Hal Canfield Memorial Milefest - Race Report

As a participant in the Thursday Night at the Track meets this summer, I was hoping to do enough speed focused runs to do really well at the Hal Canfield mile race. Each year I've participated, I've been working on a different training focus (mostly fall half marathon stuff).

Speed has never been my thing, but then again I've never really worked on it either. Which came first - am I not good because I don't do the work, or do I not enjoy the work because I'm not good? This year would be the year I did the work.

Only the track meets were late and humid. And I was one of the slowest people there. Physically exhausted and mentally defeated, these were each workouts I very much regretted. Still, I was hopeful for a good mile result and a PR for the Labor Day annual mile race.

As my Mamaw likes to say hope in one hand, poop in the other and see which one fills up fastest.

I set my watch to quarter mile laps so I could review my pacing. Quarter mile splits: 1:51, 1:58, 2:05, 1:54.

Total time: 7:48

I was 22 seconds off a new PR. Disappointing, sure, but I knew I had given a good effort. Given my training (very little speed work) and the conditions (warm, humid air) I just didn't have a PR in me.

 Amy, me, and Gretchen - they placed 2nd and 3rd in the Masters Division

It was, however, good enough for 4th place in my division - awards were given out for the top 10. There were a total of 8 of us racing.

I do still want a 1 mile PR before the end of the year, but I'm not sure of any other 1 mile races in the area. I was thinking of doing a little speed work then heading to the track to attempt a fast mile.

What do you think? Do you count PRs set in a training environment? Or do you only count the records set while racing with official timing systems?