Last week I ran into my old Fit-tastic coach, Tim Clark. Tim helped me in my return to running last year, coaxing and pushing me through the Monster Dash 5K. We chatted, I mentioned that I was doing today’s Magnificent Mile in downtown Raleigh.

“Got a time in mind?” he asked.

“Well … ” I began, drawing the word out in a tell-tale hedge, “I’m not a short distance person” — which might suggest I’m a long-distance person, which I’m not, either — “I’m just hoping to break 7 minutes.”

Tim flinched. “Seven!?” he said. “I thought you were going to say 6.”

I got a similar reaction later in the week from Mike Walsh. Mike is an avid runner, former president of the North Carolina Roadrunners Club, a long-time source, and, more recently, a cheerleader in my return to running. I explained to Mike that the night before I’d run a 7:15 at a local track. “I hope I can break 7,” I said.

“Noooo,” he protested. “You’ll get caught up in the event. I predict 6:15.”

Who’ll show up at this afternoon’s Magnificent Mile, me or the me fantasized by my support group? I’ll provide the answer as well as insight into the race starting around 1 p.m. via live Twitter reports. Follow the action at JoeAGoGo.

Photo: From last year’s kids’ race. Hmm, wonder if 7 minutes would take that category? (Photo courtesy Carolina Snapshot.)