Half Full or Half Empty?

I recently received an email from one of my online clients reflecting on his performance in the 2005 Sydney Morning Herald Half Marathon. It’s important to have goals and equally as important to appreciate the fact you can just get out there and do it. Don has given me permission to publish his inspiring words.  

I finished the SMH half and no PB.  In fact, I didn't even break 90mins, which is a little disappointing to me (90.36).  But I have still taken a lot of positives out of this race.
 
 I was aiming for 4.15 pace but got thrown out by the 1km marker that was clearly too short.  I then missed the 2k marker.  I didn't establish my pace until the 3k marker and was shocked to find that I was about one minute off the pace.  I worked hard to try and get back on pace and my 1k splits were all over the place from couple of 3.50s to a few 4.20s - it was not very tidy (I question the accuracy of a lot of the markers).  At the half way point I was feeling pretty low and at the 14 k marker I was stuffed and was struggling.  The second time up Hunter St hurt badly.  I saw some guy wandering off to the St John's Ambulance on the approach to Fleet Steps and I felt like doing the same thing myself.  Perhaps a funeral home might have been more appropriate.

But I thought of you and I thought of my training.  I told myself to stay focused and I dug deep. This was one horse I was going to jump back on.  I was really, really pleased at the way I got back into the groove and I was running beautifully over the last 4-5 kms.  I am uncertain of my k splits but I am confident I was doing 4min per k or a bit below from about 17 kms on.  I was on a charge going down Kent St and took off down the slope from Napoleon St for the run home and I finished with a big kick.  I probably did a 3.45 or thereabouts for the last km.  Unfortunately, the damage had been done early on and I couldn't make up the gap - so 1.30.36 it will be for this year.
 
As the saying goes, is the glass half full or half empty?  I badly wanted a sub-90 but it was not to be, not yet anyway.  I turned 44, Pat, just over a week ago but I do really believe that my best running is yet to come.  I have worked hard on so many elements of my running.  Now I need to put it all together.  It will come with patience and more hard work.
 
Yes, the glass is half full, that's what gives me satisfaction.  Five years ago I was 25 kgs heavier than what I am now.  I could hardly run 1-2 k and was developing the classic middle age girth from too much good eating and too little exercise.  In October 2000 my flat out best time for the 10k was 59 minutes.  Yet here I was five years down the track running in the SMH half marathon with all those fantastic runners on a beautiful day over the most scenic course imaginable in the greatest city in the world.  Despite my gripes, I did a time that many runners will never achieve.  It was days like today that I really do thank God for allowing me to be a runner.  In fact I think God was a runner too.  I love my family, love my running, and love my life.  What more do I really need?

Regards

Don Smith
Canberra                       

                                            [ Back to Top ]

e: pat@patcarrollonline.com