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Nick Yengich & Grandma Gump 5k

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Location:

Salt Lake City,UT,USA

Member Since:

Jul 23, 2006

Gender:

Male

Goal Type:

Local Elite

Running Accomplishments:

5k 16:16 / 10k 33:12 / half marathon 1:12:28/ marathon 2:32:59/ 100 miles: 34 hours, nine minutes (Wasatch 100).


Short-Term Running Goals:

Compress six months of marathon training into six weeks.

Long-Term Running Goals:

Stay curious.

Personal:

I'm an attorney in Salt Lake City. Married to Heather. We have two little boys.


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Race: Nick Yengich & Grandma Gump 5k (2.7 Miles) 00:15:30, Place overall: 1, Place in age division: 1
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesCrosstraining milesTotal Miles
4.500.002.700.000.007.20

This is a little race held out in Copperton each year in honor of Nick Yengich, who was my wife's uncle. One of her other uncle's, Ron, is the charismatic figure behind the event. It has been going on for 20+ years. The focus is much, much, much more on the cameraderie amongst the families of those honored and people who run it every year than on the race experience (it would no doubt fail every one of Sasha's criteria, and almost intentionally so). But it is a race nonetheless. I've run it just once before and it was cold, snowy, and very windy. Just like this year! 

The race had a lot going for it, however, including an 11am start time which is very generous and kind if you're going to hold a race the first weekend of December.  Also, there is a unique opportunity to literally run in the shadow of the worlds largest open pit copper mine.  I think Runner's World did a "Rave Run" piece on that several years ago, or maybe that was Sequoia National Park. Anyway, it is unique. It is the near the former site of Bingham Canyon (from whence the Yengich clan spawned), which has been obliterated and is now part of the mine. I wish the town were still there and inhabited as that sounds like it was a world of its own that created some of the heartiest, liveliest, and most hardworking people this state has known.

 So, yeah, there was a race and I was the only guy wearing shorts, which pretty much singled me out as the guy that was taking way too seriously a race that all but a few others were doing as a pleasant diversion from getting on a ladder to hang Christmas lights from the rain gutters. But it was a nice tempo run.  Although billed as 5k, the course has never been properly measured and has shrunk as the gate to the mine entrance that marks the turnaround point has moved closer to the start each year or two.

Unfortunately, I didn't start my Garmin at the beginning of the race so I can't say how short it is, and I don't really care. It was probably 2.6-2.7.  It was long enough for me to be glad when it was over.

 I received two prizes, one was a figurine of Lou Gherig delivering his famous "luckiest man" speech.  (The race was run in honor of two people that died from ALS this year). I also received a copy of Judge Andrew Valdez's autobiographical book about his life growing up and the many challenges he overcame. He was in the field of runners, along with federal judge Dee Benson, so I felt it was my duty as an officer of the court to try to run reasonably well.

 I cooled down on the course, enjoyed the cold cold morning.




 

 


Comments
From JD on Mon, Dec 07, 2009 at 16:09:43 from 70.96.78.157

Sounds like a fun event Chad. Funny about the gate at the turn around getting moved each year. Were there any challengers at all? Not that it matters, just curious. You ran pretty fast!

From c h a d on Mon, Dec 07, 2009 at 16:37:55 from 67.42.252.25

I think the next guy came in at 17:30, so about 2 minutes back. Whether I actually ran "fast" does depend on the course distance. I'm pretty confident I was running sub-6, except for the big nasty hill after the turnaround.

From Walter on Wed, Dec 09, 2009 at 00:19:11 from 76.27.13.75

Nice running stud! Hey I wouldve worn shorts if you invited me. lol I cant believe ive never heard of this race before and they have been doing it 20 years? Crazy. I saw you running in the avenues yesterday I think. Keep it up! I was going to meet with you guys at Foothill. I had some eye problems from yesterday. Do you run with Meagan and Josh on their runs?

From c h a d on Thu, Dec 10, 2009 at 14:50:05 from 67.42.252.25

Walter--consider yourself invited for next year :) It's always the first Saturday in December. I didn't run on Tuesday so I doubt you saw me, but I imagine whoever it was was buried under five layers of clothes so easy to mistake. I run with Josh & Megan from time to time, but their running schedules vary quite a bit so it's a little random. Take care.

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