2024 Salt Lake City Haunted 5K Race Recap - Salt Lake City, UT

Inflatables at the Packet Pickup

Official Time: 24:23
Placement: 4th in age age group, 107th overall
Race Website: Here

Results: Results
Weather: mid 40's, breeze from the north
Garmin Dump: Here
Previous Years: [2023] [2022] [2021] [2020]

Mile	Time	Comments
1	8:43	Congested start. Took a while to navigate around people. Decent hill halfway through
2	7:59	Cruising now. Mostly a downhill mile.  Enjoying this segment and felt FAST!
2.96	7:42	Smashed this mile. Really happy with it.
	Total Miles: 2.96: 24:25

View of the lake at Sugarhouse Park

Introduction

Last year during the Black Friday sales, I wound up signing up for the Haunted Half 5K put on by Runtastic Events.  This race organizer puts on several races around the Salt Lake area and their Halloween runs are probably their most well attended event.  They have a sister event the following week in Provo that also offers a 5K and half marathon.

I would love to sign up for the half marathon, but I just hate gambling on my fitness and signing up for the race so close to the race date winds up being expensive (I think the registration got up over a $100 for the half marathon).  

This race is well attended, competitive and generates a huge crowd -- with over 1,000 runners in the 5K and close to that number for the 5K.

The starting line

The Race

I had grabbed my bib at the expo the day before, so when I rolled into the race around 7:45 AM (8:30 AM start), I was ready to go.  It was a chilly and breezy morning as I walked about half a mile from the parking spot to the race headquarters: Sugarhouse Park.

People I had to work around at the start

I knew I was going to warm up quick, so opted with summer attire -- shorts, t-shirt and thin gloves.  I wore the Saucony Endorphin Pro 2 shoes which have served me well.

The park itself is iconic and home to many 5K races.  The Salt Lake City Marathon makes a lap around it and a lot of charity races throughout the year are held there.

The half marathon runners had started at 8:00 AM and had been bussed to the top of Emigration Canyon.  They had ample bathrooms and I wound up doing a quick warmup and strides to get ready.  I felt pretty good, but some soreness / fatigue in my legs.

The race started promptly at 8:30 AM and we were off.  We did a quick jog to exit the park before crossing a street and heading into a tree-lined subdivision.  In the fall, it is a pretty place to run.  The houses are older and it is just a fun place to run.  Also the first mile is a gentle culminating with a pretty steep climb.  I wasn't too shocked to see an 8:45 mile.  

Given the size of the race, the first quarter mile was pretty congested. I wasn't way up in front but I probably should've jockeyed a little closer.  There are a lot of "fun runners" and I often had to navigate around walkers, people pushing strollers, etc.  But eventually I did get to let loose.

I noticed right away that the mile markers were way way off.  I've run the route a few times and it usually comes in at 3.05 miles, but the mile 1 marker was off by at least .1 of a mile.  I certainly didn't think the route had changed.

Half marathoners coming in just after mile 12

At the summit of the largest hill in the race, we finally got to run downhill.  Memories of previous times I've run the route came back at me and I knew this was the mile to make up some time.  I felt like I had worked pretty hard to get where I was but I was renewed with energy and I careened down the gentle slopes -- dodging patches of potentially slippery leaves along the way.  

Once again the mile 2 marker was off but my Garmin rang in a sub 8-minute mile.  Could I salvage the race after a slow start?  I did get some shouts of encouragement from the other racers and I was still feeling solid.  

Upon passing the 2 mile marker (along with the 12 mile half marathon marker) I entered Sugarhouse Park to run a lap around the perimeter.  It starts off with a nice downhill and then a series of small uphill climbs.  I am never thrilled with running a lap around the park -- it doesn't feel fast and the finish line is so close, yet so far away.

Costumes and photo opportunities galore.

I didn't really see anyone in my age group and the one guy I was trying to keep in my sights, who I suspected was in my age group, had put a good 30 - 40 second lead on me (it turns out he was in my age group and why I didn't get an age group award).

I felt like I wasn't running very fast and there were moments when my pace felt like it dropped to a crawl and other times where I simply rebounded and overtook a few people.  I kept replaying in my head all the sessions that I've done in training and had to dig deep to complete.  I knew I could handle it.

Finally the finish line came into view and I could hear the music and announcer shouting out names.  I still had so far to go.  

I ran by the 3 mile marker and sure enough I was at about 2.80 miles or so.  Sometimes race organizers misplace the final one but it seemed to be eternity to get to the finish line.

