Yes, thank you, I can hear your applause and I appreciate it. But wait just a gosh-darned minute! Only 500?
This is almost the exact time I cracked 500 as last year. And here I thought I was running more. In 2007, I ran 817 miles. In addition to my time goals for this year's races, I also wanted to break 1,000 miles for 2008. (Those round numbers again.) The handy-dandy tracker on my running log tells me that my current mileage trends will leave me short by 68 miles.
So let's look at my goal progress again. (Thanks to the Laminator, this topic has been on my mind. Thanks a lot!)
The goals:
- Break 50:00 in a 10K: FAIL!
- Break 1:50:00 in a half marathon: FAIL!
- Break 4:00:00 in a marathon: No attempt yet, but ...
- Break 1,000 miles for the year: Incomplete, but ...
Now let us look a little deeper, because in truth I don't view my failures as failures. (Unlike your failures, which are abject failures.)
10K in 50
Yes, I totally biffed the last mile of my last 10K attempt. However, if I had not, the running community would not have learned about the Puke Threshold. My failure at hitting 50 minutes in that race turned into a win for all of you. And ... I'll be trying again in about two weeks with significantly more speedwork under my ass.
HM in 1:50
An early season injury and mid-race blister derailed this race, but I proved to myself that I can create my own training plan that suits my needs. Now Coach Viper has upped the challenge to create a plan for the Akron Marathon and so far so good. My failure at hitting 1 hour, 50 minutes in the half marathon won me more confidence. And ... I'll be trying again at my nemesis race in about six weeks.
Four Hours
Akron is just nine weeks away, so we'll see how this goes. The "but ..." above is that I have a predictor on my running log that says I'm only capable of a 4:46:34 marathon based on my training right now, so I still have lots of work to do. But ... I don't know how accurate this predictor is. And ... did I mention my confidence?
1,000 Miles
Halfway there, but more than halfway through the year. Drat! Though the tool on my log that keeps track of my yearly progress says I'm on pace for failure by a margin of 68.1 miles, that deficit was more than 100 miles just last month. To reach 1,000, I need to average 19.3 miles per week. As my mileage peaks during the next two months, perhaps I can get back to even or bank a few miles for the home stretch.
So, here's to 500 miles ... and 500 more ...
[Drunkard's note: I'm going to regret that aren't I?]
UPDATE JULY 31, 2008: Welcome unfamiliar Loungers, I'm totally capitalizing on the coincidence that the Take It and Run Thursday topic and this post were similar. Thank you for falling into my trap!
11 comments:
Only 68.1 miles? please...based on 22 weeks left in the year...that's like a measly 3.1 extra miles a week. :-P Easily done. And I'm gonna go hide now before anyone thinks to ask how many extra miles per week I can run. :-P
Naturally, this post caused me to go look at my running log to see how we stack up. Miles to date in 2008? 507.2
It's uncanny. If you rooted for better sports teams we'd be like the same person.
Also, damn you for getting that song stuck in my head. I refuse to admit that I really do like it.
And I meant to also say (before my comment turned into a book) that your stats are still great and I'm sure you'll make up the fails on the next attempt :-)
Yeah, that song was good after the first 500 times I heard it.
My Buckeyeoutdoors (do you know how much it pains me to write "buckeye" because I know the guy who manages it is...one of them) log reports that I have run 687.5 miles at an average pace of 9:25/mile and spent a total of 107 hours and 12 minutes running.
And: that dumb song reminds me of one thing, which is that it was in the movie "Benny and Joon," which I tried to watch once but I was so drunk at the time I couldn't even see straight or sit upright on a couch. It was the first time I'd ever gotten drunk too (I was 20). Then I got really sick. For the first time (but not the last, all cries of "I'll never drunk again!" to the contrary).
I am SO NOT clicking play on that vid. Not gonna happen, don't want that song in the brain.
Do you use the Parrot Predictor from Breaking The Tape? That thing is waaayyy off, homie. Some of the times it's had for me are just not doable (too fast). I think you'll do it, seems like you've been kickin it on the speed work and such ;-)
I haven't updated my running log in a few weeks - need to get on that so I can compare! Damn Garmin for losing my data...
Hmmm... how about this....
No bottles of beer on the wall!
No bottles of beer!
Go to the store and buy some more (or Go to the store and steal some more)
99 bottles of beer on the wall!
This way, you won't have to worry about going down the home stretch.... ;-)
You've well proven you're stubborn enough to crack 1,000, so it seems like the only thing that would hold you back would be crappy winter weather. You might have to do something seriously distasteful and *gasp* use a treadmill to reach your goal. Better you than me. :)
Sorry, I forgot everything you posted because I am too busy singing that song.
Ba da da, ba da, da!
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