The qualifying time for US Indoor Champs last year was 8:03.00 for 3000 meters. Late in the indoor season of last year I ran a 3k where I was looking to make that time. As I crossed the finish line I could see eight-0-two-point-something on the clock. As I awaited the official time, I knew that if I saw 8:02 then there was a great chance that I ran 8:03. Turns out...I missed qualifying for US Indoors by 0.45 seconds.....8:03.45. For one year I despised that stupid little rational, finite decimal. I mean I REALLY hated it. I had nobody to blame but myself, certainly there was some point during the race that I could have pushed half a second faster. This indoor year I wasn't going to let that happen again.
The qualifying time was the same, 8:03.00. Changing my racing schedule from last year, I decided to run a 3k earlier in the season and get the qualifier out of the way. Feeling fitter than the previous year, I was ready..... 8 minutes and 3.59 seconds later, I had missed it again, by 0.59 seconds. I couldn't believe it but I was still very optimistic because it was my first race of the season and I had more chances (If anything I was encouraged). The race went out slow, another runner fell in front of me in the middle of the race, and I hadn't done anything too fast workout wise.
Well, long story short, I got two more attempts. The first was disrupted by sickness and the second was a solo try that didn't end well, still feeling a bit drained.
I believe that things happen for a reason and although I will now loath the number 59, I will look forward to better things on the outdoor track.
Paul, Jesse, and I talk about a lot of things on our runs (mostly football - Paul and I are huge Broncos fans and Jesse had the misfortune of growing up a Chiefs fan). Apart from gridiron chat, we talk about another passion, running. In all of the conversations, in all of the long runs we do together, we can only come to one conclusion - running can be tough. But everyone knows that.
P.S. Tommy, I'm glad you got to meet Pete.
So Paul makes you call him Pete too?
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