Rob Murphy

10 minute jog. Stretching.

Time for the annual reckoning. This is my most consistently run race since I moved to Utah in 2002. So I've run it 11 times since I was 38 years old. Twice I've run the marathon and one time I ran the marathon and dropped out. But the 10k is my best yardstick as to how I'm holding up. The times...

2002 - 38:39

2003 - 39:06

2004 - 37:57

2005 - 34:43 short course

2006 - 35:37

2007 - 35:54

2008 - 35:40

2010 - 34:36

2012 - 33:27 short course

2014 - 35:19

2016 - 35:42

I ran the first 3 miles with Bently Anderson, Steve Anderson's son who could be a top runner if he wanted. Today was his first road race ever and he did a low 37. I came through 3 miles in 16:58 and hung on to finish in 35:42. Kind of a wimpy 6:07 last mile. Finished first in my age group and second to Dave Taylor in the overall Masters division.

Had a great chat with 92 year-old John Cahill at the finish. Also saw former Alta stud Garett Jones who ran the marathon. The marathon was won by another one of my former Alta runners, Jon Kotter, in 2:25 who just edged out Fritz.

Abby ran her first 10k in 43:40. I was super proud to see that.

4 easy cross training miles plus weights. Pretty sore from yesterday and I'm running the Jupiter Peak Steeplechase on Saturday so I need to balance a couple quality days with rest this week.

Ann and I are going to the Avett Brothers at Red Butte Garden tonight. I'm excited about the show but not the 100 degree temps.

Just some walking today. My body is sore.

9 miles up at Alta - 4 campground loops. With the Jupiter Peak race on Saturday, I didn't want to overdo things. Blake and Tayte Pollman joined us which was great. Tayte will be trying to reapeat this Saturday which is a tall order since Hayden Hawks is running.

3 fish tacos at Lone Star Taqueria after. So, a pretty perfect morning.

You know what I'm glad about? I'm glad the Jupiter Peak Steeplechase is over for another year. I don't climb mountains particularly well and I'm not totally sure how this race ended up on my to-do list for three consecutive years. Every year I forget how long and hard that climb up Jupiter Peak is. You can go to mountaintrails.org to see a video of the course and what the climb is like (never mind - you can't).

Second in my age group again - this time to Bill Cobler who I beat Monday at Des News but who crushed me today by 4 minutes. I beat Taha Mahmood who beat me the last 2 years and I thought that would be good enough for the age group win but no dice. I ran the uphill slower this year and the downhill quite a bit faster.

My time was 2 minutes slower than last year but the course was .3 longer so maybe slightly better?

I'm tired!