I haven't run in 2 weeks - since New Year's Eve. The weather in southwestern Ontario has been a real pain - very different from last year. So cold!
Anyway, I decided to run today - around 5k - just to at least do something. Yes, I could run on a treadmill. But, I personally can't stand them. So, off I went.
Street and sidewalk conditions were okay. Snow and ice for the most part. Nothing deep, just a bit uneven and potentially slippery. Just had to be careful. Temperature was -9c (-15c with the windchill). I really don't care to run in weather that's any colder. Or, even that cold, for that matter!
Went 5.65kms in 36:50mins; 6:31 per km. That included doing my typical 10 & 1's (run 10 mins, walk 1 min.).
Not bad. But, at least I was out doing something again.
Sunday, January 14, 2018
Monday, January 1, 2018
Happy New Year!
Yes, I'm still out here. Not doing a very good job of posting regularly ... obviously.
Yesterday I did an "official" non-timed fun run - Running Room's Resolution Run.
Last year the Resolution Run was my first "official" (although untimed) run. It was a 5km for me. I did it with the group I did a Learn to Run Clinic with. So, to celebrate my 1 year anniversary I thought I'd try my first "official" 10km run.
My running friends and I have drifted apart - for various reasons. However, I was definitely not alone. In spite of the cold there were probably 250+ out for this run. It was chilly ... -13c. Fortunately, there was no wind. Snowy and very slushy course at the west end of London's Springbank Park made good footing difficult. For the last 2 kilometres I paced a guy the caught up with me from behind. He was gradually increasing his speed and I ended up going much faster than I likely would have without him.
My watch showed I did 10.07 kms in 1:02:10 - pretty good for my first "official" 10 km race - especially given the conditions.
Now, if I could just focus and lose that stubborn last 15 lbs maybe I could do better.
Maybe I can get back to posting more regularly. (Maybe)
In the meantime, Happy New Year! and All the best!
Yesterday I did an "official" non-timed fun run - Running Room's Resolution Run.
Last year the Resolution Run was my first "official" (although untimed) run. It was a 5km for me. I did it with the group I did a Learn to Run Clinic with. So, to celebrate my 1 year anniversary I thought I'd try my first "official" 10km run.
My running friends and I have drifted apart - for various reasons. However, I was definitely not alone. In spite of the cold there were probably 250+ out for this run. It was chilly ... -13c. Fortunately, there was no wind. Snowy and very slushy course at the west end of London's Springbank Park made good footing difficult. For the last 2 kilometres I paced a guy the caught up with me from behind. He was gradually increasing his speed and I ended up going much faster than I likely would have without him.
My watch showed I did 10.07 kms in 1:02:10 - pretty good for my first "official" 10 km race - especially given the conditions.
Now, if I could just focus and lose that stubborn last 15 lbs maybe I could do better.
Maybe I can get back to posting more regularly. (Maybe)
In the meantime, Happy New Year! and All the best!
Sunday, October 22, 2017
Another 5k run
I did another 5k road race yesterday. Thought I was pacing myself well. Came in 10secs over my personal best at 26:40.
Later, when reviewing my stats on my watch I noticed that 6 minutes into the race my heart rate dropped significantly. I do not recall feeling like I could have ran a lot faster at that point. At the end, when I pushed it, I really could not have run any faster. However, most of the race my heart rate was much lower than when I train. I don’t understand unless my watch failed me somehow. Or, I can run faster sooner. We’ll see at the next race I guess.
5k, slightly hilly, pavement, 9c and clear.
Later, when reviewing my stats on my watch I noticed that 6 minutes into the race my heart rate dropped significantly. I do not recall feeling like I could have ran a lot faster at that point. At the end, when I pushed it, I really could not have run any faster. However, most of the race my heart rate was much lower than when I train. I don’t understand unless my watch failed me somehow. Or, I can run faster sooner. We’ll see at the next race I guess.
5k, slightly hilly, pavement, 9c and clear.
Sunday, October 15, 2017
still here ...
I'm still running and will start more regular postings within the next couple of weeks.
BTW - My personal best for a 5km run is 26min, 30sec. Not bad. Although there are always some that are very much faster. Oh, well.
