I love the Provo Freedom 10k. This race was my very first 10k that I ever ran in 2005 when I was 18 years old. It was the summer after my first year of competing at SUU at the Division I level. I ran a 40:07. Funny that I was decently fast at the time in shorter stuff (5:00 mile), but I had no endurance. I only ran about 30-35 miles a week my first year of college. This was because I only ran 15-25 miles a week max in high school. (I needed to move up mileage slowly to prevent injury.)

The second time I ran this 10k was last year. I was in decent shape, but I didn’t feel great. I thought I could run faster than I did and the last mile of the race killed my legs. The tricky thing about this race is the climb in the last mile.  I ran a 37:36.

So this year was my third time racing the 10k. (I have raced the 5k before). I knew it might be questionable coming off of my marathon, but I didn’t care. I love to race. I thrive off the adrenaline and honestly wish my coach would let me race more (come on Stazza!!).

This race is also where all the Bybee’s show up. There were about 30 Bybee’s racing. Dustin’s brother won his age group in the 10k and his Mom won her age group in the 5k.

(Dustin and I both race for Runner’s Corner Team)

I took the entire week off after the marathon and started running again the week of the race. When I showed up to the starting line, I had several people tell me I was crazy for being there so soon after a marathon. I started to question whether it was a good idea. I guess we would find out soon enough. My goal was to run close to 6:00 pace ave (which I ended up doing exactly according to my time). I also wanted to place top 3, since I knew there was cash for top 3. $300 for 1st, $200 for 2nd, and $100 for 3rd. I knew Savannah would be racing it (she is also coached by Stazza) and she was in great shape, especially on the speed side. I didn’t know if there would be anyone else.

I warmed up with my brother-in-law, Ryan and some of the Lone Peak HS XC team and then did some strides. The weather was perfect and I was excited. I saw Savannah at the start. When the gun went off, I figured I would just go with her. She took off, and I followed close behind. The first mile is a big climb and then a steep drop. We were climbing hard and I was breathing quite a bit. I told myself I wouldn’t look at my pace during the race, only the mile splits. That is my favorite way to race a 10k. Since I was breathing pretty hard I had the thought – “I’m either running fast or my legs are already toast”. Last year I came through the mile at 6:12. We hit the mile at 5:54 and I was genuinely shocked. I definitely didn’t think we were going sub 6 with the big climb.

Once I hit the first mile, I let Savannah go a bit. It was a little faster than I wanted and I didn’t want to explode. The second mile is the most downhill and I comfortably ran a 5:46. Savannah was even further ahead and I figured she had to have run a pretty fast split to do that. I was hoping she might come back to me later. The next mile is a smaller decline and I hit a 5:54. I was actually surprised with this split too as I was starting to feel a little tired and thought I had slowed down more than that.

After the 5k marker, we turned into the masses of 5k traffic. It’s hard to see where the other 10k runners are and there are people everywhere. Often I had to weave around people and sometimes they would get right in front of me at the last minute. This is a really annoying mile and pretty flat. During this mile there was a guy spraying a water gun if people wanted it. I motioned for him to spray me- he got me directly in the face!!! My sunglasses were covered in water droplets. I ran a 6:11 for this mile. Mile 5 leaves the masses of 5k runners and has a decent climb up a hill and loops back down the other side of the road. This is where you can get a good idea of where people are at in the race. As I was climbing, I saw the men leaders. I also saw Savannah coming down as I was still coming up. She was too far ahead to catch with 1.5 miles to go. She was looking so strong. As I came down, I could see that the 3rd place girl was way behind me. At this point, I would be racing myself. Mile 5 – 6:14.

Last mile is the big climb up 9th east and then a couple of turns to the finish. Once again it merges with the 5k runners. I felt very strong climbing and was actually enjoying myself (which is rare at the end of any of my races). Dustin popped up with .3 to go and cheered me into the finish. Last mile was 6:20 with the climb and time of 37:14. 2nd place girl. I was happy with how I felt with marathon legs. I immediately looked for Dustin and Maya, and my other kids. I wanted to know how their races went!

