Waiting

March 8, 2018

It's Thursday. Ron says run an easy two miles. He says the hay is in the barn, the work had been done.

While I'm waiting, I think I will compile a complete list of my races and key time trials and workouts ... no high school cross country or track results for now (which are subject to memory and dateless). There are undoubtedly missing results, but not many; they may turn up as I comb through the cluster of stuff in my house.

November, 1969 - mile, 4:58.3 (17) 78.14%
June 27, 1970 - mile, 4:51.6 (18) 78.94%
May, 1972 - mile, HFCC track meet, 4:48 (20) 78.13%
Spring 1974 - MSU Intramural 880 race, 2:01.6 (22) 83.64%
Fall, 1973 - MSU Campus, mile, 4:38 (21) 80.38%
June 7, 1980 - RenCen Heart Unit 10K, Detroit, 38:00 (12th overall) (28) 70.66%
June 28, 1980 - Freedom Festival 10 Mile Run, Belle Isle, 1:04:35 (38th) (28) 68.72%
October 18, 1980 - Free Press International 10K, Detroit, 38:55 (about 45th overall) (28) 69%
November 16, 1980 - Fairlane Family Fitness 10K, 37:55 (10th, 38th overall) (28) 70.82%
February 8, 1981 - Mercer Island Half Marathon, 1:21:54 (23d, 103d overall) (29) 72.3%
February 16, 1981 - President's Day 10K, Seward Park, Seattle, 37:25 (29) 71.77%
March 1, 1981 - Bill Walker Memorial 3 Mile, Belle Isle, 16:42.4 (29) 72.89%
March 15, 1981 - Ernie B. Smith 5 Mile, Belle Isle, 28:37.5 (17th, 31st overall) (29) 74.59%
March 28, 1981 - mile, 4:59.32 (29) 74.44%
June 13, 1981 - mile, 4:54.93 (29) 75.54%
April 11, 1981 - Maple City 20K, Adrian, 1:14:53.7 (about 10th overall) (29) 74.73%
June 20, 1981 - Williamston Red Cedar 10K, 36:50 (41st overall) (29) 72.96
July 11, 1981 - Traverse City Cherry Festival 15K, 59:02 (124th overall) (29) 69.71%
August 1, 1981 - Grosse Ile Chicken Run 3 Mile, 15:18 (1st, 2nd overall) (29) 79.59%
August 21, 1981 - Bobby Crim 10 Mile, 1:00:34 (94th, 277 of 3685) (29) 73.28%
September 19, 1981 - Island Run Around 10K, Grosse Ile, 35:53 (1st, 2nd overall) (29) 74.89%
October 11, 1981 - Detroit Free Press Marathon, 2:47:36 (195th overall) (29) 74.53%
November 3, 1981 - mile, 4:57.3 (29) 74.94%
November 14, 1981 - Dexter 10K, 35:24 (1st, 6th overall) (29) 75.92%
February 14, 1982 - Mercer Island Half Marathon, 1:16:37 (30) 77.29%
March 19, 1982 - mile, 4:57.98 (30) 74.89%
March 21, 1982 - Sri Chinmoy Father's Day 10 Mile Run, 57:53 (3d, 7th overall) (30) 76.68%
April 19, 1982 - Boston Marathon, 2:59:26 (30) 69.62%
May 16, 1982 - Patriot Day 5K, 16:33 (30) 78.14%
June 2, 1982 - mile, 4:53.5 (30) 76.03%
June 16, 1982 - Club Northwest Track Meet 1500 meters, 4:14.49 (30) 80.95%
July 10, 1982 - mile 4:50.6 (30) 76.79%
