This race has become an annual tradition, with my first
running in 2007, and having run in it ever since. It’s a good opportunity to push the pace, as
most of my events are marathon distance or longer. A benefit as I see it, is that the course is
not an all downhill profile like many of the other Utah races. Most start out up some canyon and send
runners shooting downward to the finish.
Don’t get me wrong; I do enjoy downhill aided courses, but I also need
to mix things up as well.
I hit the start line with the anticipation of clocking a
better time than past years. I really
didn’t know how significant it could be, by a matter of seconds, or maybe a
couple minutes if everything fell into place.
I have seen an improvement in my fitness this year as I have changed my
training and eating habits. I am a
constantly evolving experiment in how to train, and work of nutritional
refinement in progress.
The race began, and group of ten runners formed the
lead. I was at the back of this group,
and felt that I had a chance to reel in a couple within close proximity. I’d just keep them in my sights and see how
things unfolded, and would eventually make my move. The pacing felt labored, but sustainable. I hit 5k around 20:00 flat, and then shortly
thereafter, a bearded and shirtless runner flew past. He appeared effortless, and quickly overtook
the two runners slightly ahead of me. I
was running my own race, and my previous times, so that was not all too
discouraging. Mile 5 came just over
32:00 and most of the lead runners had spread out and beyond my line of sight. I glanced back upon leaving the aid station,
and could see at least a ¼ mile gap between myself and the closest runner. That gave me some relief from the immediate
chance of being overtaken. Just prior
to the mile 7 aid station, I was able to overtake a runner that had been in my
sights the whole time. He seemed to be
falling off pace, and that would be the case for me in the miles to come as
well. The course has a couple highway
overpasses and slight inclines until mile 10, which always bog me down. At the base of the last of these inclines, I
reeled in a runner in a white tank top that had been no more than a 10th
of a mile away the entire race. I
figured I would take it easy up the hill, let him toe the line, and then I’d
overtake him. Ultimately, that’s not how
it panned out. He had more stamina than
I anticipated and pulled ahead, but stayed in my sights. I knew then that he had me, and I lacked the
leg power to surge ahead.
Around mile 11, I looked back and saw the runner I had
overtaken near mile 7. He appeared to be
closing in and I wasn’t too thrilled about that. I began to prepare for an acknowledgement of
his ability in making a good comeback, and to wish him well for his last couple
miles. I could hear labored breathing
and pounding footfalls behind me, and assumed the overtaking would take place
on a half mile downward stretch of Main Street. To my surprise, he never passed and actually
fell back. I continued with the push I had
left in my legs, and headed to the finish line.
Another runner came out of nowhere, with only a ¼ mile left, and all I
could do was watch as he pulled away, rounded the corner, and left my sight to
the finish. I have done that to other
runners when given the opportunity, so it was my turn to be paid back!
My time was 1:26:56, an improvement of: 40 from last year,
and a new pr for the course. I had done what
I set out to do, and received a nice 2nd place age group award in
the process. I hope to continue in
making personal forward improvements and I use race experiences like this one to
act as a measurement of my progress.
My Garmin splits were:
1. 6:36 2. 6:14 3. 6:15 4. 6:37 5. 6:24
6. 6:30 7. 6:44 8. 6:58 9. 6:48 10. 7:25
11. 6:41 12. 7:09 13. 6:28 14. 0:12 (6:01, read .03/mi.)
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