2021 Sandy City Turkey Trot 5K Race Recap - Sandy, UT

Official Time: 24:40
Placement: 4th in age group, 30th overall
Race Website: Here

Results: Results
Weather: 56F slight wind from the north
Garmin Dump: Here
Previous Years: [2013] [2014]

Mile	Time	Comments
1	7:43	Off to a decent start. Mild downhill section. I seemed to be holding back
2	8:16	Lots of turns here. Some hills
3	8:36	I suspect this mile was "long". Uphill though
3.01	0:03	Actually felt like I was cruising the last quarter mile.
	Total Miles: 3.01 - 24:40

Introduction

It's been a while since I've run the Sandy City Turkey Trot 5K.  In fact, the last time I ran this was race back in 2014.  

For the past 7 years, I've tried to get this race back on my schedule. Unfortunately, every year this race weekend conflicted with the Las Vegas Marathon race.  So I was never able to do this race.

With the Las Vegas races being moved to February, this left this weekend open for yet another 5K and finally I could return to the Sandy City Turkey Trot.

Sandy City is where I used to work when I first moved to the Salt Lake area in 2012.  Their recreation center puts on a lot of races and I was a frequent customer.  They are affordable, yet competitive and well executed.  So I was pretty excited to be able to get this race in and see if I could improve on my 2014 -- or even my 2013 time.

The Race

The race started at 10 AM -- so that gave me plenty of time to get ready in the morning.  I could eat a substantial breakfast and prepare a great deal more than I normally would prior to a 5K.

I arrived at the race site with about 50 minutes to spare and quickly grabbed my shirt and bib.  It was a perfect day -- a hint of chill in the air, yet sunny and warm.  There wasn't much more than a breeze as well.  I had plenty of time to do a warm-up and I ran about a mile around the circumference of Lone Peak Park, which is where the race was headquartered.

I felt pretty good and was ready to go at 10 AM. 

The race's course was different than previous years -- yet at the same time "the same".  The race made a loop around the eastern end of the park before exiting off into a mature subdivision.  As I ran through the streets of Sandy, I could recall 7 years ago running this exact same route.

I had studied the course beforehand and knew that the first mile and a quarter were mostly downhill.  And I knew I'd hit a really nice split.  On the flipside, I knew coming back it'd be a slow grind to get back to the starting line.  There are no "major" hills on the course, but it would be a long, slow climb.

So I held back a little and ran a 7:46 for the first mile.  Off to a good but controlled start despite a fairly cramped start (imagine a hundred runners, jockeying for place on a wide sidewalk)

Eventually we made it to a bike trail. Again, I remembered this stretch too but instead of heading north to a baseball field, we headed south.  New territory!

The bike trail ran along a canal and the freeway.  It was pleasant but you could hear the din of the cars around you.  My competitors had thinned out and I was running with another group of runners. My goal was to work off of them and try to over take them.  I knew this course wasn't likely to lead to a personal best record, yet I still wanted to make a good showing. I also suspected (correctly) that the competition for an age group award was iffy at best.

At this point it was so sunny I couldn't really read my watch.  I glanced down though when my watched beeped at mile 2 and saw an 8:16.  What???!?!?  I was certainly running faster than that.  My watch though does record short, so if I ran a mile, I likely had run slightly more.  Perhaps I wasn't that far off.

We were heading back and the course was flat through that 2nd mile and I actually really enjoyed it.  I just kept working on my turnover and occasionally putting in a burst of speed to gain ground on the people around me, which again had thinned out drastically.  I wound up catching the small lead pack in front of me.  Next up were some younger folks....

The first half of the final mile was the grind back to the park that I wasn't looking forward to.  I still had a lot of fight left in me, but I couldn't muster up much turnover at this point. I was hurting and I was fighting back the urge to walk a bit or get sick.  I focused on putting more ground on people behind me, but I felt like I was running through quicksand.

What helped, though, was that I remembered running down this stretch not much more than 10 minutes ago.  So I knew that it wasn't that bad and that once I got done with the incline, I would have a final stretch of about half a mile to crush it to the finish.

Finally, I turned a corner and I could see the entrance to the park.  I looked at my watch and I definitely had more than half a mile to go.  And yet, I could see the finish line and hear the music.  So close, yet so far away.  I had to completely run around the finish line in a wide arc to account for the full distance.  It was heartbreaking and I could hear the names of the leaders crossing the finish line well ahead of me.

