Changes to the Utah Valley Marathon

[Hyrum]

There are a few significant changes to our event that we want to make you aware of:

1.  We have decided to replace our 5K with a new Utah 10K (there are fewer 10K events out there than 5K, so we want to offer something useful to the running community).
2.  We have added a FREE Kids 1K Fun Run.  This event is intended to help generate interest in young children to the sport of running and promote fitness.
3.  We have added a new time bonus for anyone who breaks the Utah State record in the marathon for their gender.  The payout for meeting this challenge will be $2000.  That is in addition to receiving the $500 time bonus, and the $1600 for first place.  That makes the potential payout to our first place athlete $4100.

[Paul Petersen]

what is the Utah state record?

[Joe Furse]

Paul wants to know so he can promptly blow it out of the water.   

[Paul Petersen]

Actually, I'm wondering if Hyrum knows...

Off the top of my head, I can think of 2:15 or so from St George, and also a low 2:15 from the "early days" of SLC. Maybe there is some ridiculous time from the old days of Des News too. Not sure what the Des News record is.

[Jake Krong]

A little google work reveals that the Des News CR is 2:16:07 http://www.deseretnews.com/article/595079653/On-the-fast-track.html ...

St George is 2:15:16, and according to wikipedia, the SLC marathon CR is 2:15:14. So that is probably the fastest.

[Jake Krong]

I think that the 10K will be a nice addition... that's a real nice course. Fast but not overly-aided.

2:15 would be a heck of a run on the UVM course... you'd really have to crush those hills in the first half!

[Hyrum]

In checking with Sasha I find the same men's record you have with 2:15:14 at the SLC Marathon.  My understanding is that the women's record was that same year (2005) for women also at the SLC Marathon with a time of 2:30:07. It would be neat to see Paul set the Utah men's record.  My understanding is that he has different goals right now that don't involve running the full marathon in Utah for a while, but if not we would love to have him back.  It would be fun to see a Utah Native do this instead of an outsider, but it  may take an outsider (likely Kenyan).  I think the current men's record is held by a Kenyan at the SLC Marathon.

[James Moore]

I love the change from 5k to 10k!

Thing that we need more of

1) 10k
2) Unaided races
3) Fall races (why are there 20 half marathons in July and I can only think of 1 (layton) in October)

Hyrum, make it so!

As for wanting to see the record set by a Utahn, you could have a separate bonus for top utahn or setting the "utahn" record. I understand if you don't want to do that, but I feel like there is a certain prestige to having the "utahn" record. I think the Utahn record (for a race in Utah) might be Hobie Call at Top of Utah? At least for another 5 weeks.

[Sasha Pachev]

James - Utahn record in Utah would be Paul Cummings 2:15:16 in St. George. However, Hobie's 2:16:57 is a higher quality performance. Utahn record anywhere is Ed Eyestone's 2:10:59 in Chicago.