2022 Haunted Half 5K Race Recap - Salt Lake City, UT

Post race photo with the headless horseman

Official Time: 23:24
Placement: 6th in age age group, 42nd male
Race Website: Here

Results: Results
Weather: mid 60's, 20 mph winds from the south
Garmin Dump: Here
Previous Years: [2021] [2020]

Mile	Time	Comments
1	7:31	Rocket start. A few tiny hills but 100 feet of downhill.
2	7:33	Repeat of the first mile.  Spurts of speed but cruising
3	7:38	Lost a bit of time running into the finisher's chute
3.10	0:45	Stopped my watch late, probably ran this a little faster.
	Total Miles: 3.10: 23:29

At the bib expo the day before the race.

Introduction

One of the premiere events to do during the Halloween season is Runtastic's Haunted Half races. It is a heavily attended races set in Salt Lake County and Utah County that offers a 5K and half marathon distance.  They usually get over a 1500 runners for their races, so the competition can be fierce for one of their coveted award medals.

For the past 2 years I've signed up for the Salt Lake edition.  Each year the course has been different. The first year was around the neighborhood's of the downtown zoo -- which were very hilly.  The next year was around a park in the downtown area.  This year, was a super fast course that involved bus transportation 3 miles up a canyon and you ran until you hit the zoo area. This course promised fast times and it certainly delivered!

The Race

As stated above, the race was set to start at 8:00 AM about 3 miles up Emigration Canyon.  When the settlers first arrived in Utah some 150 years ago, they took this route into the Salt Lake Valley.  

Now it is a well traveled scenic route that is lined with hills, hiking trails and expensive houses nestled on the sides of the canyon.

When I arrived at the race site, the bus loading was packed and lined up well over several hundred people deep.  They had instructed us to arrive by 6:55 and at 6:45 they already had a problem.

It wasn't until 7:15 that I was on a bus and about 10 minutes later dropped 3 miles up the canyon.  On the way there, I had taken stock of the course -- it was going to be a fast one.  And I was suddenly questioning my decision on wearing very thin racing shoes.

The weather had been threatening rain but it was supposed to arrive later in the day.  We did get some sprinkles, but all things considered the 30 minute wasn't too inhospitable.

Surprisingly the race started on time despite the bus fiasco.  

I had lined up close to the start and in the final minutes I was debating how hard I wanted to run this.  Certainly the course was going to be fast but could I count it as a personal record given that it had over 450 feet of elevation drop?  I decided to give it a max effort -- it was a race after all and if it did turn out to be a person record for me, I could always highlight it with an asterisk.

From the get go there was a pretty strong wind coming up the canyon.  At times, it seemed like gale force winds and other times it buffeted you from the sides.  The wind was coming from the south but it had found its way into the canyon.

I rocketed off to a 7:31 first mile.  I had presumed the course was primarily downhill, but there were a few rollers in there to make it a somewhat honest course.  At times, I drafted off of larger runners.

I knew I had gone out too fast but I also knew I could coast most of the race.  That even if my pace dropped off, I'd be assisted by gravity.  

I was thoroughly enjoying the race though.  The downhill wasn't as quad smashing as I thought it was going to be. 

The race was packed but I was never hindered except maybe at the very start.  I found myself with some pretty strong spurts of energy as I cruised down the hill.  I was feeling super strong and hit the mile 2 with another 7:35 mile.

I actually was a bit surprised that this mile wasn't faster but I also knew I had hit some headwind.  I couldn't imagine this course with a trail wind though.  

Mile 3 got a bit more realistic and my pace dropped a bit.  Most of the massive downhills had ended and the wind definitely seemed to pick up.  There were a few less people to draft behind and clearly I was hurting.  I was on target for a great race, but I had to hold it just a little longer.

Finally the finish line's Halloween set up came into view.  I could hear music playing and could hear the echo of the announcer.  As I exited the canyon I tried to get an idea of where and how this course was going to end and when to start my final sprint.

There didn't appear to be anyone in my age group but that didn't mean that someone had started well behind me and was going to beat me.

My only complaint about the course was the final home stretch.  After exiting the canyon, the finish line pretty much immediately appeared and we had to hang a quick left into the park. I glanced at my watch and I figured there was no way the remaining distance would be 3.10 miles. The course -- after all the mile markers were spot on -- was going to be well short.

