Old Man Still running

Provo Halloween Half

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Location:

Saratoga Springs,UT,

Member Since:

Jan 31, 2008

Gender:

Male

Goal Type:

Local Elite

Running Accomplishments:

2016 Finished 12 100-milers during the year.  86 career 100-mile finishes, 9th in the world.   First person to do 6 consecutive summits of Mount Timpanogos.  Won Crooked Road 24-hour race. Achieved the 5th, 6th, and 8th fastest 100-mile times in the world for runners age 57+ for the year.

2013  First person to bag the six highest Wasatch peaks in one day. First and only person to do a Kings Peak double (highest peak in Utah).  I've now accomplished it four times. 

2010 - Overall first place Across the Years 48-hour run (187 miles), Overall first place Pony Express Traill 100.

2009 - Utah State Grand Masters 5K champion (Road Runners Club of America).  National 100-mile Grand Masters Champion (Road Runners Club of America). USATF 100-mile National Champion for age 50-54.

2006 - Set record of five consecutive Timpanogos Summits ("A record for the criminally insane")  See: http://www.crockettclan.org/blog/?p=42

2007 - Summited 7 Utah 13-ers in one day.  See: http://www.crockettclan.org/blog/?p=14 

Only person to have finished nine different 100-mile races in Utah: Wasatch, Bear, Moab, Pony Express Trail, Buffalo Run, Salt Flats, Bryce, Monument Valley, Capitol Reef.

PRs - all accomplished when over 50 years old

5K - 19:51 - 2010 Run to Walk 5K

10K - 42:04 - 2010 Smile Center

1/2 Marathon: 1:29:13 - 2011 Utah Valley

Marathon - 3:23:43 - 2010 Ogden Marathon

50K - 4:38 - 2010 Across the Years split

50-mile - 8:07 - 2010 Across the Years split

100K - 10:49 - 2010 Across The Years split

12-hours 67.1 miles - 2010 Across The Years split

100-mile 19:40 - 2011 Across the Years split

24-hours 117.8 miles - 2011 Across the Years split

48-hours 187.033 miles - 2010 Across the Years

Long-Term Running Goals:

I would like to keep running ultras into my 60s. 

Personal:

Details at: http://www.crockettclan.org/ultras/ultracrockett.pdf Married with six kids and six grandchildren.  Started running at the age of 46 in 2004.  My first race since Junior High days was a 50K. I skipped the shorter road stuff and went straight to ultramarathons.  I started as a back-of-the packer, but have progressed to a top-10-percent ultra finisher.  Wish I would have started running at a much earlier age.  Have had several articles published in national running magazines.  Check out my running adventure blog at www.crockettclan.org/blog

Favorite Blogs:

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Miles:This week: 0.00 Month: 0.00 Year: 0.00
Race: Provo Halloween Half (13.1 Miles) 01:27:59, Place overall: 73, Place in age division: 5
Total Distance
15.00

This race is a fun run, and it was fun but had way to many problems to be seriously competivie.  But it is a riot to look at all the wild costumes people were running in.  Wow.  Very creative.  The course is very fast.

The problems were a many. But you would expect growing pains as the race went from about 600 last year to about 2,500 this year.  They really skimped on buses.  Many people had to wait a long time at the start because there were no buses there.  Those who did take early buses had to wait two hours at the start, but that was OK, we had fun talking or warming up.  The starter began the race when a bus was totally blocking the road 100 yards ahead.  Most the mile markers seemed off (one only about 0.8).  The course appeared to be short about 2 tenths making it about two minutes or more fast.  Perhaps the Garmins had trouble in the canyons.  But if so, they all did even those coming in an hour later. The finish bags arrived too late to sort so it took a long time to find bags.  And the worst, there were very few buses at the finish, so runners had to walk miles back to their car or wait for hours for buses.  (I called my wife to pick us up.)   So if you run this race, you need to go at it with just a fun attitude, because it can be fun while you are running because of all the costumes, a great run for the family.  It also is a blistering fast course, wow!  If you have the downhill speed you can really fly.

The race runs from the Mount Timp trailhead above Sundance and finishes in the Riverwoods.

I went up with my son Kevin who was running his first half.   I was worried about the chilly weather at the start and we got there over two hours early, but they had a nice huge warm tent to wait in and look at all the bizarre costumes.   After awhile I went out to run up the road.  As I was running up, I was confused to see a ton of runners coming down the road in the dark. One of the buses let out runners way up the road for some reason.  I guess he missed the turn.  The dawn was incredible. I loved the peace away from the crowds climbing up the Alpine Loop road.  The light glowed off of Mount Timp.  But I was dressed too warm, started to sweat so I returned to the tent and talked with friends and Kevin.

