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Little Grand Canyon Half

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15% off for Fast Running Blog members at St. George Running Center!

Location:

St. George,UT,USA

Member Since:

Dec 26, 2013

Gender:

Male

Goal Type:

Highschool Champ

Running Accomplishments:

2013 St George Marathon = 2:59:45

Short-Term Running Goals:

Sub 2:45 Marathon

3,000 miles in 2014
 

Long-Term Running Goals:

2:36 Marathon

Personal:

Married, 3 kids, CFA, help coach at Desert Hills High School

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Miles:This week: 0.00 Month: 0.00 Year: 0.00
Total Distance
208.75
Weight: 0.00
Total Distance
8.00

8 miles on the treadmill after getting back from Brian Head.

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Total Distance
10.00

10 miles on the treadmill.  Got caught at work and didn't make practice........had to hustle to get this run in before team pictures.

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Total Distance
8.00

8 after work.  St James + mayors loop.
 

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Total Distance
6.00

3 at lunch, 3 at practice.

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Total Distance
3.00

3 in the morning with the boys.

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Race: Little Grand Canyon Half (13.1 Miles) 01:29:24, Place overall: 2, Place in age division: 1
Total Distance
13.50

Going to Emery County is like going back in time to the 1980s.  Spent the night before the race in Huntington, in a $50 hotel room that was probably a bit overpriced.

I ran this race last year as a test to see where my fitness was before the SG marathon in Oct.  I had one free weekend where we didn't have an XC race in Sept and this seemed like the most honest half out of the races being run.  I ran it and liked it last year---got into a pack of 5 guys for most of the race and ran 1:31:30---a time I was happy with because I thought it would translate into a sub 3:10 time at SG. 

The course is all on dirt roads.  The first 3 miles are basically flat and then you head down "the little grand canyon".  The canyon gradually gets deeper and deeper, which is nice because it keeps you in the shade nearly the whole time despite the race not starting until 7:15 or so.  Total elevation loss for the race is 500 feet, so its downhill but much of it isn't that noticeable and the dirt roads aren't perfect so that slows you down just a bit.

I lined up near the front and got out.  Ran the first .25 or so with two other guys out fron feeling comfortable, checked my watch and it was 6:20 pace--which I knew was overly aggresive so I made a conscious effort to slow down and relax.  From mile 1 on I was basically solo........nobody behind me and well behind the two guys in front of me.

1--7:06

2--7:07

3--7:08

At mile 3 the course makes a sharp right turn down towards the canyon.  I timed the gap between myself and 2nd place and found he had 1:32 on me. 

4--6:55  The canyon starts.

5--6:49

6--6:36 

7--6:47  The gap is now 47 seconds

8--6:45 

9--6:40  I caught him at the end of this mile and tried to surge a bit.  Figured he was gone.

10--6:33  The guy re-emerges and passes me back.  I stayed right behind him until he started making loud breathing noises and turned around and told me to pass him.

11--6:32  Keep applying some pressure hoping he would break contact.

12--6:43

13--6:39  Starting to hurt, look back and the guy is there but not really within striking distance.

Walked away feeling good about this race.  Bottom-line took a couple of minutes off last year's time which makes me think sub 3 at St George is realistic again this year even with conditions that are likely to be a bit less favorable.

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Total Distance
6.00

6 at afternoon practice.  Mighty sore and tight.

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Total Distance
6.00

5 at afternoon practice + 1 afterwards around st James with the girls.

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Total Distance
7.00

6 at practice plus 1 afterwards with Courtney around st james.

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Total Distance
11.00

Ran to the high school, ran with the boys, then back home via the river trail.  Skipped afternoon practice to head to the byu game.

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Total Distance
16.00

Stayed over in Provo and worked.  Slipped out in the afternoon to get my long run in for the week.  Ran from Will's pit stop up Provo canyon to Vivian park and back.  16 miles.

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Total Distance
6.00

6 easy with Logan before breakfast and the byu invite.

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Total Distance
11.00

Ran to the high school, ran with the team, ran home via Bloomington Hills park/Eagle's landing. 

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Total Distance
6.00

4 after the race at Bloomington Hills park.  Then 2 on the warmup before the varsity workout.

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Total Distance
9.00

4 at lunch.  Then 4 at practice with the girls..........felt like the hottest blasted run of the year.

1 afterwards with Courtney.

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Total Distance
7.00

7 total.  2 early before practice, 2 with the boys,  then paced the girls on the track for 2 in 14:10.  1 cool down.

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Total Distance
21.00

Caught a ride with Logan, Dave, and Clyde up the marathon course.  Ran a couple of miles to the top of veyo, visited the cedars trees and then just cruised for the first 7 miles or so.  Picked things up the 2nd half and it was actually a good run for me despite dragging the last few days and warm temps.  Hit 17 miles then cooled down to my truck.

3.5 at practice this afternoon.  Fetching hot.

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Total Distance
4.00

4 miles on Saturday.  1 mile with the girls running to and from the byu game.  3 miles around st James when we got back late.

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Total Distance
9.00

8 total at practice doing warm-up, hill repeats, and cool down.  Then 1 when I got home around St James with the girls.
 

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Total Distance
7.50

1.5 to practice.  6 with the boys to Sun River.  Hot.

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Total Distance
5.50

1.5 with Logan before the time trial.  4 at home in the dark.

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Total Distance
7.25

7.25 late around the mayor's loop.

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Total Distance
5.00

5 to the Dixie Center and back before heading up north for the Dixie Center.  I ran at 10 AM and it was hot--hope things cool down quick for the marathon next week.

 

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Total Distance
12.00

3 around Sugarhouse with the varsity boys.  They have a chance to really do something special there this year.

Dress rehearsal tonight after the wife and kids went to bed.  Drove to the finish line and ran up the course to the 22 mile mark.  Then ran the 4.2 miles back down to the finish line.  Average 6:32 for the tempo.  Felt good.  Last year I did the same run a week before SGM and averaged 6:40. 

Goal A next weekend is just to break 3 hours again.  Goal B would be to lower my PR a couple of minutes.  In a perfect scenario 2:55 could be doable---but again it needs to cool off this week for that to be realistic.

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Total Distance
4.00

Easy 4 around the mile loop at the end of Little Valley.  Was hoping the calf would warm-up and loosen up--it didn't.  Felt worse by the end of practice.  April tomorrow at lunch.

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Total Distance
208.75
Weight: 0.00
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