Considering is one of those words that I like to pull out when I'm talking to other people, and like to put away when I'm talking to myself.
I had one of those considering moments Sunday running a 5K. I was on the fence about the race. I'm always on the fence about running short road races these days. Sunday is long run day. A 5k is not a long run, and historically, I'm not good at going to a race, running my heart out, and then putting in another 30-40 minutes running. Either I'm too gassed after the race, or I'm too pressed for time. Either way, I don't usually get it done, and Monday turns into long run day.
Margit was at a swimming clinic, so I needed to hire a babysitter to go to the race at all. Because a friend was asking all of us on Force 5 Sports to be at the race, I felt it was the right thing to do, to go and run the 5K. But I determined that for once I was really going to make it part of a 'long' run- at least 15k.
So I drove to the race in Guilford, which is about 15 minutes from my house, signed up quickly, put my number on, and pretty soon I was out running the course. Except for registration going a little too quickly and being ahead of schedule, everything was great. I got in a 4 mile warm-up, and while I felt bad for not talking to anyone, it was good to have the 1st 3rd of my workout done,
Next was the race. I'm not the type of guy that goes to a race and thinks he's going to win it, but evaluating the runners there, I realised I should be thinking about it- and then I saw Jesse Efrom. Winning the race went right out the window...
The race started with an unannounced 3-2-1.
I think Jesse had 50 yards on me at 100 yards. We took it out, me not really hanging on to Jesse, and a couple guys trailing me. We got to about a 1/3rd of a mile and the footsteps behind me became a runner passing me. I evaluated the guy's gait, decided that I should pass him right back, and that was all the excitement the race would have.
Not much else to say. Because there was a turn-around at something over a mile, I had no choice but to know exactly where I was- getting crushed by Jesse and having 60 yards on the guy behind me.
I was never catching Jesse. I ran hard, but maybe not all out. I wasn't going to catch anyone or be caught by anyone.
Still, when I could finally see the clock and it was over 18 minutes I was disappointed. When I crossed the line at 18:40, a slow time, I was a little bummed. Still, I grabbed a water and headed back out. Three minutes after I finished I was was back on the road- and that was the best part of the day. It was hot, I was using the water bottle I'd gotten at the finish more to keep my head cool than to drink and about a mile and a half into that last 5K, I was feeling the way I'll be feeling in Arizona at the Ironman this November, hot and a little spent, but still running, working on hydration and body temperature and yes, it hit me. This is why you do this kind of training. To suffer and be used to it, and yes while it's suffering it's not bad. you're not bonking or distressed. You're tired, you're hot, and you deal.
So it was great workout and when I got done it was right back in the car and home to let the babysitter go, and it was just what I needed.
All things considered, the 18:40, in perspective in the middle of the workout- not so bad.
Still, 18:40 ? Oh well...
Showing posts with label road racing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label road racing. Show all posts
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Sunday, April 19, 2009
No, I'm not Old (athletically anyway)
That post earlier this month was a placeholder.
It's hard to be an endurance athlete who races and never think about age. You are defined by your age. Every race, you can see it in the results (possibly in more ways than one). In triathlon, they write your age on your body, and no, it's not to make identification easier if something happens.
And I am, let's face it, by the societal conventions, an old man. I'm definitely in the back half of my existence on this planet. If you believe the GPs and podiatrists I've seen, I developed arthritis when I was in my mid-twenties (just a big toe, but still, arthritis ?) I've got parts of my scalp that used to have hair that don't. That hair has migrated to places I have no need for or want of hair. I have the scars and wrinkles and other bang-ups guys my age that have been in sport their whole adult lives wear.
So there's the calendar, and the birth certificate and just this damnable ticking of the clock that never stops. My dad has been dead five years for every one I knew him and those memories are so tenuous I'm not sure they are real anymore.
But, I only admit these things in order to dismiss them. They have nothing to do with my self-perception of my age.
And honestly, I don't think about it that much. Except when I run road races.
That's right. Triathlon is so heavily age-group segmented- even to starting with your age group, not in mass starts- that you don't have the same sense in many races of competing against people a lot younger than you. And then there's the fact that in most races, my age group and the two age groups on either side mine make up the bulk of the men in the race, and also most of the top finishers- and no, I'm not dissing younger triathletes here- we just need more of them.
But road races ? Look at the Shamrock 5K in New Haven. I ran a pretty slow time for me, but not unusual for my first 5K of the season. I finished 18th and got beat by 14 runners under age 25.
That's my competition. Sure, there's a list as long as my arm of guys in their 30s and 40s that can beat me down just as easily. But I'm competing, when I run road races, with guys in their teens and early twenties just as much, and some of them beat me. Heck, some of them are college runners, which almost by default means they can skunk me. Some of them don't- maybe most of them in most races.
The ironic thing about it is that part of that keeps me from feeling old is the fact that I go out and compete with people half my age as well as people my own age, and once the race starts, I'm not 43, I'm not the old guy. I'm just a guy.
And that's a nice feeling. I'm just another guy, who's going to run as hard as he can. I get right on the starting line at just about every race I do, and no, I don't feel old when the race starts. I have that same desire everyone on that line has- to win, or at least give it a good shot.
I may be old, but feel old ? As an athlete ? Not yet.
It's hard to be an endurance athlete who races and never think about age. You are defined by your age. Every race, you can see it in the results (possibly in more ways than one). In triathlon, they write your age on your body, and no, it's not to make identification easier if something happens.
