2024 Sun Half Marathon Race Recap - Santa Clara, UT

Waiting for the race to start

Official Time: 1:53:31
Placement: 3rd in the 50-54 age division, 52nd overall
Results:  Here
Race Website: Here (race date 1/27/2024)
Weather: Mid 30's no wind at the start, finish in the mid to upper 40's
Garmin Dump: Here
Previous Years: [2020]

Mile	Time	Comments
1	8:43	Gentle downhill start
2	8:49
3	8:43	Being consistent and daring to go a little faster
4	8:40
5	8:34
6	9:10	First real hill.  Still holding a decent pace.
7	8:24	Fast downhill here -- 150 feet of decline
8	8:52	A bit of a climb here -- a short but steep hill.
9	8:32	Time to step it up.
10	8:17	Starting to run fast.
11	9:24	Long, grinding hill
12	8:21	Mostly flat -- time to finish strong
13	7:56	Awesome final mile. 90 feet of decline and the smell of the finish waiting for me
13.13	0:57
Total Miles: 13.13 1:53:27

Abandoned structure along the course.

Introduction

So 2 weeks prior to this race I ran the 2024 Virgin River Half Marathon and astounded myself with an amazing time of 1:54:15.  I felt like I could've run the course faster despite having a fairly lackluster lead up to the race.  

Running the Virgin River Half Marathon

After the buzz of the race began to where off, I began to question myself -- was it a fluke or was my fitness really where I hoped it would be?

I had a bit of race fever and buoyed with the thought of being to run faster than I thought I began to look for another race.  Given that the Salt Lake area is pretty devoid of races, particularly half marathons in the winter, I wasn't given much of a choice locally.  I did spy the Sun Half Marathon in St George.  It seemed to fit the bill -- a fast course, warmer weather, a beautiful area, and I had run it before in 2020.

I did some research and some soul searching.  Did I really want to race again?  Make the four hour drive?  I found a decently priced hotel, made sure it was within the budget and ponied up for the last minute race entry (about $85).  I was set for another, hopefully, epic weekend!

Waiting for the race to start.

The Race

The race hasn't changed much since I did it pre-Covid.  My how the world has changed in the last 4 years.  I remember the course being mostly downhill, but not crazy downhill.  My Garmin indicates that I ran about 900 feet of downhill, but to keep things honest, there was about 425 of uphill.  

Anticipation before the start

I had picked up my bib the night before at the St George Running Center and I arrived at Archie Gubler Park at 6:30 AM to jump on a 7:00 AM bus.  There was plenty of parking and I could chill in my car for a bit before loading on to the bus for the 20 minute (or so) ride to the start.

I had brought a fair amount of clothing.  I knew that the starting area wasn't going to have much for amenities and there is nothing worse than waiting for a race to start and freezing.  I was quite comfortable though and I wound up making small talk with people and seeing familiar faces.

Run4Fun Group from FB

In 2020 the course came up a bit long on my Garmin (13.30).  This year, we started close to a quarter mile closer to the finish than the previous year.  I knew that we were going to have an accurate 13.10 miles (the mile markers also were spot on).

Taking care of pre-race nerves

A few minutes before the race, I took off all of my warmer gear and was ready to race in the slightly cool air:  shorts, a single t-shirt, and thin gloves.  I was perfectly attired for the race -- although I'd probably recommend sunglasses.

The race started promptly at 8:30 and we were off running down a lightly traveled canyon just a mile or so south of Gunlock Reservoir.

I stuck with the 2-hour pacer for the first mile or two.  That had been my strategy 2 weeks ago at the Virgin River race.  But I knew I could run faster and while the 2-hour pacer was going a little faster than 2 hours (on account of the decline) I wound up pulling ahead.  Part of me was wondering if I was making a mistake -- was I pushing too quickly?

I don't normally pay attention to my heart rate on a race (it's always too high) but my breathing felt good and I didn't feel like I was straining in the slightest.  My pace was good and not crazy.

