The Handicap Theory - Running

Have you seen my running log? It's at the beginning of the blog. Why a running log ? - well here's the theory.

Golfers are an orderly bunch. Even those that don't play golf understand the handicap system. One guy says to another (gal) my handicap is 13 what's yours? He answers and they both pretty much know what the other guy is! Now that's totally cool - you have to admit - so few facts transmitted and so much information !!!!!!

Well other sports need handicapping as well - especially the one's I love & do - Running & Skiing. How in hell do you tell someone how you ski or determine how they ski? Hey I'm really good, I can snowplow, I can jump, I can . . . . - that's really stupid. But . . . . . . If there were a handicap system it would be just like golfers.

So now, let's move on to running. If there were a handicap system for running some of the elements of calculation would be number of days run out of how how many elapsed average number of miles per day speed per mile running conditions (heat, cold, snow, . . . .) All of these factors would be weighed appropriately and whalah ---- you'd get a a handicap.

Now years ago (maybe three or four), I timed myself for months and tracked the stuff. I figured out a good 5 mile run was 42-45 minutes, a great one 41 or so, and bad ones longer. A good 7 mile run was about 60-62 minutes. Now I've gotten slower since then - I'm old and I smoke (a lot) - but I'm not too much slower. Good days (really good ones) can be about the same and bad ones are worse then they used to be. So all of my tracking DOES NOT INCLUDE TIME. Fu!