Sadly, due to high wind conditions, the race organizers couldn't put up the inflatables along the finish line. Usually the last .10 of a mile involves running by a ton of blow-up Halloween decorations.  Also, you run through a long, dark tunnel filled with streamers.  It definitely slows you up (I think most runners were happy not to run through it) but it definitely adds to the Halloween atmosphere.

The finish line experience was sort of anti-climatic and I wasn't 100% sure where it ended but I sped through the finish line, finishing in 24:23 at a distance of 2.95 miles.

Smiles at the finish line

Conclusion

So a race converter basically puts me at around 25:40 or so.  About average for my current level of fitness.  I felt, however, that I could've chipped away a bit more time at the end and I probably lost a good 15 - 20 seconds from weaving and losing time at the start.

I did, however, feel that the race was a success. I ran strong and it just felt like a better experience that my most recent races.  

I was disappointed with my age group results -- 4th place -- 2nd in a row.  Turns out the guy I was trying to keep up with was in my age group and was the deal breaker for going home with 2 medals.

Post race refreshments were hydration (sports drink), bananas, oranges and donuts.  There was also a protein bar maker there that was offering that as well.

Bib, shirt, medal

The t-shirt design this year was above average -- but still a cotton / polyester blend.  I probably won't wear it much. Please race directors: 100% polyester, sports-tech.  The medal was a work of art and I really wanted the half marathon one: it was definitely a step above the 5K one.

I was really disappointed with the lack of a finish line experience.  It isn't the race director's fault but one of the joys is being cheered in by the crowds as we speed down the final stretch surrounded by inflatable objects.  

I do believe that last year, we started a bit further west along the service road, hence the discrepancy in the race distance.  The race's course was the same, but I think this was the primary reason why the race wasn't even 3 miles (most people got between 2.95 and 3.05 miles).

All in all, it was a great experience.  The weather was perfect and many of my friends were in attendance.  While not a stellar performance, it was a small step in the right direction for me.  At this point, I'll take my wins where I can.

Upcoming Races

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

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

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

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

11/28: 2024 South Davis Recreation Center Thanksgiving Run 5K - Bountiful, UT (Confirmed)

02/23: 2025 Las Vegas Half Marathon - Las Vegas, NV (Confirmed)

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

2023 Haunted Half 5K Race Recap - Salt Lake City, UT

Ready to Start!

Official Time: 23:27
Placement: 4th in age age group, 53rd overall
Race Website: Here

Results: Results
Weather: low 50's, slight breeze from the south
Garmin Dump: Here
Previous Years: [2022] [2021] [2020]

Mile	Time	Comments
1	8:09	A bit of a slow start. Last part of the mile was a grind uphill
2	7:34	Taking advantage of the downhill here. Feeling good.
3	7:28	Some up, mostly downhill.  Could see / hear the finish line the entire way.
3.04	0:14
	Total Miles: 3.04: 23:27

Entering Sugarhouse Park

Introduction

One of the biggest races for the Halloween race season is the Haunted Half races put on by Runtastic Events.  They have a race on one weekend in Salt Lake City and another race the following weekend 30 minutes south in Provo Utah.

The past few years I've really enjoyed doing their races, particularly the 5K races.  The weather for a fall half marathon in years past has always been dicey and also the half marathon involves a bus ride and sometimes a lengthy wait in a cold canyon before the race start.

Southern Pond / Lake at Sugarhouse

Either way, I do enjoy the 5K race distance and that has been my focus for most of this year. The events are well attended and well organized.  I also saved quite a bit of money by registering nearly a year in advance.

This year saw a return to Sugarhouse park -- a large, multiuse park on the east side of town.  I ran this course in 2021 and it has some hills to it, but I felt it was a very fast course.  I did miss the massive downhill from 2022 but at the same time, I didn't mind the bus ride for a simple 5K race.

Waiting to Start!

The Race

Unlike 2021, we had picture perfect weather.  A nice breeze, sunny skies and no rain.  I went out with a shorts, thin gloves, and a t-shirt.  I probably didn't need the gloves but I figured why not.

I had gotten my bib the day before at a packet pickup in downtown Salt Lake.  So I didn't have to worry about the logistics of getting it with 700+ other 5K runners.  Pretty much the walk to the park from where I parked covered a decent warm-up.  I did a few drills and strides and I was ready for the 8:30 AM start.

Random Lawn Decorations

The race started at the summit of a hill (thankfully we didn't have to run it).  And then we had to run about a quarter of a mile before exiting to an older subdivision.  We did have to cross a busy street, but fortunately it was crewed with Salt Lake's finest.