The first few miles flew by and memories of the course came back from 2020.  It was so peaceful and the sunlight was playing off of the red rock canyon.  Around the 5K point, the runners joined up on Route 91 -- an older freeway.  We had a good portion of the shoulder and traffic was still light.  I was enjoying the easy pace and the mostly downhill part of the race.  My pace was improving and I still felt in control.

Mile 6 or so was the first "test".  Here was a decent hill and it took a bit to get up and over.  It was nearly a half mile long.  I remained patient and conserved energy here.  I was still within my goal of a 2-hour half marathon thanks to having banked time.

The closer we got to civilization, the more traffic there was on the road.  It sort of lost its coziness and peacefulness.  Fortunately, unlike in 2020, there was a new bike trail put well off to the side of the road.  This made it a lot safer and I could focus on running versus wondering if a speeding car was going to take me out.  

The course support was really good -- and hydration stations were about every 2 - 3 miles.  For the temperatures of the day, it was perfect.  There were pockets of spectators -- mostly cheering on family members, but for the most part it was solo running.  Occasionally I'd get passed by a full marathoner, who had had a 90 minute head start but I was slowly picking off other half marathoners.  And my pace was quickening.

I wanted to start my pickup a bit sooner on this race and around mile 7 I was moving well.  I was aided by some downhills.  I had also consumed a Roctane GU and I think the jolt of sugar and caffeine perked me up.  There was a hill that made me slow down but overall, I was very pleased with my pace.

Mile 10 - So hard

I had visions of smashing the final 4 miles and it was also at this time I passed what I thought was a person in my age group.  I had hopes that I'd place in my age group, but having studied the results from the past few years I knew I had what I figured to be a 50-50 chance.  It all depended who showed up and if I got lucky.

I definitely remembered mile 10 through 11 from 2020.  It is where you leave the highway and you have about 5KM left to run.  That mile is where things are starting to hurt. I still felt really strong and plowed up the hill. I saw the 10KM turn around and did the math in my head and knew that this course should come in right at 13.1.

Visions of running 8:30 or so were playing in my head as I ran up this mile-long, gradual hill.  I dared to look at my watch and I was well over 9 minutes.  If there was a heartbreak hill to this race, this was it.  My heart rate was definitely spiking as I willed myself to run fast.

It was only discouraging me, though and I told myself to be patient.  I remembered that once I got to the top, it'd be flat and then a final fast mile.  Sure enough, upon the summit, I was back on the flat section and I could feel my confidence and pace quicken.  A solid 8:21 rang up on my watch.

I was running with the outbound 10KM runners.  It was nice to see them coming along and I was still reeling in a few other runners.  I knew I was on for a good time.

Home stretch -- finish line to my left

The final mile is through a well-to-do section and it is primarily downhill and fast.  I couldn't ask for a better mile.  I gave it all I had as I slalomed down the twisty drive. I hit my fastest mile of the race -- a but 8 minute.

I was cheered by a throng a well wishers as I closed in to the finish line.  A sharp turn and a short distance later, I had finished.

Final stretch

Crossing the finish line!

Conclusion

To say I was ecstatic would be an understatement.  I smashed this race -- running faster than the previous half marathon.  This course came in accurately and my final mile was the fastest of the race (okay it was downhill but still).

I still felt good too -- there wasn't any death march on this race and I could've put in another mile or two.

The moment of truth came though -- had I placed?  I wound up looking up the live results and I found myself 3rd in my age group.  Would it hold though?  Was there someone who started behind me who would beat me?  No.  I was really happy -- always nice to go home with an additional medal and a bit of bragging rights.

All Smiles after a successful race.

I managed to get some snacks in me: fruit, granola bars, sports drink and ice cream sandwiches.  There was a really good crowd at the end -- with a 5K, 10K, half marathon and full marathon, the race was well attended and there was a lot of excitement.

