DNQ

Pavement inspector at another race

Unlike the national news, bad news here gets little of the spotlight.

My half at Georgetown was a PW (personal worst). I finished 200th of 221 finishers, which conjured up thoughts of my high school track days. I knew there would be little chance of an amp PR this day, but why I ran so miserably is a mystery to me. I have some ideas of what may have contributed to this disaster of a race, but I don't want any to be thought of as excuses and do not offer them here. I will say this, Did Not Quit is the gold in a personal worst.

Instead, I need to change what I can and know in the past when I've had a bad race my next one is usually better. This does have me thinking that unless my training runs indicate this was a fluke, that I may change to the half marathon at Charlotte next month.

This is not the time to panic as my goal race is Boston next April. My training will increase in volume and intensity and I also have to guard against overtraining which can be worse than not doing enough.

So at the moment my plan is to take the early start at Charlotte and do a 2 minute walk every mile. I am not despondent over this last race but it is troublesome it was such a huge slowdown. That does come with age and we all face it, but I think and hope this was an anomaly and I can run better in the upcoming months. I will race sparingly and generally as part of my goal plan.

So there it is, a lot of work to do mentally and physically. I can't let bad races drag me down more than the gravity that is time. To put this in perspective, I'll offer a basketball insight. When I was younger I found dunking a basketball was beyond my ability. Despite getting close I just could not do it...then one day I rose above the rim and shoved the ball through the hoop. Done and always easy to do after that day. Now that I am older - and I quit basketball many years ago to focus only on running - I know the day would have come when I could no longer dunk, and know that there would be little reason to try.

The thing is, by trying I would still be rising. And this I intend to do for as long as this body will rise with me and go for a run. Today and tomorrow, I will rise.

*******

I want to congratulate Jennifer on her first place finish in the 12k. Jennifer will say there weren't many people in her AG, but how does that matter when others can't even get themselves to the starting line, often complaining with age as their only excuse? Well buttercups, we all face this ultimate adversary, so sleep in or get up and face life running. Jen wins!