A Year in Running

Last summer, I started using RunLogger, a Facebook app to track my runs. It's now been a year. In that time, I covered the distance it takes to get past Denver. It took my 235 some hours, or a little less than 10 full days or 29 work days. Looking back, it was a pretty good year. Any year I can run regularly, without injury, is a good year. Much of 2007 was forgettable race wise. I ran Delaware undertrained and paid a steep price with that catastrophe. I ran Indy and just plain had a bad race. It's the only marathon I walked in, ever, even in Delaware I never walked -- I just crumpled. Who knows why I blew up so much. It was warm, but I was just not really there mentally for a whole bunch of reasons. It taught me that it's best to run races without preoccupations. I rebounded in 2008 with a pretty good Flying Pig. It wasn't perfect, but I was happy with my training and how I ran a tough course. 3:11 isn't my best time, but it was a good time for that day. It gave me confidence I can get to where I want to go: sub 3.

Tonight, I continued the week of medium-long runs in the long slog to doing that in Philly in 15 weeks. I did 11 miles in a pretty hard rain. I wasn't sure if I'd get in the run because there was a scary thunderstorm at about 6pm. I'll run anytime, but I don't dig thunder and lightning. After I wondered on Twitter if runners ever get hit, I got several responses with horror stories. But then I thought about the Pigdog. It's easy to say that it's raining, there might be thunder, etc. I make plenty of compromises with running for work and personal obligations, but the challenge is to not give in to easy outs. I thought about that alot tonight while circling the park in the dark for an hour and a half, soaking wet. There was one woman I passed a few times. I see her out running often. She's in her 50s and moves with what's a cross between walking, running and lurching. Her face is always contorted. She goes no more than 10 minutes a mile. I thought it so cool that she's still out there in a driving rain, getting her run in when it would be much easier to stay inside and watch TV. I respect that.

11 miles, 1:26