What ever it takes!

Big Cottonwood Marathon

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Location:

Lehi,UT,USA

Member Since:

Apr 29, 2010

Gender:

Male

Goal Type:

Boston Qualifier

Running Accomplishments:

2009 Provo River Marathon, 4:04:38

2009 Provo Canyon Halloween 1/2 Marathon, 1:27:22

2010 Ogden Marathon, 3:04:39

2010 Deseret News Marathon, 2:51:36

2010 Provo River 1/2 Marathon 1:19:01

2010 Top of Utah Marathon 2:52:24

2010 Just Cuz 1/2 Marathon 1:17:36

2011 13.1 LA 1/2 Marathon 1:19:43

2011 Timpanogos Half 1:16:51

2011 Treadmill Marathon 2:49:26 (pr)

Short-Term Running Goals:

2:45 Boston.

Favorite Blogs:

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Miles:This week: 0.00 Month: 0.00 Year: 0.00
Elliptical Trainer 2017 Lifetime Miles: 107.00
Treadmill 2017 Lifetime Miles: 454.20
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
239.4012.000.000.00251.40
Nike Free Run 2 Miles: 184.20Bike 2012 Miles: 134.00Treadmill 2012 Miles: 28.00Elliptical Trainer 2012 Miles: 22.50Saucony Progrid Kinvara Miles: 26.20Nike Free 5.0 Miles: 13.00
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
12.000.000.000.0012.00

This morning did not go as planned at all, plan was to meet Ryan at Maverik and do our normal run, when we got there it was pouring rain, he didn't want to run in the rain and me still having a cold didn't think it was a great idea so we split up and decided to just head to our gym of memebership.  When I got off on 114th south on my way to Lifetime I felt my car driving funny, I thought it was just the wet road but then realized I had a flat tire.  I drove through the intersection into Walmart and parked it outside the tire center, then I stood around wondering what my next step was, run to the gym, call for a ride, change my tire, or just run home.  I decided to just run home and go back later to take care of the tire, so that's what I did.  Conveniently it was exactly 12 miles home so I didn't mess with my 12 streak :)  Actually I had to run the 1/4 loop when I got home to hit 12.

Nike Free Run 2 Miles: 12.00
Comments(4)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
16.300.000.000.0016.30

Kind of a make up run for Saturdays slack off, met Ryan at Maverik to try again, he ended up running the full 22 on Saturday so he didn't want to go as far as me today, we compromised on 16.  I'm going to play soccer now to make up the difference.

7:08 avg pace.

Bradin came with us on his bike this morning, he hasn't been blogging cause when I'm out of town Mom doesn't let him get on the computer :)

Nike Free Run 2 Miles: 16.30
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Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
5.000.000.000.005.00

2 hours of soccer after my run yesterday beat me up pretty good so I just did an easy 5 with Nellie and may try to fit in a bike ride today.

I made the mistake of letting my wife know I wasn't going to work today, so my only real day off  in an entire month turned into a huge honey do list.  Long story short my nice long enjoyable bike ride I had been planning on taking today turned into a rushed 15 mile time trial in between getting the oil changed and picking up Zach from Kindergarden.  15 miles out to Alpine and back in 46:22 19.3 mph average.

Nike Free Run 2 Miles: 5.00Bike 2012 Miles: 15.00
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Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
5.005.000.000.0010.00

I was in a hurry this morning, apparently too big of a hurry cause now I'm sitting in the Airport 1 1/2 hours early.  Woke up at 4:00 went to the gym for a quick treadmill workout. 10 mile progressive tempo run in 1:05:50.  6:35 avg pace.  Goal was to average 6:30 but I guess my slow first mile was to much to make up.  Started at 7:30 pace for 1 mile then went to 7:00 pace, bumped it up every 1/2 mile finishing last mile at 5:50 pace.  Felt good, I definately had to work at it towards the end but it was very sustainable so I'm pretty happy about it.  If I could somehow manage to drop 10 - 15 lbs I'm sure I'd be back where I was last year, but for some reason I just can't seem to loose the weight, even 80+ mile weeks can't make up for conference food.

Back to San Francisco, expect a lot more 12 milers in my future.

Treadmill 2012 Miles: 10.00
Comments(1)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
16.000.000.000.0016.00

The good thing about being the boss is I can sometimes set my hours.   I told everyone to sleep in an extra hour this morning so I could get in a long run.  Out across the Golden Gate bridge and back.  There were a lot of people out running this morning, maybe because I was running a bit later than usual.  Nice run, warmer than I was expecting in my long sleeve shirt, quads were a bit sore but a pretty good run none the less.

