Back with the Group

Last Thursday's run was pretty eventful. A hot, humid 6-mile on the Creek Turnpike trail west.

Saturday's run was much more interesting. I was finally back with the Runner's World group, and with the FOB 4 in particular. It was a tough 7.8 miles-heat, humidity, and hills. But there's just something about running with a group that makes it makes it so much more enjoyable. It was good to reconnect with my old running partners and to meet a few new people. I have to admit, I do have concerns about hitting a 4-hour marathon, but my thought is, if I train for a 4-hour marathon, I may end up much better than I did at OKC.

I was up at 5:00 for this morning's run (and i was still late to work!). Same story: hot, muggy. I ran east this time--I think it's has few more hills than the western route.

One thing I've realized lately that serves as kind of a discouragement to me in my distance running is the futility of miles already run. That is, as I hit the 4 mile point for example, I realize that those 4 miles do not matter at all with regard to the rest of the run. The only thing that matters is the remaining miles. It's just something with me--I want for the previous 4 miles to mean something, but all they mean is, I'm not finished. As a matter of fact, I'm better off simply forgetting those four miles because all they are is steps already taken. They are essentially "sunk costs." They don't mean I'm going to finish, they don't mean I'm necessarily going to do well, they are simply necessary fixed assets already paid for. I really wish that somehow, with every step I take, there was some sort of compensation, like a commission on steps taken. Like every step I take means a 5% easier step in the future, but the steps actually become tougher over time! Anyway, I'm trying to shift my mindset. The knowledge that with every step, I'm closer to the finish, is not especially reassuring because the very realization of that necessarily reminds me that I'm not yet finished. Of course, this discouragement is not anything that's going to make me quit. Just a discouragement to push through.

6-22-09
Distance: 6.03
Time: 50:48
Avg. Mile Pace: 8.25

6-20-09
Distance: 7.8
Time: 1:12 (est.)

6-18-09
Distance: 6.04
Time: 50:44
Avg. Mile Pace: 8:24

6-16-09
Distance: 6.01
Time: 53:03
Avg. Mile Pace: 8:49