Office by Alex Penny
Some people say they only run when they're being chased. Some say they only run when they're chasing someone or something.
My friends have said both to me.
Here I publish my thoughts and experiences about 'being chased', muse about what I'm doing and why, and enlighten my friends as to why they're wrong...you don't have to chase or be chased to run.
Wowza — my first half-marathon is in the books and I accomplished both my goals (more or less)…
My goals were to complete the race injury-free and to do so in 02:15:00.
My time was 02:16:12.
Considering we had a relentless, in-your-face, >20km/h headwind for the entire distance I am completely satisfied with my time and know I could have done better than 02:15:00 were it not for the headwind.
An ‘extra’ and ‘unlikely’ goal I had in my mind leading up to and during the run was the thought I could complete the race in closer to two-hours. I am certain I will be able to do just that in my next half marathon!
///…CP
Here it is — my run total for May 2012:
A total of 123 KM in 14 outings
…increased my total over the last month in preparation for my first half marathon
…also travelled 25KM in the pool…
As always, you can stalk my activities here: http://runkeeper.com/user/craigpilgrim
///…CP
This will be the longest distance I’ve done to-date… but I will not be doing the marathon! Though the event does not have an ‘official’ half-marathon, that is what I will be running. The Fallen 4 Marathon has the option of a four-person relay format so four of us have chosen to participate as a team. Two of us (my running buddy and I) will be running Legs 1 and 2 of the race together. Another friend will be running Leg 3 of the race and a fourth friend will be finishing Leg 4.
Come race day I will have yet to break the 20KM threshold on any run. In fact, the closest I will have come will be this past weekend’s 19KM training run. Despite having never covered this distance in one run, I am now confident I can complete it — after all, 19KM is pretty darn close.
My primary goal is to finish the race without injury. My secondary goal is to complete the half-marathon in 02:15:00. To do it I will have to maintain an average pace of 6:26/KM or better. I know from previous runs I can sustain that pace for long distances, I’m just not sure if I can maintain it for 21KM. Time will tell…
About the event (from their website)
The communities of Mayerthorpe and Whitecourt were devastated by the deaths of four RCMP officers – Constable Peter Schiemann, Constable Leo Johnston, Constable Anthony Gordon and Constable Brock Myrol – on March 3, 2005. The Fallen 4 Marathon Society formed for the purpose of starting a memorial marathon and relay in honour of the sacrifice made by the fallen officers. A portion of the proceeds generated from this annual event is donated to the Mayerthorpe Fallen Four Memorial Society.
Stay tuned…
///…CP
I’ve been running past this rock regularly for over a year now. I’ve heard some refer to it as The Volunteer Rock… now I know why.
The Volunteer Rock is located just west of the Perron Street bridge, about halfway between the Veterans’ Memorial and St. Albert Place.
///…CP
Extremely pleased with this result!!!
During my training runs in the week leading up to the event I had myself convinced that if I paced well and didn’t “over-do-it” I could realistically achieve a 60-minute finish. At the start of the race I wasn’t as certain but still somewhat confident…
I cleared the 5KM mark at 00:28:40 and thought, “Wow, I’ve never covered 5K that fast before…can I keep this pace for the last 5K?”
Turns out I could…I finished the event in 00:57:29 with an average pace of 5:42/KM over the 10KM.
///…CP
I’ve been fielding a lot of questions lately — especially from those who know me well — about my recent fitness streak. It’s not that recent really… I’ve been running for over a year and swimming daily for a few months now. However, compared to how I used to live it is a dramatic change. On top of that, I punted Diet Coke to the curb 2-months ago…after drinking it regularly for 27-years!
So why the push to a healthier life? Simple…
I have them:
I don’t want this:
or this:
My motivation is really pretty simple to understand. What’s your motivation?
///…CP
After chatting with a number of more experienced runners it turns out nobody really needs a 10K pacer…? Apparently it is common in running events to have pacers for the marathon distances and in some events the half-marathon distances — but not the 10K.
I am unsure as to why I would have been registered as a 10K pacer when I signed up to volunteer. Maybe it was because it was all I thought I was capable of doing back in the fall when I was recruited at the Volunteer Fair.
Dunno… Nonetheless, I have changed my plans.
I will no longer be volunteering as a 10K pacer and instead will participate in the event as a runner. After chatting with a few people and consulting with the race organizers, I have decided paying a registration fee is the best contribution I can make to the event at this time.
Looking at it another way…
Or maybe I can volunteer as a half-marathon pacer…? I guess I’ll have my answer this time next year!
///…CP
Here it is — my run total for April 2012:
A total of 89.1 KM in 10 outings
…consistent total with last month but with one fewer run…also travelled 23KM in the pool…
As always, you can stalk my activities here: http://runkeeper.com/user/craigpilgrim
///…CP
“If you run, you are a runner…”
No, I’m not running the marathon!
I am however, running as a volunteer in the 10K event — a so-called pace zebra.
This is the second annual RunWild Marathon and this year there will be 2,000 participants.
Kind of a cool accomplishment for me personally as this time last year the inaugural RunWild Marathon 5K event was my first-ever running event.
///…CP
The following is a brief and humorous exchange between a Client and I about my 10-mile run while attending a home inspection today:
Client: Who were you running from?
Me: Nobody.
Client: Where were you running to?
Me: Nowhere.
Client: Then why the f**k were you running?!
Admittedly, it was an amusing exchange.
///…CP
Below is a pic of my running buddy and I about to cross the finish line. The pic was taken from the 5th floor a few hundred meters away.
///…CP
I failed to mention it in my post yesterday… a great big “thank-you” to all of the volunteers who stood outside and froze their baguettes off.
Whoever thought placing the sign with the following caption on the Perron Street bridge at the 10K mark has a twisted sense of humour…the sign reads, “If this were a 10K you’d be done now”. Mean.
Rounding the corner onto Sir Winston Churchill and seeing the early finishers of 10-miles coming in as I head up the hill for the last 5.5km could have been a little bit deflating…but it wasn’t.
///…CP
Fantastic!
Felt great and great conditions despite the snow last night. Temperature hovered around zero for the bulk of the event… perfect for me.
Only weather-related negative is Mrs. P & Little P. couldn’t be there at the finish line to greet me.
My goal was to complete the event in 01:50h to 01:55h…
WIN!!! I did it in 01:45:34!
Next up…contemplating a half-marathon in June — 3-months ahead of my scheduled running goal for 2012.
///…CP
Hailed as, “One of the oldest road races in Alberta….”
On April 15 I will be participating in the 27th running of the St. Albert 10-Mile Road Race. This will be my first event with a distance further than 10K. It should be a good measure of how far I’ve progressed in the year since I started running and a test to see if I can “push” for a half-marathon in June…a full 3-months earlier than my goal.
According to the St. Albert Road Runners & Triathlon Club, the history of the St. Albert 10-Mile Roadrace event is as follows:
The St. Albert Roadrunners club was established in late 1984. We became aware of the fact that the Edmonton Roadrunners were looking to stage a spring 10 mile Roadrace in Edmonton. In consultation with the Edmonton Roadrunners it was decided that as a kickstart for St. Albert, we would host the race. The decision was made very quickly and the first annual St. Albert 10 Miler was held the second Sunday in April 1985.
The club organized a committee to set up the race. The only goal we had in mind was to offer a race that would include all the things we thought made up a great event. Our order of priority was - 1. Accurate results. 2. - Good food and refreshments after the race, and 3. A good accurate course.
…the rest of the history is here.
///…CP
