Dream Times & Paces

“Ah, but a man's reach should exceed his grasp, or what's a heaven for?”

--Robert Browning

That Browning quote is a major cliché, but it fits. To redeem myself for using it, I have posted a link to the original poem here. You learned about Browning's dramatic monologues in Intro to Poetry. Pat yourself on the back. Now on to my purpose...

Finishing Times & Paces I Could Be Really Happy About

I would be really psyched if I made some of the following times in these events within the next couple of years or so.

• 5K: 23:30 or 7:30/M [-2:30]
  
• 10K: 49:30 or 7:55/M [-5:02]
  
• 8K: 40:10 or 8:05/M [-4:15]
  
• 10M: 1:21:40 or 8:10/M [?]
  
• 13.1M: 1:50:20 or 8:25/M [?]
  
• 26.2M: 3:50:17 or 8:47/M [?]

The times in brackets represent how far away I am from these goals based on recent races. I don't see myself meeting these goals in a year. I'd like to think that I could do the marathon and half-marathon times, but I could be smoking crack.

I'm doing another 10K race next month, and my goal is to shave about 3 minutes from my time to finish in 52:something. There's an 8K later in December, and I'd like to do what Dennis said was "doing pretty good," which is to run your age. That means 41:something. I think I can do those. The goal for the 10M Crim does seem doable by August. In theory, I will have run a half and a marathon-- a pace in the low 8's seems within reach.

The marathon and half marathon times, however, seem like distant dreams. I think it's great to have lofty goals--as long as they don't get you hurt. I think that I can try for the 1:50 mark in the half marathon. I probably won't make it (power of positive thinking, right?), but I should be delighted with anything under 2 hours. Just as I should be delighted with any marathon time withing striking distance of 4 hours.