Every Race is an Adventure!

I ran 6.2 easy miles on the Orem route with Larry again this morning.

At lunchtime my plan was to run up Eagles View with the Novell guys at an easy pace and then push the downhills, similar to Saturday. However, when I hit the fitness center at 12:00, Tom was warming up on a treadmill and Cory wanted to leave right then (we normally leave at 12:10) to get back for a 1:00 meeting. I told them to go ahead and I would try to catch up.

I changed as quickly as I could and headed out. I saw Tom a block or so up ahead, but I couldn't see Cory at all. I got stuck at a red light and Tom pulled farther ahead. I ran a sub-7:00 minute pace for about a mile to catch Tom just before State St., not quite the easy pace I had planned.

We saw Cory quite a ways ahead of us and never caught him, even though we pushed up the hill at a pretty good pace. I decided to go ahead and push the downhill. I ran from the top of the hill down to the stop sign (0.58 miles) at a 5:40/mi pace. For the less steep 0.36 miles from there down to State St. I averaged 6:08/mi. We backed off the pace a little for the 1.56 miles back to work, but still managed an average pace of 7:35/mi.

Even though I was planning to take it easy the first part of this run, by chasing Tom and Cory I ended up with my fastest time so far this year for this run, 37:48 (7:34/mi).

My Eagles View runs this year have been:

1/22: 41:57 (8:24/mi)

1/25: 39:48 (7:58/mi)

1/29: 37:58 (7:36/mi)

2/5: 39:48 (7:58/mi)

2/12: 37:53 (7:35/mi)

2/26: 40:11 (8:08/mi)*includes time stopped at light

3/5: 39:22 (7:52/mi)

3/12: 41:57 (8:23/mi)

3/19: 37:48 (7:34/mi)

I was planning to get out with Larry at 5:45am this morning but I guess I turned the alarm off at 5:00 because I didn't wake up until about 5:38. I was a few minutes late getting out and I guess I missed Larry.

I wasn't quite sure what I wanted to run this morning. I ended up running the neighborhood 5K course, with a total of about 1.5 miles of warmup and cooldown.

I ran the 5K course in 21:52 (7:04/mi). My paces for the 3.1 mile downhill, level, uphill loop were roughly 6:45, 7:02, 7:12. According to my Garmin I ran the last 0.1 mile at 5:49/mi, but I'm not sure I believe it.

I have normally been doing two-a-days on Wednesday, but since this is a taper week I decided I would only do the morning run. However, when I awoke and saw the driving rain being blown sideways at times by the gusting wind the thought crossed my mind that maybe it would be better to do the noon run instead.

Some issues prevented me from running at the normal time. I missed running with Cory. He was just finishing up in the locker room when I got there.

I ran the 5.2 mile Lake View course. Instead of the 3 mile tempo run in the middle like we've been doing, I swapped out the middle tempo mile for a recovery mile. My splits for the 3 middle miles were 7:07, 8:36, and 6:50. I ran the 1.2 miles back in at 8:24/mi.

I just ran a few easy miles this morning to loosen up my legs. After some really slow warm up the last two miles were at about an 8:30 pace. I'm feeling pretty good about the Spectrum 10K Saturday (knock on wood). I've got a few minor aches and pains, but that's normal for my old body. Overall, I feel pretty strong. The tightness I've had in my right calf for the past couple of weeks is mostly gone. I felt a little tightness in my left calf this morning, but it's not too bad. We'll see how I feel race day morning, but I'm optimistic about a good performance. I'm looking forward to finding out what I've got in me.

I thoroughly enjoyed my trip to St. George to run the Spectrum 10K. We stopped and visited my parents in Nephi both on the way down and the way back. After my dad's recent strokes and my mom's knee surgery it was great to see them both doing so well and to visit with them. It was also enjoyable to spend a couple of days alone with Karen. I really enjoyed sharing the drive down and back with her. I really appreciate her support of my running.

Larry picked me up at the hotel and I rode to the race with him, his wife Jolene, his daughter Stacia, her husband Jeremy, and Wayne. I also saw Scott Blake before and after the race. It's great to have good friends to share these experiences with.

The Spectrum 10K course runs through Snow Canyon State Park. What a beautiful place for a run. The weather was perfect. There was no wind. It wasn't too cold at the start nor too hot at the finish.

They changed the course this year because of the increase in the number of runners. I had been told the course was basically half pretty steep downhill then half gradual downhill. I don't think that was entirely true. It seemed to me the last mile or so were at best level, with a little more uphill grade than I originally expected. They also added a section in the first part of the race where we turned and went uphill on the West Canyon Trail for 3/4 mile before doubling back. It was actually kind of fun on this section to see the people in front of me as I went up and the people behind me as I went down.

My goal was to break 43 minutes, with a stretch goal of shooting for 40 minutes. I figured this would take roughly 6 minute miles for the first half and 7 minute miles for the second half.

The first mile was downhill as promised. I tried to take what the hill was giving me without pushing too hard and ran it in 5:42. I may have taken it a little too fast, but I felt like I was running within myself.

The second and third miles, at 6:39 and 6:50 revealed that 40 minutes wasn't going to happen. However, this included the added uphill section, so I still felt like I was doing well. I hit the 3 mile mark at 19:12. There wasn't a 5K marker and I wasn't wearing my Garmin, but I figure I ran the first 5K in around 19:50. My 5K PR is 20:13.

I maintained my pace down the lower portion of the canyon and ran the next two miles in 6:47 and 6:49. I ran the 6th mile in 7:18. This is the level-to-slight-uphill section that I originally thought was supposed to be gradual downhill. Luckily I realized it wasn't as I drove the course prior to the race so I was expecting it. I just held on and tried to maintain my form and breathing.

In summary, my mile splits were 5:42, 6:39, 6:50, 6:47, 6:49, and 7:18 with a final time of 41:43 (6:42/mi). I finished 1st in the Male 45-49 division and 20th place overall. It was clear evidence to me that dedicated training really pays off. It was a great birthday present. I received a plaque and a $20 gift card to the St. George Running Center.

Larry and Jolene celebrated a greater accomplishment than me. Larry met his goal of running under 50 minutes. In fact, as coincidence would have it, he tried to out kick Scott Blake near the finish but Scott barely held him off. This was Larry's 18th consecutive Spectrum 10K. In fact, he was wearing his 1990 Spectrum 10K t-shirt. Jolene placed 2nd in her division, and also received a plaque and gift card. But their greatest accomplishment was that they were celebrating their 30th wedding anniversary. At the beginning of the awards ceremony the race officials recognized them and they presented Jolene with a bouquet of roses Larry had provided.

My 47th birthday was just a good day all around. It was truly a blessing. Throughout my life I have received far more of these tender mercies from God than I deserve, but I am sure grateful for them.