So... I just had to look up how the old guys do 1 mile races. First of all, the US record for men my age is 4:16! The name Nolan Shaheed kept cropping up and I knew it from somewhere, but not running; turns out he's a trumpeter and that's how I knew the name - I've heard him, he's good. He has all the old guy mile and 1500m records and rumor has it that Henry Rono tried for his over-55 mile record and failed. If you don't know Henry's name, he set 8 world records in something like 8 weeks back in the 1980's (the steeplechase record was particularly impressive) and then drank himself into homelessness and obscurity.
Careful who you emulate...
I had no chance of being all-American in track and field in college - or all-Big 10 - or all-anything, but the all-American standard in the mile for me now is 5:00. That's possible. Next year. [and the following year, I'm in a new age class and it's 5:10] There's about 10 guys in Minnesota my age who've made that standard. I've never beaten any of them in races of any length. That's not encouraging.
How did I get to this point? Wasn't I talking about 100 mile trail races only a month ago?
Doing a sort of soul-searching inventory of what I like about running, it comes down to: I like pushing myself to the breaking point. [And now I've been broken.] Earlier this week, I did a sprint workout and it felt tough, but it felt oh so good. And now I've got 6 different muscle strains (including the one in my neck left over from sleeping funny) from doing it, the two in my back made worse by shoveling the heavy wet snow we got here in the land where wet heavy snow is currency and food.
So, time to heal up... again... and try again, but maybe just to where I can see the breaking point, not past it.
Just looked up the Minnesota record for men 45-49 in the mile. It's Ron Daws in 4:39.5, in 1982. I was there! I beat Daws that day!
Never ending rain
3 days ago
3 comments:
Just looked up the Minnesota record for men 45-49 in the mile. It's Ron Daws in 4:39.5, in 1982. I was there! I beat Daws that day!
You were a great geezer ... in your youth.
Still not liking this comment moderation, which I don't understand the point of. Perhaps it's just your way of proving you're an even better geezer nowadaze than you were in the '80s.
But we all knew that already.
Love it! Back at it again, but with some time to heal in between.
Sounds like I may not see you out on the trails after all. And, though running hard for only one mile sounds like loads of fun (:-O) I probably will pass on that opportunity for now.
Press yourself just to the point of not breaking?
Fine LINE Steve.
I had a problem finding the correct mixture, now can only manage maybe 1/2 mile /week of running. I went over that line and it cost me dearly-like say, 12-14 months recovery-no running.(surgery)
Be very careful , "we" getting near fossil age now.
Be careful!!!!!
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