It didn't take long to hand out the awards and it was nice to socialize with runners.  The morning was absolutely beautiful.  Sunny, not a cloud in the sky and a comfortable 50-something degree weather.  I probably should've hung out a bit longer but once I got my award, I decided to head back to the hotel to get cleaned up.

Overall, I had an awesome time at this race.  Not only was my running a success -- my fitness for a half marathon *is* there, but the morning and course was absolutely beautiful.  I just felt so fortunate that I was able to experience the beauty of Southern Utah.  Also, I didn't kill myself running the race: my pace was controlled and at no point did I feel like the wheels were coming off.  What a difference it makes when you run a half marathon like that versus some of the final miles of my half marathons in 2023.

There's been a lot of improvements to race since 2020 -- namely the safer route that avoids some of the fast traffic along the 2-lane highway.  The race was also well supported with ample aid stations and bathrooms.

I kept asking myself why did I wait so long to run this race again?  Hopefully I'll remember this experience next year and make the journey back down to St George to run this race.

Upcoming Races

02/10: 2024 South Davis Recreation Center Sweethearts 5K - Bountiful, UT (Confirmed)

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

03/02: 2024 March Madness 10K - West Bountiful, UT (Confirmed)

03/30: 2024 Eggs Legs 10K - West Jordan, UT (Confirmed)

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

04/27: 2024 Apple Blossom 10K - Santaquin, UT (Confirmed)

05/27: 2024 Run of Remembrance 10K - American Fork,  UT 

06/01: 2024 Utah Valley Half Marathon - Provo, 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)

2024 Virgin River Half Marathon Race Recap - St George, UT

Official Time: 1:54:15
Placement: 8th out of 17 in the 50 - 54 age division, 114st out of 334
Results:  Here
Race Website: Here
Weather: Lower 30's, no wind
Garmin Dump: Here
Previous Years: [2023] [2019] [2018] [2017] [2016]

Mile	Time	Comments
1	9:03	Easing into the race
2	9:04
3	9:03	Still going out cautiously. Hanging just ahead of the 2-hour pacer
4	9:05
5	9:11	Grindy hill here, slowed me up
6	8:59	Holding steady
7	8:56
8	9:01	Decent climb here. I was ready to run though.
9	8:55
10	8:29	Starting to run fast.
11	8:40	Had to climb a bridge embankment. Lost some momentum
12	8:16	Wow! Rocking the last mile
12.91	7:27	Pushing it to the finish!
Total Miles: 12.91 1:54:15

Introduction

So normally in January -- in the dead of winter -- in the Salt Lake City area there isn't much in terms of racing.  There are some 5Ks but if you are looking for something with a big feel event, you have to travel.

Most winters I toy with the idea of running the Virgin River Half Marathon down in the southern part of the state, where the winters are milder.  This race is one of the longest (if not the longest running) half marathons in the state.  It was formerly known as the St George Half Marathon but now that the full marathon in October has a half, they rebranded it.

The race offers a 5K, 10K and a half marathon.  It is well organized, well supported and just an idea weekend getaway.  The weather is almost spring like and you always have Las Vegas and Mesquite just a short jump away.

It is also a great way to test your fitness at a slightly lower elevation than Salt Lake.

The Race

The race packet pickup was on Friday and I got my bib shortly before 3 PM.  There were a few vendors and I wound up spending a $1 for a t-shirt I really didn't need.    Pickup was a snap though and I could've been in and out in under 5 minutes.  But I lingered a bit, gabbing with vendors and getting my photo taken in front of the display areas.

Despite having driven 4 hours to St George, I laced up and hit the bike trail just south of the convention center.  I wanted to simply get in a short and easy 5K.  It was so much warmer than Salt Lake, but after the drive, not eating that great beforehand, and just feeling lethargic, it wasn't a confidence building run at all.  I did appreciate some of the views though.

