Driven

 My MillWood 100 Report:

 http://www.refuse2quit.com/2013/07/my-wasatch-adventure-millwood-100.html

With Craig and Scott, the planned Uintas 13er trip had to be augmented and cut short. We had an adventure for sure. Lots of ridge scrambling in the dark, lots of good running and sight seeing, all at high elevation.

Farmington Festival Days Flag Rock trail race

Still some fatigue in my legs from the Uintas trip, I wasn't sure what I would do with the Flag Rock run. I did not intend to run it this year until Wednesday. I knew I could best my time from last year of 1:07.

I had a brief conversation with a young guy  a few minutes before start. He commented on my Speedgoat shirt. As the runners of three races all began at the same time, this same guy was the only FR runner in front of me. And that is where he stayed until the end. Up to the Flag Rock I was about a minute back but after that his gap grew wider, especially after I took the digger running fast on the back side, down the switchbacks. At the traffic light about a quarter mile from the finish I got confused and fumbled around going the wrong direction, then got back on course. Probably lost most of a minute with that. Finishing time was 1:03:06, four minutes better than last year and a second place finish.

Lower Speedgoat course at Snowbird.

Mt Wire 33:26 to summit, then add-on of Little Wire.

Big ol' run up to Mt Timpanogos. I wanted to do damage to my PR to the summit, which I think was at 1:54 last year. It was a very soft time, easy to beat. I ran to the summit yesterday in 1:34:18. I saw Kendall near the top and he had a burrito for me. Sunset was nice and I cruised easily and slowly back down.

Another run up Timp Friday night. Slower this time. Craig, Nick, and Kendall was at the summit when I arrived.

Hot, mid-day run from Kaysville on the BST to Adams Canyon waterfall, then to Fernberg and back.

Speedgoat 50K

Mixed feelings. I wanted to run Speedgoat this year to improve my finishing time from 2012. With a year of good running since then, and cool temperature on Saturday, that was wasy to do. I ran about 55 minutes faster than I did last year, coming in at 7 hours 16 minutes and change.

I never ran fast. I was consistent, but slow.

On the other hand, I know I am capable of much faster, stronger running. I know I can take another hour off that time. From the start, however, I was feeling heavy and slow. I struggled up that first series of climbs that compose the first climb to Hidden Peak. On a training run a few weeks ago I ran everything the first 4 miles of the course. On Saturday I had to step aside and let others go by. Lack of sleep the night before was affecting me. I should have been up to Hidden Peak 20 minutes (or more) faster than last year, but I only took off 5 minutes from 2012.

The good: I was quick at aid stations. I did not stop at Hidden Peak. Mark Robbins filled my water and I was on my way. I felt I made good time to Larry's aid station in Mineral Basin, but I wasn't running fast by any means. I did not stop at Larry's, just blew through with waves and high fives to friends.

I had some good uphill strength. My climbing strength is the reason I came in an hour sooner over last year.

The bad: Slow downhill running. My feet hurt. That has been my biggest frustration for quite a while now. Sore feet. It happened at Speedgoat last year, at Wasatch last year, and various other times. Maybe it is time to try HOKA.

I know I have a deep sub-seven-hour Speedgoat in me. On the other hand, taking 55 minutes off my previous time is worth savoring.