As this running season draws to a close I find myself wondering what goal or goals to set for next year. I have had a year and a half to get an idea where my strengths and weaknesses lie. Not surprisingly, the shorter the race the better I fare.
The majority of running races are either 5K's, half marathons and marathons. Most of the other race lengths, such as the one mile and ten kilometer, are not nearly as prevalent.
From a financial perspective you can run about 3 or 4 five kilometer races (about $20 per race) for every half marathon or marathon you run. A half marathon (21.1 km) is over four times the length of a five kilometer race and a marathon (42.2 km) is over eight times longer than a five kilometer race, From training perspective, a half marathon and marathon require a commitment to training which is much greater than a five kilometer run.
One idea I had for a 2011 running goal was to train all winter and spring for a full fledged marathon in May 2011. The marathon is call the Pocono Run for the Red (Cross) and is located in the Stroudsburg Pa area. One in four runners qualify for the Boston marathon at this course. The course is nearly all downhill.
Because I have issues with dehydration and associated kidney problems I felt running in the cold would minimize the amount of fluid lost during training. The problem is I currently can only run 10 miles at a sub eight minute per mile pace. I would need to be able to add sixteen more miles (for a total of 26) at this pace over the next six months in order to qualify for the Boston marathon. I would need to increase my range by about 2.5 miles per month.
This would be setting the bar very high for myself - but it would be a hell of a bucket list achievement. I am not sure how realistic this goal would be. I believe I could finish a half marathon at an average pace under eight minutes per mile. But you don't get into the Boston marathon by running a half marathon well.
No comments:
Post a Comment