August 6th Results (5 kilometers)

This was phase one of the two-part final week. Though it was the warmest of our Tuesdays, we escaped the brutal heat that often strikes in this season and at this hour.

Thursday’s run at Dorris Ranch will be a bit cooler – and lot more shady. The majority of that route follows the soft paths that pass through the filbert orchard.

I promised at the start that the runner with best attendance would win a prize. That went to Anne, who had no misses and two extra credits as best pacer. Joyce also attended all classes, with one extra credit.

TUESDAY’S 5 KILOMETERS

(with per-mile pace for these 3.10 miles; distance and times from my watch, and yours might have differed)

Al – here in support

Joyce – 46:50 (15:06 pace)
Ashley - running on Thursday

Laura – later ran 35:24 (11:24 pace)

Malisa – running later

Carolyn – earlier ran 44:21 (13:58 pace)

Anne – 36:59 (11:55 pace)

Will – 26:30 (8:32 pace)

Ben – 23:11 (7:28 pace)

LESSON 16: Winning Ways

A great beauty of running is that it gives everyone a chance to win. Winning isn’t automatic; you still have to reach 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 own standards of distance and pace. Improve a time, stretch a distance, set a race PR (personal record), and you win no matter how many runners go farther or faster. Another way to win is by keeping going for the long haul – measured in years and decades. You don’t have to run very far or fast to outrun people who’ve dropped out.