Mile 2 but facing the race start

The first quarter mile felt really hard.  There was a slight incline and my legs just sort of groaned at the thought of running fast.  I had done a shaky warm-up but I had put in a fair amount of training in the week leading up to the race.  Even before I left the park, I was gasping for air.

I told myself to take it easy a bit as I navigated against a busy start.  With this being a popular race, there were many casual runners there, who had clogged up the start.

Fortunately it didn't derail me much and I got off and settled into a pace. I felt like my breathing was labored and I didn't want to get too discouraged by looking at my watch.  I was trying to just settle in and I had a vague memory of the first mile being slightly up hill -- and I was right!

Flags to mark Mile 2 and 12 into the park

We were in an nice community with some charming homes.  It was an older section of town and I could smell the smells of pancakes and sausages in the air.  There were a few residents cheering us on as we ran along the mature treelined streets.  

I was overtaking some runners who had gone off to fast and I felt my breathing settle in.  I felt like I was on target for a 5K effort.  I was greeted with a hill here though and my pace went from 5K effort to half marathon and finally full marathon.  I had totally forgotten about this part.

I could spy up ahead runners hanging a left and I knew that was the summit of the hill.  I just focused on getting up, conserving energy and then knowing the rest of the way I would have a nice downhill.

Mile 1 flashed up on my watch with an 8:09.  Not quite what I was hoping for, but given the hill I had just climbed and knowing the rest of the course was "fast", I felt like I still had the potential for a great race.

Once I hit the summit of the hill, I hit it hard.  Time to make up some time.  I pounded down the hill and started overtaking some runners.  My pace was definitely fast.

I knew I had one mile in the neighborhood and I knew exactly how the final mile was laid out.  

It was nice to see some of the other 5K runners still on mile 1 making their way up the course while I was cruising into mile 2.  The organizers had it laid out nicely so there wouldn't be any conflicts.  I got an occasional cheer from a friend as well, which was helpful and motivating.

But I was hurting but I was still cruising along.

Just as I exited the subdivision I hit mile 2 -- hitting a 7:34.

I seem to recall that in 2021 the exit (which was the same as the entrance) wasn't supervised very well. This year they had it down and I didn't have any fears about crossing the street.  I had a few other runners around me, but the crowd had thinned.

At this point, I had entered the east side of Sugarhouse Park.  I simply had to make my way around the perimeter of the park and get to the west side.  Most of this was downhill (with a bit of an uphill on the west side).  I could hear the din of the finish line, yet I was so far away.

I was still running strong, but I also felt fatigued.  I was too afraid to look at my time - mostly I didn't want to get discouraged if I was running slower than I thought and I simply didn't want to lose focus of just getting as fast as I could to the finish line.

I overtook some runners and I was trying to figure out if any people looked to be my age were close by.  Granted with it being a chip timed race and a massive start, I had no guarantee they started at the same time I did -- but I didn't want to take any chances and any insurance I could bank against them might prove invaluable.

The finish line was nearer than ever now and I had the final turn looming ahead. I spotted another 50-something runner.  I still had some time and I made my move, pulling ahead of him and his group and kept going.

I realized my error though, as I had started my sprint a little too early.  I was sitting at mile 2.80 or so and still had a dark tunnel to run through.  I slowed down as the finish line sprint returned back to normal 5K pace running.  

Some of the runners that I had passed gained on me and a few passed me.

One of the interesting parts of the race is the final .15 of a mile or so is lined with Halloween decorations - mostly the inflatable types.  Also, it is encouraged that you run through a streamer lined tunnel of about 50 yards or so.  It is dark and feels like there is the potential to run into someone or have a slip and fall issue, however.  I love it and it is a fun experience, but at the same time, it blows your finishing kick.  I found out later, you could run to the side and simply avoid it, and I had considered that midrace, but I didn't want to appear as a party pooper.

Upon exiting the tunnel, and seeing my pace drop as I brushed aside the streamers, I saw the 50-year-old runner that I had passed several seconds ahead of me.  How did that happen?!?!?

I tried to catch up, but I didn't have anything left.  It was nice to hear the cheers from people as I sped the final way to the finish line, crossing in a fantastic time of 23:27, a distance second or two from my presumed rival.

All Smiles

Conclusion

I recovered pretty quickly after finishing.  I grabbed my medal and some refreshments.  They had sports drink, chocolate milk, bananas, oranges and donuts.  A few vendors were there as well, supplying free energy drinks and Vitamin Water. I wound up socializing with several people and complimenting some runners on their choice of costumes.

