100 MILE MONTH & GLAD TO BE 26

My top five running months. January 2013 clocked in at #2.

Turns out in January I ran 103.5 miles. Considering most my months seemed to be hovering around 50 or 60 miles, that is a huge accomplishment. I was going to celebrate and gloat that it was my biggest month of running ever (and first over 100), but when I ran a report on RunningAhead to see what my average monthly total had been I discovered I ran 116.9 miles in June of last year. Dammit younger version of myself!

It's still really good though! One hundred mile months should be routine from now on. Long runs definitely help push that total up, and when you think about it, to hit 100 you only need 25 a week. Do seven at run group Monday, 6 mid-week, and 12 on the weekend and you got 25. I should be routinely over 30 and even 35 during marathon training so this is just a start.

On another note, I feel very glad to be in my 20s. Not only because that makes me not old, but it is WAY less competitive when it comes to running. Sure a 25 year old can win a race, but overall there are less males 20-29 in most races compared to those in their 30s. The 30s seems to be where the major competition is.

Me in M35-39 group

For my last race at the Zena Road Runs, had I been 36 instead of 26, I would have placed 11th out of 13! Just as ugly in the 30-34 year old bracket too. There were 13 participants in both those brackets and only 3 in my bracket. Needless to say, once I hit 30 I'm going to need to step it up. If I keep my training up though when I hit 30 I'll be able to place much better.

And I think that is how it works. Most 20 year olds don't have to worry about their health. They are fine not exercising and their bodies hold up. Towards your late 20s, as you get more mature mentally and physically you start feeling a little older, you realize you are going to need to do something to stay in shape and be healthy. Enter running. Plus, I think I remember reading something about aside from the elite of the elite, your body chemistry in your 30s is actually at its peak for running.

To sum it up, glad to be with the lazy twenty year olds at the moment. However, once I hit my 30s I'll also look forward to the challenge there. It is important to remember that running is an individual sport though. To run a 15k at 7:46/mile is pretty fucking good. If the field that days means it is 11/13 then so be it.

That pace in the Shamrock Run last year would have been about 800th out of 6300. Top 15%, not bad. And while Shamrock isn't the best field around, there is the 5k and 8k to siphon out some of the less serious. Most the top finishers in Shamrock last year... you guessed it, in their 30s and 40s.