2021 Mantua Dam 5 Mile Race Recap - Mantua, UT

Official Time: 51:14
Placement: 51st place overall, 4th in the 46 - 55 age division
Results: Here
Race Website: Here
Weather: Upper 60's,  no wind
Garmin Dump: Here
Previous Years: First Year for Me

Mile	Time	Comments
1	8:02	Initial climb on this race, but took it easy
2	8:12	Very nice downhill section here. Took advantage of it.
3	8:13	Flat stretch here. I was starting to hurt
4	8:30	Finally onto the latter half of the race.
4.97	8:08	Mostly on the Farmington Creek Trail. Lots of turns and slightly uphill
	Total Miles: 4.97 - 41:07

Introduction

Another weekend another race.  And this week's run took me way up north to Mantua Utah (which apparently is pronounced mana-way).  I think in my 9 years of living in northern Utah, I have driven by Mantua once, but never stopped in.  And to be honest, prior to this race I don't think I could've told you where Mantua was.

But this race was one of two going on this weekend and I opted to make the 70 mile drive up north to check it out.  The race is long-running -- it's been around for a while -- and it would give me an opportunity to check out the Mantua Reservoir, which is where I'd be running.

Plus, it's been a while since I've run a 5 mile race -- a bit more endurance than a 5K and one mile less than a 10K.

The Race

I arrived at the race site at about 6:30 AM for the 7:30 AM start.  I was there pretty early which afforded me a great parking spot, ample time to get my bib / shirt and use the facilities.  Plus I got some pre-sunrise photos.

The race is run around reservoir.  Most of it is on hard-packed gravel and dirt -- almost as hard as asphalt, but not quite.  It didn't afford much of a bounce but it was soft and well groomed. 

The race started promptly at 7:30 and we headed south down Main street.  This section was paved and while it was crowded with runners, we had plenty of room to work with.

I got off to a decent start and held back.  I had a rough goal of hitting 8 minutes per mile.  Not knowing what lay ahead as far as course layout had me wondering.  We took about a mile's worth of asphalt running before jumping onto the reservoir trail.

This race was well organized and they had fairly accurate mile markers staged at each mile.  I hit the first mile in 8:05, basically meeting my goal.  I felt pretty good but it was definitely warm as the sun rose over the eastern mountains.  

The race had 235 runners so I was never really running alone.  Occasionally speedy runners would fly by me, but I just settled into my pace.

Mile 2 I still felt pretty good, but I could feel the fatigue settling in.  I hit 8:15, which was still about 10K pace.  Occasionally we'd dip into pockets of shadows as we got closer to the eastern mountains, but mostly it was exposed.  There were some sections of the trail where you could see the reservoir, but mostly it was blocked with deep green trees.  It was very peaceful and scenic.

I knew I wasn't having an "A-level" race at about mile 3.  My splits weren't improving and I hit yet another 8:15. And knowing my previous race history, I tend to get slower as the race progresses.  I began to wonder what elevation I was running at -- which can definitely slow you down (it was over 5000 feet)

I was so relieved hitting mile 4.  I loved running along the reservoir but at this point we got back into downtown Mantua and I could see the finish line ahead of me.  I was hurting and occasionally my pace would come to a crawl.  I would catch my breath and then start up again.  

I kept glancing at my watch and it was reading in the low 4 for distance and I could see the finish far closer.  Could the race be short?  There was no way that this race was going to be a 5 mile race.

I kept watching the runners in front of me to see if we ran past the finish line or if I needed to push it.  My eyesight these days isn't the best.

I hate running by the finish line, but that's exactly what we did.  At mile 4.6 or so, I breezed by the finish line.  I just wanted to run down the reservoir's embankment and finish.  It was at this point that another runner who looked to be in my age group passed me.  Desperately, I tried to keep pace but I couldn't.  My legs just felt incredibly heavy.  I had hopes that I would find a 2nd gear on the final finish and maybe if he hadn't started too far behind me that I could sneak by him.

Another quarter mile or so, we ran down an embankment and made the final home stretch.  The guy I so wanted to catch up to probably realized I was gonna do my final push and he accelerated too.  And unfortunately, it cost me an age group award by 7 seconds.  