Occasionally I'd look behind me and no one was closing in on me and I was making ground on the young adult (half my age) in front of me.  He was hurting and it motivated me to push a little harder as I looped the north end of the park.  Again, I felt like I was running much faster than the 8:15 (or pace) I was running.

Finally, the finish line came into view and I knew I had a 100 yards or so and I gave it all I got and cruised through the finish line, passing the young male in front of me in the process.  Finish!

Conclusion

I was a bit distraught to see a time of 24:40.  I really had hopes of 24:15 or so.  This course was challenging though.

You may also notice that my watch reported a distance of 3.01 miles.  I checked on Strava.com and many other runners got 3.09 to 3.11.  Clearly my watch continues to shortchange me.

There were no finisher medals on this one -- just a pie + medal for age group awards (1st through 3rd).  Unfortunately I placed 4th.  I would've need to take at least another minute off my time to contend for an award.  I think that is what happened in 2014 as well.

Post race refreshments were water and granola bars.  I got a cute heavy cotton t-shirt that is suitable for Thanksgiving.  I like the design but the material is cotton, so it likely won't see many runs. I could see wearing it bumming around the house in the winter.

All in all, I liked the course, organization and race. It was a low frills race and for $25 I got what I paid for.  My time wasn't the greatest on this one and I honestly felt like I had run faster and better than I had in a while.  I definitely had something left in the tank for the final stretch, although the split didn't really account for it.

I had fun though and it was great seeing friends I haven't seen in a while, plus it got me in the festive mood for the approaching holiday season.  Perhaps I'll have better luck next year.

2021 Vineyard City Blizzard 5K Race Recap - Vineyard City, UT

Official Time: 24:28
Placement: 1st in age group 50-59, 12th overall out of 90
Race Website: Here

Results: Results
Weather: 52F degree with slight wind
Garmin Dump: Here
Previous Years: First Year For Me

Mile	Time	Comments
1	7:36	Way too fast for the first mile, but felt compelled to go out hard
2	8:05	Starting to pay the price for the fast start
3	8:09	Hurting here. No one behind me and just trying to keep up with other runners
3.09	0:37	Just get it done!
	Total Miles: 3.09 - 24:29

Introduction

There wasn't much on the calendar for this past weekend in the race scene for northern Utah.  The biggest race was the Snow Canyon Half Marathon in St George -- a solid 4 hour drive away.  I had looked into that and the logistics weren't really right for me and to be honest, I am not trained to really run a solid half marathon.

So that left a low budget ($15) race in a place I've never heard of before, yet a mere 30 minutes from my doorstep: Vineyard City.

Vineyard City is a booming little chunk of suburbia just west of Orem / Lindon.  It is a few miles from the freeway, so it doesn't have the outward appearance of even existing.  But given the amount of new construction going on there, it isn't going to be much of a secret for long.

The Vineyard City 5K has a tie-in with the local Dairy Queen where they give you a coupon for a free Blizzard Ice Cream - hence the name of the race.

I had fairly low expectations going into the race and I simply wanted a low stress 5K that would get a little excitement for the weekend.

The Race

The race started at 8:30 and as I expected it was a fairly low turn out event.  Most people were either sitting it out (we've had a ton of races in the area) or were racing down south.  The starting line headquarters was situated at a local city park -- equipped with a pavilion and flush toilets.

I quickly was able to get my bib and a bag of coupons and flyers.  I did about a mile warmup and ran pretty close to the first mile of the race.  It was like running through a slice of suburbia.  Sidewalks, parks, newly planted trees, row after row of houses.  The course was also pancake flat -- as advertised.

The race started promptly at 8:30 and we were off.  

I noticed right away that the race was primarily younger folks.  There were a handful of people my age -- mostly walkers, but given the smallish size of the race, I figured I was pretty a much a "lock" for an age group award.  However, I've never taken anything for granted as I've been burned before.  Plus, I was here to race.

To be honest, I don't think I looked much at my watch's time for the entire race.  I was mostly concerned with the distance and running how I felt.  For a low key event, the race was well run with course markings and mile markers.  

I knew I was going too hard but at the same time, I felt like I wasn't running fast enough.  I really should've checked my watch, but I felt compelled to compete, even though there was no one around really my age.

