Race Day

10K in Fairfax, VA: 51:30. Not as fast as I wanted to go, but cold (22 degrees at start time) and hilly. I actually ran 7:50s for the first two miles, before I was able to get a reliable mile marker; I slowed down too much -- 9:13 on the next mile, and then clawed my way back. 8:45 for mile 4, and 8:15s on miles 5 and 6. If I had managed to hold something in the high eights for mile 3, I might have sneaked under 50 minutes.

But, I mean, really, whats the point? B ran in the very low 40s, I think -- he was gone before I got to the finish line (he had another event to go to, so he wasn't ditching me). Can I really pick up 12 minutes? He says yes, but it will take a year or so. AND he wasn't thrilled with his performance (I think he came in the top 15 again,) so however much faster I get he is going to keep getting faster. MAN, this rundown is looking more and more unlikely.

On the other hand, I did feel much better after this race than I did last month, not nearly so exhausted. I am going to do a 1/2 marathon in January and February, and a full on one in March. The plan here is to train up to doing an Iron man -- thats a 5 mile swim, 112 mile bike ride, and a marathon, all in a row. Mostly for the eff-you factor, really. I am not a fitness buff, but I loath the way my body became sedentary in the years after stopping dancing full time.

But mostly I am struggling because I am a competitor, and in the past, I've felt that if I can't be competitive, I don't much care to play. The idea of working for "Personal Bests" is all well and good, I suppose. And I know how unrealistic it is to even expect to be competitive in a sport that I took up this year, against people who have been doing it for 20+ years. Knowing it doesn't much help at the hill coming out of mile 2, though, with a guy pushing his kid in one of those running strollers passing me like I am standing still!

Ah, the noble pursuit of personal development.

I guess its better than nothing . . .