Conclusion

It was warm.  If this race had started at 7 AM, it would've been much better.  But 7:30 it was and I was covered with sweat.  After finishing, I leaned against a fence in the shade and tried to regroup.  I had really pushed the final sprint and it almost caught up with me.

They had ice-chilled Gatorade at the finish as well as bread.  I had brought a ton of snacks with me, so I really didn't need any food.  They also had some popsicles.  

This race was super organized and before I could go to my car and snap a few more pictures of the lake, the organizers were doling out the awards.  For a small town race, they ran this like complete professionals.

This race was super affordable -- coming in at around $25.  I got a technical shirt (that I will gladly use for running), a finisher's medal and a really nice race experience.  Normally I wouldn't be bothered to travel this far for a this short of a race, but I was happy to go and experience a part of Utah that I was unfamiliar with.

Race wise, this was a pretty standard race for me.  Looking at my time, it is fairly comparable to the 10K races I've done.  This one was flat however but at a slightly higher altitude, which will take off a little time.  This wasn't a race to write home about, but it still wasn't a disaster.

Overall, if this race lines up in my schedule next year I will gladly do it again.  I had a lot of fun and thoroughly enjoyed the course.

2021 Farmington Festival Days 10K Race Recap - Farmington, UT

Official Time: 51:14
Placement: 36th place overall, 3rd in the 50 - 59 age division
Results: Here
Race Website: Here
Weather: Upper 60's,  no wind
Garmin Dump: Here
Previous Years: [2019] [2018] [2012]

Mile	Time	Comments
1	8:14	Initial climb on this race, but took it easy
2	7:34	Very nice downhill section here. Took advantage of it.
3	8:24	Flat stretch here. I was starting to hurt
4	8:38	Finally onto the latter half of the race.
5	9:38	Mostly on the Farmington Creek Trail. Lots of turns and slightly uphill
6	8:19	Go all in on the final mile.
6.07	0:28
	Total Miles: 6.07 - 51:15

Starting quarter mile view.

Introduction

One of my summer races that I try to do is the Farmington Festival Days Races.  It a great bargain -- $20 for a timed race, t-shirt, and an epic post race breakfast.  And the course is actually really pretty.  What's not to like?

The race is held in Farmington, about 15 minutes of downtown Salt Lake City.  Starting at the Farmington City Hall.  It is coordinated with the Farmington City festival and they offer two race distances -- a 5K and 10K.  Years ago (2012) they had a half marathon but that has been discarded..  

I registered several weeks out from the race and rolled into downtown Farmington by 6:15 for the 7 AM race.

Running along the beautiful bike trail

The Race

I did a very brief warm-up pre race.  Mostly dynamic stretches and maybe a few hundred yards of running.  It was warm and I really didn't need to do much to feel good about toeing the line.  

The race started promptly at 7 AM and almost immediately you are greeted by a hill.  It isn't an awful hill, but mentally if you aren't ready for it, it can take the wind out of you.  Fortunately, having run this race a few times, I knew what to expect, so I held back.

After ascending the hill you make a right onto a main drag and head south.  There is plenty of shoulder room and you are running with the speedier 5K runners -- so you really don't know who your competition is just yet.  However, this is the fastest part of the course.  You now have a fast downhill segment that really boosts your confidence.

I had hit the first mile at about 8:15 -- exactly where I wanted to be and the 2nd mile I smashed at 7:34 -- again thanks to the downhill.  Around mile 1.50 or so the 5K runners peeled off from us, so the crowd definitely thinned as we continued further south.  I had a lot of memories of running this stretch of road from previous races -- the Handcart Half Marathon also follows this route.

Eventually we hung another right and headed down a hill and made our way to a bit of a grind.  I rounded the corner and I hit the flat section.  I felt like I was running fast, but when I glanced down at my Garmin, I wasn't.  Like my 10Ks, at about this point, I am hurting.  But my legs felt good and I kept hoping to hold or improve upon this pace.

Around mile 3 the slower 5K runners joined us.  They were about 2 miles into their race.  It was nice to work off of them but made some of the areas a bit congested.  I also hit my first aid station and pretty much tossed a cup of Gatorade in my mouth and spat it out (I can't really drink when I am running that quickly).

There was a park on my right and the din of the I-15 interstate next to me. There wasn't much traffic along this road and scenery of the mountains on my right and some fields kept me going.  

