I’ve got this route I run that is half woods and half roads.  I do not know exactly how far the route is.  I do not know if I am running it quickly or slowly.  I do not know who’s property I am passing through on the well-trodden path along the banks of the Charles river.  I do not know much about this route except that I track my time each time I run it.  And my sole goal each time is to improve my time.  I do not always improve my time, but usually I do.  I do not allow myself greater time this year because I am a year older than last year.  If anything, I am also a year wiser and by running this route often I should know where to push hard on the uphills and where to save energy on the downhills.  What is important to me is that I raise the standard by which I compete with myself.