How many races have you WON?

MarathonBoy · Post by **MarathonBoy** » Mon Sep 11, 2006 12:00 am

Okay you fast people, time to set aside the modesty and answer this question. I, of course, have never won one, and probably won't but you never know - the right race on the right day and I might be right there.

The half marathon in Gentry Sunday had a 1:37 winner. Back in my day, I could do that. I ran this race 2 years ago. That day they also had a 10-K in which a below-average time for me would have won. Yeah, there were like 6 guys in it, but the trophy was still a foot tall or so.

So chime in here. The first option is for Coach Aspel. Ironically, BSki has mentioned that it was pretty far into his stellar career before he won a race - I believe it may have been the 2005 Batesville? He has a funny story of one he should have won. I know Chucky won the same race two years in a row - the Peach Festival - and then ran the 50-K that night after both (one of which I smoked him!) I know Canute has won a handful of races. Papa Graham even won a race this spring I think. Wags and I used to dream of someday winning a race, and then he went out and won TWO that summer! Then there is old man Bressette who won the AIR FORCE MARATHON!!

Obviously this is for the ladies also, but I have fewer examples there. Sara wins most of the races anymore, but I don't think she is even a registered forum user, so we might not hear from her. One of the softly spoken, previously unwritten desires of us middle-of-the packer guys is to try to stay with the front-running women, something I used to do. My best was the Atlanta Marathon, where out of 600 people, one woman beat me. The 2nd place woman was whining in her interview about the 8-9 "Heartbreak Hills" on the course. I guess she was referring to Boston. I had no mercy on her as I powered through the Torryesque course.

DavidCPA · Post by **DavidCPA** » Mon Sep 11, 2006 12:23 am

I vaguely recall winning a 880 yard race in a practice meet in Wynne in 9th grade (1985). In other words, it's been a long, long time, if ever

I would have had a shot at the Rock the World 5K in Cabot earlier this year as the winner had a 20:30 time, but I was hurt and worked the finish line instead.

MarathonBoy · Post by **MarathonBoy** » Mon Sep 11, 2006 12:31 am

DavidCPA wrote:I vaguely recall winning a 880 yard race in a practice meet in Wynne in 9th grade (1985).

Kinda like John Kerry said during his presidential attempt that he "vaguely recalled" running the Boston marathon. This was in an article in Runners World. I never understood why the official records didn't verify this once way or another, but that is what it said. Too his credit, there was a picture of him playing ice hockey, so if he didn't do Boston, at least he wasn't a total sports loser. John Edwards, by the way, has run 5 or so marathons with a 3:30 PR and W ran one with a 3:44.

Anyway, the 9th grade 0.9-K is a stretch, but since you are the only other person awake right now, and probably the only person that will vote, we'll count it. It will be a mute point before long, as you, my man, are going to win your share of races before it is all over.

Or should we have a rule that they have to at least be a 1-K? So what was this winning time? Did you puke?

DavidCPA wrote:...the winner had a 20:30 time...

Wow, I had my "stroller PR" down to 20:47 last year - how cool would that have been - think Josey would have gotten excited??

I bet Team Hoyt has won more than a few races.

Post by **kimhoward** » Mon Sep 11, 2006 5:09 am

Hey, down here in the boonies, the competition used to be slim. One race only had 14 runners, the others were usually 30-40 people. I have won 7 so far, although not one in the last 4 years, or so

Been 2nd a few times since then, and 3rd even more, including Saturday. The people at work always asked me what place I came in. But, I'd much rather have a great time, and come in 50th place, then win and have a sorry time!

stealthycat · Post by **stealthycat** » Mon Sep 11, 2006 6:37 am

I won 1 race by default. it was a teeny tiny race out by Conway, and I won it in 22:30.

DavidCPA · Post by **DavidCPA** » Mon Sep 11, 2006 8:44 am

Or should we have a rule that they have to at least be a 1-K? So what was this winning time? Did you puke?

It was probably a 2:15 or something like that. I actually ran under 2:10 a couple of times that year but I still didn't win races cause I was only the second fastest on our team at that distance. Guy could run like a 2:07 which was good for 9th grade and our classification. Sadly he let his talent go to waste because he didn't even run track his senior year.

MarathonBoy · Post by **MarathonBoy** » Tue Sep 12, 2006 12:28 pm

stealthycat wrote:I won 1 race by default. it was a teeny tiny race out by Conway, and I won it in 22:30.

Everything counts. John "the Penguin" from Runners World says that by showing up, you beat everybody that didn't. Its all about picking the right race on the right day. I would have a heart attack if I ever found myself at the front of a race with the finish line in sight. At the Spring Fling last year, I was leading at the 1.5 mile marker and Bob Taylor almost ran over me with the lead vehicle.

Jhonis and 5 other guys then blew past me.

MarathonBoy wrote:Kinda like John Kerry said during his presidential attempt that he "vaguely recalled" running the Boston marathon.

Upon further reflection, I think I remembered this wrong. I can't believe no one has called me out yet and I apologize. Anyway, I think the article actually said that he claimed to have run it, but that the records did not indicate that he had done so. I believe there are a tremendous number of bandits in that race and that they can't really control it.

Something in the Team Hoyt article implied that they did so for a few years before they actually qualified. The interesting thing is that the race would not automatically include them either because they are the coolest thing ever or because they could sorta qualify as a wheelchair participant (I guess not really, as that would not be fair to the real wheelchair guys, although they normally finish before the runners.) Ironically, they have now done something like 25 straight Bostons and their marathon PR in 1992 of 2:40 erased any question of qualifying.