Finally, the 5K runners made another right and separated from us.  I was starting to regret not doing the 5K but I came here to get my money's worth -- so I was on the docket for another 2 miles!  The crowd had really thinned out.  There were a few runners in front of me and a few behind me, but the throngs of running were gone.

Mile 4 greeted us with about a mile run along the Farmington Creek Trail.  I love this stretch of the course, but it is deceptively uphill and involves a lot of turns.  It was significantly cooler here and the scenery was just really nice along here -- including some buffalo and elk at the Lagoon Amusement Park.

My pace totally fell off here -- as usual.  I actually ran slower for this mile than I did in 2019.  I was stunned when I saw a 9:30 on my Garmin.  What -- that's my training marathon pace!

I was pretty cooked at this point.  My overall mileage has taken a hit of late and I felt like my endurance isn't all there.  Also the slight inline just took the starch out of me.

Finally we exited the circuitous paved trail and jumped onto Main Street.  There is a wide shoulder here and I knew I was in the homestretch.  Also, I had a bit of a downhill here and I did finally get my 2nd wind.  I knew I couldn't catch the people in front of me (they had put some significant ground on me) but I could improve my time.  I really focused on just putting one foot in front of the other as I sped down the old tree-lined street.

 

I had a small cheering section near the finish line as I made the final turns, which were fortunately downhill.  I gave it all I got and cruised through the finishing arch.

Conclusion

I was able to shake off the fatigue of running pretty quickly.  I actually didn't feel too bad -- it was hot but I definitely have been through worse as far as heat conditions go.

I was greeted with a bottle of water -- but no finisher's medal.  I had forgotten if they had one -- but their finisher's medal -- so to speak -- is actually their self-described "Best Post-Run Breakfast in Utah".  This included 2 choices of meet, French toast, a fruit cup and chocolate milk or orange juice.  Definitely epic and tasty!

One cool thing about the race is that they have a QR code on your bib that you scan for results.   I was pleased to see I had placed 3rd in the 50 - 59 age division.  I had seen a number of runners that appeared to be in my age group and I half figured I wasn't going to be in the winner's bracket this weekend.  Turns out I placed 3rd.  I kept pressing refresh on my phone as time went on to make sure someone hadn't nudged me out of this chip-timed race.

The finisher's medal was actually very nice -- heavy-duty and well designed.  Truly worth working hard for.  The inner portion also spins.  I was shocked that it wasn't a cheap-o one.

The shirt is made of the cotton / polyester blend.  I love their shirts -- very nicely designed.  Just wish they were 100% polyester.  So this one probably won't be worn for races but for easy runs or bumming around the house -- definitely.

My performance was decent on this race.  I knew I wasn't going to break 50 minutes on this course.  It is too hilly and the air temperature wasn't conducive to really running fast.  That being said, I did run better than I did at last weekend's 4th of July race in Riverton.  

This race was definitely worth the $20 and I plan on being there next year.  It was well organized and professionally timed.  Packet-pickup at the city hall was also easy and convenient.  The course is mostly a residential run, but it changes enough from ordinary houses, to tree-shrouded bike trail, and then bucolic tree-lined main street with some classic houses.  The crowd was good and friendly too -- just an epic locally organized race.

Please note: all course photos were taken after the race.

2021 Riverton Town Days 10K Race Recap - Riverton, UT

Official Time: 51:54
Placement: 5th in the 50 - 54, 46th overall
Results:  Here
Race Website: Here
Weather: Low 70's, 5 - 10 mph wind from the south
Garmin Dump: Here
Previous Years: First Year for Me

Mile	Time	Comments
1	8:04	Hemmed in at the start - at least for the first quarter mile.
2	8:09	Downhill running here but was already feeling the heat
3	8:42	Darn, where did everything go?
4	8:44	Should've signed up for the 5K
5	9:26	Really should've signed up for the 5K.
6	8:39	Final mile was all flat -- regrouped a bit.
6.02	0:08
	Total Miles: 6.02 - 51:55

Introduction

Like Thanksgiving, the 4th of July is one of those holidays where races are being run in multitude.  There are just a ton of races out there and finding one can be interesting.  

I decided to jump into the Riverton 10K.  It was affordable, close to home, and a course I was somewhat familiar with.  The Riverton Half Marathon, which is held in March, has been run on much of this course, 

The race organizer puts on well organized races and they are held at the local park, so it is an ideal venue for the race and was home to their 4th of July city celebrations.

