiting for the 8 minute group to leave and then jumped in quite a bit later.  I think the purpose of this was not to swarm the half marathon runners that we'd be merging in with about a mile later.

Warming up and doing some strides

The first mile is a gentle uphill and while I had warmed up - I felt like it was a struggle.  The hill isn't massive but it is a long, gentle rise.  I wound up passing a few of the other late starters in the wave and was slowly gaining on the first wave.  I had started about 50 seconds behind them.

The first mile came in at 8:19 as I made my way up a residential street lined with farm-type ranches.  Given the rise and easing into the race, I felt it was okay but a little slower than I would've liked.  I could feel a bit of fatigue in my legs from Monday's Monday's Race.

The start of mile 2 got me excited.  We had to merge in with the half marathoners and made the only turn in the race: a 180 degree turn onto University Avenue.  I spotted the 2-hour pacer.  The route was a little congested but for the most part, I was able to find ample room to keep at my 10K race.  Having people to race against / pass, got me motivated.  Coupled with a bit more of a downhill section and tailwind, I knocked off a sub 8-minute mile.

As we made our way down University Avenue, I recalled several other times I had run along this route.  Not only last year, but the Provo City 5K.  I was pushing the pace at about tempo pace and it hurt but it felt right for a 10K effort.

The road was blocked off and had a large swathe of area to run along. I felt sorry for the Saturday morning traffic as I zipped along.  University Avenue is one of the arteries of the city and it was causing a mess.

Mile 3 came in completed at 8:14, about where I wanted to.

I knew after the halfway point I'd have a hill to contend with.  It isn't steep but it is long. It doesn't register on my watch at all for some reason but it definitely slows runners down.  Mentally it is also tough.  But I knew once I got over it, I'd get a nice drop towards the finish.

The sun wasn't out but the air felt heavy and moist.  Almost humid by Utah standards.  I wound up grabbing water at the aid stations and drinking a little and dumping the rest over my hand.  I also found myself struggling with my allergies -- I suspect the race photographer got a photo of my blowing my nose with my shirt.  A few times, I had to slow down in order to clear my throat.

Mile 4 came in at a disappointing, but not unexpected 8:42.  

The mile markers were consistently off -- by about .15 of a mile for me.  I knew from last year that the race was nowhere near a 6.20 mile course.  But there was that little seed of doubt that maybe they had fixed it.  

The start of mile 5 got me going with a gentle grade downhill.  We passed by the BYU football stadium, which always brings back memories of the BYU Cancer Run 5K and Rock the Canyon 10K.  I was gassed but the downhill made the effort quite a bit easier.  I was still taking down half marathoners, but for the most part I was holding steady with them.  I was elated to see an 8:15 mile.

The final mile never seemed to end.  In the distance, I could make out the blue arches.  I kept wondering if that was just the teaser and the finish line was actually behind it.  

Finish in downtown Provo

Every now and then I'd get a little bit of mojo to push the pace but there just wasn't much  motivation. I think mentally I was defeated and I knew I was a far cry from what I had run last year.  At this point, it was just about finishing.

The final quarter mile was exciting, as it was lined with supporters and well wishers.  While I was simply a 10K finisher, they were cheering for the half marathoners (and soon full marathoners).  The blue arches weren't a false finish and I flew over the finish line in 50:25.

Happy to Finish

Conclusion

So, unarguably I ran better than last week at the Run of Remembrance.  My time for a full 10K comes in around 51:40 and during this race I was never doing the marathon death shuffle.  Yes, I was hurting and my pace had dwindled but it never got that bad.

On the other hand, I was sorely disappointed with a time 3 minutes slower than last year.  I knew I wasn't going to come anywhere close to what I ran last year, but still is was a sobering reminder how much my fitness has tanked in the last 60 days (hopefully I'll have a post about this soon!)

I had some hopes that I'd place this year.  An age group rival was there so I knew that he'd finished well ahead of me.  I would wind up placing 6th, so no extra awards for me.