My training hasn't gone particularly over since Thanksgiving (late November).  I've felt sluggish, flat and not very fast.  I've logged miles consistently though, but I wouldn't call myself in peak fitness.  

I was at a race however, and despite as much as I wanted to race, I knew that my last few half marathons have been tough experiences.  So I settled and told myself to just enjoy the run, and shoot for 2 hours.  Maybe I can bump up the pace and hit 1:57, but I didn't want to have a horrible final 4 miles at the end.

I actually slept pretty decent the night before and was able to take advantage of the breakfast buffet at my host hotel (The Red Lion).  With a 9 AM start, I had a leisurely approach to the morning and best of all there wasn't any bus to ride to the start line.  All I had to do was arrive at the convention center, find a parking spot in the amply-sized parking lot, and walk to the starting line. 

However, I had a bit of a hiccup.  When I arrived, I saw that it was 26F.  I had a jacket on, one t-shirt, thin gloves and short shorts.  I definitely felt like it wasn't enough and I was NOT willing to run with the jacket.  My hotel was about a 4 minute drive one way, so I wound up driving back to the hotel, grabbing another shirt and drove back to the race. I still had 20 minutes to spare.

I wound up using the convention center's facilities and was interviewed by the local running store about my shoe choices before heading outside to the start line.  I don't normally do much for warm-ups for half marathons.

I found the 2 hour pacer and decided I was going to run a little ahead of him.  I need to hold onto about a 9 minute per mile.  The way I have been feeling of late, I wondered if I was even capable of this.

The race started and I held back, conserving energy.  I kept the pacer behind me, but I could always hear him.  My breathing felt easy and in control.  We immediately jumped onto the bike trail and memories of last year's race came flooding back.  In the back of my mind, I wondered if they had corrected the distance from last year's 13.3 miles.

I was enjoying the scenery and the chilly morning air.  I was comfortable in a ball cap, my two t-shirts, thin gloves and short shorts.  

The first 5K or so was entirely on the bike trail.  At times it was a little congested, but after a mile we had spread out and I never felt hemmed in.

The final stretch (taken during my shake out run)

I was tempted to speed up a bit, but I told myself to be patient.  At times the 9 minute mile felt hard and other times, too easy.  I had some questions on my endurance.  Occasionally the 2 hour pacer got close to me and even passed me once but I glanced at my pace and he was going faster than he should've.  I think he realized his error soon and dialed it back.

The next 5K was in a subdivision.  Not the most exciting of running but at least here there was decent crowd support.  People were sitting in their yards enjoying the morning and giving us support.

Around half way I ripped into my first GU.  I had brought two of them, but I only used one. I really enjoy the Roctane Tutti Fruitti flavor and I was hoping a little extra sugar and caffeine would help.  I didn't feel I needed it, but I knew I needed to keep the energy stores going.  I wound up nursing it for the entire race (I remember throwing it away at the finish line).  

I was wearing my Chicken Legs Donut designed shorts as well -- which got a lot of laughs and "wow's" along the way.  It just made the run feel easy and delightful and brought a smile to my face.

Around mile 7 or so I deliberately picked up the pace.  Just a little.  Perhaps it was the gel or perhaps my pacing was spot on, but I felt like I had more to give.  I was quite comfortable and I remembered my goal of running 1:57.  If I could just speed up a bit more I'd have a shot.  The 2-hour pacer dimmed in my "rear view mirror".

I knew the course and around mile 8.5 is the final hill.  At that point, we'd get a downhill and then flats all the way back to the start.  The course is a little bit of a heartbreaker as you pass within a half mile of the finish line.  It was also worth noting that the mile markers were pretty much spot on.

When I got to the top of the hill, at least year's event, we continued down about another tenth of a mile or so before rounding a cone and heading back to the summit of the hill.  Mentally it was tough but I understood the purpose.  This year, there was none of that.  I even asked the course marshal -- but he said I shouldn't go the way I thought we should and no one else was either.  And sure enough he was right -- the mile markers were still spot on.

