13.1-ish miles @ 8:57-ish. BYU Smith Fieldhouse solo.
I haven't been running much during the break for several reasons: 1) let my legs recover a bit, 2) busy with family stuff, 3) snow and freezing conditions have left the roads in poor condition for running.
I really felt like I needed a good run today. With frigid temperatures and high winds (semis blowing over on the freeway), I opted to drive to Provo and try the Smith Fieldhouse indoor track. The website said it was open...and it was.
There were quite a few people running...and the BYU cheer squads were practicing on one of the courts inside the track.
I decided to try running a half marathon at marathon pace effort. With other runners to pass, I probably started out too quickly...but it was fun. I think I averaged about 8:30 pace for the first 5 miles, then gradually slowed.
Besides a few college-age kids doing speed work, I was only passed once by another distance runner, an old guy like me. He passed me when I was about 4.5 miles into my run but as I suspected/hoped, it was on his first lap. He never passed me again and only ran 4 or 5 miles.
I felt like I maintained a pretty solid effort and managed to finish pretty strong. I recovered pretty quickly and feel good.
I stopped at Harmon's on 800 N to get gas on the way home. I can't recall ever being in a stronger or colder wind. Leaving Harmon's and head north on 800 E the strong wind was blowing the drifting snow horizontally in near white out conditions. I was glad to get home, and glad I chose to run on the indoor track.
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