400 Miles
The Accidental Accomplishment
I use an app called Cyclemeter to track my outdoor activities. I started using the app several years ago when cycling was my primary form of exercise. I don’t cycle much anymore but despite the name the app does an excellent job tracking all activities. If you aren’t in a committed relationship with your fitness tracking app I’d recommend giving it a look.
Of course you’d expect, as with any self respecting app, that you can create an account, post via twitter or facebook and email yourself your results or keep them on the cloud — boy do I wish I’d done any of those.
In early November I was reviewing my history when I noticed I had around 350 miles logged running for the year. Being so close to 400 it only seemed natural to make an attempt at it… Then I looked at my calendar. Between holidays and trips and what I’d already committed myself to it seemed daunting.
Figuring I’d need to log about 30 miles a month and with a few weekends already ruled out I was down to averaging 12 miles/weekend on the few dates I had left — doable but tough.
One of those committed weekends was Thanksgiving. My wife and I made a trip to the Cayman Islands with the family. In preparation for the trip I bought a waterproof phone case. I had Visions of taking the most amazing underwater pictures you’ve ever seen. Publishing my work. Living on the island for the rest of my days on royalties. On the second day of the trip I forgot to close the hatch on the case. I dove in the water. Moments later I realized the mistake as water poured from the case.
Despite the irritation of having a dead phone, it actually turned out to be a huge relief. It kept me from looking at and responding to email. It enabled me to completely disconnect.
When we got home I began working on replacing the phone while temporarily using what now seemed like an ancient iPhone4. With in a week I was up and running with all my old apps — except for one little problem. I’d never taken the time to create an account with cyclemeter, all the data was stored locally on the phone. All that information, all that history, that proof… gone.
The following Sunday I ran the Frozen Bonsai Half Marathon in Central Park. It was a particularly frigid day and my limbs were stiff the entire time. My buddy insisted on pacing at 9 minutes heading up to the race despite my attempts to coerce him into 8 1/2 minutes. He turned out an 8:40ish pace while I barely broke 9 minutes. The course wrapped around the park three times in counterclockwise circles each smaller than the next. Each crossing the finish line before beginning the next circle. After the second lap, somewhere between mile ten and eleven, as I was crossing the finish line for the second time the clock stated an hour and forty five minutes. I’d wished I was on my last lap. My calfs were cramping. Knees felt gelatinous. Hamstrings of two by fours. When I finally made it around the third time and finished at an hour and fifty eight minutes I was elated to be done.
On my last step across the finish line I heard a runner call out to the officiator that she could easily cheat and improve her PR. She was finishing her second lap. He quipped back as she continued past that no one would know except her…
I don’t share my work out stats anywhere other than here really and I try not to share much of them here either. Even if my phone hadn’t met it’s demise very few people would ever know that I hit 400 miles this year.
I am disappointed that I’ve lost 4+ years of history and race records. Guess it’s time to make some new records.
AJF
