Yes, I was pissed.
I looked at my watch and could not believe it!
1:50:03? Are you kidding me?
Then for about half a second, I was like, “well, that is pretty good, it was raining and the temperature got pretty warm, that is pretty good”.
I will agree that it is pretty good, but it was not my goal.
The goal was UNDER 1:50:00, not close, not bang on, but UNDER. And that goal has been on my annual list for the last 3-years. Now, this is actually the first year I have DONE the half marathon to try and hit my goal, so big progress, but still 4-seconds short.
I ran hard, I did not have gas left in the tank at the finish line. My sprint to the finished probably just resulted in some funny facial expressions without any change in overall velocity…but 4-seconds.
If it had been a miss by a minute or more (even 45-seconds), I could accept it better, but for SURE I could have found 4-seconds somewhere on that course. I know I could have and here is how I will make sure not to make that same mistake again.
The training was there; it was in the details that I failed…
• The pace bands provided by the race (little wrist band you wear that shows your lap times for a given time goal) were in kilometers as were the markings on the course. I knew exactly what the pace per mile needed to be (8:23 minute miles) to get under 1:50:00, but I had no idea what my per kilometer pace should have been and the pace bands seemed a bit off – I never did the math, but every time I compared to my watch I was a minute behind.
LESSON: know exactly what the goal is
• Paul and I ran together for the first 4-miles using his GPS watch to pace us and it showed us being well ahead of our goal pace; later learned that it was having trouble tracking in the tall buildings of downtown Toronto.
LESSON: know exactly what the goal is and rely on simple technology
• At about mile 5, the 1:50 pace bunny group crept up on me (this is a guy wearing bunny ears and a sign that says 1:50 who runs that pace so racers can get paced). I thought, “cool, if I just stay ahead of them, I am good”. Didn’t realize they started AFTER the wave I was in
LESSON: know exactly what the goal is and rely on simple technology that you control
There were also successes, nutrition was good, clothing was good for the conditions, kept pushing hard the entire time. A good learning run.
I know that I am responsible for missing that goal, that is taking ownership and now I know that I will not make the same mistakes next time, that is getting #OneDayBetter.
I hope you do the same type of analysis and take ownership when things don’t go your way on the ice.
Cheers,
M
PS – did you see Turning Pro coaching client Zane McIntyre make his first NHL start last night. Tough spot – Bruins struggling and getting your first start at Madison Square Garden. Great experience and the first of many I am sure. A great guy, who is humble and does his work.