Important Factor #6 : Chasing Competition & Measuring Performance
From the outset I've chosen to measure performance on the track by time and place and on cross country or road by the same measure but a lesser degree on time. A track is a track 400m, the weather, altitude, level of competition or not a distraction...the only true measure is time if all is equal.
2012/13 marked a big change for me in chasing competition interstate. Athletics ACT this season was a basket case. One male (slower than me) from Athletics ACT ran the 10000m championships and not one female, the 5000m championships was a joke.
I joined an Athletics Victoria Club late in 2012...I was fortunate to share in an M50 AthsVic XCR team premiership. The Victorian C Grade 5000m Championships gave me a 15:57, the Zatopek 10000m B grade championships gave me a 33:18 and an M50 top 3 world ranking for 2012. No matter how hard I try on my own I need competition to reach my full potential.
On the road I've put my body and ego on the line in Sydney (City2Surf, Run4Fun), Melbourne (Melbourne Marathon 10km, City2Sea 14km) and here in Canberra in the Australian Running Festival Half Marathon in the last 2 years chasing competition with mixed results. In July it will be the Gold Coast Half Marathon, May maybe a cold Masters Athletics Victoria 10000m track and another season with APS and Athletics Victoris XCR.
Ultimately it will be World Masters Athletics Championships in Lyon in 2015, France and Perth, Oz 2016. Hard to imagine I will stop until I compete in an M55+ World Masters Athletics Championships having retired from full time work but the body needs to be willing and in good health. We will see.
2012/13 marked a big change for me in chasing competition interstate. Athletics ACT this season was a basket case. One male (slower than me) from Athletics ACT ran the 10000m championships and not one female, the 5000m championships was a joke.
I joined an Athletics Victoria Club late in 2012...I was fortunate to share in an M50 AthsVic XCR team premiership. The Victorian C Grade 5000m Championships gave me a 15:57, the Zatopek 10000m B grade championships gave me a 33:18 and an M50 top 3 world ranking for 2012. No matter how hard I try on my own I need competition to reach my full potential.
On the road I've put my body and ego on the line in Sydney (City2Surf, Run4Fun), Melbourne (Melbourne Marathon 10km, City2Sea 14km) and here in Canberra in the Australian Running Festival Half Marathon in the last 2 years chasing competition with mixed results. In July it will be the Gold Coast Half Marathon, May maybe a cold Masters Athletics Victoria 10000m track and another season with APS and Athletics Victoris XCR.
Ultimately it will be World Masters Athletics Championships in Lyon in 2015, France and Perth, Oz 2016. Hard to imagine I will stop until I compete in an M55+ World Masters Athletics Championships having retired from full time work but the body needs to be willing and in good health. We will see.
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