I wasn't feeling the greatest as the end.  I had definitely taxed myself and I wound up spending quite a bit of time making sure I was hydrated and had caught my breath.  I wished there had been a place to sit but tons of people were milling about and fans lined the gated fences.  Normally after the race, I like to find a quiet corner and just "recover".

There were a ton of exhibitors with treats at the end.  They had water, Powerade, bananas, oranges, Creamies ice cream, Kneaders French Toast (A++), caffeinated milk, sunflower milk, and slushies.  What more could I ask for?  Just a great finish line experience.

I like the shirt design.  It clearly spells out marathon and has a nice print on the back.  I am not a fan of the polyester / cotton blend, though. Although, I think this one will make the cut of wearing since it is a cool shirt.  Full marathon runners and 10K runners received a plastic lei for finishing.  Apparently there was a snafu with the shipment and the medals were lost. The race organizer promised to mail them out.

For $80 I would've been okay with this for a half marathon experience.  But I paid $90 for a 10K. I get it, I had to transfer distances, but it was probably the most expensive 10K race I've run.  The race is an experience and is well supported in every facet.  The aid stations, volunteers, organization were top notch.  I will say the distance of the 10K is a bit of an afterthought.  I know I complained about it last year.

We'll see if I do this race next year.  It is a warm time of year to run a half marathon (or even a marathon) and it was a lot of work to get my bib and drive back the next day.  I would certainly encourage people to run this one though.  It is a beautiful run and just an exciting experience.

Upcoming Races

06/22: 2024 Emigration 10 Mile Race - Salt Lake City, UT (Confirmed)

06/29: 2024 Taylorsville Dayzz 5K - Taylorsville, UT (Confirmed)

07/24: 2024 Deseret News Half Marathon - Salt Lake City, UT (Confirmed

08/17: 2024 PC2PG 10K - Lindon, UT (Confirmed)

09/07: 2024 Cedar City Half Marathon - Cedar City, UT (Confirmed)

09/28: 2024 Witch Run 10K - West Jordan, UT (Confirmed)

10/05: BLOCKED OUT WEEKEND

10/19: 2024 Haunted Half 5K - Salt Lake City, UT (Confirmed)

10/26: 2024 Haunted Half 5K - Provo, 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)

2023 Utah Valley 10K Race Recap - Provo UT

Official Time: 47:25
Placement: 5th in age group, 59th overall
Results: Here
Race Website: Here
Weather: mid 50's, breeze from the south
Garmin Route: Here
Previous Years: First Year for me

Mile	Time	Comments
1	7:54	Slight uphill. Holding it in check and seeing what the course offers
2	7:38	Hooked up with the half marathoners and some downhill. Bit of tailwind.
3	7:50	Holding it in check. I see a hill ahead
4	8:01	The hill slowed me up but not as bad as I thought. Confidence building.
5	7:41	Pushed it here with a gentle downhill.
6	7:50	Desperation building. I can see the finish from a mile out.  Takes forever to get there.
6.08	0:29	Push!
	Total Miles: 6.08- 47:26

Introduction

At some point during the spring I got an offer from the Utah Valley Marathon people to sign up for their race.  It was a pretty nice discount for an otherwise fairly expensive race that in the past I've neglected to sign up for.

There are basically 3 big (well attended) marathons in the Salt Lake area in the spring: Salt Lake City, Ogden and finally the Utah Valley (Provo).  Of the three, I've never done the Utah Valley one.  It comes at an awkward time of year where it can be hot and usually by now I've done the half marathons I've set out to complete.

But this race does offer a fast 10K and it fit into my schedule.  I also had a runner friend who was interested in doing it. I figured why not, plunked down the money to see just how fast this race could be.

The Race

One of the hitches of the race is that the day before the race, you have to get your bib at the Expo.  That is a fairly typical experience with the larger races.  It was held at the Provo Convention Center and it is about a 30 minute drive from my house.  It was bigger than I expected and I wound up picking up a few of last year's t-shirts for $4 apiece.  Like I don't have enough shirts.

I got to the race site pretty early expecting a fiasco to get on a bus to take me to the 10K starting line.  I was shocked to find ample parking and virtually no wait to get on the bus.  It is always a source of anxiety for me, on getting to the starting line on time and with ample time to use the restrooms / warm-up.