The start was delayed because runners were still arriving because of the lack of buses.  After the last bus arrived, the starter didn't give the bus enough time to get out of the way.  He fired the gun and away we went.  The bus was blocking almost the entire road.  Luckly I was in the first group of about 20 runners, so it wasn't a problem.

The first four miles are wicked fast and steep.  I think we lost 2,000 feet in only four miles.  I forgot to bring my Garmin, so not sure of the mile splits, but if the mile markers can be trusted on the first section they were 6:10, 6:13, 6:20, and 6:44.   It was great fun to blast down the road.   Before reaching the Provo Canyon highway, my calves started to cramp up, so I slowed a little.  I just haven't done enough tempo runs for the past few months, but the steep descent also affected things.  I already saw runners stopping because of cramping problems.

Well, the rest of the run just followed the highway and then jumped on the Provo River Parkway at Vivian Park, a route I have run many times.   I was surprised that at mile 10, the 1:30 pacers caught up to me.  This just didn't seem right.   As I got thinking about it, either they were early or the course was going to be short.   I hung on and kept them in my sights.  They seemed to slow near the finish because they would be arriving more then two minutes too soon.

I pushed as hard as I could and finished in 1:27:59.   PR time for a half by over two minutes, but I was still confused, it didn't seem like I went that fast.  I watched people finish for the next hour and all the pacers showed up to the finish 2-3 minutes too soon. They were all very confused. I concluded the course was short.  Others confirmed it.

I did make a road runner rookie mistake.  I didn't tie my shoes tight enough.  With the downhill course, my feet slid around and I ended up with huge blisters on the balls of my feet.  After I finished, I had wanted to run the course backwards and run Kevin in, but I was in way too much pain after the finish walking on the blisters.  I had to treat my feet and then spent a half hour searching the pile for our bags.   Kevin showed up at 2:34:34.  Well done for his very first half!  He got it done.  The steep downhill worked his legs pretty hard.

My age group was very competitive this time. I finished in 5th. Many of the best local road runners were there.  I recognized several as they passed me.  I wished I could keep up but just couldn't.

Despite all the challenges, it was a fun morning, and very nice to get in a fast run.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mizuno Wave Elixer 5 - Green Miles: 15.00
Comments
From JulieC on Sat, Oct 30, 2010 at 17:41:04 from 168.103.184.124

GReat race!! the garmins may be to blame...as I mentioned about Hobble Creek. Today my garmin picked up my fastest pace as 4:30 (NOT) and that only happens when it doesn't pick up for a bit. That would explain why at mile five (out of the canyon) the miles were more on but before that my garmin wouldn't read a mile until after each marker. Who knows. Maybe we should drive it :D.

From crockett on Sat, Oct 30, 2010 at 17:45:47 from 71.36.84.70

Could be but another thing that bugged me is that according the the mile markers they placed, mile 9 was only about 0.8. I ran it in 5:38. Yeah right, more like 7:30 pace at that point. Seemed like the miles after that were right. I'm betting they placed the mile markers starting from the finish and from the start, meeting in the middle, but had to have a short mile.

From JulieC on Sat, Oct 30, 2010 at 17:49:15 from 168.103.184.124

I went off my garmin for all the miles so it wouldn't get me ticked or off focus. But the canyon thing has happened to me many a time. Some days it will pick up in AF canyon by my house and the next day I could be on the opposite side of the road running up by the reservoir and it doesn't read and the mileage is shorter by over .3 miles.

From crockett on Sat, Oct 30, 2010 at 17:50:04 from 71.36.84.70

Another way to come up a little short is cutting all the corners on the Sundance road. I certainly cut a few, but I'm betting the pacers didn't.

From JulieC on Sat, Oct 30, 2010 at 17:50:51 from 168.103.184.124

Basically you PR'd. You should run Bryce Canyon Half in July. The canyon is lower than the runners (no garmin issues) and the course is just as fast. : DDD I am trying to cheer you up : DD. Want more : DDDDD?

From crockett on Sat, Oct 30, 2010 at 18:01:30 from 71.36.84.70

Ha, ha, JulieC, you are too kind. Thanks. OK, I'll accept my PR an aided PR, aided at least by the crazy hills, perhaps the distance too. It was close. I didn't beat the pacers like you did.

