I was helping with the ROTC "George Q" Cannon today for the start of
the Run13 Smile Center Memorial 10K and 5K in Orem. Since I was there I
decided to run the 10K since I needed to run 6 miles today anyway.
Considering this was a first year race it had a pretty good and fast
crowd going after the first place prize money of $100. There were
several BYU Track runners present in both races along with Seth Wold in
the 5K and Josh McAdams in the 10K. Obviously Josh McAdams won the 10K
just running with the other BYU lead runner and then outkicking him at
the end with a time of 31 something if I remember right. In the 5K Seth
Wold won with a slow time as he was pacing the female BYU runner Sarah
???. He was first in 17:30 and she was first female and second overall
with a 17:32. After that times dropped off a bit but overall another
great race by Jeff Gehring and Run13. I easily think they are the best
race directors around right now. So on to my race report. I
wanted this to be a tempo of sorts but just try and stay fairly
comfortable and see if I could run under 39:00. The legs were not
feeling great but overall I met my goal of breaking 39:00. The
conditions were a bit on the warm and very windy at the start. It was a
big loop course with almost no elevation change so potentially a fast
course. However, we found out very quickly the wind was going to be a
beast early on and at the end. The first mile was into a pretty decent
right front cross wind. It didn't feel terrible but you could feel it
for sure. Right from the start 4 runners took off together and I was
all by myself in 5th. I could hear the first female, a BYU runner, just
behind me for a little while but I was not sure how far back as I did
not look back. I think the first 2 miles were a gradual up as we were
running towards Provo Canyon. Just before the 1 mile mark we turned
directly towards Provo Canyon and met the wind straight in the face. At
this point you could feel the full force of the wind and it was pretty
brutal. We were most certainly climbing ever so gradually and into a
nasty head wind. This mile really took a lot more energy out of me than
I was planning on. Still all by myself and thinking I could hear
someone not far behind. In my mind I kept thinking it must be the BYU
runner and top female and was hoping I could maintain my pace as long s
possible and try not to get chicked. After a little over two miles into
the wind we turned into a neighborhood and know for the next few miles
we would at least have a crossing tailwind. This was good news but I
could still feel the legs hurting from the effort into the wind. The
bad news was the last mile was back into the stiff head wind. I
struggled during this last mile with the wind and was expecting to get
passed by the lead female at any moment. I refused to look back an see
if I was correct. I made it to the finish in 38:47 and actually did not
get passed. After I finished I was correct that the lead female runner,
from BYU, was the next person to finish after me. She ended up about 30
seconds back and she was 5th overall. So overall pretty pleased with
4th overall and 1st in my age group considering where I am at in my
comeback. I still have a long ways to go to but I am happy that I was
able to enjoy this race even with the challenge of the wind and running
all alone the entire run. Hopefully this will become more like marathon
pace eventually versus threshold pace right now. Anyway another day I
was given the blessing to run and race so no complaints whatsoever. My
splits are below: Mile 1
| 6:00 slight up and crossing head wind
| Mile 2
| 6:20 slight up and very strong head wind (this killed)
| Mile 3
| 6:10 recovering from head wind with legs dead
| Mile 4
| 6:12 just trying to hold pace
| Mile 5
| 6:25 turned into a crossing head wind the second half of this mile
| Mile 6
| 6:26 slight up and with a brutal head wind again (just wanted to get to the finish)
| .2 miles
| 1:14 so able to finish at about 6:08 pace even with head wind and dead legs
|
| 