I was on pace to...

Jul 25, 06 9:11

Post #1 of 23 (2609 views)

... hit the wall at mile 17. So I did.

I cannot freaking stand hearing "I was on pace to..." Unless the sentence ends with "but then a bus came out of nowhere and hit me" or something really really out of your control, the only thing you were on pace to do is what you did. If you blow up at mile 17 it's because you screwed up pacing or nutrition or something earlier in the run or on the bike or you didn't train hard enough. Man up and accept it.

I heard so damn many "I was on pace to..." excuses at the IMLP finish on Sunday. Guys walking, guys shuffling, even a guy bitching about me passing him entering the stadium (overheard afterwards) all with these pacing stories. Be happy with your performance or make plans to have a better one. Don't say what you could have done if you'd done everything right or hadn't lost your bottle or whatever. I was on pace to win the race, but then I didn't train enough or have enough genetic gifts.

I had fun. I went too hard on the first loop of the bike and the beginning of the run (knowing this the whole time and seemingly unwilling/unable to do anything about it) and so I slowed way down and was a minute per mile slower for the second half of the run. It was my first IM; I got excited. My first bike loop was 2:56, and my first loop of the run course was just 3 min slower than Devashish Paul's (as a random example).

So, what was I on pace to do? Hit the wall at 17 and lope in at 11:29:23. So I did.

Re: I was on pace to... [one_lap] [ In reply to ]

Jul 25, 06 9:15

Post #2 of 23 (2579 views)

lmao!
Well said! Congratulations!

Re: I was on pace to... [one_lap] [ In reply to ]

Jul 25, 06 9:16

Post #3 of 23 (2571 views)

Nice rant. Live and learn. I'm sure you'll work out these pacing issues.

-----------------------------------------------------

Re: I was on pace to... [one_lap] [ In reply to ]

Jul 25, 06 9:17

Post #4 of 23 (2555 views)

Total agreement.

I can not stand to hear that.

Re: I was on pace to... [one_lap] [ In reply to ]

Jul 25, 06 9:33

Post #5 of 23 (2494 views)

I call bullshit. Last year, I was totally on pace to set the course record at IMMOO. Had it not been for the last 110 miles of the bike and .....well....the whole marathon, I'd have done it! My grandma believes me, why don't you?

Re: I was on pace to... [one_lap] [ In reply to ]

Jul 25, 06 9:42

Post #6 of 23 (2470 views)

For the most part I agree and share the sentiment with regards to those who fail in their training/pacing strategies, but there is another side to this.

I know of someone who dropped out of a 101 mile race at the 98 mile mark due to physical developments that were beyond their control. I know someone who developed severe GI problems while doing nothing different while racing than in training and lost almost an hour on the run. If he told me "I was on pace to finish sub 4 in the marathon for a sub 11 overall before I developed severe abdominal cramps and the runs" he's not making excuses, just calling it like it is.

Now just hitting the wall, that's another story all together.

The devil made me do it the first time, second time I done it on my own - W

Re: I was on pace to... [dualfuel] [ In reply to ]

Jul 25, 06 9:53

Post #7 of 23 (2418 views)

"physical developments that were beyond their control" - I'm with you on that.

As for the guy that developed cramps - that's within his control. What he was on pace to do was run hard enough to develop cramps and then have to slow down. You're right that he's not offering an excuse, just saying what happened. But all he was on pace to do was develp cramps and finish wherever he finished, no faster.

Re: I was on pace to... [one_lap] [ In reply to ]

Jul 25, 06 9:58

Post #8 of 23 (2394 views)

classic. the senior statesman of the running group that i run with has well in excess of 110 marathons but no longer competes. i love it when young guys from the group come back from a race and say "i was on pace to run _:_, but" and he deadpans "No, you were on pace to run 4:__, you'll learn"

_________
kangaroo -- please do not read or respond to any of my posts

Re: I was on pace to... [one_lap] [ In reply to ]

Jul 25, 06 10:03

Post #9 of 23 (2367 views)

Developing cramps while racing your tried and true strategy and pace is certainly not within your control. Some days your body doesn't cooperate and function optimally, plain and simple. I'd call that a physical development that's beyond control in that situation. Anyway, splitting hairs, but in the metaphysical sense, yes, we're all on pace to do exactly what we're gonna do, what ever that may be. No need to make excuses.

The devil made me do it the first time, second time I done it on my own - W

Re: I was on pace to... [dualfuel] [ In reply to ]

Jul 25, 06 10:04

Post #10 of 23 (2355 views)

Can't say I agree here... There are alot of people who finish strong despite GI and other physical problems. Using this as an excuse only diminishes the fortitude it takes to go hard from the start to finish despite problems.

Re: I was on pace to... [XFalcon] [ In reply to ]

Jul 25, 06 10:07

Post #11 of 23 (2339 views)

Oh please. I'm not talking about a blister or sore joints.

Ever try to run while experiencing explosive diarrhea? Give it a try sometime & talk to me about fortitude.