Last year (bottom stats) versus this year (top stats) below:

Dustin 5k Freedom Run Race Report (2nd overall 15:46)

I was really up in the air on if I was going to do this race or not…Tawny finally convinced me that I should just do it!  I signed up last minute (like the day before).  I had done a little research on who was running and from what I could tell there were only a couple of guys that I felt could give me a run for my money.

I am not in great shape right now, but I have been ramping up for a fast fall marathon and I really enjoy 5k’s.  In college, I was a short distance guy and since college I have always enjoyed jumping in local 5ks, as they are somewhat my bread and butter!

Now back to the race-  I parked at the finish line and then worked my way about 1.5 miles to the starting line. I was with my little girl, Maya. I had her walk while I ran back and forth. I did a couple strides, as I kept hearing the race director Ramon Zabriskie give the count down from 10 minutes to go to 5 minutes, to 1 minute.  As I heard 1 minute to go I worked my way to the starting line and Ramon saw me coming up the side. He called to me over the intercom and said, “Dustin, I have a spot for you up in the front!”

I went straight to the front and scoped out who was there. I saw one dude in the same jersey as me, (Runner’s Corner Elite). I had no idea who it was, which surprised me.  After looking at him from head to shoe, I felt I could take him. I saw two other dudes that looked legit, one was wearing a Springville old school jersey. The gun went off and we were off.  An older gentlemen who also wore an RC Elite jersey took it out hard from the gun, I believe it was Curtis Eppley.  He took it out fast and Springville immediately covered his move.  I said to myself, “Come on man! Why are you doing that, we are supposed to ease it out!”  I also said “Springville, why are you getting so antsy- no way he holds that pace!” Nonetheless, the pace was set.  The other RC elite guy went with the pace with the other dude that looked legit. I decided I was not going to follow, as we were running about 4:50 pace and  I didn’t think they would be able to hold the pace.

I settled in about 5 to 10 strides back and just tried to stay relaxed, but in contact.  As we approached mile one we were approaching the first turn.  I decided if I hit the tangent tight and on time, I could close the game and join the two dudes in front of me. Springville was still about 5-7 seconds ahead.  I timed it perfect. I hit the corner and leveled up with the two.  As I leveled up, one dude dropped off with our 4:59 first mile. It was now just the other RC Elite dude and myself chasing Springville along the parade route.  I kept wondering who this guy was next to me and how I didn’t know who he was. I kept trying to shake him, but I couldn’t. Every time I tried to surge, he would cover my surge.

We turned up 9th east heading into the last mile which is all uphill. I decided that this is where he would drop off and I will take him. I surged a bit to see what he would do…he covered it, he wasn’t going to drop. I kept the pace honest and for a half second I thought to myself, just tell the dude we are calling a truce and we would split the second and third cash!  Of course I didn’t really say anything and just kept running shoulder to shoulder. We made the second to last turn on some flat and he was still there. The last turn goes up hill for about 300 meters into the finish line. The second we made that turn, I decided now was the time to break him. I surged hard and put 5-10 strides on him fast!  I had finally broke him..So I thought….I settled the pace and looked back and he was surging! What the heck, who is this guy, I thought to myself!  I surged about about 150 meters for the finish and noticed Springville in front of me had dropped his bib number and had turned back for it. I thought for split second, I can get him, but quickly realized that would have been over achieving.

I crossed the line in second and was tired! I worked harder than I thought I was going to have to!  I said good job, jogged back and found Maya and pushed her in the finish! She did AMAZING! I was so proud of her. I then went back and pulled Tawny in and she did killer as well.  Come to find out at the awards, the guy who won was a young BYU signee and not who I thought (I thought it was Chase Horrocks, who won last year). Chase was actually the guy I was fighting with the entire time.