The Race

I rolled into the race site just after 6:15 for the 7 AM start.  Packet pickup was a snap and I used the trek to to the pickup and back as a bit of a warm-up.  It was already pretty warm so I was going to limit my warm-up.  I did several drills and loosen up and I honestly felt really good.

My goal on this race was to get under 50 minutes.  50:30 also seemed like a realistic "B" goal.

Around 6:55 AM we assembled at the starting line and by 7 AM I was running.

I was in race mode and I was wearing my racing shoes -- a pair of Saucony Fastwitch 5's, which I've owned for years, but just rarely use.  

It was warm -- in the low 70's and there was a bit of a breeze coming from the south.  I hadn't anticipated that but I just kept going.  I also noticed that it was warm... like uncomfortably warm.

The first mile went by fast -- thanks in part to a slight downhill.  I was a bit shocked to see an 8:05 flash on my Garmin after mile 1.  I expected it to be a bit slower, due in part to not being able to dictate my own pace.  We were running a stretch of sidewalk to exit the park and it was just congested.  It wasn't long before we had the entire half of a street and I was able to settle into my 10K pace.  

The first mile is all residential street -- eventually dumping you onto Lover's Lane.  They are doing a lot of construction along there so it is a dirt road and hilly. I still felt somewhat okay as I breezed through the first aid station.

Mile 2 the screws were put to me and I knew this was going to not end well.  My legs started to feel heavy and it just seemed a lot harder to run.  I took a bit of solace in seeing my time of 8:09 show up as I crossed mile 2, but the way I felt, I had my doubts that a sub 50 minute 10K was in the works.

Mile 3 had me wishing I had signed up for the 5K (not that it would've been much prettier).  We were on the bike trail at this point and the race had thinned out.  I was in survival mode and keeping a watchful eye on my Garmin.  I hoped this race wasn't going to get ugly but I had a feeling it would... I felt like the first 3 miles were mostly downhill and it was a semi out-and-back course....

Mile 4 definitely saw my race go into the proverbial crapper.  Returning back along Lover's Lane just wiped me out.  There was a hill that wasn't terribly wrong, but I just had nothing on the ascent. I think my Garmin even thought I had quit running.

Finally we got off of Lover's Lane and its rolling hills.  I tried to make a good showing of it by hammering the final mile.  We were running with the slower 5K runners (who had started about 15 minutes after the 10K runners).

I kept willing the final turn to come in.  I kept telling myself just a few minutes more.

The crowd got me motivated in the last quarter mile and I gave what little I had left before crossing under the Riverton's arches at a time well over my "A" and "B" race.

Conclusion

So this was probably my worst race this year -- at least in terms of performance.  There just wasn't much going for it and whether it was a week of hard training, warm weather or just an off day -- it wasn't my race.  And after having run really well in March at the Riverton race (and recent 5K races), I felt it was reasonable to hit a low 50 minute 10K.

I actually felt better than I expected I would after the finish.  Part of me wonders if the heat got into my head and effected my race more than it should've.  

Post race refreshments were water, chocolate milk and bananas.  They also had ice cream popsicles and orange juice.

I paid an extra $10 for the shirt.  I wish it had been a 100% polyester but it is of good quality and I have a nice memento from the race.  They also awarded finisher's medals.

The race came up well short on my Garmin.  However, after talking with several people after the race, most got between 6.14 and 6.16 miles.  Their MapMyRun map plotted out 6.24 miles.  I suspect people (including myself) were aggressive in running the tangents while the course was probably measured based upon being on a certain side of road.

Overall, I liked the course.  It was challenging and offered some beautiful scenery -- particularly through Lover's Lane.  I paid $20 + $10 for the shirt -- so for a 10K a pretty nice bargain.  I would certainly do this race again.