Nike Free Run 2 Miles: 16.00
Comments(2)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
12.000.000.000.0012.00

12 miles on thrashed legs, I'm not sure why I'm not recovering as well as I was last week.  

I have a dilemma, I signed up for the Big Cottonwood Marathon as my primary goal marathon for the year.  Then when Walter posted that he wanted pacers for this marathon I told him if he could get my entry fee back I would pace it.  Well apparently I don't get my fee back, they are willing to give me credit for next year, but I am down as the 3:05 BQ Pacer.  I actually think I'm in better shape that I thought I would be at this point, maybe not PR shape yet but I think I could run a decent time, and seeing who is signed up for this marathon I think I could place pretty high.  Problem is I'm signed up as a pacer and have already bailed on Walter twice before and don't want to let him down again.  I like pacing, and 3:05 would be a really fun pace group I think so I just don't know.

Nike Free Run 2 Miles: 12.00
Comments(5)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
8.004.000.000.0012.00

Very windy this morning, which is nice cause it's always a headwind going out and I know coming back with be fast.  I decided to do an improptu tempo run due to the wind, goal pace 6:30.  Well 2 miles into it I came to the Pier at about 5:30 and I ran smack dab in the middle of packet pickup for some triathlon, it seriously took me a good 3-4 minutes to push my way through hundreds of people, that kind of screwed up my tempo run but after I got through I tried hard to get back into it.  I'll put it down for 4 miles of Marathon pace.  I'm not sure what my deal is, 6:30 and faster pace just doesn't feel natural like it used to, I don't hurt, I just feel clumsy and out of sorts for some reason.

Nike Free Run 2 Miles: 12.00
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Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
0.000.000.000.000.00

Decided my legs needed a day off, 1 hour on the elliptical, 30 minutes of weights.

Elliptical Trainer 2012 Miles: 7.00
Add Comment
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
13.000.000.000.0013.00

13 miles because I had to tack on an extra .5 out and back in the middle to go find a bathroom.  If I would have known it was a full .5 miles from my normal turn around out to the end of the pier I would have been doing that all along.  Plus I think my hotel is about .15 miles further than it was last week.  Anyway, 13 mile runs the rest of the week.

Nike Free Run 2 Miles: 13.00
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Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
13.000.000.000.0013.00

13 miles again, my Garmin Database said it was full 1/2 way though the run and wouldn't give me info on my return, so even though I had one really fast mile I can't prove it cause my watch doesn't show it  so I guess it never happened.

Nike Free Run 2 Miles: 13.00
Comments(4)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
13.000.000.000.0013.00

Nike Free Run 2 Miles: 13.00
Comments(1)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
13.000.000.000.0013.00

A better run today than yesterday, but I'm done with this place.  Let me go home!!!  My mind was all over the place today, you know how sometimes when you go on a long road trip and you're driving and all of a sudden realize you just drove 100 miles and can't remember any of it?  That's how my run was this morning.

Nike Free Run 2 Miles: 13.00
Add Comment
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
16.000.000.000.0016.00

What a fun surprise on my run this morning, out doing my normal route for my last day in San Francisco when I came across the start line for the Napa Valley Ragnar, and it looked like the first wave of people had just left about 15 minutes before I got there.  I followed blinky light people along my normal running route but then they turned off on a trail I'd never ventured on in the dark before so I followed.  I kept running past people talking to them and then running on a head saying hi to everyone I passed.  The first leg goes from Crissy field across the Golden Gate bridge to the look out point on the other side so I decided to extend my run and go with them all the way across the bridge.  I had a ton of fun, I've never ran Ragnar before, but now I can say I ran 1 leg of Ragnar, perhaps if I keep training I can run all 3 one day.

Turned around and waved to everyone I'd just passed again but I was now running late cause I didn't plan on going that far this morning and I had to get some shipping stuff in order before my flight this morning, so I had to kind of book it back,  along the embarcadaro I passed a guy, he didn't like being passed and I could tell he sped up and was right on my tail, he then attempted to pass me, well unfortunatly for him he picked the wrong day to race me cause I was feeling exceptionally frisky this morning after my good run.  I put the hammer down and kicked it into 6:00/mile gear, that didn't loose him so I had to kick it into 5:30 gear, which I actually didn't know I had that gear but it did the trick, that guy got left in the dust :)

Great fun run this morning, got all my stuff shipped and now I'm sitting at the airport waiting for my late flight.  I can pretty much count on this flight being delayed 1 hour so I'm not sure why I even try to get here in time.  I'm so happy to be headed home.