June 20, 1982 - Father's Day 10K, 34:28 (30) 78.1%
June 23, 1982 - mile, 4:51.9 (30) 76.45%
June 30, 1982 - Club Northwest Track Meet 5,000 Meter Run, 16:38.5 (30) 77.71%
July 7, 1982 - Club Northwest Track Meet 1500 Run, 4:11.06 (30) 82.05%
July 19, 1982 - mile, 4:50.57 (30) 76.8%
July 21, 1982 - Club Northwest Track Meet 1500 Run, 4:11.7 (30) 81.84%
July 26, 1982 - mile, 4:47.34 (30) 77.66%
July 28, 1982 - Club Northwest Track Meet 1500 run/mile, 4:32.26 (30) 81.96%
August 3, 1982 - 1.5 miles, 7:29.4 (30) 
August 7, 1982 - Pepsi Challenge 10K, 33:56 (30) 79.32%
November 1, 1982 - 10K, 38:25 (30) 70.07%
May 3, 1983 - mile, 4:53.25 (31) 76.27%
May 7, 1983 - Belle Isle 5 Mile Run, 27:59.9 (31) 75.07%
May 15, 1983 - mile, 4:48.56 (31) 77.51%
May 22, 1983 - Motor City Striders Sub-Masters Meet mile, 4:38.1 (31) 80.43%
May 30, 1983 - Grosse Ile 10K, 34:29 (1st, 2nd overall) (31) 76.73%
June 7, 1983 - Workout, 1200 meter run, 3:21.58, splits: 67, 2:15, 2:48 (1000), 3:21.58 (31)
June 16, 1983 - Solo 3200 Meter Run on Fordson track, 10:13.5 (10:17.08 2 mile) (31) 77.28%
June 18, 1983 - Zoo 3 Mile Run, 15:55.74 (31) 76.75%
June 23, 1983 - mile, 4:53.87 (31) 76.11%
May 2, 1984 - mile, 4:55.52 (32) 75.92%
May 11, 1984 - mile, 4:57.89 (32) 75.31%
May 20, 1984 - Motor City Striders Sub-Masters Meet, 800 meter run, 2:05.18 80.77%, Mile Run, 4:50.3 77.28%, 400 meter run, 55.19 78.8% (1st, 1st, 3rd) (32)
June 10, 1984 - 4:21.9 (1500 meters) (32) 78.66%
June 25, 1984 - 1,000 Meter Run, 2:43.85 (32) 79.65%
July 4, 1984 - Clawson Firecracker Mile, 4:28.03 (3rd overall) (32) 83.71%
October 14, 1984 - Detroit Free Press International Marathon, 2:53:38 (41st) (32) 71.94%
May 24, 1986 - Dexter-Ann Arbor Half Marathon, 1:23:08 (34) 71.52%
June, 1986 - mile, 4:56.47 (1600 meters) (34) 75.798%
June 2, 1986 - mile, 4:52.57 (34) 77.32%
June 4, 1986 - 1600 meters, 4:54.08 (34) 76.4%
June 20, 1986 - 2 Mile Time Trial on GIHS Track, 10:37.9 (34) 75.61%
June 25, 1986 - mile, 4:57.8 (34) 75.96%
November 8, 1987 mile, 4:58.21 (35) 76.26%
August 13, 1989 - Canadian Lakes 5 Mile, 30:46 (6th) (37) 70.36%
September 9, 1989 - Sanford 5K, 19:05 (1st, 4th overall) (37) 68.43%
September 16, 1989 - Mud Creek Crawl, 20:00 (3rd overall, 8th adjusted) (37)
October 7, 1989 - Bintz Apple Run 5 Mile, Thomas Twp, 30:12.2 (4th; Frank Johnson 2nd @ 28:28.4) (37) 71.68%
July 12, 1990 - 5K, 18:41.4 (38) 70.38%
August 2, 1998 - Evergreen Town Race 5K, Evergreen, CO, 21:15 (7th) (46) 65.76%
September 11, 1999 - Mud Creek Crawl, 20th overall, (no record of time ... info from medal) (47)
April 22, 2006 - BARC Luck of the Run 5K, Bay City, 21:45 (1st) (54) 70.14%