Once again, I felt great.  I once again inched up my pace -- I could smell the finish line.  I had hydrated pretty well, the GU was kicking in, and to be honest, I felt strong.

We had a bit more downhill that is always icy year after year and upon completing that part I decided to go all in.  Cautiously, I moved my pace up to about 8:30.  

I began to reel in all kinds of people.  I was running hard but still comfortably.  Part of me was wondering if I was going to crash and burn, but I was going to roll with it and whatever happens would happen.

The last 4 miles has some nice crowd support.  There was a city park where I ran through about 50 supporters and we had to cross a bridge near a busy road that was line with spectators.  It helped to get some cheers from people.

Around 2 miles out I did run into a fellow competitor. I do think he was a little younger than me but he definitely did not want me to pass him.  I'd try to pass and he'd inch up his pace to match mine.  I'd dial it back and he'd dial his pace back.  This was a race after all and it was nice to have someone to compete against.  I have had very few tactical races in my lengthy running career but this was one of those special times.  This could've been an opportunity for me to inch back my pace and not give it everything I had, but this guy brought out my inner fire.

I could sense though, with every surge I did, that he was tiring a bit.  I could hear his breathing while mine stayed fairly constant.  Eventually, I did put in a final surge that he couldn't counter and I wound up pursuing more competitors down the trail.  We wound up congratulating each other at the end of the race and I do think we brought out a little bit of our fighting spirit in each other.

With one mile to go, I started to do a bit of math -- perhaps I could even reach the 1:55 pacer.  With a quarter of a mile remaining, my form started to deteriorate.  When I get tired, I have a tendency to lean to one side and I was clearly doing it.  I was at near 5K pace at this point and I was laying it all on the line.

Oddly enough the end of the bike trail and the final stretch of tarmac appeared.  I looked at my watch and I had 12.8 miles where the 13 mile marker was.  This was the first mile marker that -- at least on my Garmin -- was off.  The 1:55 pacer was ahead of me and he was doing a delaying tactic so he could finish at 1:55.  

I sprinted to the finish and crossed under at 1:54:15.

Conclusion

It goes without saying that I was ecstatic was my race performance.  Just completely over the moon.  I had paced my so well, worked out a strategy and exceeded my own expectations.  And despite the course probably being short (most people got 12.9X on their watches) I figure I still would've hit somewhere around 1:55:45 or so for a full 13.1.

Also, oddly enough, I didn't feel like warmed over death at the end.  I simply stopped, caught my breath and got something to drink (of all things I grabbed a hot chocolate).  I wasn't sore and I felt like I could've kept going for a bit longer.

I got my medal and wound up getting a few photos, snacks, and chatted with people.  Post race refreshments included hot chocolate, water, Gatorade, bananas, oranges, fruit snacks and such.  It was still chilly at the finish but they had heating lamps and you had the opportunity to use the convention center to change or warm up a bit.

I liked the medal a lot and the shirt was nicely designed -- although not a fan of white shirts on account that they show stains.  

This race was a huge confidence builder for me.  Despite having some subpar sessions and not great long runs leading up to the race, I felt like I still had more I could give.  With some sharpening, training and a little more preparation, I am thinking February's Las Vegas Half Marathon could have some good results if the weather works in my favor.

This race was one of my worst performance's last year and this year I sense this one may go down as the best.  I really couldn't have scripted a more satisfying finish and I exceeded my initial expectations.  I really enjoy this race and the comradery during it: with 400 runners, I always had someone to work with.  While I didn't place in my age group (not even close -- this is a very competitive race), I still came away with a huge smile on my face.  Even as I write this up, 4 days after the event, I am still "glowing" with satisfaction.

