Time And Distance In The Days Of Yore

Everyone who pays attention to the blog at all, knows I cling to the past way more than prudent. An aversion to new things is built into my psyche because of my being raised in the Germanic Central Pennsylvania area.  Those who move to the area are considered outsiders until about the 40th anniversary of their arrival.

This aversion to the "New" also manifests in the disdain and ridicule of whatever is new in the running world. Arm compression sleeves, "the best" running sunglasses, kinesio-tape, energy beans, run bells, five-fingers, and hypoxic masks come to mind as some things that warrant genuine derision.

But one modern device I would have loved back in the day would have been the new GPS running watches.  I can only imagine the obsessive-compulsive stats and graphs I could have created back when I was really running.

My current favorite is the Polar M600, which embodies the best of a GPS running watch and the added geekiness of a smartwatch with WiFi and bluetooth links to your cell phone and computer.

In my most productive high school running year (I only had my Senior year!) all my runs were timed using the clock above the refrigerator in the kitchen.  Today, kids actually don't know how to read a circular clock with hands.  I have seen this numerous times, along with the inability to read anything written in cursive.

Figuring out the distances I ran was also an obsession with me.  There were many various methods I used...

• "Go by time" (highly innaccurate)  And there were chances to cheat...  Added distances when alone and less distance when running at PSU!!!  Thank you, Baden and Zeigler.
• Use the car's odometer. (Highly innaccurate)  But I didn't drive...
• Use a bike odometer. (Slightly less innaccurate)  But that meant doing the route twice!!!
• A map and a measuring wheel. (More accurate)  But I had no money and it required tedious precise calibration... 

So that meant the method I ended up preferring was the map and tape model.  Using a USGS contour map for accuracy, and a strip of clear tape folded upon itself with a scale drawn right from the map on it.  I would follow the route of the run along the course with a fine tipped pen, turning the tape to follow all the roads or trails, turning the tape completely around when I reached the end.  This was pretty accurate and only ever was slightly innaccurate because of changes in elevation.  (One side of a triangle is always shorter than the other two sides added together!)  I suppose the Physicists among us would be able to provide a formula to add the extra mileage run according to the changes in elevation.  I always just took the hit in distance as a price we all must pay!