Bob Beamon R.I.P.

No, the Olympic gold medalist did not pass away. I blogged early last December about my "Bob Beamon run" and how I had attempted to match it. In brief, in May 2006, while not in peak fitness and without cool temperatures, I did my 4.4 mile route in 26:30, 22 seconds faster than I had ever done before. I wasn't able to get close to that time the rest of that year and that one run stood out as something beyond what I should have been capable of. I called it my Bob Beamon run because of what Bob Beamon was able to do in the long jump in the 1968 Olympics. His is such a fascinating story they should make a movie about it.

I made a serious stab at it in early December, just missing equaling it by six seconds. Last night I put on the game face and went for it. I hit the 2.2 mile turn in 13:16. That was actually an auspicious number because I typically run negative splits in training. I gave it all I had on the return (like I hadn't been giving it all I had going out?), but was facing the wind. I finished the return leg in 13:11 for a total time of 26:27, 6:01 pace.

Naming that May 2006 performance my Bob Beamon run doesn't really do Bob Beamon justice. His record stood for 23 years. Mine lasted less than two and I only seriously attempted to beat it a few times, while every year hundreds of jumpers went after Beamon's record, including Carl Lewis.

It felt good to go fast last night and I was none the worse for the wear today.