I tell ya, sometimes I get excited by the smallest things...
I just got an email that I've qualified for a start corral at this year's Shamrock Shuffle race. Yay me!
A corralled start allows race organizers to stage runners by expected finish times, and to control the number of people who cross the start at any one time.
There's an elite runners' corral, and then "A", "B", "C", "D", and finally "Open." I qualify for "D". Not based on my finish time or anything, just by virtue of having run the Shamrock Shuffle and the Chicago Marathon in previous years. Still...last year I ran it in 49:40, a 9:59/mile pace. If somehow this year I could get it down to a 9:30 pace (finishing around 47:00), I'd qualify for the "C" corral next year. I don't think that'll happen, though. The Shuffle is the weekend before the St. Louis Marathon, so I don't want to push too hard and either injure myself or get tired out. I'd hate to blow all the training for the Marathon just to get a good finish for the Shuffle.
We'll see how it goes...but I'm really looking forward to the Shuffle. It's usually a bright, beautiful day, slightly cool, but overall good running conditions. And let me tell you, if you've never run a race in Chicago, it's a great experience--people turn out in droves to support the runners. It's usually very well organized (last year's marathon notwithstanding...), well attended, great course, and lots of fun.Hope y'all are having a good week...
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
I qualify for a corral!
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5 comments:
Good luck with the race.
I've been looking at the website, and it look like a blast, and very well organized.
Hope you get a PR.
-Brian
I did, too! Even though it's only Corral D, I was tickled pink. It's the lil' things that make ya smile!
Brian thanks for the kind wishes! The Shuffle is, indeed, very well organized and it's a LOT of fun. At this point I'm not shooting for a PR, but we'll see what it's like when I'm on the course...
Hey, RJ, good for you! Who knows, we may run into each other in the corral. Good luck out there on the course!
Jim
Actually, a solid 5 mile (8K) run the week before a marathon is not a bad taper. It is short but the effort is good. So don't stroll through it. Enjoy it.
And cool you are in the corral!! Small things matter!!!
Joe you raise a good point. Maybe I will push it for a PR (or close), and look at it as the beginning of the end of my tapering.
And you're right, the small things DO matter. I celebrate every little gain that I can!
Jim
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