So yesterday...

At the gym, I kicked my ass...

Here's why.

I'm still working on getting to the point where I can run.  Where I can run, do it well and do it fast.  Because my goal is (still) to race the wonder one and to beat him.  Now I am not delusional.  Just to let those of you who don't know.  The wonder one has been a runner for more than half his life, for about thirty years to be exact.  He's a damn fine one too.  He'll tell you he's not that good.  His glory days are behind him.  Don't listen to him, he doesn't know what he's talking about.  He's just not put the time or effort into it.  Until lately and only lately because he's actually not just running.  He's running, biking and swimming.  I think he's got a bit of a short attention span and that's why he's doing so much better now.  Who knows.  But.  He's an amazing runner.  How do I know this you may ask?  Because anyone who can go out and run a half marathon (that's 13.1 miles for the uneducated) on NO training.  I have to stress that no training part.  We're talking absolutely no training. When I say no training, I mean no training.  The average runner training for a 5k race (3.1 miles) will on average run around about 10 miles a week to train for that race and eat a balanced diet.  So if you take the rationale out to a race that is 4 times in length approximately, there is going to be speed workouts, distance runs, the balanced diet while carbo loading building up the race day.  The mileage picking up as you go along to the point to where on average, the average runner will have approximately 40 to 60 miles a week put in the bank in quality running.  We're talking average runners here, not even taking into consideration Elite runners or Olympians.  Now you're going to see where the wonder one gets his name....

Going into a huge portion of most of his 1/2 marathons, the wonder one would have a crap fast food diet under his belt and MAYBE 10 - 15 miles a week on his shoes.  If he had a long distance run in the training mix it was maybe a 10k (6.2 miles) race or a 10 mile race a week or two before hand.  That's about it.

This is how I know the wonder one is a great runner.  Because if he put the effort into it, he could be an Elite.  Would be an Olympian.  This is how I know I'll kick his ass.  I'm putting the effort in.  I won't win the first time out.  I'm not expecting to.  But one day I will.  Because he made one fatal mistake. 

"Men are faster than women" he said to me.  Oh yeah?  We'll just see about that.

Now by no means am I a feminist.  I'm not a man hater neither.  But do NOT make sweeping generalizations that just do not apply, because one day my friend, you will be regretting that.  He made this statement, probably more than 20 years ago.  Don't ask me why it's stuck with me all this time.  Quite honestly, it may be because I need a goal to work towards, it's just who I am.  If that's what it takes, then that's what it takes.  I actually kind of like the idea of being competitive against him.  Even someone as seasoned a competitor as him.  Be it fearless or stupidity, well, we'll just have to see how that plays out.  At least for now, it's got me working towards a goal and keeping me going.

My longest time yet at my fastest pace yet. 19 minutes at 3.3 mph.  May not seem long or fast to you, but lets face it, getting me moving at that speed for that long....let's just say....I'M impressed!

When I finally do get to run against the wonder one...I don't want him to hold back neither, I want it to be a full out, no holds balls to the wall run.  He wins, it's okay. 

He won't always.