Fortunately I was wrong.  However, I did have to run through a darkened tunnel with streamers hanging from the ceiling.  It was part of the Halloween thing and it definitely slowed me and everyone else down.  I simply for the life of me couldn't plow through it.  

After exiting the tunnel I had another 100 yards or so before making a sharp turn and finishing under the Runtastic arches.  This was all done on grass and it was flat -- so the finish -- while usually my fastest -- was my slowest segment of the race.  So much for a finishing kick.  Best of all though the course was spot on 3.10 miles.  So it was a legitimate race distance.

Conclusion

So I ran really well on this one.  According to my Garmin, I had about 450 feet of drop and only about 50 feet of uphill.  I suspect there was a bit more uphill and the headwind definitely slowed me up.  

I am not sure whether to count this race as personal record worthy but I ran well all things considered.

Post race refreshments were donuts, juice, Powerade, and water.  They also had candy and fruit.  It was a well stocked finish line.

Sadly, I placed 6th in my age group.  I knew one other 50 - 54 year old who I knew would beat me, but I didn't expect this race to be so competitive.

The race shirt was nicely designed but it isn't 100% polyester (60 / 40).  The medal was weird -- didn't seem very Halloween themed but I am not much of a medal freak.  It's always nice to get one but they usually wind up in a box by the end of the week.

I paid $20 for the race a year in advance during one of their sales.  It was well worth the price of admission.

Upcoming Races

10/29: 2022 Haunted Half Provo 5K - Provo, UT (Confirmed)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

2022 BYU Homecoming Cougar 5K Race Recap - Provo, UT

Official Time: 24:20
Placement: 7th in the 50 - 59, 113th overall
Results: Here
Race Website: Here
Weather: Mid 50's, sunny, breeze from the south
Garmin Dump: Here
Previous Years: [2017]

Mile	Time	Comments
1	8:15	Jammed start.  Mostly up hill on this mile. Felt slower
2	7:40	Finally opened up and had some downhill.  Was hauling here
3	7:53	Ran out of gas at about mile 2.5.  Turned it back on though
3.05	0:18	Track finish.
	Total Miles: 3:05 - 24:06

Introduction

It's hard to resist a $15 5K.  With prices climbing on just about everything, it is nice to still find a bargain for a race.  

I'll be upfront.  I am not a huge BYU fan by any means (the football team).  When in Utah you basically pick one of two teams: BYU or the Utah Utes.  In a rivalry game, I'll always take the Utes but that doesn't mean I hate the BYU Cougars.  They are both from Utah so if either team wins I am happy.

The race is held on the track at Brigham Young University and this year's edition meanders off onto the campus for 3.1 miles.

This year's edition had a completely different course than the one I ran in 2017, so something new to experience.

The Race

I had to park quite far from the track -- maybe a quarter mile or so.  With an upcoming football game and the race (drawing over 500 runners). They had a great organizational system though.  Find your bib number on a sheet and grab your number from one of the many volunteers.  They had it well staged so I had my bib and shirt within a minute of arriving.

With about 25 minutes to spare, I did a quick warmup.  I did some drills, strides, and some easy jogging to loosen up.

The race had a funny start time: 9;45 to be exact.  With about 5 minutes to spare, we lined up on the track and started off.  

My first surprise was that the race was NOT chip timed.  We had a timing chip on the back of our bib but the start had no crossing mat.  I had started about 100 - 150 people behind the front runners and it had already cost me about 15 seconds.

Almost immediately the race became a standstill.  So many runners were trying to get out of a narrow start, onto the track and then run about 100 meters before going up a grass embankment and then to a narrow sidewalk.  There were a few times were I came to a complete halt.

The first quarter mile or so was extremely agonizing.  No chip time and I was already jammed.  As I made my way up a hilly street I wondered if I should just dial it back and call it a fun run.

But I continued on. Despite what I figured would be a disappointing first mile, I decided to see what I could do with the race.  The field was completive and most people were dealing with the same issues I had.

I am glad I didn't give up -- the first mile came in at 8:15 -- not too bad considering the early jam ups and up hill mile.  Perhaps with the downhill second I could salvage a decent race.

I was enjoying the course.  I was never alone during the entire race and the race involved a lot of twists and turns.  There really wasn't a dull moment as I flew by campus buildings, meandering students, and fall colors amongst the tall trees.  At times I surged and passed by several people in a burst and I finally felt like I was running well.

