Tricks of the Mind

I am a Howard Huge believer in tricking the mind when I "race." I convince myself that I have either a shorter or longer distance to go in a race. During marathons when there is 6 miles to go I'll tell myself, "only four to go," figuring I can run those four and just hang in for the additional two, which I may or may not run (of, course I run them, but I won't tell myself that!) In my last hundred at Umstead, I told myself that regardless of when I finished my 8 x 12.5 mile loops that I would run one more, because really, 8 is never enough! I really needed nine loops. Not only did I convince myself of these I found a convert on the trails. A dude from Georgia named Mark who was a first time 100-miler. He figured that since I'd done Western States I must know what I was talking about (yeah, but he didn't know that I was also DFL at states!) Well, as you know, whatever I told myself at Umstead worked very well, as I had my best finish in years. More important than the stellar time was the post injury confidence boost it gave me as I approach Kettle Moraine in June.

I have unfinished business at Kettle. I ran that race in 2007, and my memory had me blazing the first 100K and then falling victim to a stomach illness due to spoiled food for the last 38 miles. My memory told me that at no point at Umstead did I run as fast as I had in those first 62 effortless miles at Kettle. Well, only one problem, the facts say otherwise. So, not only do we trick the mind, sometimes it tricks us!

I checked the stat sheet, (available on-line for your viewing pleasure, just click on the kettle and follow the links), from the 2007 Kettle race, and I did have an excellent first 100K there. I finished 62.2 miles in 13 hours and 15 minutes. Not bad, and certainly on my way to sub 24 when the wheels feel off. I ran-walked, almost entirely walked, the last 38 in 12 hours flat for a 25:15 finish. A marathon shorter distance in only one hour less. Of course in my memory, I had me at 12 hours for the 1st 100K and 13:15 for the last 38.

So, my fantastic memory proved inaccurate for the 2007 Kettle race. And I remembered being so fast back then. I also remember being pretty slow at Umstead this year. I told anyone that would listen, that I ran slowly, but that I just never stopped moving. Well, true, I only sat down except to take care a few (4) bathroom issues. But I just knew I had been faster at Kettle. Then the splits came from Umstead the other day. Let's see....

Mile 62.5, a tad farther than Kettle's 62.2....... hmm, gulp, 12:28, er 37 or so minutes faster than my 100 K at Kettle. I guess I wasn't as fast as I thought I was back then, I guess I'm still a little faster than I thought now. That is troubling news. Why troubling? Er, well, ah, yeah, it means, I may the capability to go even faster at Kettle this year. Of course, so much depends on the weather, and the Umstead weather was perfect, but there is no reason to believe that if I stay away from expired GU and if I lose this 13 pounds that I've been hanging on to like it was my job in a bad economy I can't go under 21 hours once more. Shoot, I may even try to!

Oh, why did I have to let the facts get in the way of my comfortable little life? As they say, the Mind is a Terrible Thing!