Sunday, January 8, 2012

But Mom, we're not going to win!

I ran the first of the New York State Park Winter run series today at Heckscher State Park with results that can best be described as sucky. I shouldn't have had any expectations since I haven't really ran due to a variety of injuries, aches and pains for quite some time. I did almost all of my Ironman training without real running although that was not by choice.

I signed up for this 5K series to make me get out and run a little harder than I would have on my own since I know that a time clock can do that to me. I saw that the last 5K that I ran was last year as part of this series. I shouldn't have had any expectations but that is against my goal oriented nature. Needless to say I wasn't anywhere near any of my expectations, even my lowest expectations.

The series sold out at 1100 participants and more signed up for the single day of race registration so it was crowded at the start. The way the race routed was that most of the first half would be into the wind, we'd get some relief at the turnaround and the finishing 1/2 mile or so was into the wind again. I started near the back and my plan was to mix in some walking with the running for 3:1 ratio to gradually get into it.

The race started and almost immediately I realized how slow I was. I started trying to set different expectations in my mind. Obtainable expectation. Rational expectation. I was failing even at this.

I caught up to a mother running with her son (estimated age 8) at about the turnaround. She asked him if he wanted to take a walk break. "But Mom, we're not going to win!" I also wasn't expecting to win but I liked his attitude and it got me going a little more.

I finished up this race more than 4 minutes slower than last year's time at the same race. I saw my sister and my niece at the finish line (they were done for some time already). I commented on how I really sucked. Nobody disagreed. At least there is an opportunity for redemption during next Sunday's 5k at Caumsett State Park.

10 comments:

Ewa said...

Wait a minute. You had various injuries. You haven't run much. You run NY SP Winter Run and you call results sucky??? YOU RAN, and that's what counts. This is New Year we are talking about, don't start it on a down note! You did great!
Was that enough yelling at you? ;-)
Hey, your speed will improve soon. I promise.

Unknown said...

I have to agree with Ewa. You ran, and you learned. Take it from where you are right now, and continue to improve.

Finishing is winning. :)

Kate Geisen said...

+1 Ewa. And now that you went out there and sucked, you have a baseline by which to measure your improvement. Besides, how many of those people who beat you could complete an Ironman, d'you think?

Unknown said...

/\ what Ewa said. Get back out there and beat that time next week!

Shelly said...

You were much faster than everyone who never made it to the starting line...... so you are eons ahead of the pack!

Al's CL Reviews said...

Great job! You are too hard on yourself.

Carolina John said...

At least you're getting out there to run the series. I had my first series race this saturday too and it was only marginally a failure.

If you're out there doing it you're already winning brother. Do it!

TriMOEngr said...

I bagged running this weekend for a multitude of worthless reasons. Maybe I just need to keep doing virtual and real 5Ks every weekend! Way to get out there and get it done even if you weren't going to "win".

Patrick Mahoney said...

Kinda seems like the theme, but I was thinking the same thing. You ran. Many Giants fans probably did not.

Sue Sitki said...

All I can say is 'way to go - you ran'... :)

I'd love to be able to run 5k right now... it's been 9 months since I've been able to do that...

:) Take the little victories and celebrate them