April 21, 2007 - Great Lakes Loon Pennant 5K, Midland, 21:22 (2nd) (55) 70.34%
April 19, 2008 - Great Lakes Loon Pennant 5K, Midland, 22:16 (2nd) (56) 68.07%
March 22, 2009 - BARC St. Patrick's Day 8K, 35:18 (4th) (57) 71.33%
March 15, 2015 - BARC St. Patrick's Day 8K, 41:35 (7th) (63) 63.82%
February 6, 2016 - Winterlaufe 8K, Frankenmuth, 39:05.31 (3rd) (64) 68.51%
March 20, 2016 - BARC St. Patrick's Day 8K, 36:37.6 (2nd) (64) 73.11%
April 24, 2016 - Covenant Half Marathon, Swan Valley, Saginaw, 1:42:13 (1st) (64) 74.39%
May 8, 2016 - Cinco De Mayo 5K, 22:11 (1st) (64) 73.28%
May 21, 2016 - Dow Run 10K, 44:27 (2nd) (64) 77.83%
May 28, 2016 - Bayshore Half Marathon, Traverse City, 1:40:24 (1st unofficially) (64) 75.73%
May 30, 2016 - Grosse Ile Memorial 8K, 36:05 (1st) (64) 74.21%
June 23, 2016 - St. Stan's 5K, Bay City, 21:16 (2nd) (64) 78.16%
July 4, 2016 - Volkslaufe 20K, 1:32:24 (2nd) (64) 77.8%
July 10, 2016 - YMCA Pirates Festival 5K, Bay City, 21:19 (1st age div. and masters, 2nd male overall) (64) 76.26%
July 22, 2016 Bad Axe Wine Festival 5K, 22:47 (1st) (64) 71.35%
August 27, 2016 - Bobby Crim 10 Mile, 1:18:03 (13th of 260) (64) 73.14%
November 5, 2016 - New York Road Runners Dash to the Finish Line 5K, New York, New York, 23:36.4 (64) 70.41%
December 17, 2016 - Dashing Through The Snow 5K, Emerson Park, Saginaw, 32:40 (1st) (64)
December 31, 2016 - New Year's Resolution 8K, Flint, 37:04.7 (1st) (64) 73.67%
February 4, 2017 - Winterlaufe 8K, Frankenmuth, 36:46 (1st) (65) 74.97%
March 19, 2017 - BARC St. Patrick's Day Irish Double, 8K 35:34 77.5%; 5K 22:25 74.82% (1st) (65)
March 26, 2017 - Rock CF Half Marathon, Grosse Ile, Michigan, 1:39:55 (1st) (65) 76.85%
April 30, 2017 - Covenant Half Marathon, Swan Valley, Saginaw, 1:42:26 (1st) (65) 74.96%
May 17, 2017 - Sunset Series 5K, Kochville Township, 22:31.1 (65) 74.49%
May 27, 2017 - Bayshore Half Marathon, Traverse City, 1:38:29 (1st) (65) 77.97%
June 7, 2017 - The Human Race 5K, Ojibway Reservation, Mt. Pleasant, 21:36.5 (1st) (65) 77.62%
June 22, 2017 - St. Stan's 5K, Bay City, 21:35 (1st) (65) 77.71%
July 4, 2017 - Volkslaufe 10K, Frankenmuth, 45:36 (3rd to Doug Kurtis and Wally Hayes) (65) 76.56%
November 4, 2017 - Turkey Trot 5K, Hemlock, Michigan, 22:51 (1st) (65) 73.4%
February 3, 2018 - Snowmoon 5K, Midland City Forest, 24:42 (1st) (66)
March 13, 2018 - Mile at SVSU Fieldhouse Track, 6:02.7 Equivalent to 4:36.4 (66) 80.54%
March 18, 2018 - BARC St. Patrick's Day Irish Double, 8K 36:23 76.47%; 5K 23:36 71.73%(1st) (66)
March 31, 2018 - Crescent City Classic 10K, New Orleans, LA, 47:18 74.5% (4th) (66)