As I wound my way around Vineyard City's rows upon rows of houses, I felt like my legs were getting heavy around mile 1.25.  I knew the final two thirds of a race was going to be a doozy.  5Ks are just so much tougher mentally and physically throughout the entire race.

I was working with a few other people but at this point I was the last person in the group of 3 people.  I made it my goal to try and keep up with a guy about half my age as well as make ground on a female ahead of me -- again at least half my age.

The race was run on sidewalk and in places the side of the roads.  I don't think there was a hill on the entire course.  It was just so flat.  Occasionally we had to cross a major road and there were police officers there to assist.

Finally, my watch chirped that I had passed mile 2.  I think I did check my watch here for an overall time and I wasn't too happy.  My head wasn't totally in the game, but it was around 16 minutes and I had checked it well after the mile 2 marker had passed.  

I was slowing down and the fast pace that was so easy at the start of the race was gone.  Occasionally, I could muster a brief surge of energy but it was followed by slowing back down to mid 8-minute per mile.  I couldn't bear to look at my watch.

The young man I was working to catch got even faster and soon it was just me and another woman running shoulder to shoulder.  I looked over my shoulder to see if anyone was behind me, and the next runner was well in the distance.  Perhaps the last half mile I could salvage the race.

I had studied the course map a little before the race and I had a sense the course was 1) going to be accurate and 2) not really knowing the streets very well, I knew we rounded a corner and soon the finish line would appear.  I was correct on both counts and as I rounded the curve, I could see the finish line.

There was a mile 3 marker at this point but the finish line was clearly nearly a quarter mile away.  Someone had goofed here but the course -- at least on my Garmin (and some mapping tools) turned out to be a very legit 5K.

The girl I had just passed flew by me in the last quarter mile and I had nothing to respond with.  It didn't matter, but I still tried to keep up.  I wasn't going to push so hard that I would throw up but I did my best to maintain my form and keep a high turnover.

Finally the finish line came steps away and I flew under it with a few cheers from by standers and finishers who had finished before me.  Compared to the last few Halloween runs I've done, it was kind of anti-climatic.  But I got it done!

Conclusion

I cruised through the finish line in 24:29.  Not a great time compared to many of my recent races, but this race seemed different.  In other races my watch recorded in the low 3's.  This one was 3.09.  I don't think my watch was too off though as MapMyRun had it at 3.12.  I do think this was a "real" 5K.

My training leading up to the race hadn't been very good.  I had a painful hip injury and while I had run Thursday and Friday, I hadn't run much else during the week.  Also, I had started out way too fast. It was like I lost all sense of control in order to run the fastest mile ever but not have enough to finish the race without regressing in pace.

I did place 1st in my age group (granted one of the top 3 was in my age group) and netted myself a nice medal.  There were no finisher's medals.

I had registered late so I didn't have the option for a t-shirt.  I only paid $15 for the race and I felt the price was a bargain.  The course had 2 water stops, was well marked, chip-timed, and they had fruit, chips, and nuts at the end.  I was really impressed.  I also had a $15 gift card for winning my age group for a local restaurant.  Since I don't live in that area, I passed it on to someone who did.

The course wasn't the most exciting, but it was fast and as flat as can be.  After the race I did visit Utah Lake and got some photos.  The are included in this race report but technically not part of the race course.

I would definitely run with Vineyard City again.  I was pleased with my experience from start to finish.

2021 Haunted Half 5K Race Recap Provo, UT

Official Time: 24:06
Placement: 3rd in age group, 104th overall 
Race Website: Here

Results: Results
Weather: 37F with breeze from the north
Garmin Dump: Here
Previous Years: [2015]

Mile	Time	Comments
1	7:58	Hemmed in a bit from a crowded start, but off to a good first mile
2	7:52	Feeling strong
3	8:02	First half of this mile I was cooking. Last half, not so much
3.04	0:14	Cruising into the finish.
	Total Miles: 3.03 - 24:08

Introduction

It's been a while since I've been in Provo Utah to run the Haunted 5K.  It is the sister / companion race to the Salt Lake edition that I did last week.  After having a great race there last weekend, I decided to pony up and do the Provo edition and see if I could keep the good times rolling.

