The first annual St George Tune-up 5k in Pleasant View. Ben and I set up a race environment this morning to get a tune up in for St. George. Bryant Jensen and Jon Heslop both joined us in the race as well. Ben even made race tee shirts! Nice.
We ran the Pleasant View Days 5k course and though not in an official race setting, we simulated a race as best as possible. We met up at the finish line and ran the course backwards to ensure we knew exactly where 3.1 miles was and where to start. The course is aided, though almost all the aid comes from 1.1 to 1.6 miles.
My goal for the race this morning was to attempt an assault on sub-15 minutes. With an aided course I thought that should be obtainable, even if it would take a solid effort. Yesterday when trying to talk Scott Keate into running with us I told him I was shooting for sub-15 and he said, "Bless you my son". Well Scott thanks for that blessing it worked!
I got out very quickly and ran solo the whole way. First mile is very slight uphill with a couple of dips (quick, steep down and then right back up) on a canal dirt road. I came through mile on in 4:51.
Now I knew I needed to bank some time on the downhill section in mile two so I kept pushing it. Mile 2 was 4:39.
I wanted to know my time at 2.1, because I knew I needed 10:00 or under so I could run 5:00 on the last mile and still get under 15:00. I was about 9:58 or so I think at 2.1 so I was right on track and feeling pretty good.
Then I hit the uphill in mile 3 (it's about 200 meters long) and started breathing a bit harder, but I knew that I had a good .6 of flat after the hill and then the last quarter mile was downhill for a finish. Mile 3 was 4:56 and 27 seconds for last .1
14:55! I was very pleased with the result and feel like I'm ready for next week! Bryant was second in 15:38, Ben 15:48, and Jon 16:08. I laughed at the start when I realized that this was likely the most competitive race in the state today. It was good times. Great race, great organization, and great shirts. And it was free! We'll have to get more of you out for this next year! | 
