Monday, April 14, 2008

2007 Ranking - where am I

Bought the 2007 ranking and results magazine from the Japanese athletics federation. It's the first time I buy one of these specials and was amazed by its content.
Let's start with the little guys, junior high school students aged 13 to 15 years old. The best 100 times for 1500 all went under 4.11, a time I haven't been able to break myself. The fastest been a 3.57. It gets better as the distant increases. For 3000 meters the best 100 times all went under 9 minutes. 9 minutes which translates into easily breaking 16 minutes for a 5000 meter run.
Let's step up and take a look at the high school kids, the adult wannabe's ... running wise, they are ready.
The best 100 times for 1500 all went under 4 minutes. Hmm how many people in Peru (all of Peru) can run 1500 in under 4 minutes? I think about 4 - 6 runners. If I were to count how many Japanese can do that I am sure it will be a number close to 500.
For 5000 all the runners went under 14.32 with 3 athletes (all foreign) going under 14 minutes.
But now let's look at the big boys, aka, my age group.
The best 100 times for 5000 all went under 14 minutes! The fastest 4 running fast enough to qualify for the olympics.
The best 100 times for 10000 all went under 29 minutes or to be more specific all went under 28.40. Just going under 32 would be amazing. Doing a 31.58 even better and better by the second ... but under 28.40 !?
And well the best 100 times for the half marathon all went under 1.03.45.
I don't think anyone is Peru ... actually I think only a few (as in around a dozen) runners in the entire South American continent can run fast enough to make it into the top 100 (with luck place 100th).
And where does this put me???
Well some of my times are probably ... hopefully in the top 2000 times of 2007 in Japan. And that actually places me top 15 in my country.
The goal for this year?
Try to be top 1900 ... or top 1,000,000 th in the world ... you gotta start somewhere u know ;-)

1 comment:

Stephen Lacey said...

Omar, thanks for your kind comment on my blog. I'm surprised and sorry to hear you also lost your pop. He must have been so young. At least my dad had a full life. Yes, you are right that we'll always have someone on our shoulders when we run. Dad was still alive when I ran Tokyo this year, though only for 15 days afterwards. Anyway, he was with me the whole time of that race.
Cheers,
Steve