Last year at this time I was training for a Thanksgiving Day 10k fun run that I ran the previous five years. This year I won't be running because I'm retired from the fun run circuit. All good things eventually come to an end.
In fact, my running has come to a screeching halt. I have mixed feelings about this because I have so many pleasant running memories, and I know how much it has contributed to my overall fitness. I hung in there as long as I could but realized that both Olympic weightlifting and running was too much a demand on my knees and legs. There was room for one but not the other, so I made a "business decision" that, for now, it would be the Olympic lifts rather than running.
Prior to this week, most of my running in 2008 had been shorter distances on the treadmill at one percent incline, such as running one mile as fast as I can. The treadmill is much friendlier on my middle-age man knees than the road or track. I ran a one-mile timed trial in 6:40 on July 29th and 6:35 on July 9th. The fastest I've ever run this distance was 5:49, which I did, sometime in early 2007.
So taking this week off from Olympic lift training gave me the opportunity to do some cross training. I got the itch to see where I was with my running. Could I still run and how fast? How would my legs and knees feel the next day? There was only one way to find out.
So at the end of my Monday workout, I jumped on the treadmill and ran one mile in 7:15 or 35 seconds slower than my July 29th effort 3.5 months earlier. I wouldn't call it a maximum effort but it was pretty close. My knees felt good the next day but I did have some mild running-related muscle soreness.
I tried again on Wednesday and ran one mile in 6:53 or 22 seconds faster than Monday but 13 seconds slower than July 29th. Again, I wouldn't call it a maximum effort but it was more of an effort than Monday.
This Friday I'll try again. I believe it's possible to match the July 29th 6:40 pace and I'll give it my best effort. Stay tuned for the details sports fans.
What this has revealed to me is that I can still run.
Pax Domini sit semper vobiscum
In fact, my running has come to a screeching halt. I have mixed feelings about this because I have so many pleasant running memories, and I know how much it has contributed to my overall fitness. I hung in there as long as I could but realized that both Olympic weightlifting and running was too much a demand on my knees and legs. There was room for one but not the other, so I made a "business decision" that, for now, it would be the Olympic lifts rather than running.
Prior to this week, most of my running in 2008 had been shorter distances on the treadmill at one percent incline, such as running one mile as fast as I can. The treadmill is much friendlier on my middle-age man knees than the road or track. I ran a one-mile timed trial in 6:40 on July 29th and 6:35 on July 9th. The fastest I've ever run this distance was 5:49, which I did, sometime in early 2007.
So taking this week off from Olympic lift training gave me the opportunity to do some cross training. I got the itch to see where I was with my running. Could I still run and how fast? How would my legs and knees feel the next day? There was only one way to find out.
So at the end of my Monday workout, I jumped on the treadmill and ran one mile in 7:15 or 35 seconds slower than my July 29th effort 3.5 months earlier. I wouldn't call it a maximum effort but it was pretty close. My knees felt good the next day but I did have some mild running-related muscle soreness.
I tried again on Wednesday and ran one mile in 6:53 or 22 seconds faster than Monday but 13 seconds slower than July 29th. Again, I wouldn't call it a maximum effort but it was more of an effort than Monday.
This Friday I'll try again. I believe it's possible to match the July 29th 6:40 pace and I'll give it my best effort. Stay tuned for the details sports fans.
What this has revealed to me is that I can still run.
Pax Domini sit semper vobiscum
4 comments:
Good going. I haven't ran for time since high school many moons ago. I don't really like running all that much. I do some sprints now and again but haven't done any distance running for ages.
Running makes me feel young, fast running in particular. But it does make me hungrier. I ate a lot yesterday.
Hey Pierini - glad to hear you can still run pretty darn fast on those 'old mans' legs :P
Running makes me feel pretty good too, and also very hungry !
My old man legs and knees have been behaving this week, but I'm being careful not to abuse them. One mile max efforts will be the extent of my running.
I did a 6:35 mile this morning and feel pretty good about that.
Post a Comment