Running on Twinkies

Jupiter Peak Steeplechase

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Location:

Bountiful,UT,USA

Member Since:

Jan 24, 2009

Gender:

Male

Goal Type:

Other

Running Accomplishments:

Winner of 1994 Teton Dam Half Marathon, 1:25:01.

Best Marathon: 3:23:40. (Deseret News 2006).

Completed Utah Grand Slam (2006).

Completed 8 Marathons in 1 year, the last four were each two weeks apart.

Marathons to date: 25.

Short-Term Running Goals:

Stay Healthy

Sub 3:15 Marathon

Train consistently

Finish in the top 10% at all races 

Long-Term Running Goals:

Sub 3 hr marathon

Complete a 100 miler

1st Overall at any race

 

 

Personal:

Hi, my name is Matt and I love to run! I especially enjoy trail running. I am married to Susie and we have six children Connor-10, Jed-8, Jaxine-7, Evan-4, Eliza-2, and Susanna-0. Look for me at your next race, I wear the same bright yellow Twinkies shirt at all my races.

Favorite Course: Mid-Mountain Marathon, Park City, Utah

Favorite Blogs:

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Miles:This week: 0.00 Month: 0.00 Year: 0.00
Race: Jupiter Peak Steeplechase (15 Miles) 02:37:36, Place overall: 66, Place in age division: 22
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
9.507.000.000.0016.50

Today I ran the Jupiter Peak Steeplechase. This is one of my favorite races. This is the third time that I have ran it. The race is held at Park City Ski Resort. They changed the finish location this year, so before the race I jogged over to the new finish to check it out. The new finish was all down hill and made the course about a half mile shorter. 

The race started right at 8 a.m. 250 of me and my best friends headed up the mountain. The course starts out with a steep climb up a jeep road. About .75 mile up we hop onto some really nice single track. I was feeling the pain of having just ran the Speedgoat 50k last week and couldn't run the uphill as fast as I would've like to. The course works its way up the mountain towards Jupiter Peak. There were a few short or downhill sections, but for most of the first seven miles we were heading uphill. The final ascent up to Jupiter Peak is a brutal grind straight up the mountain. I reached the top of Jupiter in 1:13. Not bad for seven miles uphill. The next mile has a little bit of downhill and then the more uphill to the top of Tri-Counties Peak. The second uphill is a tough one. I was ready for the downhill. 

After reaching the top of the second peak the course is all downhill. The first trail we hit is one of the best single track trails on the mountain. It winds through the trees and is very runnable. My downhill gears were working much better than my uphill ones. I passed about 15 people in three miles. After that I started picking off other runners as we cruised down. Towards the end there was a stretch where I could see a ways in front of me and saw that there were about 5 of us close together. I set a goal to pass them all. I picked off one but didn't catch the others on the single track. The final stretch of the race is on pavement. When we hit the pavement I poured it on strong and passed the remaining 4 guys before crossing the finish line. I finished in 2:37:36. That is slower than is past years, but this was the first time I ran the race one week after running a 50k. That probably had something to do with it. The new setting for the finish was great. This race just keeps getting better.   

Comments
From Rye on Sat, Aug 07, 2010 at 16:45:42 from 174.27.108.29

congrats on another fine race!

From Lily on Sat, Aug 07, 2010 at 16:48:45 from 67.199.181.73

I'm so amazed with your athletic abilities. Nice for sure! I am really starting to love those mountain trails to by the way ;)

From Burt on Sat, Aug 07, 2010 at 17:41:17 from 68.225.214.248

250 of your best friends? Aren't they really though? Nice job after a big race last week!

From Teena Marie on Sat, Aug 07, 2010 at 20:14:43 from 174.52.45.85

AWESOME!!! :)

(You are a machine!)

From Jon on Sat, Aug 07, 2010 at 21:18:54 from 75.169.155.69

Nice job, Matt. Back to back races is tough.

So how exactly is the finish different now? Last time it had those switchbacks with a few uphills, then went back towards the ski lift and finished at the lift.

From Twinkies on Sun, Aug 08, 2010 at 00:24:51 from 67.166.116.191

Thanks guys. Jon - you would really like the new course. The uphills at the end are gone. The course continues downhill until it hits pavement, then its about 1/4 mile to the finish line. It finishes at the Silver Star Cafe.

From jun on Sun, Aug 08, 2010 at 10:09:29 from 63.224.107.154

Congrats on a great race. Sounds like a ton of fun. I may have to try that next year. I had a friend working at the La Sportiva booth and he isn't a runner, but said the whole place still had a really cool vibe. Congrats on your time and placing. That is great.

From Kelli on Sun, Aug 08, 2010 at 13:47:20 from 71.219.102.155

Sounds fun!! And I am sure your 50k last week had something to do with the slower time. BUT you had fun and that is what counts, right?

From Smooth on Sun, Aug 08, 2010 at 16:52:23 from 174.23.203.161

AWESOME race as usual! Sounds like you enjoyed this race immensely!

From Kelli on Thu, Aug 12, 2010 at 16:35:44 from 71.219.102.155

Long time no update...how are ya?

From Twinkies on Thu, Aug 12, 2010 at 19:32:33 from 67.166.116.191

Thank you for checking up on me Kelli. I have been taking in easy this week and giving my body a chance to heal after three tough races in a row. I will be running again tomorrow. Probably on the Mueller Park Trail. I also hope to get a long run in on Saturday while I am at a family reunion in Idaho.

From Kelli on Thu, Aug 12, 2010 at 21:46:58 from 71.219.102.155

Glad to hear all is well! You deserve to take it easy, but have fun the next two days!

From Scott Wesemann on Fri, Aug 13, 2010 at 18:44:40 from 66.239.250.209

Twinkies you have been absolutely killing it this year. It seems like you are nailing all of the tough races. Nice work brotha.

From Kam on Sun, Aug 15, 2010 at 23:27:54 from 174.23.186.21

Matt, you have a very aggressive race schedule. May you continue to run injury free, you mile hogging animal.

From Kam on Sun, Aug 15, 2010 at 23:28:55 from 174.23.186.21

We need to get together when the leaves start turning to repeat our Mueller to North Canyon loop. I'm excited to forgo the 3 feet of snow from Elephant Rock to Rudy (rascall) Flats.

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