I was going to do the free SLC race but was afraid I wouldn't have competition, and I heard it would not be timed, so I started to consider doing the Wasatch Wellness 5k, which was in provo and I thought Melody was racing it. I waffled, even in the morning, but decided to go to Provo, and try to hang onto Melody. Plus my youngest was getting baptized today, so I needed to get back as soon as possible. I did a longer warm up, 4.1 miles, I ran the course and it seemed a bit short. The race is a slight downhill in the first half, and then a slight uphill on the way back. The 10k was starting 10 minutes before the 5k, and it looked like Melody was at the line about 5 minutes before the start. I go up to her and it was her, and she is running the 10k! Dang it, I look around for the race director, and I see him doing last minute race prep, and I wonder if I can handle the mental transition from 5k to 10k. I decide to stick with the 5k rather than try to switch last minute. Melody tells me I can pace her in on the 10k once I finish the 5k. It looked like less than 100 people, which surprised me. There were actually 66 finishers in the 10k. I was hoping for more people in the 5k. At the 5k start, the female contingency looks sparse. There were 203 5k finishers, so better but still sparse. I switched my watch to take 1k splits since there weren't mile markers. I am hoping to go out at 3:40. At the 1k mark I am in about 6th place (including men, no females). 3:47, At about 1.3k we cross state street toward the Provo Cemetary ,and the lead group of men were stopped before the police cleared the road for them to cross, so I am able to catch up. I stick with them, then pull a surge, and am in 2nd place by the 2k mark, 3:53 (I might have been slowed as well by the crossing) this k too si slightly downhill. 3:50 for the 3rd k. I am reeling in the #1 guy but we start to head uphill. 4th k is 3:52, so didn't slow down. The last k was short, .7k at 3:39 pace, gradual uphill. I didn't catch the boy (17 years old), he finished 7 seconds ahead. So the overall pace is disappointing, but I did run consistently so that's something. I jogged back on the 10k course, where I saw the race director, and informed him of the short course, then saw Melody, who was leading the race outright. I ran downhill with her, but let her go when she turned the corner and did the last 200m uphill. Cool down was about 2.5 miles. | 