300 (Read 2711 times)

     

    30 more until retirement.

     

     

    You'll get bored.

    LedLincoln


    not bad for mile 25

      You'll get bored.

       

      He can play golf.

      xor


        He won't play golf.

         

        #304 today.  It was a good day.

         

        xor


          Why are you retiring? I guess I imagined that after 300 marathons you must have been doing them because you enjoyed them? Impressive stuff!

           

          Halves are more fun.  I would have retired at 300 (actually 250. Then 262. Then 300), but I've been peer pressured by the head maniac into doing something vain and silly and completely meaningless in The Real World.  So 333 it is.

           

          bhearn


            Sorry, I couldn't quite parse that -- it sounded like you said halves were more fun?!
            xor


              Sorry, I couldn't quite parse that -- it sounded like you said halves were more fun?!

               

              I know you disagree.

               

              But you wrong, sir.  Wrong.

               

              It'll be a soft retirement anyway.  And maybe by not running 2 a weekend, the one rare weekend when I pull a The Who (who kept performing for years after their so-called final tour), I can kill the 3:18 white whale.

               

                Halves are more fun.  I would have retired at 300 (actually 250. Then 262. Then 300), but I've been peer pressured by the head maniac into doing something vain and silly and completely meaningless in The Real World.  So 333 it is.

                 

                Congrats, again, on 304.  It was nice to meet you today.

                 

                It might be meaningless in The Real World, but, here, we aren't in The Real World.  We're all doing something vain, silly, and completely meaningless.  Here 333 is an inspiration to many and something that leaves me in awe.

                 

                Anyway, enjoy the fun races.  By the time you're done with 333, you'll already have 666 halves in, at least.

                There was a point in my life when I ran. Now, I just run.

                 

                We are always running for the thrill of it

                Always pushing up the hill, searching for the thrill of it

                bhearn


                  I know you disagree.

                   

                  But you wrong, sir.  Wrong.

                   

                  It'll be a soft retirement anyway.  And maybe by not running 2 a weekend, the one rare weekend when I pull a The Who (who kept performing for years after their so-called final tour), I can kill the 3:18 white whale.

                   

                  So here's the thing. Not trying to offend anyone (I do realize everyone has their own unique reasons for their particular running goals) -- but I will probably fail. 

                   

                  To me, there are two ways to run 13 miles: (1) as a training run, (2) to PR. Anyone who has ever trained for a marathon can run a 13-mile training run every weekend with no trouble, so I don't see piling on halves as such as any sort of accomplishment, other than scheduling. Which is sort of the problem I have with Half Fanatics. As a stepping stone to MM -- great. But I don't get all the maniacs who now feel they also have to have 10 moons or planets or whatever they are. That scale should stop around 5; then it's time to graduate. (I can think of one in particular who IMO would be taking far better advantage of his gifts if he'd start going for PRs instead of moons.)

                   

                  Now, running a half all-out is another beast entirely, and I bow down most sincerely to someone who can do that every weekend. I'm not tough enough.

                   

                  I can see running a lot of halves incidentally to a marathon training plan. But I don't think that's what you're talking about. But hey, if it helps get you that 3:18, I'm all for it.

                  LedLincoln


                  not bad for mile 25

                    He won't play golf.

                     

                    #304 today.  It was a good day.

                     

                    I thought not.  Happy #304 - only 29 to go!  You can do 'em with your eyes closed!


                    an amazing likeness

                      so I don't see piling on halves as such as any sort of accomplishment, other than scheduling. Which is sort of the problem I have with Half Fanatics. As a stepping stone to MM -- great. But I don't get all the maniacs who now feel they also have to have 10 moons or planets or whatever they are. That scale should stop around 5; then it's time to graduate. (I can think of one in particular who IMO would be taking far better advantage of his gifts if he'd start going for PRs instead of moons.)

                       

                      Now, running a half all-out is another beast entirely, and I bow down most sincerely to someone who can do that every weekend. I'm not tough enough.

                       

                       

                      I mean this sincerely and with all due respect for the capabilities, ability and mental toughness of you and SRL and your ability to run 26.2 any day of the week or twice on Sunday.

                       

                      But...how is your sentiment about 13.1 any different than what you actually do when running 26.2 again, and again.  You can do that distance any day, any time, any place.  Couldn't you have written "so I don't see piling on fulls as such as any sort of accomplishment, other than scheduling. Which is sort of the problem I have with xxxx Fanatics".

                       

                      It just confused me that you're dissing the piling on of 13.1, but not the same for 26.2.  But then again, I don't understand the MM culture due to my own personal lack of knowledge...and inability to read horrific black and red websites (ok, that last part was a joke!).

                      Acceptable at a dance, invaluable in a shipwreck.

                      bhearn


                        But...how is your sentiment about 13.1 any different than what you actually do when running 26.2 again, and again.  You can do that distance any day, any time, any place.  Couldn't you have written "so I don't see piling on fulls as such as any sort of accomplishment, other than scheduling. Which is sort of the problem I have with xxxx Fanatics".

                         

                        It just confused me that you're dissing the piling on of 13.1, but not the same for 26.2.  But then again, I don't understand the MM culture due to my own personal lack of knowledge...and inability to read horrific black and red websites (ok, that last part was a joke!).

                         

                        That's a fair question. The answer is that actually, I can't do 26.2 any day, any time, any place. *Maybe* I could do one per week for a year, maybe I would break down. But actually, it's not worth it to me to find out. I don't have that kind of time. When I do a bunch of marathons close together, that is a challenge overcome *for me* (and I don't mean just scheduling). Maybe it's not a huge challenge, depending. 

                         

                        But what bothers me about piling on 13.1s is that for many of the people doing it, it presents no challenge whatsoever. Where's the personal accomplishment? To the extent that running (not racing!) a half every weekend represents an actual personal achievement -- I'm all for that.

                         

                        More generally, I think the answer is that the assumption that distance is all relative to one's capabilities is only approximately true. 26 miles is still 26 miles -- that's physiologically a very different beast than 13 for the vast majority of runners, myself included. So yeah, I see the marathon distance as a bit special -- historically, socially, physiologically. It's a nice reference point to justify, somewhat, feeling a sense of accomplishment at performing, even if you didn't run a PR. All IMO, of course.


                          30 more until retirement.

                           

                           

                           

                          The terrorists have won

                          "Famous last words"  ~Bhearn

                          xor


                            Just a return to sanity.

                             

                              Have you figured where 333 will be?  Seattle will be in the 320's? 

                               

                              You could wait till next spring and get 333 at Boston.

                              xor


                                You could wait till next spring and get 333 at Boston.

                                 

                                BEEMBO!

                                 

                                (well, maybe. That's the tentative plan at least.)