Personal Records Musings

In fixing the personal bests table on the newly "Beta'd" blog, I noticed some goofy numbers. So, as an exercise, I'll let you know how many of those older/stale numbers have been surpassed, unofficially. I think I've said before that I don't take PR's set on the way to a longer race. I know that, technically, you can claim records set from the start of a race, if there are certified timing mats at those intermediate distances from the start. You're not allowed, in the real world, to take credit for "PR's" set in the second half of a 20k, last half of a marathon, etc.

Even though there was a good marker for 30K at last year's RunTex 20 Miler, I can't take credit on my lifetime bests for my 2:45:00 as I crossed that marker last January. It would have been a big PR, but alas, that 30K mark will have to wait for another, standalone, 30K race. It sure doesn't match the other longer race times, though. That 25K distance is rarely run, and with the demise of the Run For The Hills 25K here in town, it may be a while until I can wipe that mark out. Again, it's obvious that I ran 25K during that 20 mile race faster than that 25K PR, but rules are rules. :-)

I almost got my 10 mile PR at Scenic this year, missing by only 20 seconds or so. I ran the last 7 miles of that race faster than my existing 10K PR, but as noted above, I can't claim that 10K PR. Hopefully, it will go down this spring. And, lastly, that 5K PR from eons ago may prove to be the toughest to knock off, but I'll take a shot at that this spring, too. I'll need to improve about 20 seconds/mile from last year's Bun Run 5K, but it might happen.

Okay, that's enough ramblings for one post. Gotta go and wait on the garage door repair folks.