The devil made me do it the first time, second time I done it on my own - W

Re: I was on pace to... [dualfuel] [ In reply to ]

Jul 25, 06 10:14

Post #12 of 23 (2305 views)

As a manner of fact yes.... CDA 2006. Destroyed the porta potties at miles 1,2,and 3. In fact a bystander at mile 3 said "that was not normal" when I walked our of the porta potti. Granted I only made it to mile 17 before I felt like I may die and was forced to walk the rest of the way. Tried my hardest to recover but I was done.

I was on pace to go 10:45... but went 12:25. Last time I checked there was not a asterisk next to a 10:45 time saying that I had GI issues. It is what it is....

Re: I was on pace to... [dualfuel] [ In reply to ]

Jul 25, 06 10:17

Post #13 of 23 (2282 views)

[reply]Ever try to run while experiencing explosive diarrhea? Give it a try sometime & talk to me about fortitude.[/reply]

LMFAO!!! The Dreaded Atomic Gut Bomb!!! Fortitude and mental toughness is about pushing past blisters, road rash, muscle cramps, fatigue, etc. It definitely isn't about running through the Dreaded Atomic Gut Bomb.

But sometimes you have to accept that if you are having bad muscle cramps then maybe you are better off slowing down and trying to solve it rather than push on and end up tearing a muscle or causing long-term damage. At about mile 95 or so of the GFT last year my patellar tendonitis issue with my right knee flared up really bad...felt like someone was stabbing me in the kneecap on every downstroke. If I had kept pushing hard I would likely have had major issues all winter instead of taking it "easy" for another day. That doesn't change the fact that it pisses me off and I "could" have gone faster than 12:20. But I'm actually kinda happy I managed to limp home to only 1:20 past my target.

Mad

Last edited by: triguy42: Jul 25, 06 10:27

Re: I was on pace to... [triguy42] [ In reply to ]

Jul 25, 06 10:21

Post #14 of 23 (2250 views)

I was on pace for a third climax but fell asleep after the first one last nite, could have used another gu i guess.

'STICK EM UP PUNK ITS THE FUN LOVING CRIMINAL'

Last edited by: thesnail: Jul 25, 06 10:22

Re: I was on pace to... [XFalcon] [ In reply to ]

Jul 25, 06 10:23

Post #15 of 23 (2237 views)

Julie Moss was "on pace" to win Hawaii and detonated in the last 285 yards of the marathon.

It's all her fault half of us are in this sport. LOL.

Re: I was on pace to... [thesnail] [ In reply to ]

Jul 25, 06 10:25

Post #16 of 23 (2215 views)

I was on pace to preside over the US supreme court until that bottle of mad dog 20/20 behind the gas station in 7th grade.

The devil made me do it the first time, second time I done it on my own - W

Re: I was on pace to... [one_lap] [ In reply to ]

Jul 25, 06 10:25

Post #17 of 23 (2215 views)

I love this!!

I go on the same rant with golfers, one of my buddies will say "I finally hit a good shot and it's in the sand trap" - I'll say "if it's in the sand trap, it wasn;t really that good of a shot, was it? - If I was able to hit every golf shot as perfectly as I intend to, Tiger Woods would be my bitch"

Re: I was on pace to... [XFalcon] [ In reply to ]

Jul 25, 06 10:28

Post #18 of 23 (2201 views)

The funniest thing i've ever read here. I'm dying.

Re: I was on pace to... [one_lap] [ In reply to ]

Jul 25, 06 10:47

Post #19 of 23 (2145 views)

So, with that logic, Tim DeBoom was on pace to pass a kidney stone in 2003.

He just didn't have the "intestinal fortitude" to finish.

Last edited by: BillyJ: Jul 25, 06 10:48

Re: I was on pace to... [BillyJ] [ In reply to ]

Jul 25, 06 10:54

Post #20 of 23 (2109 views)

I was on pace to finish reading this threa......................

Steve Q

Re: I was on pace to... [BillyJ] [ In reply to ]

Jul 25, 06 11:00

Post #21 of 23 (2079 views)

No. And I didn't say anything about "intestinal fortitude". Cramps from going too hard and/or messing up your race day nutrition (side note: just because it worked in training doesn't mean it's somehow beyond your control on race day if it stops working) and a kidney stone etc. are different.

DeBoom was doing great when he suffered an unfortunate incident. I may be mistaken, but I don't recall him saying afterward "I was on pace to" anything. My point is simply that people use "I was on pace to..." as a way to mention a time/pace they didn't/couldn't actually acheive.

Re: I was on pace to... [BillyJ] [ In reply to ]

Jul 25, 06 11:01

Post #22 of 23 (2071 views)

I am sure that Tim Deboom is not walking around saying that "I was on pace to..." Remember Tim has finished Hawaii with a stress fracture in his leg.

Reality is you can find just as many stories of people finishing strong despite bone fractures, GI problems, etc... as people stopping or quitting.

No excuses!

Re: I was on pace to... [XFalcon] [ In reply to ]

Jul 25, 06 11:16

Post #23 of 23 (1998 views)

[reply] Reality is you can find just as many stories of people finishing strong despite bone fractures, GI problems, etc... as people stopping or quitting.
[/reply]

Agree, but my point was that some natural ailments in a race are going to be too tough for ANYONE finish through - no matter what your intestinal fortitude is.

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