Kids

I'm on the e-mail list for runners and alum of Solanco High School Cross Country. Last month, the coach invited one and all to the county park for a trail run. Since I've been hitting the park a lot - and figured that in December, most of the kids are just beginning to get serious about training for track I should be able to at least survive, I figured I'd give it a go.

Most of the crowd was the current generation - there were two other alums that I met, but both were from only five years ago... so I was the oldest by a lot.

We did five miles in the park. Myself and 1 alum. - whom I think I actually met once through my niece - led the pack for the first half, though the kids were free to splinter off on any trail they wanted at any point, and many did. Mid-way through the third mile, though, our pack was down to four and one was obviously of current generation and in decent shape. He started to push the pace a little more every quarter mile or so. In short, he was turning the screw Kenyan-style. We finally came to a long downhill in the last mile, and I told him good luck and God bless.

Huffed and puffed my way through the last mile and realized I ain't 18 anymore. :)

Interesting stats: I've noticed that the county park tends to run about 70-75 seconds per mile slow, due to the trails and elevation. Also, I remember that at the peak of my training umpteen years ago, I did easy runs @ 7:00 pace. Today, we averaged 8:08/mile, which means a few things:

1) The kid was in similar shape to what I was at one point. (Actually, I suspect he's in better shape - he looked crazy smooth.)
2) 7:00 pace for me now is a hard tempo, which is why I was spent at the end.
3) I'm ready for marathon training to begin next week. I'm healthy and strong enough for the pounding to begin.

All in all, a fun effort... it's not often I get to run in groups, particularly for- what for me was - a tempo effort.

Comments

  1. G7:41 PM

    happy new year...

    written any fiction lately?

    ReplyDelete
  2. CewTwo7:29 AM

    Great blog! I loved your assessment of the park run. Gutsy, too! You did well against those so young. Keep it up!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Unknown7:45 AM

    G -

    You're the second person in two days to ask me if I'm writing any fiction. Short answer: No. Longer answer: I think I'm a 1 hobby sort of guy. At least until the kids grow up and/or I become a trust fund baby. :)

    However, glad to see you have a new blog... you have a way of planting them without publicizing them.

    Thanks for stopping by cewto - looking forward to keeping up w/ your blog, too.

    M

    ReplyDelete

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