35 Bottles of Beer On The Wall

35 Bottles of Excellent Beer

Sitting on the porch and my hamstring is killing me.  I don't do pills and needles well, so have 35 bottles of beer. This cannot end well.
Best to delete now as it takes a lot of words to drink 35 bottles of beer.


Playing with an age graded site TOR sent (http://theoldrunner.com) is fun.
http://www.runnersworld.com/pace-calculators/age-grade-calculator#


Apparently when I was 46:
My 1:17:17 Half Marathon would be an open time of 1:11:39.  That would still have me loosing to George Walker and Earl Owens, but who cares???  My 1:18 the next year at 47 grades out to be the better race, but I don't think it was.
A 16:30 5K from that year would have been 14:58 .
A 35:50 would be 32:56.

Apparently I was good around that time --> WTF happened to me ??

Looking at my Marathons, none of my adjusted times get me under 2:30.  I believe that to be my best distance against my local peers.  2:30 does even not stack up well nationally.  That makes sense.  I was always amazed at the people who were way ahead of me at Boston.  I would later watch the tapes and all sorts of "non-runnner" looking people would be finisning 10 minutes ahead.  I would work my ass off, be in great pain and at 24 miles come up on 500 pound guy with a stride like a crab, or one racing on a war day in a full gore tex suit.  Talent is a gift from GOD.

Back then I knew the best over 40 Marathoner - John Campbell of New Zealand.  He stayed with his girl friend in Charlotte and ran at McAlpine Park.  He never raced nearby as there was no money.  He said he was NOT a "Master's Racer" but raced all comers.  That he surely did.
In 1989 he ran 2:14 at Boston.
In 1990 he ran 2:11:04 at Boston.
He set masters world records at four miles (18:31), 10K (29:04), 10 miles (47:55), 15K (45:10), the half marathon (1:02:28) and the marathon.

I was at the 1989 Boston race and I was 43.  I ran 2:46:47.
Age graded:
Me -- 2:38
John -- 2:07.
John the next year -- 2:04.

John Campbell trained many miles a couple times a day at a 7 minute pace (quite slow for an elite runner). I know because I hung way back and paced/timed him a couple times.

My mileage going in was 72,66,71,70,70,53,94,36,51,53,34.

It was a fun year.  A group of us were going there --> Dale Astin, Rick Howell, Steve Staley, Gary Stegal, Butch Holt, Dan Williams, Brenda Carpenter, Tom Falls, Steve Pixley.  Some went along with me on my weekly 21 mile run, but they ran fast and were leaving before I got in.

Journal notes:
-- I ran the Carolina Marathon Marathon easy in Feb with John Boles at 3:03 as a long run and did not push.
-- My tempo runs were maybe 2X 5K at 22min.  My half miles were around 4 X 4 at 2:45.
-- About once a week I did 10 miles at 7 min pace.
-- I made a note in March that Staley was not training enough miles.
-- That weekend he beat me in an 8K where I ran 29:08.
-- I thought they were training all wrong.  They were ten years younger and had dismissed me as        competition.
-- York-Chester 10K 37:41
-- March 19 "I am the only guy who can run 21 miles in a day and gain weight".
-- March 21 "Tired, depressed - passing lots of blood".
-- March 26 - Spartanburg 10K - 35:51
-- Using DMSO on right ankle to reduce swelling before each run
-- "Dale has figured out a run he and Staley do to predict their Boston time.  I could not keep up,       but don't see the            relevance"
-- April 1 - Coopper river --> 35:54
-- April 3 - 3X 7 miles at McAlpine @7 minute pace.
-- April 5 - Staley and Dale did 10@63 today, I did 8 with an 18:45 5k in the middle
-- April 11 - Last hard work, 3 X 7 (21 miles) at McAlpine 6:54, 6:46, 6:54.  "I think I'm ready".