The race starts at a local LDS stake.  They had a fair amount of bathrooms and on the bus ride up to the starting line, I spotted some construction sites with porta-potties.  There were a few hundred people milling about waiting for the 7 AM start.

Time went by pretty quickly. The weather was absolutely perfect for a race.  A slight breeze, cool air, and no chance of rain.  I managed to do about a mile warm-up and some drills.

I had studied the course beforehand to some extent. I had heard it was mostly downhill and I had run the second half of the course when I ran the Provo City 5K.  The first mile or so was definitely a slow uphill, but after that I felt the race was going to be a fast one.  I also heard that my Garmin would likely read about 6.07 miles.  Armed with this information, it gave me some confidence in knowing how to pace myself.

The race was supposed to start in waves -- I am not sure why they did this, but it wasn't really necessary given that I've certainly run much larger races.  The first wave were 7 minute per mile runners, which there weren't many.

I wound up waiting for the first wave of runners to begin and when the coast was clear, I started running.

The first mile was indeed a gentle uphill and it wasn't terrible.  I kept telling myself to be patient and that once I hit the single turn on the course, that I'd be able to cruise.  I wound up catching some of the early runners but the lead pack certainly had left me in their dust.  7:55 was the time of my first mile -- right where I wanted to be.

The race had started out as a residential run but quickly evolved into a race down Main Street towards the downtown area of Provo.  Flashes of memory were coming back to me -- I had never run the first few miles of this race, but I had certainly driven it.

We had a coned off stretch of a large road and I quickly found myself integrated with the half marathoners, who were around mile 7 of their journey.  It was nice to run with them and I wasn't impeded with them in any way.  But I was clearly running about 30 - 45 seconds per mile faster than them.  It gave me a bit of gusto to be honest and I wasn't surprised to see 7:38 on my Garmin

There was a hint of desperation as I ran through miles 3 and 4.  There were memories of Monday's race which didn't go well and I was questioning whether I had blown the race by going out too fast.  There was also a decent-sized hill just after the 5K point that I certainly remembered.  I was really pleased that I was able to hang on to a decent pace for the middle miles of the race.

Now, I could see the finish line-- but it was still way off in the distance.  It was also at this point that the race leveled out.  But it was still a gradual decline, so running a faster pace was easier.  My passing of the half marathoners gradually ended as I started to catch up with more of them who were running about the same pace.  I knew I was on target for a good race and despite the buildup of lactate acid, I knew I had it in me to push through the last mile or so.

It was also at this point that I had a young man -- probably half my age -- who was running the half marathon, decided he wanted to run with me.  I grunted okay -- I was pushing the pace so hard that I could barely talk.  He seemed a cheery chap and it was great to receive his encouragement.

I was running as fast as I could and I was definitely in a pain cave.  I was driven just to run through the finish line.  Also, from the mile markers, I had determined that indeed the course would come in around 6.07.

Anytime I backed off, the younger runner would encourage me and charge ahead.  This made me determined to keep up with him and I'd push it a little to get back to his side.  

Finally my watch beeped that I was at 6 miles and with the finish line looming, I surged ahead.  I crossed the finish line in 47:25.  A massive improvement over last week's 51:07.

Conclusion

So part of me was thrilled but part of my excitement was tempered by the fact that:

1) The course appears to be short

2) This was a runner advantage course -- it was downhill - about 300 feet.

So even if I took the 6.08 miles I ran and put it into a race converter, I ran about a 48:15, definitely an over the age of 50 PR for me (my lifetime best is 40:30).  So, I am going to take this one for what it was: really a great race and one that I'll take as my PR -- with the time of about 48:15.

Finishing with the half marathoners was a lot of fun as well.  The finish line was packed with people and those serving up post race refreshments: slushies, cold drinks, snacks, chocolate milk and so on.  

I'll be honest, it was a bit of let down to "only" have run the 10K.  I usually run at least a half marathon for these types of races and I had to push aside my ego on this one.  It looked like the half marathoners also loved the course (and I've heard it is very scenic).  

