The Relativity of Running

I have trouble taking compliments. My wife would say I have an even bigger problem with giving them. I don't do well if someone tells me that I'm a "good" runner. What does that mean? I'm not stupid, I can look at the numbers and know statistically where I stand. For instance, simple math tells me that dividing my place by the total number of runners will tell me where I fall percentage-wise. But I have trouble looking at it that way.

Anyone who does a minimal amount of running is a "good" runner in my book (you didn't know I had a book, did you?). This is confirmed almost weekly with each new study about obesity and inactivity rates in this country. So, if you go out and run three steps you're getting more exercise that the majority of Americans.

Running is relative. It's not like team sports where you have a record of wins and losses. Sure with running you have a winner, but you don't have losers. It's not like Chris Reis won Sunday and the rest of us lost.

I race more against myself than I do the other runners. Some say I spend too much time comparing my times to past years, but that's me. No matter what race I run, my goal is to beat my best time in that race.

I think if you remind yourself of the relativity of running it will make you feel better about where you stand. Take comfort in the fact that there will always be others faster than you. Unless you are Robert Cheruiyot, Paul Tergat, Meb, or somebody else of that caliber.

Conversely, there will always be runners out there who are slower than you. No matter how slow you think you are, there are others who would love to be as fast as you. This is certainly not a knock on slower runners, we are all slower runners in the eyes of someone faster. Are you getting my point about the relativity thing?

There are only a few things that I know for sure. I know I will never win a marathon. I know this and I'm OK with it. Even if I quit my job and did nothing but train - I would never win a marathon. If I hired a dietitian and ate and drank all the right things - I would never win a marathon. If I hired a personal trainer with access to the best technology and facilities - I would never...OK, you get the idea.

So, I don't make it about winning the race. I make it about beating only one person - me.

If you are planning to run the Flying Pig and you are worried about your time, don't be. I don't know the exact numbers, but if you complete the marathon you will do something ninety-something percent of the world's population can't. The actual number is probably over 99 percent.

For the Flying Pig I can guarantee a couple of things: First, my time will not be the fastest. Second, it won't be the slowest either. I'm a regular Nostradamus.

Try to do what I do, make it a personal challenge with yourself. This works the same for all runners. It doesn't matter if you are a two hour marathoner, a six hour marathoner or an eight hour marathoner. That's the great thing about running - It's all relative.