the gorgeous torture of marathon math

I never took to math, but the more I run, the more beauty I find in numbers -- miles per hour, tenths and hundredths of a second, pulse rates, calories burned, the numerical extrapolation of 10K to 13.1 miles to 26.2 miles. Here are this morning's figures:

Western Ave-Science Museum loop: 8.078 miles
1.hr 10 mins, 56 secs= 8.73 min. miles (calories burned: 977.5)
Multiply by 26.2=228.844=3.814 hrs (assuming I don't flag one bit during the next 17-plus miles!).

While I'm at it, here are the prime numbers that swirl around my head as I prepare for marathon number one.

Official time goal: finish
Unofficial goal: finish without crying, or crapping myself
Secret, unofficial goal: beat this guy (4 hrs and 8 mins; 9.48 min miles)
Super-secret unofficial goal: break four hours (9.16 min miles)
Super top-secret unofficial goal: under 3 hrs 51 mins and 39 secs., my dad's first marathon time (age 41, Marine Corps Marathon; 8.83 min miles). No father son issues there.



Pre-run eats: banana, apple, cup of yogurt, two Advil.