The race involved a bit of extra work -- in that I had to drive down to Provo (about a 35 minute drive each way) on Friday to get my bib. Normally, I wouldn't be bothered for a 5K, but it was more or less the only race in town.  And it was a big, competitive one.  So I figured why not. With the race season ending in about a month, I figured this one would be good to do.

The Race

I got to the race about 40 minutes before the scheduled start (8:30).  With over a 1000 runners in each the half marathon (which started significantly earlier) and 1400 runners for the 5K, I expected to have to park significantly far away.  It wound up being slightly over a quarter mile walk from my car to the race start.  Fortunately, the weather was absolute perfect.  While the air temperature was comfortable, it was still brisk.  

I wound up tracking down the bathrooms, used them and did a very brief warm-up.  I should have arrived about 15 minutes earlier.

The race started a little after 8:30.  I had managed to finagle myself up towards the front.  It was congested and had a mix of those racing and those participating.  So once they started us on our way I had to weave myself around people.

The first .2 of a mile definitely was slow as we exited the well-to-do Riverwoods shopping center and out onto the service drive.  I hadn't seen too many people my age -- as this race tends to draw a lot of younger runners -- but I wanted to run fast.  I had sort of aimed for this to be an "A" level effort.

We made a loop around the mall before being dumped on a bike trail on the east side of the mall.  I was running pretty well and I didn't want to chance even wasting time looking at how I was doing.  The course was pancake flat and at this point I could go as fast as I wanted without hindrance.

I hit the first mile just a hair under 8 minutes.  There weren't any mile markers on the course so I wasn't sure how far I had really run.  I've been having my Garmin tell me wrong information of late.

I decided to push harder.  I had spotted another guy that was probably in my age group and while I hadn't seen too many other people my age, I wasn't going to take any chances.  My goal was to keep up with him.

We hit the first aid station a little after a mile before heading back on another stretch of bike trail.  I could hear / see the mall but I knew we weren't close to being done yet.  I was hurting but I expected that -- 5Ks usually do once you start.

I was pleased to see mile 2 pop up faster than the first mile.  Right exactly where I wanted to be.  And to spur me on, I had passed under the 1.1 miles to go arch for the half marathoners.  Normally, I'd be worried that the course would be short, but I had measured the course using MapMyRun and I knew my Garmin usually measured short.

The last .75 of a mile was along a beautiful paved trail.  The oranges and reds lining the trail made it a perfect "fall" race.  

The final stretch was hard to get much turnover.  My legs felt like Jello and  we had to run through a tunnel and over a cobblestone path to the finish.  There just wasn't much to go on but fumes.  My sub 8-minute mile per pace was now showing around 8:30.  I tried as hard as I could to get just finish and finish strong.

I wound up not catching the guy who looked to be in the my age group.  I just ran out of real estate to turn on the jets.  After exiting the tunnel, I made a turn and next thing I knew I was running on cobblestone.  It just didn't seem feasible to sprint along this uneven surface.

I was really worried about whether I had finished in my age group.  Could the guy in front of me have cost me an age group award?  

Fortunately, the answer is no.  After finishing, I got a text message with a link to my results. I clicked on it and was happy to see a 3rd place age group award.  Score!

Conclusion

I was okay with the results of this race.  I did check several other Strava users to see this race did appear to be legit and I had pre-mapped it using MapMyRun and it had come in over 3.10.  So I feel pretty good about this race being a legitimate 5K.  

I recovered from the race pretty quickly and grabbed some water and collected my warm-up jacket.  The weather was nice and I knew many people there so the time from finish to awards went quickly.

Last weekend you waited in line to get your award.  This week, they had them announced, so it was nice to get a podium finish.  

Overall, I was happy with my experience.  The race was about what I'd expect to pay for a 5K in the week leading up to the race ($35 with a coupon code).  

They had a variety of post race refreshments.  Sports drink, fruit, donuts, and water.  The medals -- as usual - are stunning and heavy.  I also had a packed swag bag with coupons, samples, gloves, and a t-shirt.  I am not a fan of the 40% polyester / 60% cotton shirts, but I'd wear it for a light workout.  I also wound up picking up a legacy shirt for $3.00 at the expo.

I would definitely consider this race for next year assuming it fits in my race schedule.  My only gripe was the long drive to the packet pickup on Friday. The course was easy to navigate, marshalled and with adequate support.  Definitely worth doing.

