Like many Super Bowls, today's big showdown with Sgt. Bain in the 2 mile run was anticlimactic. Although at 50 I am twice his age, he showed up fat and out of shape and there was never a contest. I ran 12:50 and he ran 14:50, exactly two minutes behind me. However, I finished second over-all, because a new kid--a 20-year-old cadet in a local ROTC program--showed up for the first time, and ran 11:52, almost a minute ahead of me. He was so fast, I never tried to catch him. If he had been slower, and I had felt I had a chance, I might have run faster. Well, what can you do. Now I have a new target to focus on. I do think I could possibly run sub-12:00 if my training goes well for the next year. He will only get slower, most likely. By the way, this showdown was originally going to happen in December, but they moved it up to this month. Edited to add: Also I received the Army Physical Fitness Excellence badge for my overall score today on pushups, situps, and run. Dark Horse

This isn't the speedster you were expecting??? What happened to the other guy?

hermosaboy, Sgt. Bain is the young guy in our unit who has been bragging that I would never beat him in the 2 mile run. The speedster I was expecting is an even younger kid who runs marathons. He didn't show up for reasons unknown to me. I don't know what he runs for 2 miles but I assume it's pretty fast. The guy who did show up and ran 11:52 is an ROTC cadet who goes to college somewhere around here (Boston area), and apparently he is now associated with our unit. I think I could possibly break 12:00 for 2 miles if I ramp up my training and don't get hurt. It could happen. Dark Horse

Good job, Sgt. Horse. Next time you can get that ROTC cadet. He'll have been to a few more keggers by then. TomS

not bad for an old guy

Golly you're fast!

hermosaboy, Sgt. Bain is the young guy in our unit who has been bragging that I would never beat him in the 2 mile run.

I gotta ask, is he running his mouth off about anything else now? (just wondering if you'll have to beat him at something else to completely shut him up)

Thanks, everyone, for the nice comments. My new goal is to run 2 miles in sub-12:00 on next year's PT test. I could do that easily in high school, so it should be no problem, right? At breakfast yesterday, at 5:30 a.m., I asked the fast cadet about his training. He said he runs about 25 miles a week with one long run of about 10 miles. However, I think at least half the key to his speed is that he is very skinny. I have noticed that a lot of people here talk about training plans while ignoring the critical issue of bodyweight. Using the rule of thumb that 1 pound = 2 seconds/mile, losing 10 pounds should yield an improvement of 40 seconds in a 2 mile race, which is huge. His margin of victory over me was 58 seconds. In theory, I should be able to catch him by losing 10 pounds and improving my training just a little. I think copying his routine of 25 miles a week with one long run of about 10 miles should be good enough for me. Someone might point out that I am 30 years older than he is--50 versus 20 years old--but on the plus side I am probably more talented as a runner than he is: if I were 20 years old and training as he does, I would expect to do a lot better than 11:52 for 2 miles. Also, it would probably help if I ran a few warm-up races, because it's hard to go directly from easy training at 8:00-9:00 mile pace to 6:00 mile pace in a race. This is my analysis, and it gives me reason to hope. Dark Horse

Good job Tim, but I suspect that the new guy would go a bit faster if pushed. I agree with Lynden Tempo runs would be betternot so hard on the knees as other forms of speed work. You might also consider uphill running to improve strength and speed without as much added stress. patrick