Chasing 20 and the story of my life.

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AirForceRunner
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Chasing 20 and the story of my life.

Postby AirForceRunner » Wed Jun 18, 2008 1:23 pm

A painfully funny little story based on a pic of me I just found. I've been running for 1.5 yrs, with the constant goal/obsession of a sub-20 min 5 km. I was always around a 21 min guy, and once flirted with 20 (20:11), but never quite got there.
I started a bit of speedwork and threw in some longer stuff on the weekends over the winter, in the hopes of catching 20 this year. About 6 weeks ago, I was feeling 'sprightly', so I headed out for a non-race attempt at 20 mins. When I finished, my watch was smiling at me with a 19:30. I was skepitical, but 4 days later, I raced a co-worker, and pulled a 19:52. Finally, I ran the Kingston 5 km, and clocked a 19:49 (certified course).
I know, I'm rambling, but its necessary for the humor of the pic. I had qualified for the Cdn Forces Running chanpionships, which are held within the Nordion Races in Ottawa. With my confidence soaring, I toed the line, certain that a sub 19:30 would be the result. Well, guess who came back to haunt me...the demon named 20. (note the painful time in the pic)
Thus the title, Chasing 20...the story of my life. So close, yet so far.

Image
Last edited by AirForceRunner on Wed Jun 18, 2008 1:37 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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2011 Wishlist
Sulphur Springs 50 miler
Dirty Girls 12 hr night run
Haliburton 100 miler (gulp!)

"Try the meditation of the trail, just walk along looking at the trail at your feet and don't look about and just fall into a trance as the ground zips by..."
-Jack Kerouac

"I am no longer a runner, I am now a father who runs. I will let the running come to me and I will make the most of every km I am fortunate enough to receive."
-Smack
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La
Kevin Sullivan
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Postby La » Wed Jun 18, 2008 1:36 pm

Every race is different. And every second counts in a 5K. You'll break 20 again soon.
"Maybe I will be my own inspiration." - UltraMonk (Laura)
"Everywhere is walking distance if you have enough time." - Steven Wright
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Jo-Jo
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Postby Jo-Jo » Wed Jun 18, 2008 3:07 pm

Please tell me that's the clock time...and your chip time was sub 20:00 :roll:

Slight highjack...what time is the Limestone Mile...I want to make sure I go and cheer for you :D
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Tri_K
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Postby Tri_K » Wed Jun 18, 2008 3:23 pm

A certified course is not necessarily the exact distance. I had an interesting conversation with my friend that does official course measuring. There are a lot of politics involved.
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Jo-Jo
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Postby Jo-Jo » Wed Jun 18, 2008 3:33 pm

Tri_K wrote:A certified course is not necessarily the exact distance. I had an interesting conversation with my friend that does official course measuring. There are a lot of politics involved.


I'm curious...what are the politics involved that would make measuring a course less or more than the actual distance?

Rick...sorry for the highjack...you'll notice this happens a lot here :oops:
Technophobe Extraordinaire
"Princess" J0-JO...The Awesome Running Machine.
"a precious, unique and quirky individual"...definition given by a Toronto Cop
An Ever Loyal and Devoted Official Doonst Fan.
"In the midst of winter, I finally learned that there was in me an invincible summer" -Albert Camus
"Keep Going. Never Give Up." Spencer
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Magoo
Tom Longboat
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Postby Magoo » Wed Jun 18, 2008 3:53 pm

I was banging my head on the sub 20 barrier for a while until I discovered longer distances. Then the sub 20 came easier.

Maybe longer distances are your thing too.
Nice pic. Looks like a strong finish.
You've separated from the crowds.
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MichaelMc
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Postby MichaelMc » Wed Jun 18, 2008 3:59 pm

The rules for a certified course are pretty strict; they can (and often are) slightly long to ensure they never measure short in a re-cert. Generally speaking when you get right down to the source of the complaints, the course is either actually right or actually not certified.

The most recent VALID complaint I know of in Edmonton, the course was actually measured and marked correctly, but a volunteer gave improper directions for some unfathomable reason. Mistakes happen, but watch a certified measurement sometime and you become more skeptical about post-race doubts.