Upcoming Races

02/10: 2024 South Davis Recreation Center Sweethearts 5K - Bountiful, UT (Confirmed0

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

03/02: 2024 March Madness 10K - West Bountiful, UT (Confirmed)

03/30: 2024 Eggs Legs 10K - West Jordan, UT (Confirmed)

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

04/27: 2024 Apple Blossom 10K - Santaquin, UT (Confirmed)

05/27: 2024 Run of Remembrance 10K - American Fork,  UT 

06/01: 2024 Utah Valley Half Marathon - Provo, 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)

2023 Year in Running

In Mesquite Nevada - along my favorite stretch of bike trail

Total Miles: 1898

I am very happy with the total.  I would've liked to have hit 2000 but given how much I raced and the training I did, 1900 miles is a good consolation prize.  

Products of the Year:

I found three products that made a huge difference in my running.  First off, though, I should state that I am not really a product hound. Meaning, I pretty much have run with the same type of equipment year after year.  I suspect seeing some of these items on YouTube convinced me to give them a shot.

The Zipper Flip Belt: I used to stash my keys under a tire during a race and I'd go running without a phone.  Now -- I don't have to worry about it.  This belt holds gels, keys, and even a phone.  Usually while running, I forget it is even there.  I don't always use it, but it's been a nice addon for races and long runs and it is super secure -- even hotel keys don't slip out of the back of it. Well worth the investment.

Brooks Glycerin: I went to the store seeking a more cushioned shoe over my steadfast Brooks Adrenalines and I was sold on these.  The shoes aren't pillow soft but they are a definitely a smoother ride over the Adrenaline shoe.  I found myself working less hard and ran faster for my easy runs with the shoes.  They also lasted MUCH longer than the Adrenalines... with my first pair hitting over 425 miles (and I suspect I could've gotten more out of them). These might make my new daily trainer over the Adrenalines.  The downside is that they are slightly more expensive (about $20)

Saucony Endorphin Pro 2s:  There are later editions to this shoe out, but I got these last year during a blowout sale and I bought them on a whim -- sight unseen.  Normally the shoe runs for $150 or more -- and I got a pair for $89.  After my initial run with them, I came home and immediately ordered another pair.  I could run significantly faster compared to even the speedy FastTwitches and they became my go-to race shoe.  I used them for nearly every race after the St George Half Marathon and I think I got a nice boost from them. It took a bit for my feet to get used to them, but the times I was turning in were awesome.  By the end of the year, I had snagged another 2 pairs of shoes and managed to make the initial pair work for over 400 miles.  Just an incredible product for the money.

How Things Went

I set out with some pretty ambitious goals for 2023.  Most of them I successfully completed:

Work on Speed: Very Successful.  Throughout the year I made it a point to at least once a week do some sort of speed session.  I collected several from YouTube and implemented them frequently.  This is the one thing I am most proud of:  I was dedicated to working during my daily runs.

Smash 24 for the 5K: Mildly Successful   I ran several sub 24 minute 5Ks throughout the year.  My stretch goal was to hit 23:30.  I had higher hopes for even faster times, which I didn't hit.

  

Keep doing Easy Miles: Very Successful.  Most of my runs were at the zone 2 heart rate.  I embraced the 80 / 20 (80% of my miles are easy, the rest are work).  I over raced though which interfered with this ratio.  The 80% helped me bulk up my mileage without causing undo stress.  I am happy to report that I also didn't suffer any significant injuries this year either.

Embrace Racing Longer Distances: Very Successful.  I don't recall ever setting out to do this specifically but this I did well -- running  8 half marathons.  I had some grand visions of potentially running a full marathon, but I never committed to it.  I did way too many of these races, but it felt good covering that distance.

Do Strength Training: Mildly Successful   For the most part I was successful at this.  More or less, it depended upon my energy levels and what was on TV.  But I was more consistent than not and I think it is one reason why I stayed injury free this year.

Do a Destination Race: Successful.  The one race I did that qualifies was the Cedar City Half Marathon.  It wasn't quite a "new" destination but it was a race I hadn't done before and it did require a hotel stay.  I thoroughly enjoyed it despite having a tough race.