Mile 2 -- I smashed in 7;40.  This could wind up being a great race on account that I still felt like I had quite a bit of downhill left to use.

The fun continued into mile 3.  I was really enjoying the race.

Around mile 2.5 is when I started to slow up.  There was a bit of a section with a hill and mentally it was too much for me and I wound up slowing down.  

Fortunately once I crested the hill, I was greeted with a downhill and I could sense where the finish line was ahead.  I looked at my watch and I figured I had less than half a mile to go.  I told myself to push hard.

I cruised down the final hill and hit the grass embankment on the top of the collegiate track.  I made a quick jump down and ran the final 300 meters, which seemed to last for an eternity and into the finish.  

Conclusion

So I managed to salvage the race.  I ran a 24:06 on my watch, 24:20 for my official time due to it being a gun timed race.

So I loved the race course. I actually don't remember very much of it and if you asked me to rerun any part of it, I think I'd get pretty lost pretty quickly.  The course did have marshals and had been marked with race arrows but there were so many twists and turns and I was so focused on racing that I don't remember many of the details.  It just felt like a wild, fast amusement park ride.

I paid $15 for the race so I didn't expect many frills.  I got a cotton t-shirt that actually had a nice design on it.  I feel like I sort of got gipped in my age group: my age group got into the 10 year increment while those younger than me had 5 year.  There were still plenty of 50+ year old runners.  I would've loved to have seen if I would've gotten a top 3 in my age group for the 50 - 54.

Post race refreshments were water and pancakes.  They had chocolate milk as well.  The line was pretty long for pancakes and I suppose I had my chance as soon as I had finished, but I wanted to go back to the car to get my phone for some photos.

I really enjoyed the event and felt like I had performed well.  The course was well marshalled and despite the complexities, I never felt like I was going to get lost -- but then again, I was always running with people.  I did not like the gun time start and the overcrowded start line.  It was great running on the track but there just wasn't enough room for everyone.  I suspect the hold ups set me back 10 - 20 seconds.

I suspect the race was a legit 5K.  There were so many turns and so many ways to probably run a tangent that hadn't been measured correctly.  I wasn't surprised when I came in at 3.05 miles (according to Strava most other people did as well).

For $15 this race was hard to beat for the price.  Despite my complaints, I was happy with my experience and it was great to see so many people I knew there.  It was a welcoming event even if you weren't LDS or an alumni as well.  I'd definitely run this one again if it fit in my calendar.

Upcoming Races

10/22: 2022 Haunted Emigration Canyon 5K - Salt Lake City (Confirmed)

10/29: 2022 Haunted Half Provo 5K - Provo, UT (Confirmed)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    

2022 Witch Run 5K Race Recap - West Jordan, UT

Official Time: 24:20
Placement: 2nd in the 50 - 54, 10th overall
Results: Here
Race Website: Here
Weather: Mid 50's, sunny, no wind
Garmin Dump: Here
Previous Years: [2021] [2020] [2019] [2018]

Mile	Time	Comments
1	7:59	Off to a decent start.  Things are holding up
2	7:45	Feeling confident, feeling good.  Pushing it a bit more
3	7:51	About to give up on myself, but running for a great time
3.10	0:41	A lot of turns in the final stretch, but getting it done!
	Total Miles: 3:10 - 24:18

Introduction

Since its inception, I've done OnHillEvents Witch Run.  It is held at the end of September and it kicks off the Halloween racing month.  In years past, it was a simple 5K race, held at night.  Last year, they introduced more distances and started the race well before sunset (resulting in some warm running).

This year they went to a morning race due to capacity issues and continued on with the 5K / 10K / half marathon options.

The race is held at Gardner Village, a local collection of shops and restaurants that borders on the Jordan River Bike Trail.  It is a really nice location for a race with plenty of parking, bathrooms, and the shops are all decorated with Halloween decorations.

The race's start line is a mere 2 miles away from my house and the course is very familiar to me -- I often run in that area.

I had signed up for the race during a Thanksgiving sale and it winds up being one of my favorite races of the year in terms of the sheer number of runners and the excitement it generates.