2021 Taylorsville Dayzz 5K Race Recap - Taylorsville, UT

Official Time: 24:02
Placement: 17th overall, 1st in 50 - 59 age group
Results: Here
Race Website: Here
Weather: low to mid 60's, no wind
Garmin Dump: Here
Previous Years: [2019]

Mile	Time	Comments
1	7:48	This mile seemed harder and I expected to hit 8 minutes. Very happy with this
2	8:04	Hurting here.
3	7:56	Push it hard
3.04	0:13
	Total Miles: 3.04 - 24:02

Introduction

In 2019 before the pandemic, I jumped into the local 5K race that kicks off the city of Taylorsville summer celebrations.  It was well-organized race that is less than 10 minutes from my house.  It is also very affordable -- about a $20 race.  So I've had it tucked into my memory as a "do it again" race.

The Race

I rolled into the park around 6:15 for the 7 AM start.  I was one of the first there.  I had picked up my bib the previous day so I was ready to run.  

I wound up doing about a mile warm-up around the park's circumference to loosen up.  I felt really sluggish and at first I was beginning to question whether I had it today.  I had had a little caffeine but it didn't seem to have had any effect.  My legs felt tired and mentally I was tired.

Fortunately, after doing some dynamic warm-ups and the run, I did perk up. As I toed the line at about 7 AM though, I still felt out of it.

The gun went off and so did I.  There was a cap of 200 runners at the race and despite it being run on a walking path it wasn't crowded at all.  The race director had encouraged walkers / not competitive runners to line up in the back, so I was able to quickly get up to pace without having to navigate around too much.

The first mile I assumed was gonna be slow.  As I made my way around the paved bike / walking trail, I felt in control and not too fast. As per usual, my race instincts kick in and I am all business. I could certainly gut out a 5K.

I had a few people in front of me and one guy who I thought was in my age group behind me.  Only the 1st place in each age group had a shot at winning something and so I was hoping that I'd be a lucky winner.

By mile 1 I had broken the guy behind me and I was working off the 2nd place female and a few younger runners.  I was trying to hit around sub 8 minute miles and have something left for the final quarter mile.  I am still a little unsure of what I have these days.

Around mile 1.5 we were led off of the park's walking trail and onto the street.  I was hurting at this point and the few tiny mole hills that were around seemed to take more out of me. Also I was beginning to question the quantity of food I had had for breakfast: some dry Wheaties, a banana and an apple.  It seemed too much. 

Fortunately, the next mile or so was pancake flat.  We ran down a canal road of some sort that was line with some expensive houses.  It was incredible scenic and probably the most enjoyable part of the race.  There were also a few spectators here urging us on.  Finally we got dumped into a neighborhood before making our way back to the fairgrounds.

I had remembered this section from the previous year and I focused on just turning my legs over.  I was still working on catching up to the 2nd place woman, but I had lost some ground. 

The final mile was tough.  Normally this is where I crash and burn.  But I was able to hold it together here and turn in a sub 8 minute mile.  Normally, my 5K splits start fast, medium and then slow.  It was also heartbreaking to see the finish line and have to run a bit beyond it and then circle back from the south to reach it. 

I saw the elusive 23 minutes flashing on the timer's board as I approached the finish line.  Could I do it?  Could I hit sub 24 on a flat, legit 5k?

Conclusion

Sadly, I just missed breaking 24 minutes.  I ran under the finish line in 24:02.  Some of the pauses as I regrouped myself in the middle miles cost me.  But I was close -- oh so close.

Post race free bananas!

I had a sneaking suspicion that I had won my age group.  The winner -- who finished in 15:30 or so -- was an older fellow so he was excluded automatically from my age group.  And while I hadn't gotten a good look at everyone in the race, I didn't see anyone in my age group that was close to me (although with chip timing you never know).

I did win my age group, and I also snagged my first ever cash prize of $25.

Yeah for winnings!

So I have mixed feeling about my performance at this race.  I was shooting for a 23:45.  My goal was hitting a sub 24 but I felt capable of hitting my goal.  However, I did have some residual tiredness from last week's half marathon and I'll be honest June hasn't been a great training month.  That being said, I was very close and I finished 50 seconds faster than 2019.  Progress!

I paid about $20 for the race. I got a nice tech shirt (although I may be a little reluctant to wear it on account of its neon pink), a jam-packed swag bag, and a nice commemorative medal.  Post race refreshments were water, bananas, and granola bars.

I ran the same course as 2019, but this year my Garmin read 3:04 miles.  In 2019 it was 3.09 and most people I talked to had 3:09 to 3:11.  So I am presuming this was a legitimate course (either that -- or I am really good at running tangents).