From the LERA Newsletter:
     BOSTON BOUND FLIGHT 1056
Comments Heard

- Steve Staley - "I will run a PR or burn like a comet"
- Rick Howell - "I hope it is dry on Monday"
- Gary Stegal - "I'm going to do whatever Bill does, only faster"
- K Peay - "I am thrilled I am allow to come along"
- Butch Holt - Steve has talked so much he need to carbo reload
- Bill Peay: I wish sea shells were plastic
             I wish tree leaves were stone
             I wish Staley would sit down
             and leave me alone
- Dale Austin - Is Staley going to talk all the way to Boston?

The race had become a 3 man contest as to whether Howell, Austin, or Staley would come in first (not counting Stegall of course as he was better).  I was considered too old.  (Only Harry Ash had confiidence in me, and of course K.)  Dan Williams was excellent, but not at that distance.  Pixley was coming in from another part of the World, no one could predict him.

On the ride over on the bus, we learned it would be a hot day. Wisely we all began to re-adjust our goals and pace. In my opinion at the time, I was the only one who even understood pace.  Lack of it is why all the others failed to attain their potential at this distance.  

As we waited for the gun, hellicopers were above, The National Anthem was playing.  Then in my mind,, the Eagles' tune "Take It To The Limit" appeared.   I had worked too damn hard, suffered too damn much not to have a go at it.  The $$ for this trip was more than I could afford.  Just before the gun sounded, I decided "to hell with a hot day", I was going to run like hell as long as I could.  I did not do all that work and pay all that money to run 3 hours.  The gun fired and I was off.

At mile one (6:52) in the slow moving crowded start Howell came up beside me and asked where I was going. I did not see him again.  I am not gifted enough to talk much during a race -> need to focus on the pain.

Mile two was 5:49 and Stegall had locked on to me.  He is a big, strong guy and a fast runner.  5:56, 5:55, 6:08, 6:01, 6:06, 6:05, 6:01, 6:05, 6:01, 6:14, 6:10, 6:10, 6:20, 6:12 --

Boston looses elevation at the start.  I had been there before (also Austin and Staley). I run well down hill.  That kills the quads, but WTF, you have to run it as it lays.

At the half (1:20:32) Gary spoke for the first time and asked if we were not going out a little too hard?  That is funny as he was the faster runner and not required to run my race.  I replied, "I want to get something in the bank before I hit the Newton Hills".   That was the way I ran Boston.  I understood the hills would slow me, and of course the distance does too.  The big deal is being able to run after the hills for the last 5 easier miles which are of course the miles that destroy one in the Marathon.

The unusual heat was taking a toll on all, even the great (see above) John Campbell who only managed a 2:14.

The Boston spectators are like nothing else in the World.  They line the course and they understand what is going on.  They are not "rubber necking", they are knowledgable fans.  They will not let you do less than your best. I ran right on the edge of the road and took water from all.  I stayed drenched and almost swam the course.  I suspect gary did the same.
Gary told me ater, that at the top of Heart Break Hill he was still close enough to touch me. He faded slightly when I picked up the pace again.

My second half was slowed to a 1:26:16, but running Boston at a negative split is not best for me (or most).  I believe on a normal temp day I could have finished in maybe 1:22 for a PR. I was not yet "over the hill" as believed and still improving. You have to race a course as it lays.  My last miles were - 6:26, 6:35, 6:36, 6:49, 6:53.09.  My 5 mile splits on this brutal day were 30:41, 30:29, 31:15, 32:40, 33:26.  It was not my fastest Boston, but I did OK.  By the time I got in John Campbell had polished off several Fosters, but WTF?

I came in at 2:46:48.  Gary was seconds behind, picked me up off my feet in the finish line and shook me. He is a strong guy.

The others had fun too.  I believe it is Staley's fastest Boston.  He went out at 8:02 as opposed to our sub 6 pace.  He hit 5 in 32:55, 10 in 64:10.  Like all, he slowed after 20, but did not have a bad mile.  My fastest 5 mile was mile 2-6, and his was mile 5-9.
My memory is that Dale came in 3rd of our group.  He was the first of us to go to Boston.  Keep in mind that once you had to go under 2:50 for a ticket.  Now they let anyone in.

Two beers left, but I need to piss.  The contest right now is if my hamstring will allow me to stand up.