The Race

Originally I had signed up for the 10K and I had every intention of running it this morning.  However, when I woke up, my IT-band was inflamed and my hamstrings felt tight.  They had been bothering me since Tuesday's hard workout and despite having taken some ibuprofen and running easy, they hadn't really recovered.  I took an ibuprofen before leaving for the race.

While sitting in my car massaging my hamstring I really questioned whether it was a good idea to run, let alone race a 10K.  I headed over to the race director and got switched to the 5K.  Even if my hamstring blew up, I could get through a 5K.

I did an abbreviated warm-up and deemed myself ready to start running the 5K.

The race was delayed a bit.  There was a long line of people wanting to use the bathroom and the race director gave a grace period of about 15 minutes.  By the time the race started I was kind of itching to use the restroom.

In years past, the course headed straight out of the shopping center and it was pretty easy to navigate to the paved bike trail for the out and back course.  This year we had to make an immediate left after starting and running along a fairly narrow sidewalk until we reached the service drive and managed to get out of the shopping area.

It was slow going for a bit, but fortunately I had lined up at the front and it didn't slow me down too badly.

Within a quarter mile I was running with about 10 - 15 other 5K / 10K runners (the half marathoners had started at 7 AM).

I settled into a nice pace with a few other runners.  My hamstring and IT-band were holding up and I was running comfortably.  Occasionally I glanced down at my Garmin.  I didn't have any specific goals for this race, but I'd like to have hit the first mile in 7:55 or so.

I made some ground against the people I was running with and I felt really good.  I hit the first mile a hair under 8 minutes.  A little slow for the first mile but I was just happy to be running pain free.

Digging deeper, I pushed the pace on mile 2.  Having run a lot of 10K races in the past month, I knew I had the speed endurance to get this one done.  It was such a beautiful morning as I crossed over the bridge and worked my way to the turn around point.

Hitting the 1.55 mile mark, I was greeted by a course marshal who I knew and gave me a big cheer.  It was nice to get that encouragement and to be honest I didn't expect to see them at all at the race.  The course was going to be a legitimate 5K.

I was stunned to see a faster mile 2 (7:51).  I was expecting at least an 8:05 / 8:10.  Could this be an awesome race?  I had my doubts.

This race is a bit of a fun run -- getting a lot of casual runners.  There are only a handful of faster runners that show and I knew one guy was well ahead of me (I had had hopes I would've been able to keep up with him) but as the race progressed I was running solo, with the exception of another female was I worked with for miles 2 to about 2.75.  There was no one behind me, but at this point I was holding a solid pace and I was on target for a great race.  I had had hopes / dreams of going sub 25 minutes but I didn't think it would happen.

The final quarter mile of the race has a lot of turns and I had to navigate my way to the finish line (it was well marked) through the sidewalk / service drive of the shopping area.  It is always the most challenging part of the course but I was running solo.  It was awesome getting some cheers from the course marshals as well.

I made the final turn and sprinted through the finish in a shocking 24:19.  I had totally smashed my expectations on this race.

Conclusion

I am simply over the moon with my success at this race.  The last few 5Ks I had turned in times of just over 25 minutes.  Prior to Covid-19 and my back injury, I was running low 24's.  It was about time that I turned in a great time.

I am not sure what to make of the soreness I was experiencing prior to the race.  Nerves? Did the ibuprofen block the pain and allow me to run?  I definitely know I had been plagued with some soreness and issues prior to the race.

I am happy that I ran the 5K though.  I've been shooting to get back to where I was this spring and this was a sign that I am there.  One of my goals this year is to run consistently under 24 minutes.  I think I would've achieved this goal if I had stayed healthy.   But I still have time.

Signing up for the race late last year, I paid about $35 for the race.  Pricey but still well worth the price of admission.

I didn't really check out too much of the post race refreshments but there was drink, oranges, granola bars and some candy.

The race was well done.  The course was well marked, accurate and had an aid station.  It was also accurate (at least to my watch).  It did start about 15 minutes late, which sort of led me to be cooled off by the time it started.  But that sometimes happens at races that have over 600 runners.

Once again, I am still really excited.  This race may go down as one of my top performances for the year.  I ran consistent splits and from the looks of it, negatively split it by a few seconds.  I am just happy that my training is leading to some positive results.