I loved the medal.  It clearly shows I ran the 10K and the shirt proudly shows the race.  Race support was good with accurate mile markers and aid stations.  There was even a lot of crowd support along the way at times cheering us on.  For a 10K, I felt like I got a "big" experience, although I still would've wanted to run the half.

Overall, I was pleased with my experience.  It was on the pricey side, even with the discount (I think I paid about $50 plus service fees) but this was a big race. I just wish the 10K was more of a race with a certified course. There were some people who had run 6.20 and above, but most people ran 6.07 to 6.08.

The race was super competitive.  I half expected to place in my age group, but I was crestfallen to find that I was 5th.  I was about a minute shy of placing.

This was a big confidence builder. I ran this race well and pushed myself to the max.  This was the race I wanted to run on Monday but my body didn't show up.  

Upcoming Races

06/17: 2023 Lamoille Canyon Half Marathon - Lamoille, NV (Probable)

06/24: 2023 Taylorsville Dayzz 5K - Taylorsville, UT (Confirmed)

07/04: 2023 Riverton Town Days Country Races 10K - Riverton, UT (Confirmed)

07/08: 2023 Draper Days 5K - Draper, UT (Confirmed)

07/15: 2023 Farmington Days 5K - Farmington, UT (Probable)

07/22: 2023 Steele Days 10K - American Fork, UT (Confirmed)

07/24: 2023 Desert News Half Marathon - Salt Lake City, UT (Confirmed)

08/05: 2023 Roy Days 5K - Roy, UT (Probable)

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)

03/03: 2024 Las Vegas Half Marathon - Las Vegas, NV (Confirmed)

04/20: 2024 Salt Lake City Half Marathon - Salt Lake City, UT (Confirmed)

2022 Haunted Half 5K Race Recap - Provo UT

Heading into the finish line.

Official Time: 24:13
Placement: 3rd in age group, 79th out of 975 overall
Race Website: Here

Results: Results
Weather: 32F with gentle breeze from the west
Garmin Dump: Here
Previous Years: [2021] [2015]

Mile	Time	Comments
1	7:56	Crowded start but once I got rolling I felt pretty good.
2	7:52	Knew the course here, so had some confidence.
3	7:56	Running out of gas but helped by a 41 feet of downhill
3.06	0:27	Navigating the Halloween decorations for the final push
	Total Miles: 3.06 - 24:13

Views of the Wasatch Mountains

Introduction

So for a Black Friday sale last year, I wound up signing up for the Haunted Half 5K race in Provo Utah for about $20.  Normally the race runs around $40 or more so it was quite a bargain.

I've done the race twice before -- the half marathon years ago and the 5K last year.  The half marathon involves a bus ride to the start and then a lengthy (and often chilly) wait for the race to begin.  So the 5K tends to keep things simpler.

Once again, this year was a new race course.  The gist of it was that you'd park at a corporate center where the finish line was, walk (or warm-up) to the school where the starting line was.  The deal was, the school was about half a mile from the finish line.  

To make things even more interesting, I was under the false impression that the race started at 8 AM.  So when I arrived at the school there was hardly anyone there and the starting line wasn't even setup.  Oops.

Final turn before the finish line.

The Race

So after making a few trips from the parking area to the school (for a bathroom break) I was thoroughly warmed up.  In fact, I made a 3 trips -- each at about half a mile.  Normally I warm up less than half a mile for a 5K.  And as I toed the line at 8:30 waiting for the race to start, I began to question whether I had worn myself out -- after all I had had a fairly sluggish week of training leading in to the race.

The Headless Horseman's Horse

The race started at 8:30 and were headed south.  The race was chip timed from start to finish and I had lined up fairly close to the start but I was respectful of the other runners.  The first few hundred yards were congested but by the time we made our first turn, I was free to run the pace I wanted to.

Initially there was a bit of wind to contend with but there was enough cover to duck behind people.  It was a mild nuisance but I don't really recall it being a major factor in the race.

As I got into the first mile I began sizing up the competition.  While waiting I had spied a few other people who I thought might be in my age group.  My goal was to hang with them and keep them in my sights, but still run my race.