And I am, let's face it, by the societal conventions, an old man. I'm definitely in the back half of my existence on this planet. If you believe the GPs and podiatrists I've seen, I developed arthritis when I was in my mid-twenties (just a big toe, but still, arthritis ?) I've got parts of my scalp that used to have hair that don't. That hair has migrated to places I have no need for or want of hair. I have the scars and wrinkles and other bang-ups guys my age that have been in sport their whole adult lives wear.
So there's the calendar, and the birth certificate and just this damnable ticking of the clock that never stops. My dad has been dead five years for every one I knew him and those memories are so tenuous I'm not sure they are real anymore.
But, I only admit these things in order to dismiss them. They have nothing to do with my self-perception of my age.
And honestly, I don't think about it that much. Except when I run road races.
That's right. Triathlon is so heavily age-group segmented- even to starting with your age group, not in mass starts- that you don't have the same sense in many races of competing against people a lot younger than you. And then there's the fact that in most races, my age group and the two age groups on either side mine make up the bulk of the men in the race, and also most of the top finishers- and no, I'm not dissing younger triathletes here- we just need more of them.
But road races ? Look at the Shamrock 5K in New Haven. I ran a pretty slow time for me, but not unusual for my first 5K of the season. I finished 18th and got beat by 14 runners under age 25.
That's my competition. Sure, there's a list as long as my arm of guys in their 30s and 40s that can beat me down just as easily. But I'm competing, when I run road races, with guys in their teens and early twenties just as much, and some of them beat me. Heck, some of them are college runners, which almost by default means they can skunk me. Some of them don't- maybe most of them in most races.
The ironic thing about it is that part of that keeps me from feeling old is the fact that I go out and compete with people half my age as well as people my own age, and once the race starts, I'm not 43, I'm not the old guy. I'm just a guy.
And that's a nice feeling. I'm just another guy, who's going to run as hard as he can. I get right on the starting line at just about every race I do, and no, I don't feel old when the race starts. I have that same desire everyone on that line has- to win, or at least give it a good shot.
I may be old, but feel old ? As an athlete ? Not yet.
Monday, April 28, 2008
Time to Race ?
With some of my teammates down in Florida for the St. Anthony's Triathlon this weekend serving as a reminder that the season is well and truly coming, it's time to turn back towards racing just a little bit. This has been an odd reminder of 2006, when I has a good race at Lake Placid off a very minimal amount of racing.
I've taken minimal to new heights this year with just three races since Christopher Martin's last December. In total 11.1 miles running and 10 miles biking. Compared to my time trial efforts on the bike even, not very much. Which is not to say I haven't gotten in good intensity- running, mostly on the treadmill, the time trials and high-cadence spinning, and even race simulations that have me swimming 50 yards on one minute (a big deal for me). I feel ready to race, but more importantly, I feel like I've built a serviceable base for a race that is, well, it's my A- race at the moment.
But right now, the build-up is going to be about shorter fare, starting Sunday at Greenwich. This is a race where I've done OK in the past- third last year- but always seem to not bike as well as I probably should (there's also a little drafting, but it's not a USAT sanctioned race). So it's run bike run for the second time, and the first race of the season on my road bike.
Oddly, I am not very excited about it. Hopefully that will change, but right now, my biggest concern is getting a long ride in this week, and the knowledge I'll be running long Monday. I'm trying to be more positive this year- after all, I raced well at the end of last year, took some definite lower key time and have trained with good, moderate intensity since. in general I would say that I have not historically approached races with much confidence nor given myself much credit when I do have decent races. I think of myself as kind of a plodding, grinding sort of athlete, which is, on my good days, is not really probably accurate.
I took a positive attitude into Brian's and it served me well, but Greenwich is a different kind of race. Still, I guess it's time to get psyched up and start looking forward to racing.
I've taken minimal to new heights this year with just three races since Christopher Martin's last December. In total 11.1 miles running and 10 miles biking. Compared to my time trial efforts on the bike even, not very much. Which is not to say I haven't gotten in good intensity- running, mostly on the treadmill, the time trials and high-cadence spinning, and even race simulations that have me swimming 50 yards on one minute (a big deal for me). I feel ready to race, but more importantly, I feel like I've built a serviceable base for a race that is, well, it's my A- race at the moment.
But right now, the build-up is going to be about shorter fare, starting Sunday at Greenwich. This is a race where I've done OK in the past- third last year- but always seem to not bike as well as I probably should (there's also a little drafting, but it's not a USAT sanctioned race). So it's run bike run for the second time, and the first race of the season on my road bike.
Oddly, I am not very excited about it. Hopefully that will change, but right now, my biggest concern is getting a long ride in this week, and the knowledge I'll be running long Monday. I'm trying to be more positive this year- after all, I raced well at the end of last year, took some definite lower key time and have trained with good, moderate intensity since. in general I would say that I have not historically approached races with much confidence nor given myself much credit when I do have decent races. I think of myself as kind of a plodding, grinding sort of athlete, which is, on my good days, is not really probably accurate.
I took a positive attitude into Brian's and it served me well, but Greenwich is a different kind of race. Still, I guess it's time to get psyched up and start looking forward to racing.
Monday, December 11, 2006
Back- as if from the dead...
After two weeks off ran the Christopher Martin 5k. This is a race that often draws in the area of a thousand people. I've been top ten in this race, but not yesterday.
After two weeks off, including spending the night before the race christening an Irish Pub, I can without making excuses say I had no business running a 5K the first day back. Period.
After coming in at a less than respectable 18:38, which earned me a whopping 11th in my age group, all I want to say is that I am ready to start training again...
After two weeks off, including spending the night before the race christening an Irish Pub, I can without making excuses say I had no business running a 5K the first day back. Period.
After coming in at a less than respectable 18:38, which earned me a whopping 11th in my age group, all I want to say is that I am ready to start training again...
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