I wanted to get in a 50K run in this weekend. Since there was a big storm coming in Saturday morning, I went to get it done Friday evening before the storm. I selected a new route on the southwest side of Utah Lake. I would start north of Mosida (north of the huge Bateman sheep farm) head on dirt roads to the west and make my way to a powerline road (the same powerlines that run through Cedar Valley to the north), and follow that all the way south to Elberta. I then planned to loop around to the west and run along the old forgotton State Road 73, (now just a trail) and head back north. I wanted to get through by midnight at average a 11:00 pace.
My actual run was a bit different. I started at 6:15 p.m. in the dark. Things started off well, but about two miles into the run I took a wrong turn and then my road ended. I backtracked made another turn, again wrong and really got turned around. Eventually I found myself on a high ridge. I thought I was heading south, but I was heading east. I was confused because I saw the lit up Bateman farm in the wrong location and soon saw that I was heading east with Utah Lake in front of me. I backtracked again, and eventually found the correct road. That cost me about two extra miles. I looked at the sky. No moon or stars to help, so I used the glow of the lights against the clouds from Salt Lake Valley far to the north. I figured out that if I kept that glow behind my right shoulder, I would stay on course and not get turned around again.
Now on the right course, heading southeast, going over a mild pass, I hit a terrible headwind about 30 mph or so. I was very startled by what looked like two porcupines running toward me. They turned out to be tumble weeds. The wind got fiercer and I had a hard time keeping my pace up. Next I was very startled by tumble weeds coming from nowhere, slamming into me. After awhile I just go used to it, no big deal. Then little mice would run out on the road and try to keep ahead of me. I almost stepped on a couple. I reached the powerlines and my route shifted due south. The headwind was now a little to the side of me and I was able to increase pace. I now faced a long 9.2-mile straight route. It seemed like it would never end.
I came out behind some low hills and had great views of the lake and the lights across the lake including Santaquin to the southeast. Finally I hit Elberta Slant road and could really pick up my pace as I headed west on this smooth dirt road. I was able to get back on my pace goal. When I reached State Rd 68 (Redwood Road), I stopped to refuel. Before my run I had dropped some coke, water, and Ensure. I was dehydrated because I was running with only one water bottle and had run out a few miles back. It was good to get hydrated again.
I looked at my distance. Because of my blunder, I was already at 17 miles. I decided to take the easy route and run SR 68 back directly to my car. On the pavement I was able to really push the pace well. After a couple miles, to avoid the occasional car going by, I jumped onto a ranch dirt road that parallels the highway for about ten miles. That turned out to be great. My pace slowed a little back on the dirt, but I enjoyed it much more. With the full moon out, I was able to run without my light, totally by moonlight. It was fantastic.
At times the wind was fierce, but now I had an incredible tail wind. It would really push me along! I looked out toward the east and saw huge dust clouds glowing in the moonlight, out a couple miles where the powerline trail would was. I was glad that I was not there, it would have been nasty.
Finally I could see the blazing lights of Bateman farm to the north, but it seemed like it would never arrive on the long straight 12-mile stretch. Again, I started to get dehydrated, so my joints started to ache. I was ready to finish. Soon the car came into view and I completed my Mosida/Elberta loop, almost exactly at 11:00 pace, a little before midnight. Once in the car, the windstorm really kicked up and my car rocked back and forth, and tumbleweeds were really flying. I was glad to be through.
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