The Classic race in Layton to me is probably on of the BEST organized race in the area. For being only a 5k and 10k, runners get a long sleeve tech shirt, chip timing, all you can eat and drink at the finish line, talking bread, bananas, gatorade, lemonade, water, just fantastic. I got to layton park and it was cold!!! warmed up with pants and long sleeve shirt. For my warmup I ran most of the 5k course just to get a feel for some of the uphill in the first 1.5 miles of the race. Got to the start line and didn't recognize alot of the runners. Mostly highschool kids that were running. For me the main goal today wasn't about time, it was about pushing as hard as I could without hurting my hamstring. Little nurvous especially being my first official race since the beginning of July. Gun went off and Imediately the first inicial push off felt the hammy emediately!!! But lucky enough that was it, legs felt loose and good. About a half mile into the race the group was already seperated. 2 other guys and me, I knew that if I could seperate myself in the first mile, I would have a great shot at winning because the 2nd mile is all uphill, to me I feel is my strength. Mile 1 was 5:00 flat and had maybe a 10 second lead already, the goal for mile 2 was just to maintain turnover and push as hard as I could. Mile 2 split was 5:21, not bad considering the uphill. By now I had open the gap a little more, not alot but enough to feel comfortable. Mile 3 is always the slowest mile on this course because you have a dirt trail to run on, also a complete downhill 180 degee turn plus a lot of switch backs through the park, and a little hill that they call heartbreak just before you run into the finish line. Through all of that I managed 5:18 mile, won the race by 13 seconds. Overall way happy not the best time in the world, but no injury to the hamstring so a way good postitive. Goal for the next couple of weeks is to get one more good long run in, hit a couple of hard workouts, and rest. St. George here we come!!! | 