Tomorrow a year long bet will come to a conclusion. Last year around this time, Evan (the Wevs moving forward) and I made a bet that he couldn’t run a mile in under 5:30. This bet was made under hazy Howl at the Moon conditions and I frankly didn’t even remember making it. 

Making long term bets always puts a little more validity into winning or losing because so much time has passed. It’s a reminder of the two 1k bets I have with Sam that are now aging past 2 years.

Back in 2017, I’m sure Evan thought he had plenty of time to make this happen. He’s been sending approximately weekly snap chats of his progress and training which includes running 1 to 2 miles weekly at his fastest pace. He got below 6 minutes on the treadmill and then was told a 1.0 incline is what makes a treadmill time more legit. As such, he felt the treadmill hindered his top speed and we’ve decided to use the Temple outdoor track for the trial. 

For all of those interested, this 1 mile run will take place around noon tomorrow at the track near Broad and Master. We are expecting temperatures in the 50’s which should bode well for the conditions. I’ll have my camera filming for live footage of the attempt.

Do I think he can break 5:30? No I do not. I’ve been around track for a long time and remember that my PR as a 9th grader was 5:22. Yes I was pre-pubescent, but I was still running 40 miles a week. I’m not comparing Evan to me as a 9th grader, but comparing what it took a 14 year old to get to 5:30 vs a mid 30, 2 mile weekly, someone to get there shouldn’t be that far off. 

He’s made a few side wagers around the 5:50 mark which may be more realistic. Sam will be pacing him which I haven’t decided is good or bad. On one hand, he’ll know what he needs to get. On the other hand, I’m pretty sure that Sam is getting smashed tonight and if Evan starts falling behind the pacer, who knows what can happen. I’d predict a time of 5:57 with a giant question mark on whether Evan knows what a 6 minute pace is. If he goes out in 2:50 half (i’d err Sam to the fast side which they should talk about), I’d bet that 3rd lap is critical. If he has legs through it, he stands a chance to kick it under. If the wheels have come off, we’ll be sure to watch that ship sink.

All and all, it makes for interesting blog material. I’ll keep everyone posted.