This was a great race. If you live on the South end of Salt Lake County and you like to run races you have to do it. $30.00 is the cheapest half I have ever found plus no travel expense as well.
Last week my neighbor threw up in the hotel room before the race this morning it was my daughter. Another great omen The race started a little late but that gave us ten minutes to chat before the start. I saw Walter and went his way everyone I knew was back of the pack so I chated with him and the guy next to me a fellow by the name of Chris Hase 55 year old that took 28th.
I was running in tights again and a short sleeve compression shit with a long one over it. i could have dumped the Long sleeve after 5 miles but never did because of the bib number. After skiing yesterday and have a lousy diet week and a running week I expected to go a tad slowere then last week and figured it could be real bad. Based off of last years results I expected to do well but I knew there were alot more people. After last week my plan was to start a lot slower and let the race come to me. Rather then dying at the end.
The head race offical said He would count down then a siren would sound and that meant go. He counted down the Siren sounded but everyone stood for a second. It was like where is the starter pistol. Walter took off pretty good and before we turned the corner there were 4 kids in a pack following him I was number six. Then 1/4 mile later I got past by a short guy that had a hind end like a mule dear. I saw Riverton Paul watching the race but it didn't occur to me who it was until I 5 seconds after (thanks for the support Paul) I passed him. .then two more then 1 more about 1/4 before the first mile. That was where I stayed at number ten for a bout 5 more miles.
There was a strong head wind but it wasn't to bad. No chance to draft I was out all alone.After a couple miles I felt in a real groove and I wamred up well. I still need to upload my Garmin But HR was good first 5 miles were pretty steadybesides the first but even tah took 6:10 I hit 3 at 18:30. Which seemed a little short. There was one guy on my tail gapped but on my tail all the same for the first six miles. Atabout 5 I started reeling in a kid from the lead pack that fell off. I knew it was a matter of time and it took about 3 miles but after I passed him I think he fell apart because my wife said he finished several spots back. His mom told Suzanne he was a Bingham runner.
I ssaw Suzanne and my two boys several times throught the race which was way cool she even brought me som gatorade. She did a long run with friends this morning and thought that was better then two halfs on back to back weekends.Mile 9 started to catch glimpses off another guy. By the time we hit 12 I passed him and he was really hurting. Mile 13 was really strong and I could have kept going strong for awhile. I felt like I was closing on the two runners in front but it would have been a long time before I caught them. I was happy with 8th and even happier when I learned a couple guys were bandits that cut out early so I finished 6th.
A couple more take aways I was 27 seconds slower then last week. I also though last week based of my 13.17 garmin reading that the course was long. This week I though it was short 13.01 on the garmin. I would have gave last weeks course a 4 on a scale of 1-10 and this one a 6. Plus it is 500 feet higher. Lots of hills and sharp turns but it was marked well. I thought it would be easier based of of Walters time and conversation but I guessed they changed it a little. I noticed he was about a minute slower so I felt that much better about my time. I guess racing a little smarter helped I would have thought the Skiing would have killed me. Now I know I just need to hit it harder the next couple weeks.
After the race I took off to coach a couple soocer games both of my girls were puking before or after there games which made me think they were all the tougher. Chuckie Cheeses,running errands, and preparing a talk for the prison occupied the rest of my day. When I get arround to my Garmin results I will upload them. | 