Fun day with the Circle of Trust running the relay. Aaron Metler joined our team so we ran the 5 member team relay with 4 people. The race was a little longer (just over a mile) this year than last but we still wanted to break the course record of 5:05:00. Leg order went Logan, Aaron, Aaron, Clyde, Logan, Dave, Clyde, Logan, Clyde and Dave. So I ran legs 4 (5.2 miles), 7 (4.4 miles) and 9 (4.2 miles). Logan and Aaron both took it out hard and by the time I got the "go" at leg 4 we had a massive led and were running at around a 5:15 avg through about 17 miles. Leg 4 for me started at the softball fields out by Entrada and ran a long the parkway to Paradise Canyon then hit the trail down to Green Valley and ended at Tonoquint park. First mile is rolling. The next 3 are a gradual downhill and the last mile is basically flat. So a good leg. Since I was running 3 legs I really didn't want to pound this leg. Finished with a 5:25 avg for the 5.2 miles. Felt really good throughout and just tried to save something for the next legs. Leg 7- runs from the river bridge on River road out past Stone Cliff, then up to Staihli farm and then down the fields road to the hand off point. Not a hard leg but not a EZ smoking fast one either. Gradual climb for the first 3.5 or so then around .7 downhill and .2 up or so at then very end. Tried to stay smooth and not kill myself off but got a killer side ache the last mile or so. It seemed to make everything else hurt. 5:39 avg for the 4.4 miles. Leg 9- This leg sucks or did suck. I was stiff and not into it while waiting for Logan to run Leg 8. That 25-30 min off just was too much or not enough. Nonetheless I wasn't feeling it. AND this is the hardest leg mile for mile than any other leg on the course. 3.6 miles of dirt roads on some big, up hills and some sandy areas. The leg rocked my world. The first mile hits the biggest climb and from memory I ran this mile in 6:24. Then the next mile is up and down on rolling hills and I ran a 6:22. The third mile is about .6 down and .4 flat. but has the sandy section. I ran it in 5:50. My watch wigged out after that so I don't have the overall avg or 4th mile time. It's flatish and at the end of the leg there's about a .4 mile climb. I'm guessing the 4th mile was around 6:10 pace and the climb was very slow. I was dead when I tagged Dave. Nothing really impressive about my legs. But for the most part I just wanted to do this to chill with the guys and get a good solid workout in. I love relays for that reason. You just can't get anything like a relay in "workout" settings. We ended setting a new course record at 4:50:00 and running an official 5:31 avg for the entire 52 or whatever miles. Everyone ran great to do that. This course isn't hard like a Wasatch course but it's not EZ like a Del Sol course. Very runnable and faster on the first 30 miles then it starts to climb and gets a little hairy the last few legs. With legs 8, 9 and 10 having a lot of gravel roads with big hills. It was a fun day. I went into it with a head cold and a slight fever. Now (Sunday) I'm full blown sick. I was almost positive this would happen after a relay day. But it was worth it as long as I can get some miles in on Monday and have a good coming week.
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