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

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

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

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

Introduction

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

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

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

The Race

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Conclusion

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

2021 Dimple Dell Half Marathon Race Recap - Sandy, UT

Official Time: 2:11:09
Placement: 58th overall, 10th out of 15 in the 50 - 59 age division
Results:  Here
Race Website: Here
Weather: Mid to upper 40's at the start. Rain / hail
Garmin Dump: Here
Previous Years: First Year For Me (race held 10/9/2021)

Mile	Time	Comments
1	9:06	Very conservative start -- just easing into the race
2	9:13	On to the trail. Actually felt good here
3	9:44	Begin the climbs to the Wasatch bench
4	11:24	Did a bit of walking here
5	10:18	Feeling like trash. Made a wrong turn here, so it cost me about a minute
6	10:57
7	13:39	Steepest part of the run. Power hiking the worst of it and doing little dashes when I can
8	9:39	Finally can lope down some of the downhills
9	9:02
10	8:47	Could I salvage this race?
11	9:14	Enjoying the downhills.
12	9:27	Starting to rain. Running on fumes
12.97	10:26	Final push uphill and then half a lap around the park.
Total Miles: 12:97 2:411:01

Introduction

I'll be honest -- trail running is not my forte.  I am definitely a pavement pounder.  However that doesn't mean I am a tenderfoot -- it just means I don't do a lot of training on them.

So I got challenged / coerced / suckered into signing up for the Dimple Dell Half Marathon -- a 90% trail run in the heart of Sandy UT.  It is a thin strip of wilderness that runs from about the center of the valley to the eastern benches of the Wasatch Mountains.  

I've lived in this area for nearly 10 years and have only stick my toe into the area just once (I think).  I knew going in it was going to be both exciting, in that I'd get to explore this place and also very challenging.

The Race

All week long the weather forecasters had been predicting rough conditions.  Fortunately, for the most part, the weather didn't live up to the hype.

I was fully expecting to have to run a trail race in the rain.  When I arrived at the race site, it was spitting once in a while, but nothing serious.  There were ominous clouds on the horizon however.

The weather was chilly -- but not terrible.  I knew if there was a downpour, I'd definitely feel it.  I had brought just about everything I could think of for rough weather.  In fact, for the entire race I had a 30-gallon Glad bag stuffed in my pocket.  They work the best as a makeshift poncho.

I was one of the first to arrive so packet-pickup was a snap and I had less than 40 minutes to kill.

We all assembled in a line, got course instructions and took off.  

The race started at Lone Peak park -- a community park with a paved loop around the outskirts of it.  I would guess this loop is about .75 of a mile or so.  We had to make two loops around it before starting off on the trail.

I used this as my warm-up and I felt sluggish and stiff.  I had done a shake out run the day before, and maybe it was because I had done a challenging speed workout on Tuesday -- I just wasn't feeling extra "springy".  I wasn't too surprised that my first mile was very sedate.  

I kept telling myself to take it easy though. This race was hilly and my goal was to run the first 8 miles "easy" and then see what I had left for the final 5, which was mostly downhill.

The first couple of miles on the trail were beautiful.  It was shrouded with trees in all their autumn glory.  The trail was packed dirt and despite the recent rain, it was easy to run on.

I still felt like I was struggling.  My legs felt heavy and it seemed extra hard.  It was too early to be feeling this way.  About the 5K point I was contemplating tapping out.  How much agony did I want to put myself through and the hardest sections of the trail were coming?

Fortunately I kept on.  I decided just to enjoy the experience and get through it.  I paid for the race -- and I was going to run it.

After about 4 miles we were dumped into the heart of Dimple Dell.  It was more exposed now and I could see the areas where I needed to run.  The course also got decidedly more hilly.

I was enjoying the race a lot despite not running really fast.  I tried to keep my heart rate under control, walked the steepest parts of the course, and ran when I could.  The strategy did seem to work.

Around mile 5 I totally missed a turn. The course had been marked with pink ribbons and other than this one spot, it was well marked.  I was supposed to take a narrow path to the right instead of continuing on the main path.  I was leading a pack of runners and unfortunately a few other runners followed me.  Fortunately, I heard someone shouting that I had run the wrong way and the group of us turned around. This did wind up costing me a minute or so.

