Sarah Palin

Pardon this quasi-dyslexic post... that's just how my mind is working right now

One of Sarah's[1] many contributions...  I'm not retreating, I'm reloading.

I've decided I will not be running the Victoria Marathon.

It was a difficult decision.  Weighing my running ability versus my injury versus my age versus my desire to get a BQ versus eating tofurkey for Thanksgiving... well, maybe not the last one.

It's disappointing.

I'm not entirely sure what I'll be doing now.  I know I want to take some time away from "hard" training... but I also realize that I can't slack too much.  I want to hit the ground running in January, literally.

I might do a race... maybe the Fall Classic or something...  not sure at this moment.

Hindsight:
I wanted that little boost of speed that I was hoping to get it through the racing flats... and I have no doubt, that had I been able to adapt to them, I would have killed the marathon... instead, I got killed by them.

In a way, it I feel like Icarus... got a little too close to the sun.

[1] To be clear, I despise Sarah Palin.  She is everything that is wrong with western culture... but that's for another blog.

Busted Coveting My Neighbour's Wife

That's an attention getting title.

Coveting:

No, I don't covet her in the 10 Commandments way, but I certainly would want her running prowess.

A few weeks ago, we switched over to running flats and hence a modified gait.  I've struggled getting it down and I find myself still unable to naturally run landing on the mid-sole.  After the run on Wednesday, my calves were sore, again.  Not as sore as the first time, but sore nonetheless.  We did 12 x 400m and even with the short interval time, I found myself slipping in and out of the mid-sole vs heel strike.  I had to consciously think "oh no, I'm heel striking" and then correct myself to mid-sole, only to repeat the pattern many times.

Sharon on the other hand is running great.  She bought the Nike flats and has taken to them like a fish to water.  She naturally is running landing on her mid-soles, has no soreness afterwards and is steadily getting faster.

Busted:

I can't run.

Today's long run with Grace and Sue ended at 15.5mi of the 22 I had planned.

I had some shooting pains during the first 6 miles but stretched it out.  Then along the Spanish Banks beach run, the pain started coming back.  The hill up to UBC killed me off.  It was pouring rain and I was busted.  I asked G&S to go on without me.  They went to pick up my vehicle as I walked on.  I made it to an ATM and took refuge.  Along the freezing cold walk, I thought, of all the days to be lame, why one with pouring rain.

After a lot of suffering, we made it back to Starbucks and had a great story to share... or so I think ;)

Humility

I think I'm pretty humble.  Or by saying that, am I bragging?!?

I've ran with some pretty fast people and there's certainly 2 different paths you can take here.

I ran with sub-3 hour marathoners that can run beside you and just enjoy the company (occasionally, I can be viewed as socially tolerable on some long runs, but only if I want to be).  They don't try to push the pace.  Take Grace's fiancée, he is very modest.  He runs with her (she's my pace for LSD) and has never mentioned anything about his impressive racing accomplishments to me unless asked... even then he seems genuinely embarrassed to talk about them.

I was at Forerunners recently, buying my racing flats.  I was chatting about running with the gentlemen helping me.  He mentioned he has run a few marathons, but nothing more.  Just an all round nice guy.  Later, I'm chatting with John Hill, the guy turns out to be Art Boileau... Canadian Olympic marathoner, won the LA Marathon twice and came in 2nd for the Boston, PR of 2:13!!!!  BTW, I ended up buying the same pair he races in :D

And then I've run with others that have said, "this pace isn't natural, I'll need to run faster".  On another occasion, I've overheard one guy, to paraphrase, "finisher medals are for losers, you need to at least place in your age group".

I hope I'll never have the arrogance to make a proclamation that insulting.  Hell, I'm just happy I can finish some races.  I don't care if you walk the whole marathon, you're out there.  That's all that counts.

I know everyone runs for different reasons.  Some like to get more fit, others like the social aspect, some may even like the introspection running solo provides, whatever the reason, running can and does welcome you.  It's not about being gifted, or comparing effort, or any comparisons for that matter.  When someone in our group has run a BQ, we're all happy, there's not an ounce of jealousy.

"It is always the secure who are humble." - Gilbert Keith Chesterton