From allie on Sat, Oct 30, 2010 at 20:39:12 from 174.23.195.124

great job today, and congrats on the PR. i agree, there were a lot of noticeable "growing pains" this year. wow. so many people!

From Walter on Sun, Oct 31, 2010 at 00:11:45 from 24.10.169.110

Great job today! I always start out wondering if I should run hard or run it for fun. Im too competitive. lol

From crockett on Sun, Oct 31, 2010 at 10:51:29 from 71.36.84.70

Funny how this half left me with legs that are more sore than after finishing my 100-miler two weeks ago in PR time.

From crockett on Mon, Nov 01, 2010 at 17:08:15 from 216.49.181.254

The nerd and OCD-type that I am, I used Google Earth to measure the course (granted not presise, could lose or gain some). The distance came to 12.75. Seems consistent with the GPSs and just too far off the margin of error. Perhaps I'm too honest with my PRs, but I'll chalk this one up as a nice fun run.

From JulieC on Mon, Nov 01, 2010 at 18:18:49 from 71.35.248.67

did you get 51.25 miles for Squaw Peak this year? I did. I will agree that most likely it is off a bit for sure. But what about Hobble Creek and its "sanctioned" course reading about 12.63 miles for Nan I think. I will have to look back. Did you run Hobble this year? My good friend ran the Halloween course earlier that day. She is fast and was doing so well she ran to the end and kept going to get to 13.1 miles even-- her time for real distance was incredible, she would have won= 1:22:10. So that makes it about 1:20 if she ran the "short" course. She ran with Melanieb. Anyway....OCD is okay. Sasha would have to let us know too. Thanks for the update. I think I will run the course WICKED slow and see if my garmin loses hold of the satellite :D. Wanna join me? can't for a few days as my calves are like yours of course.

From JulieC on Mon, Nov 01, 2010 at 18:21:48 from 71.35.248.67

So that gives me a 1:29 something since my garmin said my AP was 6:51, right? Oh well, I did run UP a mile at the start and back down. : D

From crockett on Mon, Nov 01, 2010 at 18:34:56 from 216.49.181.254

For my PRs, I'm OK if the course is over and OK if it is under by a little. I've never run Hobble Creek, but boy, if it is 12.63, that is alarming. That canyon isn't very narrow nor are there a ton of trees. The Rex Lee run this year was 9K instead of 10K this year. Someone said the race director said, that's OK, everyone gets a PR. Not. Yes, I was be happy to run it again some time. I imagine USATF has some margin of error they accept. They measure the shortest possible route a runner can take without being DQed, so cutting those corners coming down. Their crazy document is at: http://www.usatf.org/events/courses/certification/manual/manual.pdf

Note that an event like Hobble Creek can be "sanctioned" without having the course "certified." My Pony Express Trail 100 was "sanctioned" but the length hasn't been "certified."

From JulieC on Mon, Nov 01, 2010 at 22:10:04 from 71.35.248.67

so....I downloaded my garmin info for Sat's race and interestingly at mile 4 my garmin says I ran 144 ft uphill. NOT. There was NO uphill then. HENCE, I believe my garmin lost connection there for a bit. That is where the canyon wall is steep on the left side of the wall. I can't even make cell phone calls there as they give out as I am driving away from Sundance skiing. It also put that crazy fastest pace hit at mile 9 (4:30, not in this lifetime) where you go under the bridge briefly. What I am saying is we might want to calibrate our bikes like USATF says and check it out....NOT : D. Basically something fishy with garmination and true accuracy with canyon walls and steep terrain. Not that I am saying it is exactly 13.1. but closer than we think. Just another OCDer lovin' the over-analysis of a race. It is intriguing. BTW I ran that ridiculous 9k. Really not impressed with the organizer's attitude.

From JulieC on Mon, Nov 01, 2010 at 22:16:16 from 71.35.248.67

Nan got 12.85 for Hobble Creek. Some got less. IT IS USATF certified. So IS the Halloween Half I was just told by my friend Kim.

From JulieC on Mon, Nov 01, 2010 at 22:17:30 from 71.35.248.67

AND HOW IN THE HECK DO YOU RUN THAT MANY 100 milers? YOU SO TOTALLY ROCK DUDE!! (sorry for the quote from Finding Nemo) but it so fits for you. You are a running machine.

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