As we wound our way through the first mile, I immediately recognized where I was.  I knew at some point we were going to run on the Murdock bike trail where I had run the PC2PG race in August.  Sure enough, just as I hit mile 1, I jumped onto the bike trail and I was suddenly in familiar territory.  I was pretty happy with my sub 8 minute mile, but I knew I'd have to hit it a bit harder.

The next mile was on the bike trail and I knew exactly where we were and what to expect.  It gave me a lot of confidence as I knew I didn't have to hold back much out of fear there was some sort of hill.

I expected a faster mile after the first mile but still hit a 7:52, only slightly faster than the first mile.  But I had made ground against some of my supposed opponents who I presumed were in my age group. I was hurting but still holding my own.  I also knew that after mile 2 that I was going to get a bit of a downhill.  

Despite a lackluster week of training and running on pretty fatigued legs, I was still having what I would consider a good race.

The Dark Tunnel!

Sure enough after exiting the bike trail we jumped into a residential area that had a significant downhill.  It wasn't massive, but it was enough to give me a boost.  I could coast -- just a little bit -- and let gravity assist with the running.

It was at this point that I passed my would-be competitor. Now I just had to keep that lead.

Looking good at roughly mile 2

I had studied the course briefly before the race and by the organizer's own measurements, the course was going to come in at 3.17.  I think I had even measured it using MapMyRun.  So my presumption was that I had better save a little bit of energy for that final push and that I'd be running quite a bit further than the standard 3.11 miles.

So in that last half mile or so, I did dial it back.  While I was tired and at the end of my limit for the 5K, mentally I wrote the race off as "not legit" or "I'd have to correct my time to what I think I would've run".  So in short, I sold myself short.

The race had thinned out at this point but there wasn't anyone in my age group within shouting distance.  Finally, I saw where people were making a left turn into the finish line's corporate center.  I glanced at my watch.  I was still well under 3 miles.  Could this course be actually short?

I made the turn and heard the roaring crowd.  This was a family event and there were plenty of spectators in the final stretch to cheer me on.  I cruised through a darkened tunnel, made another left turn and blasted through the finish line.

Award Time

Conclusion

So the course came in at 3.06 miles.  A lot of other runners got this exact distance as well.  Measuring it once again with MapMyRun I came up with 3.16.  My time is typical for a 5K

I wound up finishing 3rd in my age group.  I was thrilled to get a medal . The race was kind of a haunted 80's theme so the award was actually medal of a cassette tape.  The finishers medal was akin to the one I got at last week's race.  The shirt was also identical.  I wound up wearing a shirt from 2011 from the Haunted Hustle in Palatine IL Turns out that 11 years ago to the day I ran that race.

They had plenty of snacks and drink after the race: donuts, oranges, bananas, chocolate milk, water, orange juice, etc.  Runtastic Events definitely knows how to put on a party.  The finish line was also an epic Halloween festival and I think people really enjoyed it.

I had signed up for the race on a Black Friday deal, so I had gotten a very nice price (less than $25).  I was happy with my experience but was a little disappointed that there were no bathrooms at the actual 5K starting line. I am partially to blame for this since I got to the starting line WAY early.

I was pretty happy with my time all things considered.  My splits were even and while I was hurting at the end, I was still pushing hard.

I plan to do this race next year.  It was fun and I knew a lot of people there.  It was a large, family event but still gave me the opportunity to keep and run hard.

Upcoming Races

11/05: 2022 Vineyard Blizzard 5K - Vineyard, UT (Confirmed)

11/12: 2022 Sandy City Turkey Trot 5K - Sandy, UT (Confirmed)

11/19: 2022 Snow Canyon Half Marathon - St George, UT (Confirmed)

11/24: 2022 South Davis Recreation Center Thanksgiving Day 5K - Bountiful, UT (Confirmed)

01/14: 2023 St George Half Marathon - St George, UT (Confirmed)

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

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

04/22: 2023 Salt Lake City Half Marathon - Salt Lake City, UT (Confirmed)

08/19: 2023 Rock 'N Roll Salt Lake City Half Marathon - Salt Lake City, UT (Confirmed)