Maya (10) – 5K race report – 24:51

We woke up early in the morning and I was so excited, but I was also really worried. I was thinking about what I was going to do and how excited I was to do this race. Before the race, my dad went and did some warm up miles while I thought about my speed and what I was going to do and try and accomplish. When we started, I was just walking at first because there was such a big crowd and I couldn’t run at all or I would knock someone over. Finally when we got to the starting line it spread out a little and I could run. I started running and suddenly my cousin (12) appeared. She asked if she could run with me. I ran with her, but I ran kind of fast for her because I wanted to go a little fast at the beginning because I knew there was a hill at the end. I didn’t go too fast though, but for my cousin, it was fast. Her friend came along and started talking with her. Every once in awhile I would say something because I didn’t want to just ignore them, but I didn’t want to talk too much because I didn’t want to run out of air. We went for a little while until they slowed down, so I decided to go up ahead. I was running and I was just thinking about life until I heard somebody yell “We’re done with a mile!” (8:41 first mile)

I was so surprised. It had gone by so fast. We were already done with a mile and it felt like it had just been seconds. I was a little disappointed because I wanted it to be longer. I wanted to just enjoy the race instead of having it fly by. Every girl I saw, even if they looked 14, I was worried they were my age, so I passed every girl that looked around my age. I was having such a great time. I kept going and passed someone in the crowd. I didn’t know them, but they said great job to me and they yelled out my bib number. I was getting a little tired. I passed the people spraying water guns. I motioned for them to spray me. They were about to spray me, but they ended up spraying someone else before they could spray me. (7:44 second mile).

I kept running, feeling happy. I felt great, but was also tired. I was heading up the hill and I saw my grandma. She was running really good (she got first in her age group). I passed her. I kept going and while I was going on a slight hill I saw someone running the opposite way on the other side of the road. I could barely see them. They looked like a mini figure, but as soon as I saw him, I knew it was my dad because he was wearing a bright orange Runner’s Corner jersey. He was looking in the crowd as if he had lost something. Once he saw me, he started yelling as loud as he could “go Maya, you can do it. Pass these people!” I couldn’t help but feel so happy to have a great Dad to yell out and cheer for me in the middle of the race. I started running faster instantly when he came. He ran with me and helped me. He kept saying “pass these people, pass these people”. I wasn’t embarrassed at all. Sometimes the people sped up and I passed them when he told me to. (8:02 mile 3)

When I got to the corner, he said I would be able to see the finish line. I could see it and I ran as fast as I could. He told me to pass 3 people and I passed 7. I could hear my cousins cheering for me. The last couple seconds it felt like I wasn’t even in charge of my legs. I was just running. I crossed the finish line and my dad went to go cheer on my mom. I went with my cousins and cheered with them. I ended up with fastest for girls 1-12 years old only by a half a second! PS – I’m glad my dad cheered me to go faster at the end! Final time: 24:51

THE MILE

Crew (8)- 7:26

I started out super slow, maybe a little too slow. I felt like I was in the back at first. I started slow while everyone else kind of ran a little fast. And then a little more in the middle of the race I sped up a lot more. Everyone was kind of falling back because they might have started a little fast. Some people were okay. I passed one of my friends, Mckay. I passed my cousin, Ian. He started way too fast. When we got to the asphalt near the finish, I felt a little faster. I tried to speed up more and passed about 5 people. When we turned to the finish line, I passed about 6 or 7 people. I probably should have started a little faster, but anyways I got to the finish line. If I would have ran 4 seconds faster I would have been in the top three. Right as we finished I waited for my cousin, Ian and my brother, Revin and I saw two more of my friends.

Revin (6)- 8:53

I started slow by Crew. I started going faster. Someone tripped over someone, and then I tripped over that guy. I fell on my back. I got back up and I started running. I went up a hill and I started to get closer to the finish. When we were on the sidewalk I started to get faster. I passed someone. I started to get to the finish and then I passed some more people and then I almost passed someone super fast. When the person super fast got in front of me, I got in front of a bigger guy than him. Someone really old, like a grown up. I got even closer. I saw Crew, so I got faster. Then I got to the end. I got a flag medal. I went to get my receipt (the printout of finish time) and then after I got my receipt I go to get a water bottler and then I went with my aunt and I was going to cheer for Maya and Dad and Mom.