And AFR, 20 minutes is a very good time: congratulations! You were somewhere between 12 and 30 seconds off your PB, which is nothing; different conditions, different warmup... whatever. Once you've pushed your limits you can't expect to run PB all the time!
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Albertatraildog
Bruce Kidd
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Postby Albertatraildog » Wed Jun 18, 2008 4:03 pm

Great to hear that you qual for the CF Running Championships. I'd be interested to hear about your thoughts on that. What was the experience like. What were the qualifying times? How competative was the field. Wast there a masters catagory or only open class?
ATD
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5km
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Postby 5km » Wed Jun 18, 2008 4:19 pm

I hear you!

Each time I race in a 5K, I try to improve my time. So far I have cut 2:41 off my race time. I think that may be just about as good as it's going to get but I'm going to keep trying.
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AirForceRunner
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Postby AirForceRunner » Wed Jun 18, 2008 6:49 pm

Well, Jo-Jo, despite my clock and chip being identical, I was about 25 feet away from the start when the gun went off. So while my watch recorded a 19:55, Sportstats will always remind me of the 20. Its not that big a deal, I just found the pic to be so...appropriate. I'll PM you about the Limestone mile, as it may be in doubt.
Magoo...you are absolutely right...after the Limestone Mile, I am focusing on at least halfs, and a 2 yr plan towards an ultra (thanks Dwayne...lol...again, kidding. I blame Dean Karnazes for that.)
ATD...I'll PM you later about the CF chanpionships.
5km...I'm like you...every race is an attempt at a PB. I race against myself, so I feel each race I must try to beat myself.
http://www.itsmyrun.com/?display=myrace ... orceRunner


2011 Wishlist
Sulphur Springs 50 miler
Dirty Girls 12 hr night run
Haliburton 100 miler (gulp!)

"Try the meditation of the trail, just walk along looking at the trail at your feet and don't look about and just fall into a trance as the ground zips by..."
-Jack Kerouac

"I am no longer a runner, I am now a father who runs. I will let the running come to me and I will make the most of every km I am fortunate enough to receive."
-Smack
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Jo-Jo
Kevin Sullivan
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Postby Jo-Jo » Wed Jun 18, 2008 6:59 pm

AirForceRunner wrote:Magoo...you are absolutely right...after the Limestone Mile, I am focusing on at least halfs, and a 2 yr plan towards an ultra (thanks Dwayne...lol...again, kidding. I blame Dean Karnazes for that.)


so...if you're going to be focusing on HalfM's don't you think PEC would be a lovely race to run...great course, and you'll get to meet many Maniacs :D :D
Yep...looks like 30 plus Maniacs racing...and then the cheering squad...it will be an Orange Crush just like The Wolfe 2006 was (Rick...that was quite the RM event...it's gone into the history books :roll: :wink: )

Hmm...Limestone Mile...is it in question..or is your racing it in question??
Technophobe Extraordinaire
"Princess" J0-JO...The Awesome Running Machine.
"a precious, unique and quirky individual"...definition given by a Toronto Cop
An Ever Loyal and Devoted Official Doonst Fan.
"In the midst of winter, I finally learned that there was in me an invincible summer" -Albert Camus
"Keep Going. Never Give Up." Spencer
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AirForceRunner
Bill Crothers
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Postby AirForceRunner » Wed Jun 18, 2008 8:31 pm

Lately it seems like every Kingston race is in question, with 3 recent race cancellations.
However, I was alluding to me racing it...more to follow.
http://www.itsmyrun.com/?display=myrace ... orceRunner


2011 Wishlist
Sulphur Springs 50 miler
Dirty Girls 12 hr night run
Haliburton 100 miler (gulp!)

"Try the meditation of the trail, just walk along looking at the trail at your feet and don't look about and just fall into a trance as the ground zips by..."
-Jack Kerouac

"I am no longer a runner, I am now a father who runs. I will let the running come to me and I will make the most of every km I am fortunate enough to receive."
-Smack
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