Ranking is in the details...
Late last night the finishing numbers came in on the Valley of the Sun marathon. Like I stated, I ran VOS to get in some easy miles and enjoy the course. At no point did I feel like I had to pass someone or get upset that someone passed me, except those two old guys I noted yesterday. I went in like this was a training run and I know I had at least 6 minutes, maybe 8 minutes I could have used to better my time. By choice this is the slowest 13.1 miles I have ever run in a race. But I did want to know how my run shaped up with everyone elses. I know, I know, don't hate me, I am sure its a disease to be hindsite competitor.
Overall I finished 359 of 1017 or 35th precentile. In my age group, 30-34 which is the most competitive, I came in right at the 50th percentile. In the spefice catagory I entered: 1/2 marathon, 30-34, male, clydesdale- I came in 2nd. But they ranked clydesdale as 39 and under which is officially 5th. Do you see how this stuff works?
Now for more useless information. I am 34 years and 7 months, which puts me right at the high fringe of a competitve age group, but I am right at 200-202 pounds which is at the lowest for clydesdales. Whats a guy to do?
Figuring out how you did in a race can be as bad or as good as you want. Race stats become a Rube Goldberg machine. The term Rube Goldberg means an overly complicated machine that goes through many steps to accomplish a very simple thing.
So I ask you... did I come in middle of the pack for my age group, top 35 percent overall, top 5 for clydesdales under 39, 2nd place for the specific catagory on my entry form or since I didn't run to compete I should just be glad I am healthy and enjoyed myself? What would you pick, hmmmm?
posted by Comm's @ 11:15 AM
6 comments
6 Comments:
All of the above?
I'd say be glad you're healthy and enjoy yourself, but that's coming from someone who's not fond of people who shouldn't be clydesdale's competing in clydesdale (not you commodore... the 6'6 270lb guy who only has 5% body fat and only weighs 270 because he's 6'6!)
I wish they did Clydesdale not only by weight, but by body fat percentage.
Well maybe you should be a little upset. I am 5"10 at 200-202 pounds but wouldn’t necessarily say I am high body fat. I race clydesdale when my weight goes over 200, I never considered the body fat scenario. I am so weight conscious that I see myself as just as fat as someone who weighs more. Actually I feel worse because usually they are wearing singlets or skin tight shirts and that just scares me to death. I have a really hard time seeing myself as anything other than fat, regardless of weight.
My normal base weight is about 195 and 15% BF (which means- no abs, 35 inch waist). On January 1, after six months of shoulder rehab I hit 210 and probably 21-22% BF. My whole life I think has been compromising style for what doesn't make me look fat, my weight can go up fast.
Still at one point a few years ago I was 237 pounds after a months of 80 hour weeks and the stress of starting a new business. So at heart I always feel like a big guy because compared to my peers- I AM. I just never really equated that into my races, how others thought of me.
Let me be honest enough to say that I am completely self conscious of my appearance and really uncomfortable with my shirt off around the pool, in the locker room etc. Usually when I am in a competitive zone and I get below 200 pounds, I sometimes notice the looks and complements I get, that I just assume all good looking people get all day long, but never lose the utter feeling of Ugh! I have when disrobing. I have never felt good in my own skin, which is why I lift, run bike and occasionally swim myself in athletic conditioning.
It's alright. That's just my standard Clydesdale vent. I totally understand being out of your element. I think two things that help me with body image are 1) Riding with people in my bike club who are older and definitely come in the same physical body shape that I do, and 2) Working out and knowing that no matter what, even if I still look like this, I did an Ironman while looking like this. heh.
I'm coming down a bit, (229.5 last I checked on Sunday) but my bf% is still hovering around 30.9%. My waist is 40-42 depending on the maker of the clothing. Ang when were dating would tell me that she liked me because I had a superhero chest. I know that even if I lost the weight, I wouldn't be much smaller. My waist might shrink a couple inches, but my bone structure was built big and my legs have always been trunk-like. But we'll see. I'm chipping away at things. After Christmas I was at 237, so already this season I'm down about 8 lbs, even with water weight taken into consideration.
I love all this math, and either way you come out good! I do the same thing with analyzing the crap out of stuff (not that you did that, I'm just saying, me, you know - um... nevermind, movng on...), and it always turns out.
I think that obsessive-compulsive is one of the tri competetor prerequisites. GUH! But again! Not that you're like that, either! Crap! I'm just going to stop right here.
OK, I'm commenting again since I totally wiffed the first attempt.
Seriously, I do the EXACT same thing with um, let's say everything. I am the Rube Goldberg designer. I don't understand why I do this, but I am very comforted to see that there's someone else out there with what I thought was some kind of condition -Not that you have a condition, see... UGHHH!!!!!! You know what, OK, I think I'm all done for today. Me like blog post you make here.
There, that should work.
I say take the 2nd place. ALWAYS take the higher ranking if given the choice!!! My two cents:)
Flatman
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