Not yet, but close.
I started a new "race page", and some of it bled over here in the right margin - just ignore that till I can find time to fix it.
This account of my running adventure started a year ago. I believed the biggest obstacle would be my abilities both mental and physical to stick with it. To that end, posted as to it here for all to read as a motivational tactic. I have remained motivated for a year, going out the door 5 or 6 times a week. That is very, very hard to do.
I "endeavored to persevere", and I believe I have.
No one is more surprised than am I.
My goal was to give an honest effort in a foot race. By honest, I meant not just dragging through a race but training to give a good effort.
I would say I accomplished that in my "dress rehersal" last month.
I have another "dress rehersal" set for April 19th at a race sponsored by a nearby high school in Georgia. That race will be a little larger, and hopefully a little flatter.
Then on April 30th when I am 70, will run a rather large race in nearby Anderson where around 300 racers should attend. That bigger race will draw in most of my local peers. I hope to identify some and try to actually race mano-mano with them for as long as I can endure. The ones who kick my ass will help motivate me to a higher level of training.
No matter how careful I have been, It seems I have been in almost constant injury. I have mostly run/walked around 20 miles a week and tried not to over do. I lost over 40 pounds, so that is something! My confidence is up, but that is normal for me. My ego tends to always overload what my ass can do.
The last couple weeks I find I have zero energy and am walking on almost all hills/rises. My heart beat elevates quicker. I don't understand, maybe I am a little anemic? On the plus side, this last week I have not been in discomfort from injury. Give me that for all of April and I will improve!
In Feb I added some hill repeats. In March I added in 7 times a 1/4 mile to gain some form running at a faster pace, trying to keep them under 2 minutes. Seven just seems to be my mental level right now. More would be better, and also 1/2 or full mile would be better. I am not tough enough for that yet. Also, there is only one 1/4 on the roads near me that is fairly flat. I go back and forth on it as I dodge the cars. Soon I hope to be racing some, and those 5K races will be an excellent source for training. Going forward, will probably keep my 1/4s due to conveince, and hope together with the 5K races --> see some improvement.
My future times are still hard to predict. I suspect that while my first race was hilly, it may have been short. Still, it appears I can run a 5K at an 8 minute pace which aint too bad for a septuagenarian. If I stay with this throught he heat of another Carolina Summer, I can see the possibility of maybe a 22:59 come Fall.
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