Are
we kooks? After all, most of us age groupers ran our fastest races
20 years or longer ago. And we're still at it!?
We're different. That much I can tell you. We walk
differently- a spring in our step, a bit of a swagger, you might say.
We think differently, too. We are more confident, determined and focused
than our peers. Of course, we know and have known and we will experience
again feelings like excitement, frustration, hope, anger, fear, despair,
doubt, awe, sadness and inspiration. After all, we are still following
our dreams. Yes, as an over 50 years old athlete I still have dreams.
Of course, I'm fully aware that my races broken down
into sterile chunks of time mean nothing to you and anyone except to
me and those who shared the race with me. And not too many of them
even take notice. Moreover, my races are just a tiny fraction of the
time dedicated to the pursuit of excellence. Not even my wife knows
the experience of those long solitary hours on the road and on the
track.
Where does an age grouper draw
his strength from? You can't do without support from your family,
of course. But you will find inspiration from competitors, from the
super star, the legends of the sport, the much older competitors,
the physically challenged, the very young, the … you get it. Finding
inspiration is the easy part, at least for me.
Next, there are Age Graded
Tables, a true godsend for all age groupers. A 15:00 minute 5 k in
your prime equals a 17:13 if you are 53 years old (adjustment factor
of 87.14 %). The tables are astonishingly accurate. For the individual
athlete, moving on through the years, the system allows to accurately
compare race times as she/he gets older. How would you feel about a
well-run race as a 53 year old that gives you an all time (age-graded)
new personal best. A time that compares to a world-class time if you
would have been in your prime years of competition. Elated, happy,
great, fantastic.. there are not enough words for it. I addition, age
graded road races like the Cooper River Bridge Run in Charleston, SC allow
to compare all 14,650 male and female competitors in one class. The
winner of the 2003 race was a 47 year old female runner, beating out
five male runners from Kenya in their prime. A 53 year old runner placed
seventh. I placed 647th out of 14623 runners. Disappointed with a
slow time due to weather a few minutes after the race, I now have fond
memories of a race well run.
Even better, every five year,
we enter a new age group. We start with a clean sheet, new world
records to compare against, new competitors, a fresh start. Yes,
worlds records to measure up against. 90 % of the world record and
you are world class; 80 % places you in the national class, 75 %
and you are in the regional class and 50 % makes you a basic competitor.
In the 800 m, I'm in the National Class. My dream: 90 % and world
class. Attainable? It gets me out of bed and on the road on cold,
dark, rainy mornings. It makes me watch my diet. It forces me to
add 10 lbs. to the weights in the gym. It motivates me to run that
last repetition as fast as the first. It's right there, always with
me. So close, I can taste it. Yet so &^^%%$ hard to get to.
Will I be happy when I get there? Definitively. Will
I be satisfied? I do not know. Will I stop and pursue something else?
No.
Asked by friends, acquaintances
or relatives about my goals in my sport, I mention "world class".
That is a bit hard to explain and understand, since I also have to
explain the concept of age groups, grading, etc. My second goal makes
sense to everybody. My goal is to run a race as a 100year old athlete.
I'm planning to make my friends and fellow centenarians eat dust!
If you are in my age group and you have the same goal, you better
live right and train hard. I'm going to be ready.
|