PT · Post by PT » Tue Sep 12, 2006 1:24 pm

My In-Laws live in Timbo (see if any one ever heard of that... hahahaha), which is not too far Mountain View. Back on April the 8th they ran the "Stone County Medical Center 5k" in MV (28 runners).
Unfortunately I didn't know about it, or I would have mentioned taking a trip to see the In-Laws!!
Anyway, the winning time was 23:35, and the first thought I had when I saw that... "dang, I could have run that and actually won"!

Then I could have voted "1" instead of "yeah rigth".

p.s Props to 60 year old Roy Hayward, the men's 5k winner, 23:35... I hope I can run a time like that in another 17 years...

MarathonBoy · Post by **MarathonBoy** » Tue Sep 12, 2006 1:29 pm

PT wrote:My In-Laws live in Timbo (see if any one ever heard of that... hahahaha)

I went to high school with 2 guys that had moved to Mount Judea (additional hahahahaha) from Timbo. Mount Judea is in Newton County, which has no stoplights in the entire country, and to which I went 10 miles of dirt road from our house to my school. I am sure this probably explains a lot.

NONE of the "too many to count" and "more than 10" voters have commented or identified themselves? Who are these impressive runners?? I am thinking Billy Mills since he posted on the Watch this Video thread about the same time as one of these votes were cast AND he makes the excellent point that Russellville is Sandbagger Country.

stealthycat · Post by **stealthycat** » Tue Sep 12, 2006 2:24 pm

MarathonBoy wrote: Everything counts. John "the Penguin" from Runners World says that by showing up, you beat everybody that didn't.

yeah, except I don't really count it. I would much rather run against good competition and win a race than get one one a fluke. Not much of a fan of "the Penguin" or RW for that matter. :)

Post by **kimhoward** » Tue Sep 12, 2006 3:00 pm

I agree Stealthy. I would much rather set a P.R. and come in the middle of the pack, than run 30 seconds off my best time and come in the top 10! I go by time, not by place..(unless it's beating Don Still!

)
RW has a few good articles, not many, and "The Pengiun"...ugh :evil: Heck, he tells you not to try to run your best! They keep him, and let Bob Wishnia..(or whatever his name was),the shoe guy, also known as Wish on the RW Shoe Forum go.

PT · Post by PT » Tue Sep 12, 2006 5:07 pm

I kind of like the Pengiun. I don't run like he does, or like he tells his members of the "Pengiun Brigade" to run. However, running fast is not what he is all about.
I can't explain it, as there is not enough space for one of my loooooong notes, nor time.
I think he's out there just trying to get folks out there running, that normally would not run. I have know a lot of folks that don't want to go out and run/race, cause the fast folks (not me) intimidate them.
He's telling those folks... "don't worry about it, just get out there and do it. If you come in last, so what"!
There's a place in running and racing for what he calls back of the packers, and he's just trying to let them know about it!

As far as winning a race... that'll never happen for me... unless it's a small, first time race, like I mentioned earlier. I was not trying to say it's cool to sneak into a situation like that and win with out trying. Heck, if I had been there for the race, I would have given my all.
Those of us who are "winners of races" don't realize some times, what it feels like for those of us, who will never really have a shot at winning a race.

I do some races to have fun, do some to see where I'm at in my training, and do some to run as hard as I can. And in most circumstances, like Kim said, I'm more worried about my time, not my place.

Man it would be nice to really be fast...

stealthycat · Post by **stealthycat** » Tue Sep 12, 2006 6:09 pm

kimhoward wrote: Heck, he tells you not to try to run your best!.

Yeah, I guess every article I've ever read from him seems to encourage low mileages and eking out races. I guess that's ok for some people, but I always thought it torture to barely be able to get one done. (where's that pukey emoticon?) True - that is a good feeling when you first start running, to be proud that you have accomplished something. However - there is also great reward in busting your butt on the roads, training hard, and then reaping a fast race because of that hard work. I'll never forget how despondent I felt when I finished Little Rock Half in 03 with a 1:58:00. I remember thinking, "My god, I gave that ***** all I had, and that's all I had in me? That sucks!" **I'm looking forward to Memphis again**

sidewinder · Post by **sidewinder** » Wed Sep 13, 2006 6:01 pm

who put in the "too many to count vote'.....lol.....it wasn't me although
i do qualify for that category....I remember one time putting percentages to the wins because they did alot of the with eddie sutton and other basketball coaches....and i did mine over 5 years back in the 80's....had a 92% win rate over 4 or 5 years.....One race I have never won was the pepsi 10k......now the capitol city 10k......but every other one I think i've had my fingers in.or should I say my foot.....I thought i might get Hope a few years ago....but haven't won it since it was a 4miler in 1981....Also here's an interesting stat.....I was googling my name and came across the difference in years between winning marathons.....I was ranked 5th or so in the nation.... I first won the arkansas marathon in 1983 and last time i won it was in 1997....so 14 years of difference.....might check it out better and see it I can't win it again and have the country's longest difference.....lol.........talking on wins?? is it possible to see what wins were in the grand prix, and rank the overalls and maybe the masters.....with who has the most...like a top 5 or top 10....could it be done on computer which might make it easier??........whew.....lol

And I am ailing again....right calf this time....its swollen....so relax DHW..Brian P...Bill D....L Graham....if I get to run orange again you can probably get me.....but i hope i can be back for chile pepper.... :(

DavidCPA · Post by **DavidCPA** » Wed Sep 13, 2006 9:38 pm

My In-Laws live in Timbo (see if any one ever heard of that... hahahaha)

My grandparents called Timbo town because they lived just down the road in Fox