Goals for 2024

Race Less:  This sounds very easy, but for me, it is a bit of a "do I really want this?".  The short answer is that it is probably for the best.  I can't think of many races that I did in 2023 where I felt 100% rested.  I think largely it was because I carried a fairly large training load and I went into every race thinking it might be my day to PR.  Some races have more meaning than others and I need to learn to hold back on races that don't offer a lot.  This will allow me to train a bit harder throughout the week and not get overly fatigued from racing too often.

Do a New Race: The question is which one?  I definitely will need to start to do some race shopping to successfully complete this one.  Also the asterisk next to this one is that I should try to do one that isn't local -- some place new.

Run 1750+ Miles: This one just takes consistency and staying injury free. This really is a "given" in my yearly goals and not much of a stretch goal

Goal Times:  This is the area which will require work / dedication and is my primary focus for this year.  My goal times for the year: 23:30 for the 5K, sub 49 for the 10K and 1:51 for the half marathon.  All presume flat, certified courses.  By building up a solid base and doing my weekly speed sessions, I think this is doable.

Clean up my Diet: This year saw the return of all the weight I had lost during the pandemic.  The culprit to some extent is the return of eating out at restaurants too much.  I also bought too much junk food for around the house.  The weight I've gained -- about 15 pounds -- has definitely slowed me down.  I need to get back to basics and watch my portion control.

Upcoming Races

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

02/10: 2024 South Davis Recreation Center Sweethearts 5K - Bountiful, UT (Confirmed0

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

03/02: 2024 March Madness 10K - West Bountiful, UT (Confirmed)

03/30: 2024 Eggs Legs 10K - West Jordan, UT (Confirmed)

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

04/27: 2024 Apple Blossom 10K - Santaquin, UT (Confirmed)

05/27: 2024 Run of Remembrance 10K - American Fork,  UT 

06/01: 2024 Utah Valley Half Marathon - Provo, 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)

2023 Race Summary

 

By far my favorite photo of the year

Introduction

I was busy this year!  I didn't really intend it to work out this way, but I simply couldn't turn down a chance to race it would seem.

I did have some opportunities to run on the cheap -- or even free.  It started with some of the Black Friday deals that came out in 2022. I snapped up any bargain race I could.  I also know a timer, who would occasionally give me an entry into a race (part of his contract).

Had higher hopes at the Riverton Half Marathon

Number of Races Run (35)

• 5Ks: 17
• 10Ks: 10
• Half Marathons: 8

Most of the races were 5K / 10K distances, which was my primary focus for the year.  Late in the year and early, I wound up doing a few half marathons as well. I found the half marathon getting a bit harder.  A decade ago, I could mail one in and get it done without too much stress.  Now, they are a bit more work and take more out of me.

The over-racing did take a toll on me, particularly in the summer.  I'd race on Saturday and try to run long on Sunday.  Sometimes I could do it, sometimes I couldn't. Usually by Tuesday I could attempt a speed session and then the rest of the week would be prepping for the next weekend's race.  I'll be honest, the racing did interfere with some quality sessions and my weekly training.

I love to toe the line and get a t-shirt, medal and see friends.  It was fun at times and other times I asked myself why I was putting myself through this.  I never felt 100% recovered at most points in the year.  I remember standing at the starting line at some of the races and asking myself, "Why am I here?"  Mostly the answer came back as "This is what I do and this is what I train for".

Overall Performance

I am pretty happy with my times this year.  With consistent speed training, remaining injury free, and the Saucony Endorphin Pro 2's on my feet, I ran well.  I had higher hopes but overall my times are in line with what I was training at.

I've found that as I get older, my ability to perform great gets harder and harder.  I've raced for nearly 20 years now, so ultimately I'll probably never reach where I was at when I was in my 30s.  I do think I can get faster though, which was the goal for 2023.

