From rmg3@access5.digex.net Wed May 20 08:22:30 EDT 1998

In article <6jo9cn$c70$1@cinenews.claremont.edu>,
Ben Yau  wrote:
>
>what is your favorite breakthrough run so far?  it can be the
>first time you ran a certain distance, the first time you did
>something else, or something else..or whatever... by breakthrough
>i mean it's the first time you did something under certain
>circumstances... or even just a major stepping stone in your
>running career... (coming back from an injury or whatever)
>

In no particular order (kind of chronological):
*) The day in 8th grade cross country that I didn't finish last on
    my team

*) The day in 8th grade cross country that I ran a good 880 at the
    _end_ of practice

(no running between then and senior year of HS)

*) The day I survived the run to, around, and back from the forest preserve
    (4-5 miles, nearly the first day of track.)

*) The day we were running through and around a forest preserve (different one)
    and the coach pointed out that the first controlled nuclear reactor was
    buried there.  Good hard run with some history of science (another 
    interest of mine).

*) Not really my run, but the day there were multiple heats (large meet) of
    the 2 mile.  I was in the first (slowest) one, set a PR and then timed
    the later (successively faster) heats.  Great realization: The guy who
    finishes last _always_ looks slow, even though last in the fast heat 
    would have lapped first in mine.

*) The day I got under 12:00 for 2 miles (and I do mean miles)

*) Running the 3rd leg of the 4x800 relay at the conference meet, helping
    earn the team a 3rd at the meet, and taking 8 seconds off my best for
    the 800.

Best day in HS, though:
*) Running the mile at home.  That day the coach didn't put out our strongest
    set of milers (only 1 of our 5 sub 5 guys ran), and we were against a 
    relatively weak team.  Early in the 3rd lap, I passed in to 3rd place 
    (!! I was usually found by counting up from the bottom, not far as a 
    rule).  Probably the only time I was in the top 5 of a solo race.  I 
    held there for the next lap and a half, when with 220 y to go, one of 
    our runners passed me.  As he did so, he was encouraging me to stay 
    with or pass him back (!), and I started to hear the rest of the distance 
    runners cheering me from the stands.  Tremendous feeling.  Stretched 
    to the limit running, beautiful weather, and fantastic support from the 
    team.

Since starting up again:
*) The first time I finished a mile continuous run.

*) The first time in a season that I reach 30, 60, and 90 minutes,
    or 5k, 5 miles, 10k, 15k, 10 miles.

*) My first road race (ever, didn't run one while in track).  A local race,
    in a very supportive town.  

*) The time I was at the track and someone said something about me running 
    fast.  (the clock didn't agree, but to be at the point of giving the 
    illusion of running fast was something).

*) The frequent general feeling of ... well gee, isn't it nice to be out
    loping across the countryside.

-- 
Robert Grumbine rmg3@access.digex.net http://www.access.digex.net/~rmg3/
Sagredo (Galileo Galilei) "You present these recondite matters with too much 
evidence and ease; this great facility makes them less appreciated than they 
would be had they been presented in a more abstruse manner." Two New Sciences