track fan

Why can't you write 8.87?

That is the same thing Anna said!!

Well, I don't have a Garmin and generally I just estimate to the nearest 1/2 of a mile -- I just am not used to seeing numbers other than .0 or .5 in my log. I think it is mainly because I train by time and not miles; I like the whole "Badger miles" thing, where the U of Wisconsin team has some sort of formula for their easy runs that is like "time run/7 min pace" no matter how fast they run. I like the concept and have a "Bonnie miles" equivalent.

I think that people like you that have been running for a long time can tell how far and fast you are running by feel. I am trying to train myself to run by feel instead of pace, mainly because I believe it is a smarter way to train (and race) -- but this could just be naive I know!

How are you doing Sasha? I saw that Benjamin ran a great 2 miles the other day ... 15:22, he is just getter faster and faster. Congratulations on your newest addition to the family!!

I have been meaning to comment on your Crocs -- that is very interesting. Dean has a pair of the 5-fingers that he wears to do "barefoot running" (mainly to protect his feet from sharp objects) and runs in Nike Frees most of the time. I keep meaning to tell him about your Croc experience. Very interesting.

Take care,

Bonnie

I was going to write the same comment as Sasha. You ran more than 8.5 miles! Sorry that spring isn't acting springy yet.

I always run by feel, but I check the pace as much as I can, in fact, every quarter most of the time, to refine my senses, and also to get a better idea of what is going on. Today my first quarter was 2:19, and I did nothing about it. The next one was 2:07, and I did not do much about it either. About half-way through the run I usually decide to catch some kind of a guy - 7:30, 7:00, 6:45, 6:30 sometimes. Although this is a numeric decision, it is still governed by feel. At that point I know which guy can be caught without overworking myself.

You can run by feel and be very precise with numbers at the same time. You just need to humble yourself and say that pretty much any pace your body wants to go is a good pace, even if it happens to be very slow.

I'm a believer in only listing 0.5 mile increments, like you. I will sometimes round up, though (8.87 is 9 miles in my book), and sometimes down (9.2 would be 9). I just round to the nearest .5.

Hi Michelle, how are you feeling?

It is kind of a joke about the "exact mileage" thing -- really, I could easily write 8.87 ... I am just stubborn about being a mileage junkie! It has taken me a few years to finally allow myself to run slow and not be too obsessed about how fast I run (except in races) and mileage is kind of tied to that. Unless it is track time - and then it is all about time/pace.

I like the winter (except when the snow is blinding) - it has been truly beautiful this year!

One more month and you will be BACK!

Bonnie

Hey Jon, I would have done that if I had not seen the miles on her watch ;-),

I figure it all evens out in the end (when I run with Dean I know he underestimates so I am sure I would have made up for an upward rounding today a few times over). Something about actually seeing the numbers makes it hard for me to do it!

We are just "neat numbers" people I guess ;-).

Bonnie

Sorry Bonnie. Even the number geek I am, I have to second Jon on this one. Before my Garmin (the dark ages) I would always round down to the nearest half, unless it got over .8 then I would round up.

Bonnie, join the Garmin geek club, every 100th counts. Nice run in the snow, good for no whine, can't lose any of those hard earned commando points.

Stay Kool, B of BS Rools out