The List

I have this list above my desk that details all of the race results from when I started running. I noticed earlier this week that I hadn't updated it in a long time, so I decided to do that.

I think that whenever I am feeling down about my running I am going to look at this list and remember how much I've improved.

Here are some example pace improvements.

For my 10K:
11/24/05 10:38
11/23/06 9:09
3/3/07 9:35
11/22/07 9:06
6/2/09 8:33

or for a 4 miler:
7/1/06 9:45
6/30/07 9:09
7/19/08 9:09
9/6/08 8:35

or perhaps my half marathons, which I just started running last year:

9/14/08 9:29
10/12/08 9:15
2/8/09 8:45

I think the 10K is the most impressive jump. :)

EDIT: Whoops I forgot the marathon list because I was rushing to finish this before I was meeting Bill for a lunchtime shopping trip!

Marathon:

5/6/07 11:55
10/7/07 13:21 (but that's ok, considering the circumstances...the whole marathon being cancelled in the middle)
5/4/08 10:55
10/26/08 10:01
5/4/09 10:12

Aiming for a 9:06 pace this time (fingers crossed).

Those London Runners are FAST

So I was eavesdropping on the tube (I know, horrible horrible me, but at rush hour it is extremely close quarters so how can you not eavesdrop?) and I heard this middle-aged man talking about his upcoming 5k this weekend. He said he was going to try and do 15:30, which is what he did last year. Because with a new baby (he has five children apparantly) he hasn't gotten to train as much.

Now, WHAT?

It's just me and my husband and our dog, and I can barely make enough time to run.
Especially that fast!

My boss was telling a similar story at work. He is running a 10k this weekend. He is going to try and do around 34 minutes. He has been training, but not as hard as he would like to.

In the marathon book I am reading they were saying that marathons seem to be the popular thing to do now, and it is not uncommon for much slower runners to run them.

I thought they meant people like me, NOT people who do 7 minute miles the whole time. They are SERIOUS about running here. Even the "celebrities" who just ran the marathon for "fun" were coming in at 4 hours or less. That's why I was so wary when I came back and everyone kept asking me what my time was. NO ONE asks me that at home, except people who are close to me. They are all like "oh, it's so amazing you did a marathon". Here, they were all like "wow that's great you did a marathon. Oh well, you will get a better time next time." How demoralizing!!!

I like how in the states I am considered a runner because I RUN. I get off the couch and instead of watching TV all night, go out and run. Not because I qualified for Boston for the gazillionth time.

:)