SNOW CANYON HALF MARATHON
Going into this race I have felt that I properly recovered from St. George Marathon and I have done some good maintenance workouts in the last month to help keep some fitness levels. Knowing that Snow Canyon is a fast course and comparing it to Top of Utah Half, I felt that my fitness was the same as TOU and had a goal to run about 1-2 minutes faster if the body would handle it.
Got to the start of the race with about 45 minutes to spare. Hit the bathrooms, did a 2 mile warm with some strides and felt ready to roll.
Ken, Jon and I had discussed race plans the night before and splits. My plan was to go out at 5 min/pace in the first mile, ease up on the second and then hit as many sub 5s as possible thru 10 miles then hit sub 520s in the last 5K. With Ken he was going to start out more conservative and then attack the downhill portion hoping to catch me and then work the last 5K together. Jon was shooting for sub 1:10 and was going to use Ken and I as a pacing aid.
Anyway, race got started and I jumped out to quick start hitting 2:24 for the first half mile. By then I was alone, I could here footsteps of course but no one seemed to press forward wanting to run with me. I eased up the next half mile and hit the first mile in 4:59. Perfect, right where I wanted to be. Next mile eased a little and hit 5:08. Third mile the pacer introduced herself and said she would be taking me through the course and also said she would give me updates on the lead every mile if I wanted so I didnt have to turn around. End of mile 3 was 4:59. Now the middle splits I dont have or remember, for some reason I think my GARMIN had a corrupt file and when uploading to Strava and GarminConnect it completely wiped the run! Really upset and frustrating.
Start of mile 4 the pacer said I had a 60 yard gap lead and 3rd place was about another 40 yards behind. In this mile I thought I was going to lose the race. So, the 2nd place guy made a huge push on this mile. I had 60 yards on him to start the mile, by the end of this mile he had a 30 yard lead! I also know I hit a low 4:40 on this mile. So this seems like a complex math question, but he had to hit a sub 4:30 on this mile. Only thing that gave me hope when he passed was his breathing. He was laboring bad, when I heard that, I just let him go, sort of smiled and mentally said, see you in a couple of miles once the race flattens out. Well thats exactly what happened. I kept about the same gap through mile 7, hitting between 4:45 to 4:55 splits. Mile 8 had the first little roller, by now I had closed the gap a little but as we went up this hill, I could see this kids pace slow dramatically, I pushed the hill and surged into the flat, he came with me for 10 yards then he was gone. Pacer again started giving me updates, and the gap just got bigger. I admit the only person I was worried about was Ken catching up to me and getting me in the last mile so I knew the race wasnt over by a long shot.
As I hit mile 10 I came through in 50:06. Thought hey, I could a 16:30 the last 5K and come in around 1:06:40 and that would be killer to end the season on that note. As I got into the Entrada hills the legs just didnt respond with what I was hoping. Goal was sub 5:20s and I know I hit 5:34, 5:36, and 5:22 and came in the last 5K in 17:44. I wish again that I couldve finished faster, but I did what I could, I was laboring pretty hard the last 3 miles and ran as tough as I could. I felt the pressure come off around 12.5 miles when the pacer said you are going to win, I cant see anyone behind you. Came into the finish with a time of 1:07:50. A little disappointed in the time due to where I was at mile 10 but also thinking I havent had any signifacant increase in fitness since August, also Snow Canyon is 1-2 minutes faster than TOU Half. Time wise, I was right where I shouldve been.
Ken and Jon came in 3rd and 4th. Second place was about 40-50 seconds back.
STG Races did a fantastic job like always. Great finishing area, smooth bus transition, perfectly marked course. If you havent ran Snow Canyon its a must if it fits a late season race.
Cooled down with Ken, Taylor and Jon for a mile then ran a mile barefoot on the football field while getting beat by Riley Cooks daughter in some epic 100 meter racing.
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