Another correction, I wanted to get a 50 mile week in. Well I need to run today to do so and that ain't going to happen. Life, work, system issues (my system) and some time needed for landscaping take precedence, so I will go to plan B and shoot for 45 miles.
One last random thought and on a totally different subject, I was talking to folks last week at softball about running, they asked what race was I doing next and I said the Afton 50k, they asked how long is a 50k? I said 31 miles and they gave me a funny look and then they asked how long it would take. I said a long time but the cutoff was 8 and I was shooting for 7 hours weather depending. It's safe to say that most of them don't fathom why I run marathons let alone why I am doing another 50k and the fact that I would like to do a 50 completely escapes them. They think that maybe I am a little nuts, my guess is other folks doing Afton get that as well.
They asked how I train for the races and did I train with a group, I said I liked to run alone usually in Lebanon Hills and no I wasn't part of any running groups. I said I don't really like groups or people that much, they laughed as they know I love to talk. I have written many times in my blog about not liking being around people, yet I always enjoy going to races, ok not the crowds but the races. And I think that is the difference, I tolerate the crowds at races because it is during races that I know that I will push myself. That fine line between a perfect day or a total disaster is what I love to ride and I only find it during races. In training, I don't push the line in the same way. To be honest when I was faster it was easier, being slower, that line seems to happen at every race except it is between having an ok day and a disaster, the perfect race for the moment is a thing of the past.
Back to groups, I like talking with individuals about things we have in common, but I get intimidated by and avoid large groups. With regards to running groups, I am a member of the MDRA, but have never worn their colors or joined them at any of their races unless you count running at the dome. My wife and I joined ALARC years back but again I chose to not get involved with them and we have dropped that membership. I used to run occasionally with a buddy but I actually enjoyed our conversations about our runs more than our runs together. It may have been that he was faster but I think it may have been the energy it took for me to carry on a conversation for 3-4 hours.
I signed up for the MN Dead Runner Society (DRS's) email group when I decided to go for Chippewa earlier this year after I came across a link to the group and read what they were all about. If not for Chippewa, I am sure I would not have joined the email list but I knew I needed info to help me and since it was a yahoo group, I figured it was virtual not a real group of people. It's obvious in reading through the emails that the group is a collection of individuals who encourage, participate and race together in addition to sharing info via email. My guess is at Afton I might meet a few of them, some I am sure to recognize from their blogs. I don't see me heading out to run with them in the near future but it would be good to see some friendly faces as our paths will cross at future events. I am hooked on the trail scene, I want to go for a 50 and these folks will help me.
I wonder am I alone in not wanting to run with others, I know that the DRS's get together at Afton occiasionally and at RTA but do they run together or just meet before and after. My guess is both. Surely some are like me and like to run and explore the solitude of themselves.