I dedicated the year to speed work and smart training sessions.  The speed sessions in particular helped and built my confidence and pain tolerance.  I also boosted my mileage up to about 40 miles per week.  I think I could've gotten this even higher if I had dialed back the races a little more.  While it wasn't quite the breakout year I had envisioned, I do feel like I am a stronger runner than now compared to where I was at the start of the year.

Below, I have listed my best and worst race performances of the year.  These events are in no way reflective on the race organizer.  It is a day where I showed up ready to race and either something good came out or something didn't work out.  I have excluded the super fast downhill races, for the most part.  While just about any massive downhill race can be considered a great race due to the usually fast times, I don't think they are reflective to how I ran.

Overall, though, I am really happy with the way my race season turned out in 2023.  I raced a lot, felt like I ran well and improved.  There seemed to be more focus in my training and I really enjoyed the experience throughout the year.

Best Race Performances:

Run SLC 5K

The year started off with a bang on this race.  I set out a goal of running sub 24 and despite it being very cold, I ran really well.  This race is fast and I believe a measured course that is truly 3.10 miles.  While my time was pretty much the same as when I ran it in 2022, I felt like I was on target for hitting my goal of running a 23:30 5K.

Rock 'n Roll Las Vegas Half Marathon

I hadn't run particularly well for my inaugural half marathon in 2023 and I've only run "well" in Las Vegas one or two times, so I had my doubts that this race would make it to my list.  But for the second year in a row, it did. The race started off without a lot of excitement and I was able to settle into an easy relaxed pace.  As the race progressed, my pace got a bit faster.  It was aided with a tailwind and a new pair of carbon-plated shoes.  I was still running strong well into the race, despite now having a headwind and late in the race I decided to really push.  What did I have?  I managed to finish with a 1:54 -- not exactly a stellar time, but I felt like I had finished strong and persevered through what is normally "not a good race" for me.  Honorable mention goes to the Salt Lake City Half Marathon as well.

Utah Valley 10K

This is the one race I put on the list that was downhill.  The course was also short, according to my Garmin.  However, it wasn't an insanely downhill race and I felt that the way I ran it and pushed hard at the end, gave me a ton of confidence in that I was heading in right direction.  I was also coming off a great 10K at the Eggs Legs Race, so I knew my training was going in the right direction.  I still remember the young man who paced me in the last mile and made me not give up.  Hopefully I'll run into him again.

Worst Race Performances:

Virgin River Half Marathon

So the year started off not so hot.  I stepped into the Virgin River Half Marathon and it was a new course.  Armed with some decent training, and a lot of confidence, I expected this race to go well.  It did for about the first half of the race. After that -- the wheels slowly fell off.  My initial pace was fine, but it just wasn't there and I knew it.  Perhaps my endurance wasn't the greatest, but I remember the last 2 - 3 miles being dreadful.

Snow Canyon Half Marathon

This race was a tale of two races.  And I really wanted to PR here.  I felt rested, well-trained and I knew the course. The weather was cool with only a mild headwind.  This the day for a PR.  

The first 15K were a blast ... running the downhills at near 10K race pace.  The final 6K?  There were times were I just wanted to sit on the side of the curb and cry.  I got it done and my overall time wasn't bad, but it could've been so much better. 

Lindon Days 5K

This was a race I had no business racing.  I think a friend was going to be there, it was cheap and there was nothing else going on that Saturday.  The course was hilly, long, and I had raced a lot in the past few weeks.  I remember feeling just awful at the starting line and questioning myself why I was there.  From the get go, it wasn't there and it was a race that left me frustrated with myself.

Upcoming Races

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

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

03/02: 2024 March Madness 10K - West Bountiful, UT (Confirmed)

03/30: 2024 Eggs Legs 10K - West Jordan, UT (Confirmed)

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

04/27: 2024 Apple Blossom 10K - Santaquin, UT (Confirmed)

05/27: 2024 Run of Remembrance 10K - American Fork,  UT 

06/01: 2024 Utah Valley Half Marathon - Provo, 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)