Aug / Sep – The Road To ?

[marathondan]

Ten minute miling's about my top speed most days.
That's enough mocking the afflicted outta you MD

Sorry, I know that quoting mile pace is rather vulgar and not quite the done thing on the higher class forums, like what this one are. But I think you doth protest too much, seeing as you are the one gleefully grinding out your hilly 15 milers in all conditions, while I start whimpering 2 miles into a short suburban plod.

So yes, quoting mile pace is rather vulgar, and does make for many very dull training diaries around the internet. At races in particular, I'm always struck by how we're all somewhere on the spectrum of ability, and we can only shift that position a certain amount by training. Countless times I've overtaken a runner early on, thinking "I know I'm no great shakes, but thank goodness I'm a class above that poor sod", only to be burned off by them in the final stages. You just can't tell by looking at someone where they lie on the spectrum.

As Max Ehrmann said in his otherwise schmaltzy pile of shite poem, "If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain and bitter; for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself."

(BTW Sweder apologies if I sound patronising, this is just a rambling thought rather than intending to tell anyone anything they don't already know.)