Upcoming Races

10/15: 2022 BYU Homecoming Run 5k - Provo, UT (Confirmed)

10/22: 2022 Haunted Emigration Canyon 5K - Salt Lake City (Confirmed)

10/29: 2022 Haunted Half Provo 5K - Provo, UT (Confirmed)

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

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

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

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

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

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

    

2022 Apple Harvest 10K Race Recap - Santaquin Utah

Rowley's Red Barn, HQ for the race.

Official Time: 50:59
Placement: 7th overall, 3rd in the 50- 54 age division
Results: Here
Race Website: Here
Weather: Mid 40's, light breeze from the south
Garmin Dump: Here
Previous Years: Inaugural year.

Mile	Time	Comments
1	7:51	Slight downhill here. Felt surprisingly good
2	8:06	A little bit back to reality here.  Holding a steady pace
3	8:48	Kind of a grind of a hill.  75 feet.  Was just tough running
4	7:51	Back at it. Wish the whole race was like this.
5	8:24	Feeling it now.  Definitely lactate overloaded
6	9.03	Kind of a shuffle here.  Trying hard.  Again, uphill
6.12	0.53	Giving it all I have for the final sprint
	Total Miles: 6:12 - 50:59

Apple Orchards in Santaquin, UT

Introduction

A few weeks ago I decided to sign up for the Apple Harvest run put on by OnHillEvents.  I didn't have any other races on my calendar and it was something new.  The drive was a bit much and usually I don't drive for an hour for a 10K race, but I decided this race was worth doing.

This race billed itself as a run around the perimeter of a working apple orchard.  It would be a bit of a cross country race with the majority of the race on dirt road, jeep trail or gravel.  There were only a handful of spots on actual pavement.

The race was held in Santaquin Utah, about an hour south drive from where I live.  In my opinion, it is about the last town you hit on your way towards Southern Utah for quite some time.  The race's headquarters was Rowley's Red Barn, an agri-tourism type of business that grows the apples.

The Race

I haven't actually stopped in Santaquin before -- on my way to Las Vegas I've simply driven by it or have gotten gas there.  Exiting the freeway, I was greeted with an older town with rough roads, wide streets and old timey businesses. You could tell there was a mix of old and new --- with clusters of new houses lining the mountainside in the distance.

It was a beautiful morning and with an 8 AM start time, I had some time to run a bit and figure out how the course was going to work and whether I wanted to use a heavier shoe.  I also wanted to get a sense as to how well the course was marked, as I noticed there were quite a few turns on the course (spoiler alert: it was well marked).

The race started about 5 minutes late and I was off.  

The race, for the 10K, is two laps around the perimeter of the orchard.  The course is primarily flat but the last mile is a very slow grind up hill. 

This isn't a road race so I wasn't expecting a great time.  You just don't get as much of a bounce from dirt trail running versus pavement.  I also didn't have much of an idea on how the race worked and what I was in for.

The trail was try and wide enough for the 75 of us to establish our own paces without blocking anyone.  The first mile is the fastest with a mild downhill start.  Despite having a pretty heavy training week I felt pretty good and went with it.  I felt in control and relaxed.

The final turn back to the start.

I had sort of measured up the competition before I started running and I knew I was settling for at least second place in my age group.  Another runner who had soundly beat me at the PC2PG was running the 10K.  Also, another runner who appeared to be in my age group sped off.  I clearly wasn't going to catch either one of them.

Fortunately there weren't many other runners ahead of me.  A couple of younger men and a few women.

Start of the 2nd loop

The first mile was so much fun and I blasted through a 7:51.  The scenery was simply amazing as I darted over puddles of mud and leaped over rivets in the trail to find the optimal spot to run.  The weather was perfect.

At this point most of the lead pack had dropped me and I suddenly found myself running alone.  I was a bit worried about this because I didn't really know the course -- and it involved a lot of turns.  I worked hard to keep up but the nearest person had easily put on a quarter mile on me by the time I hit mile 2.

Actual segment of the course.

The course  was definitely different at the mile 2 marker.  Gone were the apples trees and I was running along the backend of the property along a jeep trail. This part seemed to go on for an eternity and it was beautiful running with a view of a mountain on my left but there was no one around me.

Eventually I turned and I was greeted with a long paved road (it wasn't well maintained however) and it was a very slow grind up hill.  I lost a lot of momentum here, knowing that I still had 3.5 more miles to go.  Also, I wasn't chasing anyone and no one was behind me.

