Just finished Mountain Madness, the biography of Scott Fischer, one of the guides in the disastrous 1996 Everest Disaster that was subject of the Krakauer Into Thin Air masterpiece. I will read anything he writes. But I digress.
Fischer's challenge was all about tackling the next mountain, which was first McKinley and then K2 and finally Everest. There is no award or record for climbing mountains as fast as possible. You either climb to the top or you don't. Win or lose.
Endurance sports and CrossFit aren't like that. You have to finish to be eligible to brag but you are Ultimately judged by your time. This has been totally fine for me up until now as I know if I train hard enough I can possibly do a "my best time ever" for a race or distance.
But what happens when age starts to affect my times and I can never come close to a 330 marathon or 1.35 half. My sprinting speed left years ago and I'm ok with that but I never was fast. Since I identify so much by my times (aspergers warning) will I be crushed emotionally and start climbing mountains to affirm my manhood. God I hope not. Unless it can be done on an extreme oxygen treadmill.
Speaking of which, 46.37 for six miles on the mill. I went easy as my left calf was very sore after cramping in the middle if the night. What a joke. I am shooting for 8.5 miles at 8 minute pace tomorrow.
I feel the same way at times Merrill. I settle for feeling fast. And I don't have to necessarily run an entire event fast. If part of it was fast, I'll take that.
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