The next 3 miles or so were hilly.  I was suddenly hitting double digit splits as I power hiked the steepest sections.  It was almost like being on a hiking trail versus a running area.  I kept reminding myself not to get hung up over my times, get through this section and the "fun" part lied just ahead.

Finally mile 8 came up and we had reached the summit of the course.  I was pretty gassed at this point but the downhill sections gave me new hope and life.  My 10+ minute pace turned into upper 8's -- and I was completely happy with that.

I had been competing against several other runners.  The guy behind me in the picture above were running neck and neck throughout the race. It gave me something to work against.  I knew I wasn't really a contender for any age group (with 10 year age groups) but I still wanted to make a good showing out of it.

The final 3 miles or so was a repeat of the outbound section.  It was nice to know roughly how much further I needed to go.

Despite being I was able to get through the final 3 miles. However, I was really struggling the last mile.  I had taken half a gel about midway through, but my legs were just spent.  There was a soul killing final hill just before being dumped into park for the final half mile to the finish. I felt like I had run a marathon as I shuffled through the finish line. 

Conclusion

Clearly this race didn't go to plan. However, given that I haven't been doing much half marathon training and I have don't normally run on trails, I got about what I expected to.  I got the miles in, some character building experience and a finish.

It had started to run the final 2 miles, so after finished I beat a hasty retreat to my car for warmer clothes and a Pepsi, which always settles my stomach.  I actually bounced back pretty quickly despite having felt like warmed over death in the final mile.

So I may sound pretty glum about the race, but I actually did enjoy it.  The scenery was just beautiful with the heavy cloud cover over the Wasatch mountains

Post race refreshments were some epic donuts, bananas a drink.  I am modeling the technical t-shirt above and the medal was a wooden one that I understand was made locally.  For about $55 week-of-registration -- I got what I expected out of this race.

Other than the one turnoff that I missed, the course was well marked and easy to follow.  There were enough runners running that I was never solo but I wasn't cramped (except perhaps the first quarter mile).  There were 3 water stops, photo stations, and gels.  I carried an 8 ounce flask of water as well, which I used periodically.

For a local race with just over a 100 runners, this was fun. I didn't place well in my age group (thanks in part to the 10 year age increments) but I had fun with this race.  I used it to get in some difficult miles and experience a new route.  I would recommend this race to those looking for a challenge and I would do it again next year if my training / schedule permitted it.

2021 Witch Run 10K Race Recap - West Jordan, UT

Official Time: 51:38
Placement: 1st in the 50 - 54, 7th overall
Results: Here
Race Website: Here
Weather: Mid 80's. Breeze from the north
Garmin Dump: Here
Previous Years: [2020] [2019] [2018]

Mile	Time	Comments
1	8:10	Easing into the race. First quarter mile definitely was a struggle
2	8:22	Warm out but getting it done. Felt like wind in my face at times
3	8:22	Finally the turn around. Definitely feeling it.
4	8:41	Just trying to maintain my pace.
5	8:47	Trying to get something going here. Occasionally I could muster something but I was pretty toasted
6	8.51	No one behind me and wasn't gaining on the guy in front of me.
6.04	0:19	Sprint to the finish
	Total Miles: 6.04 - 51:35

* Note -- course mapped at 6.20 miles and others measured it at 6.20 miles.

Introduction

The last weekend of September always sees the arrival of the Witch Run, put on my OnHillEvents.  They've done this race every year since 2018 and being that it is well-attended and started literally 2 miles down the road from me, it is hard to pass up.

The previous 3 editions have simply been a 5K race, held just after sunset.  In years past, I remember running in the darkness with a head lamp.  Last year was supposed to see a 10K and half marathon race, but Covid caused the consolidation of the race.

With the race scene more or less "go!" they again issued the additional races and I wound up signing up for the 10K.  

The Race

I wound up picking up my bib the day before on a run.  With the race headquarters 2 miles away, it was easy to jump on the trail get my bib and head on back.  So the trials and tribulations of getting my shirt and bib, stashing the shirt in the car and all that wasn't a thought.  It also enabled me to roll into the race site a little later than usual.

Running a 10K is hard, but running one at 5 PM and an 85 degree starting temperature -- it makes it harder.  To compound matters, my 1 PM lunch was still sitting in my gut like a rock.  