Finally I got up the hill and started to work my way around a processing plant and ultimately back to the starting line.  The directions were to basically run through the starting line again and then do the course again.

My spirits were buoyed with the fact that I now knew my way around the course and I knew what I was up against for the second half.  Unfortunately just as I was approaching the starting line, the 5K started.  Normally I wouldn't have conflicted with it but with our 5 minute delay and me running a 25:19 for the first loop, I ran smack into them.

I forgot to check the distance, but I didn't think the first loop was quite a 5K but somewhere around 3.06 miles.

It wasn't that awful and being that the race was fairly small (about 75 10K runners and about double that for the 5K) I managed to step over the starting line and duck back out again.

It was actually invigorating running with the 5K runners.  I got a renewed sense of urgency running with them and finally had company.  I quickly found several runners running my pace and my pace improved as did my motivation.  

I once again, hit the first mile of the second loop in 7:51.  Could I possibly negative split?  

I wound up passing many 5K runners and settled into the hunt with a few others.  I did manage to catch one additional 10K runner but clearly the first 4 miles of the race had worn me out.

I was hurting pretty bad but I hung on and pushed as hard as I could for the final mile.  I was actually shocked by a disappointing 9 minute mile.  But the final hill and the undulating terrain had worn me out.

Conclusion

I crossed the finish line in 50:59.  I was actually pleased with my overall time.  The course wasn't easy but I had predicted that I'd finish over 52 minutes.

The two 50-54 year olds definitely beat me (by over 5 minutes) but they had come in the top 3 overall for the race.  So by proxy I won my age group (not really though).  I was also the 7th overall finisher -- again a small race, but I'll take my victories any way I can.

After recovering, I managed to get something to drink and socialize.  The finisher's medal and age group awards were definitely an upgrade.  For a 10K, I was shocked with the quality and design.

Post race refreshments included apple slices (of course), cider, ice cream sandwiches, and water / Powerade.  Course support was ample with a pair of water stops for each loop around the course.

I loved this course.  It was so peaceful and scenic and while I generally dislike doing multiple loops of the same course, this one wasn't a bore.  In fact, I would've liked to have down another loop just as a cooldown.  But I was pretty spent after the race.

This race has a sister race in the spring when the apple blossoms start to come out.  I am penciling in a race date for that one as well.

Upcoming Races

10/01: 2022 Witch Run 10K - West Jordan, UT (Confirmed)

10/15: 2022 BYU Homecoming Run 5k - Provo, UT (Confirmed)

10/22: 2022 Haunted Emigration Canyon 5K - Salt Lake City (Confirmed)

10/29: 2022 Haunted Half Provo 5K - Provo, UT (Confirmed)

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

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

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

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

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

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

2022 Sound of Hope 5K Race Recap - Riverton UT

Sounds of Hope 5K Banner

Official Time: 25:11
Placement: 19th overall, 2nd in the 50 - 54 age division.
Results: Here
Race Website: Here
Weather: low 60's, 18 mph wind from the south
Garmin Dump: Here
Previous Years: First Year for Me

Mile	Time	Comments
1	7:43	Off to a decent start with a bit of tailwind
2	8:01	At the turn around I definitely slowed down.
3	8:30	Not much left.  Just trying to give everything I had without feeling like I am dying.
3.11	0:54	Just not there in the final sprint.
	Total Miles: 3.11 - 25:11

Introduction

With no races on the docket for this past weekend, I was a bit perplexed with what to do.  Fortunately, some quick Google searches yielded one that was fairly local to me: The Sounds of Hope 5K in Riverton, Utah.

This race is about suicide prevention and the money raised from it goes to assist those in need.  It was reasonably priced and something to do.  With less than a 15 minute drive away, it made sense to give it a go.

Plus, I was looking for a flat and fast 5K to see where my fitness was at.

The Race

The race started at 9 AM, which gave me ample time to start my day and get a bit more food than usual down.  I rolled into the race site just shy of 8:30 and picked up my bib.  They had it well crewed and low fuss and I was ready to begin my warm-up.  

I am always skeptical of race organizers I haven't run with before, but the organizers on this race did a great job.  It started on time, and the course was well marshalled and marked.

