I heard about this race at the last minute. It was put on by Riverton City and the SLC County Sheriffs Department. It had snowed during the night and this morning and I did not felt like running at all today, but I needed to at least salvage something after missing yesterday. I got down to the race at the last minute and registered in time to get about a .5 mile warm-up in, I really needed a 2 mile warm-up! I was about 34 degrees at the start, so I wore shorts a long-sleeve shirt and gloves.
I knew I was going to win because I didn't see anyone I knew at the start that could push me. Michael Metcalf was there, but non of my faster guys. The race started at a park on the Jordan River Parkway at 12400 S. and 1000 W.. The course was a loop course that started heading North on the Parkway. After a mile it cut up in the hilly neighborhood by Hawkins hill. The second mile was rough with the steep hills and headwind. The start of the third mile was slow too because of the hills and a zig zag through a park, but the end of the race was down Tithing Hill and around the park for the last .1. I was all alone the whole race and ended up winning by about 4 minutes, which made me look like some kind of Paul Paetersen character or something.:) My splits were: 5:27 all flat 6:11 mostly all uphill into the wind 5:41 Steep up and steep down :30 last .1 17:50 for a total time. I'll take it for my lack of preparation, the toughness of the course, and my first 5k in over a year. The solo thing didn't help my cause either. After I cooled down with Metcalf for 2 miles and then finished a cool-down on the parkway. 5.5 miles total in 42:45 (7:47 ave.)
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