Nike Free Run 2 Miles: 16.00
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Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
16.403.000.000.0019.40

Ryan is injured and I wanted a longish run today, why I'm not sure just thought I should. So I contacted Carina since I knew her and her minions would be running long today. She tried to scare me by saying it would be 5:00am, that didn't work, they she tried to scare me by saying I'd be the only guy with 8 girls, nope that didn't scare me. Then she told me it was 23 miles, that almost did it, but I figured I could break off early. Had a fun run, Julie C was there and wanted to do 18 so her and I broke off and ran back. She wanted to tempo the last 3 so I practiced my pacing skills on her, she was amazing and took everything I threw at her.

8:03 average for the whole run. 6:40 average the last 3.

Nike Free Run 2 Miles: 19.40
Comments(2)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
13.500.000.000.0013.50

Today I decided I wanted to run the second 1/2 of the Big Cottonwood Marathon to get a feel for the course, and how to pace it.  My Office is at the finish line of the race, which will be nice on race day cause I have access to the showers in the building.   I drove to work and then ran up to Wasatch, the 13.1 mile point would have been about another 1.5 miles up the canyon so I just figured out where the closest intersection point would be which was mile 15, I slow jogged from my office up to mile 15 of the marathon and then started my watch.  I wrote down the pace calculator along with course turns so I wouldn't get lost and carried it in my pocket, problem was it was pitch black, I had no light and couldn't read my paper at all.  I had a decent idea of where I needed to be but right away I knew it was going to be hard to pace the 3:05, not cause it's to hard, but because it's too fast.  Mile 15 is pretty much where the course stops going downhill and gets more challanging, problem is (if its a problem) there is a massive tail wind, I had a really hard time slowing myself down to pace even going uphill, this is going to be a very fast course if the wind is the same on Saturday, which I assume it will since it is every day.  Made it to the top of the hill and then you turn down onto 4430S, which is really going to hurt, that mile was my only mile slower than pace just because I was afraid of blowing my hip out going down that hill, the hill is 3/4 of a mile then it turns and evens out.  The next few miles are pretty un-eventful through neighborhoods, then you turn around and start back on Holladay Blvd. This last 3 miles is where it's going to get rough, the tail wind turns into a headwind and its a long busy road.  I was still feeling good, pretty much gave up on trying to stay on pace and just ran cause I was enjoying it, the last mile is pretty uphill and I would say if you are pacing someone trying to BQ it would be a good idea to hit 25.5 a good minute or more fast cause if they were struggling just to get to this point the last 1/2 mile will tear them apart.  Actually looking at the pace calculator that is the slowest mile, so maybe the calculator already took that into account, but just be warned, it's going to be hard.

 Mile Pace Calculator
 Actual Pace
 16 7:44 7:33
 17

 7:17

 7:18
 18 7:38 7:30
 19 6:47 7:15
 20 7:34 7:08
 21 7:12 7:13
 22 7:04 7:04
 23 6:50 6:57
 24 7:18 7:10
 25 7:45 7:18
 26 7:58 7:45
 26.2 1:40 1:28

Humm, after actually looking at the numbers I wasn't off as much as I thought.  1:21:40 actual time, the pace calc would have had me at 1:22:28 for the last 11.2.  My watch was exactly at 11.2 where I would guess the finish line will be, so if mile 15 is correct I think the course is right on.  Here is my Garmin Data!
 

Nike Free Run 2 Miles: 13.50
Comments(5)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
0.000.000.000.000.00

Bike commute to work this morning,  55 degrees is much colder on a bike than running.  I need one of those really super bright headlamps, my wimpy $20 light just doesn't cut it.

And home again.

Bike 2012 Miles: 42.00
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Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
0.000.000.000.000.00

Bike commute to work, I went and bought one of the really bright bike lights, it's almost as bright as 1 car headlight,  it made a world of difference. 

For some reason my right knee was really bothering me this morning, hopefully I can get it stretched out before my ride home tonight.

 

And home again.

Bike 2012 Miles: 44.00
Add Comment
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
3.000.000.000.003.00

Very frustrating, I just decided to run on the treadmill this morning, got on started slow and after 1 mile the treadmill froze up, I jumped on another one and just after 2 miles it froze up.  I went to try a different treadmill and started talking to Riverton Paul instead, then I decided to just lift weights, followed by 15 minutes on the elliptical.