I definitely have some work to do to keep bringing down my times.  I took some time off of running in early June and this past week I didn't run much, on account I was incredibly sore from last Saturday's half marathon.  But this was yet another positive race for 2021.

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.

June 2021 Running in Review

 

Total Miles: 805 (as of 6/13/2021)

Running Report

It has been a while since I've done an update on my running.  There has been a lull in the race scene since early May.  Most of the races that happen in spring around here are "big" events.  And most other race vendors sort of clear the way for these events.

However, with Covid-19 apparently wrapping up, these events were held virtually.  Which meant as much as I would've liked to have had raced in person, I had to do my events virtually.

The races I did virtually (the Salt Lake City half Marathon and the Ogden Half Marathon) did offer deferrals, but I had already done my deferral from last year and I figured it would just be best to cash them in and get something. 

So for each of those races I ran a virtual half marathon along the Jordan River.  The weather conditions weren't the greatest and to be honest, I hadn't been putting in the miles I would've liked to have.  But I did run each of them in about 1:55 to 1:58.  Definitely not my great half marathons and it was challenging to muster an "A" level effort.

That has left me with time to train and put in some miles.  And I've done a fair job of doing once or twice a week speedwork sessions.  But it also drove me into a bit of a hole.

By the first week of June I was starting to feel unusually sore.  While I had no problem doing my runs, and I got the miles in, they were simply put, exhausting and painful.  I was plagued with poor sleep and muscle soreness.  It got to the point where I was in a lot of discomfort and despite being about 2 to 3 weeks out from a key half marathon, I decided to shut things down for a bit.  And you know what? It helped -- a lot.  I took 4 - 5 days off and when I came back, I felt better and certainly less "in pain".  

I probably should've taken a bit more time off but with the half marathon looming I felt compelled to get some miles in.

This break has also has made me realize I need to go back to the drawing board to determine what is important to me and to factor in rest periods.  The junk miles that I've been doing I think are hindering my recovery.  I used to be able to run 6 - 8 times a week, but I think at this point I am going to have to dial it back to 5.  Also if my race forecast is 5K / 10K races, there really isn't much need to go beyond 8 miles for a long run.

My diet is still under control and for the most part I eat fairly clean.  I still enjoy some 100 calorie dessert snacks but I try to eat mostly vegetables and fruits.  And when I shop I hit the produce / fruit aisle hard.

Now that summer is here, I am hoping to transition to morning runs.  As I write this, I did my first one this morning; and what a difference.  With temperatures hovering around the upper 80's to the 90's, it makes it very hard for an afternoon runner like myself to get in quality runs. 

So this morning I got up at 5:30 AM and hammered out 7 miles.  So much cooler and I wasn't dying from the heat.  It was more challenging running in a carb-depleted state but still, this was a solid run.

I am also doing some cross training while hiking.  They definitely improve my leg strength and my ability to suffer through some ascents.  I haven't done any new hikes so far this year, but have been busy revisiting some of my previous trails.

Upcoming Races

I am definitely looking forward to the next month.  I have a bunch of opportunities to really see where I am speed-wise.  My times are looking better and I continuing to do strides, intervals and reps in order to hone my speed.  Let's hope for some fast times and hopefully cooler temperatures.

06/19: 2021 Lamoille Canyon Half Marathon - Lamoille, NV (Confirmed)

06/26: 2021 Taylorsville Dayzz 5K - Taylorsville, UT (Confirmed)

07/03: 2021 Riverton 4th of July 10K - Riverton, UT (Confirmed)

07/10: 2021 Farmington Days 10K - Farmington, UT (Confirmed)

07/17: 2021 Mantua Reservoir 5 Miler - Mantua, UT (Confirmed)

07/31: 2021 Alien Run 10K - Magna, UT (Confirmed)

08/07: 2021 Roy Days 5K - Roy, UT (Confirmed)

08/14: Bluffdale Badlands 10K - Bluffdale, UT (Confirmed)

08/21: 2021 PC2PG 10K - Lindon, UT (Confirmed)

09/11: 2021 Rock the Canyon 10K - Provo, UT (Confirmed)

12/04: 2021 Laughlin Half Marathon - Laughlin, NV (Confirmed)

02/27: 2022 Las Vegas Half Marathon - Las Vegas (Confirmed)