Numbers are a runner’s well-known friends.
Pace, cadence, heart rate, hangtime, elevation gain, calories
burnt, steps taken, sleep logged... tech today comes with a lot of fluff to
help one feel good about oneself.
But there are only exactly
two which are essential. Distance and time.
At the end of it all, when one descends into the purity of a
race, the only two which really matter are these. And they should tell you
everything that you need to know.
Right?
Wrong.
It has been said, by Greek guy named Heraclitus, no less (so
it has to be astute!)
“No man ever steps in
the same river twice, for it's not the same river and he's not the same man.”
Things change incessantly, and keeping track of such changes
in the past is a sort of crutch for those of us who seek something in the
future. Numbers are the vehicle.
Two things strike me immediately when I compare my races in
2017 so far, with those last year.
The numbers are off.
One- My marathon at Boston
this year, on a much tougher course,
resulted in nearly the same time (a little slower) as Dubai last year, in much worse conditions.
Two- My half marathon at Hyderabad this year, on exactly the same course, however, resulted in nearly the same time (a little
faster) as last year, in much better conditions.
That’s mildly confusing in the same way that volcanic lava
is mildly tepid.
The first result loosely indicates an enhanced level of
running fitness, while the second indicates that I might be on my deathbed. If
I want to do anything worth shit in the target half marathon of the year in Delhi on 20th
November, I must come down to Mother Earth.
Last weekend, for the fourth year running, I dumped my
exquisite derriere into a large flying metal tube bound for the city of the
Nizams. My intention being to cover the strangely mandated distance of 13 miles, 192 (and a half) yards on it’s
roads, on foot, as fast as I could.
In accordance with established tradition, I trained very
little for the race in earnest, getting volumes close to or below marathon
training base at moderate to low intensities.
It’s Hyderabad
in August. What do you expect? Doesn’t matter. Because what we got was exactly the opposite. Oh yes.
Ask anyone. Hyderabad
was uncannily divine this year. All overcast and drizzlebeset. Prompted me to
reset my target time in the race from a 1:29ish to a 1:27ish (when weighed
against last year’s 1:30:59) as I meditated upon it, the evening before. After
all, going by Boston,
I was waaaaay faster than last year.
Right?
Wrong again. Two for two.
Yes. I was faster, at 1:30:17. By 42 seconds.
So my definition of ‘waaaaay’ was, well, waaaaay off.
I remember the old days with fondness, when a single
training cycle saw times over distances come down by minutes, even tens of minutes. Those days are gone.
From the numbers...Am I faster? Am I slower? Is immaterial.
Am I happy? Am I disappointed? Dunno. It just is. I'm kind of numb. From the uncertainty.
Only two things are certain...
One- Nell remains elusive. I will throw myself into ADHM training and see if I can come closer this year to her half marathon time. I have reset my time plan to actually catch up with her. Realistically, It’s now
probably going to happen in 2019.
Two- And this be a doozy. From now on, with the numbers approaching differential
limits on my improvement curve, I’m at a place where every few seconds will have to be clawed and snatched and coaxed
and seduced from the almighty clock.
Dear Shiv
ReplyDeleteTxs firstly for introducing Nell and for that had to read ur 2016 blog.With ur AHM timing ur well certainly better her pb for HM.
Happy running.
Suhag
Thank you for reading, sir :)
DeleteU chase Nell and I chase u... :)
ReplyDeleteMost probably, U will do it in 2017 itself...all the best for training.
I think you'll catch her before I do, bro. :D
DeleteSir, wonderful piece. Waiting for you to catch nell. Don't make it eternal. 😀
ReplyDeleteWill try my best :D
DeleteHi Shiv -
ReplyDeleteYes, you were fast @ Boston. Never saw you or heard from you. Hope life is going well.
Best,
Ajay
Thank you. And I apologize for missing our meeting. Again. Hope you are well too.
Delete