Chasing a Seventeen-Year-Old Me
September 16, 2011 Leave a comment
“Goals are not only absolutely necessary to motivate us. They are essential to really keep us alive.” — – Robert Schuller
”You can’t wait for inspiration. You have to go after it with a club.” ~Jack London
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Call it a mid-life crisis. Call it dreaming. Call it whatever you want. I am chasing the shadow of a 17 year-old me. I was 17 when I consistently ran 4:45 for 1600 meters. I was 17 when I ran a half-marathon in 1:21. I was 17 when I got tendinitis. After a couple of years of doctors, specialists, & physical therapy, nobody could figure out why I had this tendinitis. I would run once in a while, but my competitive days were done… or so I thought..
My tendinitis issues started in 1984. Now fast forward to 2003. I decided that I was getting out of shape and I started jogging. This time, my tendinitis did not show up but I had knee issues. Another specialist and another round of, “There is nothing we can do.” I was told to stay off hills and run 3 miles or less. So for a few years I jogged 3 to 7 miles on a feel-like-it basis.
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When my life was turned inside out a couple of years ago, I really needed stress relief badly, so I turned to fitness. I joined a gym and started training for a marathon. Well, I should say that I started running a lot and hoping that would help me finish a marathon. I can’t really say that I had a plan. In the 2010 Knoxville Marathon, I totally bonked at mile 17 and walked the rest of the way…mostly in the cold rain…shivering..muscles locked up… but I finished. 5 hours and 35 minutes. It was hell. I was hooked!
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I put the weights down and focused on training for the 2011 Knoxville Marathon. This time, I followed one of Hal Higdon’s plans. I modified the advanced I plan. I also learned about electrolytes and Yasso 800s. I felt fast enough to run 3:40 or so, but alas I had still not learned enough about electrolytes and nutrition. I had to settle for 3 hours and 55 minutes. Much better than the first try!
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After this one, I followed Hal’s advice and used the momentum from this marathon to earn some personal records (PRs) in shorter distances. He was SO right. I had done very little speed training. Most of my track work was about pacing more than speed. Still, my training had made me much faster. I found myself running a 5k in less than a 7 minute pace for the first time in over a quarter of a century! A month later, I averaged a 7 minute pace for a 10k!
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“What else can I accomplish?” This was the question That I asked myself. Moreover, “What do I WANT to accomplish while I am still young enough to get fast?”
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I set my sights on a 6 minute mile. In the next 5k, I ran the first mile in 5:47. I obviously couldn’t maintain that speed, but it was my first sub-6 mile in a very long time. I ended up finishing the 5k in 20:46. I kept pondering…”How fast can I get?”
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I am now 44 years old and training for 7 Bridges Marathon in Chattanooga, TN on October 16. At this point I know that I can qualify for Boston somewhere in the next year or so. It probably won’t be this race. I just want to make steady progress towards a BQ. 
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Qualifying for Boston would be bucket list item #1. Also on my bucket list:
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Run 1 mile in 4:30. (I may or may not make it, but it is worth a shot.)
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Run a 5k in 16 minutes. (If I can even just get close to the first one, I have a shot at this)
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Run a half marathon in less than 1 hour and 20 minutes ( I can probably make it faster, but this specific time would be enough to defeat the 17 year old me)
What I am not doing is setting time limits. I obviously can’t wait forever, but injuries/mishaps will occur along the way. I have to give myself that latitude or I will go crazy. I set goals and display them publicly to push myself, but I want to enjoy the ride.
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I am chasing the shadow of a 17 year-old me…
I am finally getting close enough to see him…
and I think I can pass him before this race is over!
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Happy Running!