Check out the Avatar on the right!

Trepidatiously, I made my way to the results booth and typed in my bib number, hoping upon hope, that I placed.  I knew at least one guy in my age group had finished well ahead of me, had not beating the guy cost me a medal?

I was 4th in my age group -- missing out 3rd by 1 second.  The 5th place runner was .8 seconds behind me.  What a stacked age group!

Finisher's Medal + shirt

So as they like to say, "Them's the breaks".  I was sad and I sort of let it spoil my otherwise decent time.  I suspect the course may have been slightly short but it's hard to tell with all the turns and of course the tunnel at the end blocking signal.  But overall, I hit the time I was hoping to do: run better than I did in 2021 and get well below 24 minutes.

All in all, I am happy with my time and I had a really good experience.  I liked the course -- it felt speedy and it was scenic.  There was a good crowd there and the race was organized well.  I paid around $20 for the race, so it was a bargain.

The medal was nicely designed. I like the shirt, but I am still not a fan of the cotton / polyester blend.  The only dark cloud over the race was I finished 4th -- missing out an award by 1 second.

Anyhow, I do plan on returning next year - potentially going for the ultra-competitive half marathon.  We shall see though.  I've done a lot of Runtastic runs this year and I have yet to be disappointed in them.  

Upcoming Races

11/04: Vineyard City Blizzard 5K / 10K - Vineyard, UT (Confirmed)

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

11/18: 2023 Snow Canyon Half Marathon - St George, UT (Confirmed)

11/23: 2023 South Davis Recreation Center 5K - Bountiful, UT (Confirmed)

01/13: 2024 Virgin River Half Marathon - St George, UT (Confirmed)

02/25: 2024 Las Vegas Half Marathon - Las Vegas, NV (Confirmed)

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

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

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

10/XX: 2024 Haunted Half 5K - Provo, UT (Confirmed)

2021 Haunted 5K Race Recap - Salt Lake City, UT

Official Time: 23:49
Placement: 1st in age group, 47th overall
Race Website: Here

Results: Results
Weather: 50F,  less than 5 mph wind, some light rain.
Garmin Dump: Here
Previous Years: [2020]

Mile	Time	Comments
1	8:37	Slight uphill - probably ran 1.20 miles or so here
2	7:49	Nice down hill section. Trying to salvage this race
2.94	7:23	Final lap around the park. Mostly downhill and fast! Giving it everything I had
	Total Miles: 2.94- 23:49 * Note Garmin lost connectivity at some point

Introduction

So one of the big traditions for runners in the Salt Lake area is to run one of the Haunted races produced by Runtastic Races.  They are popular race organizers with a good reputation of putting on fun, well run events.  Their Halloween races are probably one of their biggest events.

In the past, I've done their Provo-based half marathon and last year I did the Salt Lake edition of their 5K, which was run on a hilly course near the city zoo.

This year, with Covid restrictions and concerns a bit on the backburner, this race was held at its original location: Sugarhouse Park, on the southeast side of Salt Lake City.  So while the race was a repeat of last year's, this was a brand new course to me.

The Race

The race started at 8:30 and I got to the race site at about 7:30 or so.  I had my bib picked up for me on the day before the race, so it was a fairly low stress start to the race.  With over 900 runners, I was glad I didn't have to wait in line, stress about parking, etc.  Not really knowing the layout of everything I wound up parking a LONG ways away, which would haunt me a bit later.

The weather forecasters had been predicting rain and the day was gloomy and cool.  Fortunately it was still relatively dry.  I've run a lot of races in bad weather and I figured I could deal with anything for a 5K.

About 30 minutes before the race start I made my way to the starting area.  I quickly realized I had parked far away.  I had brought a warm jacket so I was comfortable. There was some parking in the park, but it ultimately would've been challenging getting out of the park when the race ended. 

The race started promptly at 8:30 AM -- just as it started to drizzle a little.  Not the end of the world by any means and it actually was fairly pleasant to run in.  I was wearing throw away gloves, long sleeved t-shirt, and shorts -- which was absolutely perfect.

The starting line was pretty cramped but I managed to get myself wedged in with the top 50 or so runners.  With over 900 runners for the 5K, this was going to be a "full" race.

I had studied the course a bit and I knew the first mile to mile and a quarter were a slight uphill.  The next mile or so you earned back that uphill and the final mile was seemed to be mostly downhill with a tiny roller of a hill thrown in for fun.

My goal was to go out a little conservatively for the first mile, hammer the second and go all out on the third.

