Friday, March 20, 2009

My runs this week were as follows:

Tuesday: 8 miles at 8:51/mile pace

Wednesday: 4 miles at 8:39/mile pace

Thursday: 8 miles at 8:51/mile pace

These paces are all assuming a flat, road run, which none were. So my splits on the 8 milers were somewhere in the 9:20 range. As for the 4 miler...uhhh...

See, it started out mellow enough: I arrived at the trail with plans to run an out and back of 4 miles. Then, she came whizzing past me as I locked my car. She being a 40 something woman in amazing shape, cruising by and uphill at a pace I assumed was somewhere in the neighborhood of my proposed pace.

So I gave chase. And then realized that she was somewhere in sub 8 minute miles. Naturally, I slowed and backed off, reminding myself that my pace was to be about 1 minute/mile slower than muscley, fit woman's trotting pace.

KIDDING I PASSED HER AND KEPT UP THE PACE FOR ANOTHER 3 MILES AND RAN 7:18/MILES

It's this competitive side of myself I'm nurturing. In a previous entry, I talked about how even in kindergarten I was non-competitive. It's time for this to change.

In the sport of ultra running, I've gotten quite used to the fact that yes, while I'm fast in big distances, I'll likely never finish in the top 10% of the pack, so I've grown content at hanging somewhere in the top 25% of finishers and having fun in the outdoors with the other crazies. But somewhere within those confines, I have to remind myself that it's totally acceptable to "compete" against others. It doesn't take away from the other elements of the sport that I enjoy. It adds to them.

5 comments:

Kate said...

However, don't allow this kind of competition to keep you from doing the kind of workout you need to do. Running harder than you planned doesn't serve the purpose/training effect of the workout you intended to complete. Run smart, man!

Me: 6 miles, 8 miles, 8 miles Weekend plans: 20 Sat. and 18 on Sun.

aartilla the fun said...

i am totally competitive. especially at the gym, but only if the person i'm competing against looks anything like me. if she looks kinda soft and cuddly, and has the same colour skin as me... she's in for it. :)

rustyboy said...

Don't worry, Kate: That was a once in a training period run. I'm well aware of how to properly screw things up. Ho boy, did I learn the hard way(s).

Aarti: You have a target demographic to compete with, I see. Wise to narrow it down!

Rodney L Merrill said...

I had a friend Elwood who was competitive but not very athletic so he decided whoever left behind the most poop in their lifetime was the ultimate winner. It showed that you had the time and the money to eat pretty much nonstop.

Last I saw him, he weighed something like 500 pounds. I think, on his terms, he might win!

Rodney

rustyboy said...

Here's to never meeting your friend Elwood, Rodney!