RandomFailure

LBRR = long boring race report; PDR = Philadelphia Distance Run (half-marathon)

Raced today. Finishing time (1:34:46; a 7:14 per mile average pace; #988 out of 12,247) was about what I had expected, based on my general lack of training. What I had not anticipated was the huge slow-down as the race progressed. With no goal time in mind, I felt that this would be a good day just to get out there and see what happens. Things started off well (each of the first 5 miles in the 6:50 to 6:59 range, which felt comfortable), but I slowed down drastically from there. I could definitely feel the slowing down. Around mile 10 or so, my legs felt like bricks. And having a wandering mind (thinking about a whole host of things other than running) didn’t help either. I had to keep mentally checking myself back in to what I was doing.

This is one of those days where having a four story row house is not much fun – too much stair climbing when all I want to do is rest.

This Sunday will be my 10th consecutive Philadelphia Distance Run (best time: 1:30:02, in 2007).

I’m fortunate enough to have been healthy and injury-free at this time of the year for 10 years. That is something in itself. Though I am still recovering from my knee “injury” (I still don’t know whether it’s an injury or not). Not that the distinction matters. What does matter is that I lost 2 months worth of running (including the time off for injury and the recovery period to just get back to where I was). The problem was that I didn’t want to increase my mileage too fast and risk further injury, so my longest run was about 11.2 miles on August 30 (vacation plus mild taper thrown in afterwards).

Finishing won’t be a problem. I just likely won’t be racing. I have no goal time, which is good for relaxed running. I just want to be able to maintain the start corral number.