Class 2

Today's run was the first of our three tests (a term I prefer to "races") this term. Others will be two or four miles, and 5K or 10K.

Let your result today help set your pace on Tuesday. If it was less than -1:00 compared to your first long run's pace, you can ease down your effort in the next class. If more than -1:00, you can go faster without hurting.

Tuesday's distances will be 2.25 and 4.5 miles, through neighborhoods south of campus. Meet at our now-standard spot near the east entrance of the Rec Center.

TODAY'S ONE-MILE TEST

(with comparison to Tuesday's two-mile pace, *or four-mile; target was to go faster for this shorter distance)

Bryce -- 8:03 (-10 sec.)

Peter -- 7:05 (-1:30*)

Alex -- 7:59 (-32 sec.)

Zach -- 7:06 (-1:34*) day's 3rd most improved

Amina -- 11:46 (+59 sec.*)

Alyssa -- 8:32 (-13 sec.)

Elliot -- 9:38 (+15 sec.)

Mickey -- 6:33 (-1:17)

Ashlen -- 10:48 (+41 sec.)

Jianzhong -- 8:57 (-2:09) day's most improved, earning extra credit

Zidi -- 8:04 (-1:40*) day's 2nd most improved

TODAY'S TWO-MILE TEST

(with per-mile pace and comparison to Tuesday's four-mile pace; target was to go faster)

Lyanne -- 23:39 (11:49 pace, +5 sec. per mile)

Matt -- 12:21 (6:10s, -31 sec.)

Doug -- 18:37 (9:18s, -29 sec.)

Dillon -- 14:14 (7:07s, -10 sec.)

Lauren O. -- 19:26 (9:43s, -4 sec.)

Miranda -- 22:57 (11:28s, +21 sec.)

Becky -- 19:26 (9:43s, -4 sec.)

Tyler -- 12:43 (6:21s, -15 sec.)

Austin -- 12:12 (6:06s, -28 sec.)

Anna -- 15:07 (7:33s, -23 sec.)

Lauren W. -- about 17:00 (8:30s, =)

LESSON 2: WINNING WAYS

A great beauty of running is that it gives everyone a chance to win. Winning isn’t automatic; you still have to work for success and risk failure. But unlike other sports there’s no need to beat an arbitrary standard (such as “par” or an opponent’s score). You measure yourself against your personal records. To the runner, a “PR” does not stand for public relations or an island in the Caribbean. It means “personal record,” and this PR may represent the greatest advance in the history of this sport. The invention of the digital stopwatch worn on the wrist turned everyone into a potential winner. Here was a personal and yet objective way to measure success and progress. It didn’t depend upon beating anyone, but only upon how the new numbers on the watch compared with the old ones.