I'm a bit out if it this morning, not really sure why, I slept fine but I'm just kind of dragin.

I hope they get the treadmills fixed before winter starts, I could have gone outside and ran in the dark I suppose but I just wasn't feeling it.

I just noticed that I broke 1,000 running miles in my Nike Free 2+'s.  Some people say they can tell a difference when the soles of the frees break down, I can't for some reason, I actually like them better worn down.

I can't wait to get my new iPhone tomorrow.

 

http://youtu.be/XNBP18nrRdw

Elliptical Trainer 2012 Miles: 1.50Treadmill 2012 Miles: 3.00
Comments(3)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
10.000.000.000.0010.00

I tried a new training technique today, basically this is what it is.   I slept in well past 4:30am, made breakfast, ate it, let it digest, waited for it to be light outside and then I went out for my run.  I know, it's crazy but sometime you just have to try new things.  I'm not sure I liked it so much, first of all there was a terribly bright ball in the sky which made my eyes hurt, and even though it wasn't raining there was a massive amount of unexplainable water dripping down my forehead, and shirt. 

From now on I'll leave this day time running for the crazies.

Nike Free Run 2 Miles: 10.00
Comments(2)
Race: Big Cottonwood Marathon (26.2 Miles) 03:05:36, Place overall: 4
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
26.200.000.000.0026.20

I made this a race report for a couple of reasons, 1- cause it's the only way anyone will read it, and 2- cause its probably the highest placement I've had in a marathon.

I'll start by saying, great race, most fun I've ever had running a marathon.  I have no idea why anyone would drive down to St. George and deal with that misery when this awesome marathon is right in our backyard.  My only regret is that I didn't race it cause the winning time was 2:47 I think, so I'm pretty sure I could have got on the podium.  I probably wouldn't have had as much fun though.

The buses started at my office so I had a key to get in and use nice bathrooms at right away, met the other pacers, got my pace band and glowy stick and hopped on the last or second to last bus.

Got up to Brighton, it was cold but the lines for the porta potties were very short, maybe 5 deep, and we only had to wait about 20 minutes for the race to start, when they announced that the race would start in 5 minutes so get lined up I went up about 20 feet back from the start line and held up my sign, I was the first in line.  no one would step up to the mat, I yelled out that I better not win this thing and a few guys finally came up to the front.  The race started and the front runners were all pretty content running with me, they asked what pace I was going to run the canyon and I told them about 6:40 average and everyone seemed happy with that.  I was actually in 3rd or 4th place with a bunch of guys behind me through mile 3.  I felt weird being the pacer and running right behind the police escort but I knew I was running the right pace for 3:05 so I stayed.  Finally a few guys took off, one guy named James said this was his first marathon and was trying to Qualify for Boston (which is what my goal was) so he ran with me and we chatted quite a bit.  At mile 8 he went ahead, the racer in my wanted to stay with him but I had to hold back and be a good little pacer.  We started hitting the 1/2 marathon runners around mile 5, I gave all the other pacers for the 1/2 high fives as I passed.  I kept freaking people out with my 3:05 sign and had to explain that I was the marathon not the 1/2.  I felt really good down the canyon, I could tell that racing it would have really hurt but I was having a blast telling everyone good job as I ran by.

Mile 14.5 you leave the canyon and break away from the 1/2 path, it all of a sudden got very lonely, there was 1 guy with me and was content running about 10 feet behind and listen to music.  Then we hit the hill, around 17 miles I couldn't hear him anymore, I looked back and he was gone, I felt bad and wanted to wait but he was walking so I couldn't.  Once you turn down 33rd or whatever it is it's really steep, I started passing a few people here and then at the mile 18 aid station I caught up with James again, I told him to stay with me, which he did for 2 miles but said he was hurting and his calf was cramping up.  I kept slowing down, telling him we were ahead of time about 2 minutes so I could wait.  I really wanted to get him in on time, but around mile 21 he crashed and there was nothing I could do. I felt like a failure but couldn't slow down anymore.  Mile 23 turns into Holladay Blvd, I could see quite a few people ahead and really wanted to run faster to catch them but I controlled myself and stayed back, I was still about 1 minute fast and was worried about getting in to fast.  People started dropping like flies though, I kept catching them, slowing down and telling them to stay with me, but at mile 24 of a marathon your pretty much spent (I've been there) you don't want anyone talking to you telling you to run faster.  So I just chugged along, wishing I could go faster cause I thought it would actually fell better on my legs.

