My two goals this morning were to run 20 miles and watch some of the Salt Lake Half Marathon. I was on the road by about 6 am. Ten miles later, I was up to the Pinecrest junction at top of Emigration Canyon at about 7:20. I knew the race started at 7am, but I didn't know exactly when I might see the leaders. Realizing that Iwas at about mile 6, I knew it would be a while so I turned around and started running back down the canyon, keeping an easy and steady 7min pace. At Ruth's Diner (mile 9.5 into the race) there was an aid station, I caught up with some runners waiting for the relay handoff, including Brad Phippen, who was running a relay with Darryl. I chatted with him for a minute, and with Tek Kilgore who was manning the aid station. I was 14.5 into my own run at this point and should have stopped my watch, but didn't. A few minutes later, here comes Sasha blazing down the canyon with a police escort. He was all alone. Coming through the aid station he looked extremely focused. About a mniute later, Darryl and Mike Kirk came cruising down, followed closely by Neal Gassman. I decided to start my run again, hoping I would see Adam RW soon. A few minutes down the road, he came up behind me and I gave him some encouragement. That was pretty much it for the half marathoners. Other than one other relay guy, I literally saw no one else between Ruths and the bottom of the canyon.
I would have liked to run to the finish to say hi to everyone, but I had to get home. I'm heading up to Park City to help a friend move into a new house, and then I'm going to work. Just doing my part to put the "labor" back in Labor Day Weekend. | 