Top Ten Performances
1. 4:28.01 mile run, 83.71%, (32) 1984

2. 2:01.6 880 yard run, 83.64%, (22) 1974

3. 4:11.06 1500 meter run, 82.05%, (30) 1982

4. 4:32.26 mile run, 81.96%, (30) 1982

5. 4:11.7 1500 meter run, 81.84%, (30) 1982

6. 4:14.9 1500 meter run, 80.95%, (30) 1982

7. 2:05.18 880 run, 80.71%, (32) 1984

8. 6:02.7 mile run, 80.54%, (66) 2018

9. 4:38.1 mile run, 80.43%, (31) 1983

10. 4:38 mile run, 80.38 %, (21) 1973

* * * * * 

March 10, 2018 Saturday

Three days to go ...

... and in a little while on a sunny but 32 degree day, I am going to run an easy two miles and cap it off with 3x100 meter (or thereabouts) striders down by the Detroit River on the Windsor side.

I am experiencing one of my (and, in fact, many other runners’) mental/confidence impediments to the physical conditioning required for racing: the taper. Without fail, it seems that backing down and resting up to be fresh and strong on race day, a necessity, is having the opposite effect, meaning that, psychologically, I feel I am losing the conditioning I trained so hard to get. It never fails. Even after the 70 mile week of training for Boston, a very intense effort at fast speeds, I felt that the drop to tapering the following week, only one week from the marathon, in which I ran only 10 miles, was going to diminish my racing condition and therefore performance to some degree.

Which we all know is nonsense.

But which most of us feel is happening.

It has been said that tapering is similar to the effects of stopping a drug addiction cold turkey.

You go crazy.

Happens every time.

That is what I am dealing with today, and will be tomorrow, and the day after tomorrow.

I will have to fight off the doubts when I toe the line Tuesday night.

Workout: 2 miles: 17:34; 9:26, 8:03 (fartlek warmup)

3x105.6

18.06 5:01/mile

18 5:00/mile

17.6 4:53.33/mile

(The 17.60 time for the last strider is duly noted!)

Well, I don’t believe it; but is the best estimate I can come up with based on the information I have from Garmin: .06 miles is 105.6 yards.

March 11, Sunday

I had a nice messenger exchange with Ron last night about not having too much of a running strategy beyond “feeling positive, clearing the head, run smart but don’t get too hung up on splits or specifics — run smart, but run by feel.”

Two days to go. I’m going to run somewhere between one and two miles really, really easy. Tomorrow I’m going to run a mile really slow to “limber up”.

That’s it.

In the next 48 hours plus, when I think about the upcoming run, I’m going to envision positivity and confidence, imagine an outcome, but try not to think about it too much. In the meantime, I’m going to just enjoy the day today, the drive home tomorrow, and opening up my book, The Four-Minute Mile, by Roger Bannister.

Ran 2 today with Louie on Victoria Street, Windsor. Each under 10, nice and easy.

I’m ready to go home. It’s 9:07 p.m. on Daylight BS Savings Time Day.

March 12, 2018 Monday

I didn’t sleep all that well last night. I am ready to go home.

I am making the best of my situation, I guess ...

Tomorrow is the mile. I still have that feeling of rejection trigger-abled as easily as ever. I wish I could get rid of that. I’m working on a mental adjustment in that regard.

On tomorrow: The mile time trial is an opportunity — one that doesn’t come around very often to anybody, generally speaking, and to me specifically, because I was able to prepare and follow a training schedule 1) created by a sub-4-minute miler; 2) without injury. And thirdly, I will have the benefit of some four other runners also capable of breaking 6 minutes, all very close in the ability to do that.

I plan to make the most of this opportunity. I have a lot to gain.

March 13, 2018 Tuesday.

Today is the day. I woke up at 2:30 a.m. last night, read some Bannister (very good), slept some, woke up again, slept some, woke up around 7 a.m.

Met my friend David for coffee.

Dealt with the dog digging again.

On my Facebook memories. Today is the date Ed Whitlock died one year ago. What timing, a surprise.

Grocery shopping at Aldi, I parked right behind a white Mini Cooper, about the same year as yours, Sharon, but an automatic. I’m sure it’s a car you’ve seen around here. So synchronistic.

* * * * *

6:02.7