Initially I was hemmed in.  With such a narrow start line and plenty of runners, it took awhile to get going.  Fortunately, it opened up as we ran down the service road towards the entrance of the park.  It was indeed slightly uphill but nothing major and I let myself get acclimated to the 5K pace.

After about half a mile we exited the park, ran across a semi-busy street (weird  -- no course marshal here) and ducked into a residential area.  The street was banked, which I hate running on, so I sort of ran down the middle of the street.  It was tree lined with beautiful fall colors and mature houses.  I thought this was probably the prettiest sections of the course.

The hills continued here but they weren't too serious.  Just a gradual incline.  I felt good and in control of my pace.  It was humbling at times to be passed by runners in heavy costumes, but I kept going picking off other runners who had gone out too fast.

I was shocked-- actually stunned to see an 8:37 flash on my watch for the first.  I knew the course was uphill but I certainly wasn't running that slow?  Or was I really having a terrible race?

I thought about just calling this a fun run and not beating myself up too much.  But I've been training all year long on my speed.  Perhaps I had plenty in the tank and I would turn things around.

The course was supposed to be mostly uphill for the first 1.25 miles, but I noticed that immediately after my watch had beeped a mile that I was on the downhill section.  My turnover increased and I felt like I was racing again.  There were some people ahead of me in my age group (I felt) and I kept up with them.  I was mostly running with high school aged kids and people half my age.

We had made some sort of crazy loop around the neighborhood before being dump back out towards the main street and crossing again a fairly busy street without any supervision and re-entered the park.

There were a pair of signs at the entrance stating we were are mile 2.  The half marathon race also indicated they were on mile 12.  I glanced down at my watch and we were well under 2 miles.  Was my watch wrong?

The final mile was a lap around the service drive to the sprawling Sugarhouse Park.  There have been many 5Ks run on this course and years ago I had run a lap around the park for the Salt Lake City Marathon.  I had vague memories of it and it has a reputation of being sort of hilly.

I dug deep and decided I was going to run whatever was left of the course -- even if this was a short course -- as hard as I could.  

I still felt good but I was hurting.  I could see the finish line and hear the celebratory music as I made my way around the park.  I used a lot of my mental training that I've done -- the suffering is only temporary and I had put myself through more trying time trials in training.  I could handle this.

The last quarter mile involved running through a hundred yard tunnel or so.  They have it decorated and it is supposed to be scary.  It is a little dark and there are dangling streamers inside.  It definitely slowed me down, but it is part of the event.  At this point, I wasn't close to chasing anyone done and there wasn't anyone in my age group behind me.

I crossed the finish line in 23:49 and I glanced at my watch.  Was this at least a 3 mile race?  No, it simply shown I had run 2.94 miles in roughly my 5K effort.  Bummer

Conclusion

After finishing I went to print out my results.  They are really good about having computers where you can enter your bib number and get instant feedback on your placement.  I figured I was at best 3rd place in my age group.  It just seemed like there had to be more people ahead of me in my age group.  After getting my receipt I was shocked to see that I was currently in first place in my age group.  What???

I was glowing about my age placement but I was still stewing about my overall time.  The course wasn't that hilly.  I wound up grabbing something to drink (even though I wasn't terribly thirsty).  I also managed to get down a banana.  

It was starting to rain so I found shelter under a bowery and got my award.  Fortunately I did remain in first place so I scored a beautiful medal.

Once I got home I decided to do some detective work.  I had asked around after the race asking various Garmin watch owners what they had measured the course as.  Most got around 3.07, some 3.08 and finally some with a  legit 3.10 miles.

So I looked at my Garmin map and obviously my watch had misrecorded a bit of the race.  It had me running through houses. I used MapMyRun and carefully traced out the route, which came to about 3.15 miles.  So if I ran the tangents and not the middle of the road as MapMyRun likes to do, I suspect the course was a very real 5K.  My spirits definitely increased as I found more Strava users with accurate course measurements.

So this race really went well for me.  I ran right where I had hoped I'd finish and I won my age group.  

The race was a bit expensive for a 5K but I was a late registrant and had a coupon code.  There was candy, fruit (oranges and bananas), slices of pizza, sports drink and water at the end.  The finisher's medal for the 5K was nicely designed   The shirt was colorful and also a nice Halloween design.  I just wish it was a 100% polyester blend.

I was really excited after finishing this race.  A little more than a year ago, this race would've been likely a 25 minute finish.  I felt really good on this race and actually was itching to do another one -- soon!