My plan was to hit the local roads May 1st, but I got on out there. It was embarrassing. My neighborhood is hills as I live in Blue Ridge foothills.
It is embarrassing if someone sees me as I can't just jog along, but have to walk, especially on the hills.
The new watch is recording my heart. Right now I am unsure as to what I should be aiming at and just collecting info to adjust to. Any elevation rise sends my heart rate into orbit.
I find all this interesting, even if I am the guinea pig.
Basically, my heart (and breathing) are scarey high, especially for the piddly things I am doing.
Hopefully this will improve in the next few months. Jesse carries a weighted pack on his back, and I carry one in front called "big belly".
The effects of aging are a big deal and one cannot escape it. Even the best of the best decline.
From the 30s onwards, a number of physical changes take place in a person’s body. Aerobic capacity decreases, muscle mass reduces, muscle elasticity reduces, lung elasticity declines, bone density reduces, the metabolism slows, body fat increases and the immune system becomes weaker.
These changes will have an adverse impact on running performance. The fall in aerobic capacity, reduced stride length, reduced leg strength, and reduced ability to store energy all contribute to deterioration in performance.
I got into running late as I neared 40. My peak was around 46. I never knew my best years.
I gave it up at 55 and made a short return 5 years later. My training in my better days was 50+ miles each week of intelligent work. All was planned in detail with goals and a path to reach them. This was not jogging or running, but training.
At 60 on my return I did about 20 miles a week, and it was just 5 mile runs, no hill repeats, no track, no long runs. I did work hard on my 5 miles course as it is a hard route.
At a few races, I was competitive with the 60 year old with times in the 20's for 5K and one 42min 10K. I never saw one go under 20. I could have had I kept it up for a second year.
Then I stopped until now.
At the races I was working as hard and as controlled as when younger, but my effort was not being rewarded with fast times. I know how to race. My effort was satisfying, and most times I beat the geezers and most people.
After an 8 year lay off and fattening up period, my present effort allows me to walk fast for a few minutes.
Growing older has effects on the body. A good way to examine this is measuring one against the best times in the World at a given age.
http://www.runningforfitness.org/cal...bmit=Calculate
I may be at the bottom, but can improve, as can we all.
In the South East I can see 70 year old runners are winning with a 24 minute 5K. The SC record is in the 19's from a guy just up the road from me - George Luke. Elite runners are skin and bone and weigh 50 pounds. I am 200+ pounds of pure muscle.
So, in one year can I train up and go under 24? Right now one would say under 30 would be a better goal for me.
Right now I am like this fat guy:
My goal is to be like this fat guy:
The health benefits of running are broadly the same for older people as for everybody else. They include reductions in the risks of heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure and cancer; reduced depression and anxiety; weight control; improved bones, muscles and joints; improved mobility and coordination, and a psychological sense of well-being.
Standing on the gallows With my head in a noose
Any minute now I'm expecting all hell to break loose
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