I Can Stay At Home And Do Stuff Just As Stupid And Painful
This last weekend, I went with "friends" to San Diego to run the "America's Finest City Half Marathon".
I use the term "friends" advisedly. I wonder, looking back - have I ever caused anyone to run a half marathon? Is there some terrible curse, some karma out of past lives, that causes me to associate with people who would do that to me?
No, that's not fair. My friends Greg and Sandy went to San Diego, ran the race, and enjoyed themselves. It's not their fault that I actually tried to, you know, RACE the race.
I had a plan, and I had a "goal" - the "goal" was in place so that I would have some idea how fast to run my training runs.
I was able to run my training runs at paces and distances that seemed to support my ability to run this (*&^%$#@! race in times ranging from 1:39-1:44, which were my lower and upper ends.
But it didn't work out like that.
And it was uncomfortable.
During the last couple of miles, I actually stopped and walked a few times, briefly. That's how bad it felt. I've never walked in a half marathon that I actually tried to finish (R'N'R 2005 being the exception; I tried to DNF that one, but I couldn't get Ethel to come pick me up :).
Now it's time to regroup, and ask myself -
a) what should I have done different?
b) what do I do now?
Of course, the only real reason to answer a) would be to provide input for an answer to b). But, so far, I don't have any answer to either question.
I suppose that I have to keep running, because it's a habit that's supposed to be a good habit. But I'm in no hurry to get started again - which is, after all, not really like me.
I got home late Sunday, and Ethel is still in Indiana until late tonight. I'm at home with Silas, and haven't felt any real inclination to do anything, although I've been able to get my normal work done. I am definitely "off my feed" and don't even feel any real need to get that straightened out.
This is a bad one.
Now I'm back at home, and I'm trying to adjust my attitude to reality. It's hard to lower my standards quick enough to keep up with my lowering abilities.
I know that you tend to discount, even denigrate, my penchant for epigrams but remember that the King of Saws, B Franklin, said "All things in moderation".
Reply to this
I would never dream of discounting or denigrating anything about you, Big Brother, but the question is - what in the heck are you talking about?
If you're saying that I shouldn't quit running, but that I should run in moderation - I have news for you. I DO run in moderation.
I have friends - lots of 'em (well, no, wait - that sounds like I'm bragging. Let's change that) - I know a lot of folks who run twice as many miles per week as I do. And I know a lot of folks who run a good bit less than I do. That would put me right in the middle of the bell curve (once again
Ain't sure yet just what I'm gonna do, or when - I haven't jogged a step since Sunday. I don't know whether it's my body or my spirit that is uninterested.
Reply to this
Jim,
Yes, you missed your goal, but your chip time was not that far from your upper end goal. Yes, I know that it was over 2 minutes away, which seems like a huge amount when racing. Were you properly tapered for the race? Any chance you were overtrained? I'm still amazed by your one workout of 11 AHMP miles; I would never do that many race pace miles for a run that long as part of my training. Even for a marathon, I don't go beyond 12 or so MP miles in training.
Anyway, the race is behind you and college football season is approaching. Relax a bit, enjoy the football, but continue to work out.
Now, I have to decide if I want to get a dish for this football season. I haven't had one for a while, but with a fancy new TV and football season about to start, I've been thinking about it.
Damon
Reply to this
Here's a funny thing - I usually figure that I managed to at least a minimum effort if I make it in the top 10% of these large races - after all, these are the sort of races that Joe Couchdude gets up and trains for for a month or two before it happens, gets the T-shirt, and then gets back on the couch.
There were 7100 registered runners in the AFC half.
I....came in 711th
Dunno if you want a dish; where I live, you can't get ESPN GamePlan without it. And the purpose of having a television is to watch college football, right?
Reply to this
What you need -- what all of us Master runners need -- is a watch that slows down at the same rate we do!
Reply to this
Unfortunately, as Dr. Einstein showed, watches only slow DOWN when you go FASTER. One more case of the Universe laughing at us : )
Reply to this