Subject: RE: slow runners pity partyWhile training for my first marathon(October 2010) I had low-iron and thyroid issues but didn't know at the time. Resulting in my last long run before the marathon being only 8 miles. My 1/2 mary in March prior was 2:39 with knee injury...I did it anyway...never again! Couldn't run for over 3 weeks. My 20K in June was 2:12:25 I think that extrapolated out to my being able to do a 4:40 marathon. Mine was in 6:36. There was a group of walkers who arrived before me!(They were very encouraging, by the way). I probably would have been better off walking the first 10 miles and then running. I was doing the Jeff Galloway program after my injury. Two months later I got my iron up and fixed the thyroid and I ran a 5:43. This was last December. I was supposed to run another marathon on Saturday, but broke my toe...my training wasn't the best, but I think I might have improved some...still...I am slow and once had the safety vehicle escort me to the finish line...and I was running a 10 min. mile which is a lot faster than what I have been able to do in awhile! All the slower people stayed in bed that day, I guess because it snowed. My 16 yr old son can run a mile in just about 6 minutes(this he has accomplished in 4 weeks of weekly running 1 mile with the boyscouts) He can walk much faster than I run! I am 5' 4" and he is 5'11" . The nice thing is my daughter who is 7 did 5 5K's with me this summer and we did it together...very slowly and walked much of the way, AND she got a medal at one of them! It's not about speed but determination and passion for the sport of running. I LOVE IT! |