Post by marathondude on Jul 29, 2009 21:22:22 GMT -5
My Last Personal Best
Like most competitive high school and collegiate runners who raced strong into their twenties, I logged some pretty quick race times. As years passed by I came to the realization that the days of setting personal best times were in my rear view mirror. For runners who start in their twenties, thirties or later, there is the excitement of challenging their best times. But for those who were young speedsters there comes a time when we reflect back on the race that was our last personal best.
Tens of thousands of miles and twenty plus years later my mind has mental images of the 1986 Run for Literacy 5k held at Orlando’s Central Park. I was the defending champion, having won in 14:57 the previous year, though the race was held on a different route at roads near West Orange High School. My friend and racing buddy, Jim Kallinger, was there which signaled it wouldn’t be an easy victory. But there was a real buzz in the air for another competitor. Jim Ryun, former World Record holder in the mile at 3:51.1, had recently turned 40 years old and hoped to be the first Masters runner to break 15 minutes.
Jim Ryun was one of my running heroes before I started running and was one of the reasons I went out for the track and field team in high school. It was very exciting to be racing with him. Right from the start it was a three-man race and the pace was quick. I led through the mile point in 4:41 with Ryun behind me and Kallinger several seconds back. Thoughts of winning were predominant, but I realized I also had a chance to break my 5,000 meter personal best of 14:46. Seven years earlier I raced that time while at Appalachian State to finish second behind Kim Nutter in a duel track and field meet versus Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia.
During the second mile Ryun started falling back. I felt strong as I had done a good ladder track session four days earlier. A look at my training log shows: 1,000m – 2:53, 800m – 2:19, 600m – 1:42 and 400m – 1:06 all with a 400m jog recovery. After an 800 meter jog a second set was: 1,200m – 3:30, 800m – 2:19 and 400m – 1:02.7 with a 400m jog in between. Fast track sessions usually lead to fast, efficient and economical racing and that was the case on this day. The 2-mile check point of 9:28 had me on track to challenge my personal best. The 4:47 second mile equaled my best mile from my sophomore year in high school – but there was one mile to go and I was going to have to do it alone.
At a corner I glanced back and saw that Kallinger had caught Ryun, but my lead was over fifty yards. I bore down and raced against the clock and my mind’s desire to slow down. At the three mile marker a timer yelled out, “14:16!” It wasn’t often that I had a chance for a personal best – at 28 years of age and holding down a full-time job they didn’t occur often – so I kicked as hard as possible and hoped to run less than thirty seconds to the finish line. I pushed through a thin tape with arms raised and then waited for my official time. Soon thereafter it was posted. I beat my old 5,000 meter best time by two seconds in 14:44. Jim Kallinger also ran his fastest 5k ever with a 14:59 time. Finally, Jim Ryun ran an American Masters Record of 15:22. The friendly competition pushed us all to outstanding race performances.
I didn’t know on that day that I would never run a personal best after February 15, 1986. It was another personal best that I logged, but didn’t appear at the time to be my final one. In late 1987 I came close to my half marathon best of 1:08:13 with a strong 1:08:27 at the Citrus Bowl Half Marathon. In 1988 my 30:55 at the Red Lobster 10k was 27 seconds slower than my 10k best. Then months and years passed by and sometime in my mid-thirties I realized that my days for personal bests were behind me.
So, for competitive runners, what keeps us going? I still enjoy competing and setting new age group personal bests every five years when I enter a new age category. I like being healthy and fit. It is fun to share the camaraderie of fellow runners. Running has always gone hand-in-hand with the discipline and order that is ingrained in my personality. Running relieves stress in my life. If I’m tired running energizes me. Running on a beach or in a forest puts me in touch with humankind as we were meant to be – away from traffic and buildings and amidst the sights and sounds of nature. Running isn’t easy – for most people it is hard – and if I can do something hard I can do anything! And above all – running feels good!
The forum contributor, Gary Cohen, has been a top runner for over 35 years with a personal best 2:22:34 marathon. In 2008 he was the Grandmaster Champion at the Disney Marathon. His website, www.garycohenrunning.com , features monthly interviews with running personalities such as Greg Meyer, Brian Sell, Amby Burfoot and Jenny Barringer. It also includes dozens of “All in a Day’s Run” essays like this one on a variety of running and fitness topics. Please respond with stories of your last personal best.
