Thousand Miles to Salamanca

Milestones

LOG ENTRY

Distance: 1 mile race (3 mile or so warmup, 4 miles total)
Time: 4:58.37



Not even sure where to start. First, the race.

I ran this one *very* conservatively. I figured that I could go for sub 4:50, but could very easily end up with a 5:10. And for me, I believe there's a very very fine line between 4:49 and 5:10. Why risk it considering there's another year before the next one? A year without getting under 5?

As far as strategy, I kept telling myself: "Cover ground until 4th Street. Breathe. Short Strides." Then tried to kick it in with a bit more than a quarter mile to go. Didn't have a great kick but the lactic acid didn't set in either.

I'm not where I want to be entirely but today was certainly a milestone. I've been nervous about this race all week, up until I lined up at the starting line.

Now, some history.

In June of 2004, I wrote the following:

So now, 11 years later, I’m thinking to myself “What if? What if I were to try again? Is it possible to run that sub 2 minute half-mile, 11 years and 70 pounds later?” I don’t know the answer to that.

So here it is. Here’s my project. Do you ever wonder if it’s possible to go back? Can we relive our glory days? I want to know if I can get to that level that I once was at. If I were to get back on that track, on pace for a sub 2 minute half-mile with 200 meters to go…would I react differently? Would I say to myself “I’m not good enough?" Can I get back to a sub 5 minute mile? I don’t know. That’s what I hope to find out over the next thousand miles.

Well, it's taken me over 1000 miles, much more. Approximately 3500 or so I think, but here we are. It is possible to go back.

Tonight I thought about the first time I broke 5 minutes for the mile on a track. I was a sophomore in high school, at a dual meet in Salamanca, NY.

*(Thanks Rich for the pic)

Labels: Climbing

posted by Gray @ 6:09 PM