This race is a bit of a fun run. Yes there are overall and age group awards, but for the most part it is a social event.  The 10K -- a little less so.  There were only a few half marathon runners who had left at 4 PM.  I surveyed my competition -- about a 100 runners.

The race started at 5 PM and we were off.  The race starts at the Gardner Village shopping center -- kind of an arts and crafts / eclectic collection of boutique shops.  After a few hundred yards you are dumped on the Jordan River Bike Trail and begin making your way south.

I hadn't done much of a warm-up.  It was hot and I sort of lost track of time. Also my legs weren't feeling terribly fresh.  But once I started running it felt like I had sent my heart into overdrive. I was sucking wind.

I told myself to take it easy and just worked myself into a low intensity pace.  The guys I would never catch took off and I just worked on maintaining a pace that I felt I could hold.

I figured I was in 4th place and by mile 1 another person had passed me.  For some reason I felt like the guy in front of me though represented 3rd place.  The top 3 finishers would get plaques.

My goal was to hang on as long as I could with the guy, hit low 8 minute miles for the first 5K and then pour it on, on the way back.  

The first 3 miles largely went to plan.  It was warm though and by the time I hit the turn around I knew the death march going back would begin.  I had passed the 4th place guy and now I had the job of catching the 3rd place guy -- who was a solid quarter mile ahead of me.

Occasionally, I'd look behind me to see if the guy I had passed was making ground on me.  I'd spot in the background but I think he was just as gassed as I was.

I had a glimmer of hope that I was going to catch the 3rd place guy when I saw him walking.  I was still running but my low 8 minute mile had turned into a half marathon 8:44 pace. At times I felt like I was gaining on the 3rd place guy but every time I gained some ground, he picked up his pace too.

It was nice having an out and back course.  I could gauge how close I was to the other runners as well as get words of encouragement from those behind me.  I was digging deep, but despite my best efforts, I was gaining anywhere.   My legs were just baked and I was feeling the heat.  

There had been 2 water stops (at about 1.25 miles out) and I had carried a small flask of water with me  and I had wound up going through all of that before the end of the race.  

I knew around mile 6 that I wasn't going to be in contention for a plaque.  I couldn't get anything going and my pace had drifted to an 8:55.  I kept looking behind me and there was no one threatening my position, so I was pretty content just to maintain this and get it done.

During the last .25 mile I slowed down.  I was gathering some strength to make the final push into the finish line.  My legs felt like rubber and I was sweating profusely.  I just wanted to be done.

I rounded the final corner of the bike trail and returned to the Gardner Village parking lot and made a speedy finish, with a time of 51:38.

Conclusion

So looking at my watch, I ran a 6.04 "10K".  And I came in significantly slower than my recent 10K times.  I shrugged it off to the heat and just running on tired legs.

However, I began to do some research. I noticed a few other runners ran 6.13 and one got a 6.20.  I even traced out the route into MapMyRun.com and it took came out to 6.20 miles.  Had I really run 6.20?

I do believe I came close.  Certainly I ran more than 6.04.  It should be noted that there are a lot of power lines from about mile 1 until 2.5 -- including a heavy duty set of transformers.  In the past I've had lost connection problems there.  It is one of the reasons why I don't normally run south on the Jordan River Trail -- loss of reception.

So I am going to count this as a pretty legit 10K, which means I ran okay, but not great.

The race had about 500 participants, mostly for the 5K.  It was crazy busy at the finish line.  Fortunately, one could grab their award and hit the road. In the past, exiting the shopping area has been a major pain, so I was happy to get out when I could.

Post race refreshments were sports drink, candy and of course Fat Boy Ice Cream Sandwiches.  I had stashed a cold Gatorade near the finish line and I gulped that down greedily.  I was very dehydrated when I finished and kind of wonky feeling.

I also received a finisher's medal and an age group award.  The t-shirt was a polyester / cotton mix.  I like the original 2018 shirt -- I still wear it a lot.  This one, will probably be relegated to an easy run shirt.  

I paid about $35 for the race 3 weeks before the race start.  So the race was affordable and within reason.  It was just convenient to run a race so close to home.  It was, however, a challenging time of day.  It sort of killed off my Saturday on account I didn't want to do anything too strenuous prior to the race.

Overall, it was a great social event and I'll likely be back next year.