Like most competitive high school and collegiate runners who raced strong into their twenties, I logged some pretty quick race times. As years passed by I came to the realization that the days of setting personal best times were in my rear view mirror. For runners who start in their twenties, thirties or later, there is the excitement of challenging their best times. But for those who were young speedsters there comes a time when we reflect back on the race that was our last personal best.
Tens of thousands of miles and twenty plus years later my mind has mental images of the 1986 Run for Literacy 5k held at Orlando’s Central Park. I was the defending champion, having won in 14:57 the previous year, though the race was held on a different route at roads near West Orange High School. My friend and racing buddy, Jim Kallinger, was there which signaled it wouldn’t be an easy victory. But there was a real buzz in the air for another competitor. Jim Ryun, former World Record holder in the mile at 3:51.1, had recently turned 40 years old and hoped to be the first Masters runner to break 15 minutes.
Jim Ryun was one of my running heroes before I started running and was one of the reasons I went out for the track and field team in high school. It was very exciting to be racing with him. Right from the start it was a three-man race and the pace was quick. I led through the mile point in 4:41 with Ryun behind me and Kallinger several seconds back. Thoughts of winning were predominant, but I realized I also had a chance to break my 5,000 meter personal best of 14:46. Seven years earlier I raced that time while at Appalachian State to finish second behind Kim Nutter in a duel track and field meet versus Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia.
During the second mile Ryun started falling back. I felt strong as I had done a good ladder track session four days earlier. A look at my training log shows: 1,000m – 2:53, 800m – 2:19, 600m – 1:42 and 400m – 1:06 all with a 400m jog recovery. After an 800 meter jog a second set was: 1,200m – 3:30, 800m – 2:19 and 400m – 1:02.7 with a 400m jog in between. Fast track sessions usually lead to fast, efficient and economical racing and that was the case on this day. The 2-mile check point of 9:28 had me on track to challenge my personal best. The 4:47 second mile equaled my best mile from my sophomore year in high school – but there was one mile to go and I was going to have to do it alone.
At a corner I glanced back and saw that Kallinger had caught Ryun, but my lead was over fifty yards. I bore down and raced against the clock and my mind’s desire to slow down. At the three mile marker a timer yelled out, “14:16!” It wasn’t often that I had a chance for a personal best – at 28 years of age and holding down a full-time job they didn’t occur often – so I kicked as hard as possible and hoped to run less than thirty seconds to the finish line. I pushed through a thin tape with arms raised and then waited for my official time. Soon thereafter it was posted. I beat my old 5,000 meter best time by two seconds in 14:44. Jim Kallinger also ran his fastest 5k ever with a 14:59 time. Finally, Jim Ryun ran an American Masters Record of 15:22. The friendly competition pushed us all to outstanding race performances.
I didn’t know on that day that I would never run a personal best after February 15, 1986. It was another personal best that I logged, but didn’t appear at the time to be my final one. In late 1987 I came close to my half marathon best of 1:08:13 with a strong 1:08:27 at the Citrus Bowl Half Marathon. In 1988 my 30:55 at the Red Lobster 10k was 27 seconds slower than my 10k best. Then months and years passed by and sometime in my mid-thirties I realized that my days for personal bests were behind me.
So, for competitive runners, what keeps us going? I still enjoy competing and setting new age group personal bests every five years when I enter a new age category. I like being healthy and fit. It is fun to share the camaraderie of fellow runners. Running has always gone hand-in-hand with the discipline and order that is ingrained in my personality. Running relieves stress in my life. If I’m tired running energizes me. Running on a beach or in a forest puts me in touch with humankind as we were meant to be – away from traffic and buildings and amidst the sights and sounds of nature. Running isn’t easy – for most people it is hard – and if I can do something hard I can do anything! And above all – running feels good!
The forum contributor, Gary Cohen, has been a top runner for over 35 years with a personal best 2:22:34 marathon. In 2008 he was the Grandmaster Champion at the Disney Marathon. His website, www.garycohenrunning.com , features monthly interviews with running personalities such as Greg Meyer, Brian Sell, Amby Burfoot and Jenny Barringer. It also includes dozens of “All in a Day’s Run” essays like this one on a variety of running and fitness topics. Please respond with stories of your last personal best.