The race was held at Roi Hardy Park, a trailhead for the Jordan River Bike Trail.  I had run by the park many times on other races and I knew the area was flat and fast.  The trail is paved and is used by many races in the area.

The race started on a pedestrian bridge and quickly hung a left to go north.  I didn't realize it at the time but there was a  pretty stiff breeze coming from the south.

There were several hundred runners in the race -- definitely a good turnout.

I was passed by about 20 runners almost immediately.  I was okay with that.  I had studied the awards system and I hoped that they would have an age group system, but they were only awarding top 3 overall, so my chances of double medaling for the day were dashed after a 100 yards.

None the less, this was a 5K time trial for me and I cruised the first mile in 7:43.  I was feeling strong but I knew that had been a fast mile.  I had done some speedwork only 2 days before and I could feel a little stiffness in my legs.  

I hadn't run this course before but the first mile marker was spot on.  I was curious as to when the turn around would be.  Around 1.25 miles the lead were cruising back towards the start.  I figured I was in the top 20 or so.  Not too shabby.

The turn around came at exactly 1:56 miles.  At that point I breathed a sigh of relief.  I always worry about the course being too long or short and to see my Garmin read exactly where it should be -- big score for the race organizers from me.

The turn around came after the first aid station.  It could've been marked a bit better (with a cone) but overall it made sense.

Hurting in the final mile.

Upon turning around I was greeted with a pretty stiff wind.  Where had that come from?  I was pretty gassed but still running strong as I received encouragement with the runners who were still headed out to the turn around.  I hit mile 2 with an 8 mile split.

I didn't have much confidence I was going to be able to hold the pace.  I tried to tuck behind a trio of young adults I had been running with but they were pushing the pace and I just couldn't get in behind them long enough to get any benefit.  The wind wasn't super terrible but it mentally it was a bit tougher for me.

My pace was sputtering at this point and I knew any hope of crushing this race today weren't going to happen.  The trio of runners I was working with put quite a bit of ground on me (I did manage to run in with one of them).  Fortunately there wasn't anyone behind me hunting me down.

I hit the third mile in 8:30 -- very disappointing for me.  I definitely didn't have anything left and I just wanted the race to be over.  I also made the mistake of starting my "sprint to the finish" too soon and ran out of gas 20 yards from the finish.  Oops.

But I did cross under the arches in just over 25 minutes.  Fairly standard for me these days for a 5K.

Conclusion

So my time wasn't what I had hoped for.  I really came into this run feeling like I was going to have a breakout race.  But I think at the starting line I didn't feel like racing.  All the positive energy / anticipation, I had built up during the week vanished at the starting line.  Was it because there was nothing on the line?  Was I tired?

I had slept that great the night before and to be honest, I just wanted to take a nap.  My energy level wasn't there despite being caffeinated up.

I gave it what I could and for the first 2 miles I ran well.  As per usual, the final mile is always my dream killer.

So the award system was goofy.  First through third for teens, first through third for adults by sexes.  And then top 3 (mixed sexes).  So the top finishers got to double dip.   I really wish they had had age group awards.

The swag bag was incredible: a beautiful shirt, a medal, timed race, socks and even a portable phone charger.  Post race refreshments included water, chips, fruit gels, and granola bars.  I was really happy with the value received on this race.  The bathroom situation was fine -- using the bathrooms at the park, but if this race gets any bigger, they'll need port-a-potties.

Overall, I ran this race nearly identically to the Roy Days 5K that I did about a month ago.  Same distance, same time.  Not sure which race I ran better -- probably Roy Days as that is a hillier course.  So I was a bit disappointed I haven't made that much progress but I don't think I was on my A-game today.

I'd definitely do this race again despite the lack of awards.  The money raised went to a nice charitable organization, the course was fair (even though I've run it several times over the years).  But the post race goodies and swag bag were top notch.

I just hope I am in a bit better shape next year.

Upcoming Races

09/24: 2022 Apple Harvest Run 10K - Santaquin, UT (Confirmed)

10/01: 2022 Witch Run 10K - West Jordan, UT (Confirmed)

10/15: 2022 BYU Homecoming Run 5k - Provo, UT (Confirmed)

10/22: 2022 Haunted Emigration Canyon 5K - Salt Lake City (Confirmed)

10/29: 2022 Haunted Half Provo 5K - Provo, UT (Confirmed)

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

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

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

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

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