I hit the final uphill and there was an older guy struggling up it,  I really tried to push him along but we were going 9:00 pace so when I hit mile 26 right on schedule (first accurate time of the day) I took off, when I got to the top of the hill my watch said 3:04 and 26.1 miles but I could see the finish line was way further than .1 away, I thought "Oh crap, what happened" and started sprinting, got to the start of the chuts and my watch turned to 3:05 and I knew I failed.  Luckily there was no one anywhere near me to get mad.

Very happy with my pacing skills actually, I think I did pretty good even though I was over.  Pretty sure I want to race this race next year but I have a feeling the winning time will be faster than 2:47.

 

 Mile Time I was suppose to be
 Time I actually was :)
 1 6:38 6:40
 2 6:30 6:33
 3 6:34 6:40
 4 6:30 6:33
 5 6:42 6:34
 6 7:04 6:45
 7 7:21 6:50
 8 7:08 7:01
 9 6:59 6:58
 10 6:51 7:05
 11 6:38 6:55
 12 6:47 6:42
 13 6:38 6:41
 14 6:38 6:32
 15 7:08 6:51
 16 7:33 7:20
 17 7:16 7:25
 18 7:33 7:29
 19 7:08 7:20
 20 7:25 7:09
 21 7:25 7:27
 22 7:04 7:07
 23 6:55 7:07
 24 7:21 7:29
 25 7:42 7:38
 26 8:07 8:26
 26.2 1:25 2:13 (.3 miles)

Saucony Progrid Kinvara Miles: 26.20
Comments(17)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
0.000.000.000.000.00

1 hour on the elliptical followed by 30 minutes of light weights.

Apparently it doesn't matter how fast or slow you run down a really steep hill for 26 miles, it still hurts the next day.

I've decided I want to get back in shape and go back to where I left off, I want to set some PR's.  I'm kind of bored with jogging around everywhere, I just need to somehow be smarter this go around and not get myself hurt again.  I don't think it's going to happen this week though, I can barely walk up stairs.

Elliptical Trainer 2012 Miles: 7.00
Comments(7)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
0.000.000.000.000.00

This is what gym memberships are for.  Planned on riding my bike today but I can't even not crash when the roads are dry.

1 hour on the elliptical, about 5 actual minutes of weights cause I just wasn't really into it.

Elliptical Trainer 2012 Miles: 7.00
Comments(7)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
7.500.000.000.007.50

7.5 miles on still sore legs today in 1 hour.  Followed by 20 minutes of weights, followed by sitting in the hot tub.

I added a fat picture, I need to do it every once in a while to remind me why I started running.  I'm not the guy who was on the high school track team, or wrestling team and then just let myself go after I got married.  I was always on the chubby side, I was a fat kid, fat all through high school, never played any team sports although I did bike and snowboard.   So I think the fact that I didn't get into shape until my 30's is almost more amazing.  I'm pretty upset that I have let myself go this year, I'm still nowhere near where I used to be, but I really need to get motivated again.

Treadmill 2012 Miles: 7.50
Comments(6)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
7.500.000.000.007.50

Same run as yesterday, followed by core stuff.  No hot tub.

Has anyone ran in Barcelona before?  I mean besides the Olympians,  I'm going there on Sunday for 2 weeks and am wondering how the running is.

Well now I'm excited, I went online and it makes it sound like Barcelona is the greatest place on earth to go running.  Perfect weather, trails along the beach and trail running in the mountains.

Treadmill 2012 Miles: 7.50
Comments(4)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
0.000.000.000.000.00

Took the day off since I have to fly out of the country this weekend and work for the next 2 weeks.  Went on a very nice bike ride up American Fork canyon to "see the leaves"  it was very beautiful, and very cold, especially when I started coming back down the canyon at 40Mph. 

My right knee is bothering me since I got my new bike, I probably just need someone who knows what they're doing help me adjust some things.

Bike 2012 Miles: 33.00
Add Comment
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
13.000.000.000.0013.00

13 miles with Ryan this morning for his 1 week out from St. George run.  Did I mention I'm glad I'm not going?

Nike Free 5.0 Miles: 13.00
Add Comment
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
239.4012.000.000.00251.40
Nike Free Run 2 Miles: 184.20Bike 2012 Miles: 134.00Treadmill 2012 Miles: 28.00Elliptical Trainer 2012 Miles: 22.50Saucony Progrid Kinvara Miles: 26.20Nike Free 5.0 Miles: 13.00
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