How Do I Rate?

Before the Haney to Harrison race, I went in line to go to the Starbucks' bathroom.  I chatted with the person behind me as we waited.  I told him our team had a few ringers (i.e. top 10 finishers) and I facetiously remarked that I'm happy to just finish in the top 1/2 of my category.  He said, "that's fantastic!"

I'm surrounded by some really good runners but I'd never put myself in that category.  It's nice to have them as a runner role models.  Sue plateaued for a few weeks after the VIM but has been killing it since.  I can't believe I once thought she was reachable... but at the H2H relay she showed what she was made of:

	Overall	Place in Sex	Km Pace
Sue	31/198	7/72	4:22
Tony	41/198	29/95	4:48

I was pretty respectable on my portion of the race, finishing top 21% overall, and top 30% for males.  But Sue was top 16% overall and top 10% for females.  Her pace for the 13.5km was 26 seconds faster than mine for 13km.

I like to have reach goals. But she's kept on getting faster.

I recently completed my speed work for the year out of Forerunners.  I'd been at it for a month, I started off in the 50 minute group, but dropped down to the 45 minute one.  It's been a tough transition.  I'm near the back of the group and giving it my bestest.

I enjoyed running with the 50 minute group, but I knew that by leading the pack, it was not pushing me to run harder.  When I dropped down to the faster group, I found I have to push hard just to avoid being last.  I'm not sure if you need any more motivation than that.

When I look at myself in the mirror, I see how far I've come.  But I also have that twinge of self-doubt that chips away at my ego.

Sure I've gotten faster.  But then there's Sue and TLT... they have gotten much faster.

I registered for the Vancouver Marathon today.  Four months to train.  Mentally and physically.


"The smaller the mind the greater the conceit." -- Aesop