BTW - My personal best for a 5km run is 26min, 30sec. Not bad. Although there are always some that are very much faster. Oh, well.
Sunday, April 30, 2017
Running ... and I need to smarten up!
So, I ran my first official timed race (5k) on Apr.9th. I did a respectable 26:35.6 and came in second in my category - male, 60 - 69 years old (2 out of 5). (48th overall out of around 315 runners.) It was a fairly flat and familiar course. It was hard but I was personally amazed at my time when I finished. (My personal best had been around 27:45 for 5k)
So, today I ran another timed race (5k of course - no sense in totally destroying myself just yet). During the last race I was caught behind a lot of slower runners and walkers at the start of the (narrow) course so I was determined not to let that happen again. This time I started near the front of a pack of over 900.
I figured I'd let the faster runners pass me for a change so I could set my pace early. However, as luck would have it, feeling so good out of the gate I kept up an impossible personal pace of less than 5 minutes per 1k for the first 2 kms. That's WAY beyond my red line! Also, the first 1k had a downhill that I was not prepared for - even though it was a road I had driven on thousands of times before. (Funny how you just don't notice such things the same in a car!) As I was running down it I was thinking, "okay, we'll have to go back up as some point, and I'm going to die!".
At around 2.5 - 3kms was the water station. Except they had both water and Gatorade. My mistake. I took the Gatorade and almost immediately regretted it. It just didn't sit well with me.
Then, of course, the uphill came after that at around 4kms (again, on a stretch of road I have driven thousands of times, but never appreciated the grade). I slowed my pace but I just wasn't going to make it. So - I walked. 30 seconds worth. A few people passed me but not more than 8 - 10 (I think). Anyway, that walk "rest" was exactly what I needed.
I got going again, and then booted-it for the final 200 metres. I came in at 26:31 beating my previous by 4+ seconds. I have to say, given how things were going, I was ecstatic! While I was hoping to beat my previous best, I really thought I'd blown it.
1st out of 13 for my category (male, age 60 - 69); 125 out of 900+
Lesson learned - I hope!
Oh - and, my knee is better, thank you. Looks like it was probably a muscle imbalance. There was no damage as I had originally feared (being a bit older, and all). Now, if I could just get rid of that pesky remaining excess 20 lbs.
So, today I ran another timed race (5k of course - no sense in totally destroying myself just yet). During the last race I was caught behind a lot of slower runners and walkers at the start of the (narrow) course so I was determined not to let that happen again. This time I started near the front of a pack of over 900.
I figured I'd let the faster runners pass me for a change so I could set my pace early. However, as luck would have it, feeling so good out of the gate I kept up an impossible personal pace of less than 5 minutes per 1k for the first 2 kms. That's WAY beyond my red line! Also, the first 1k had a downhill that I was not prepared for - even though it was a road I had driven on thousands of times before. (Funny how you just don't notice such things the same in a car!) As I was running down it I was thinking, "okay, we'll have to go back up as some point, and I'm going to die!".
At around 2.5 - 3kms was the water station. Except they had both water and Gatorade. My mistake. I took the Gatorade and almost immediately regretted it. It just didn't sit well with me.
Then, of course, the uphill came after that at around 4kms (again, on a stretch of road I have driven thousands of times, but never appreciated the grade). I slowed my pace but I just wasn't going to make it. So - I walked. 30 seconds worth. A few people passed me but not more than 8 - 10 (I think). Anyway, that walk "rest" was exactly what I needed.
I got going again, and then booted-it for the final 200 metres. I came in at 26:31 beating my previous by 4+ seconds. I have to say, given how things were going, I was ecstatic! While I was hoping to beat my previous best, I really thought I'd blown it.
1st out of 13 for my category (male, age 60 - 69); 125 out of 900+
Lesson learned - I hope!
Oh - and, my knee is better, thank you. Looks like it was probably a muscle imbalance. There was no damage as I had originally feared (being a bit older, and all). Now, if I could just get rid of that pesky remaining excess 20 lbs.
Sunday, March 12, 2017
Moving along (with a sore knee) ...
I previously mentioned that I have been part of an amazing group of runners - both the instructors and the instructees - since last October when I joined some classes to better formalise my running. I just happened to get in with a great group of people.
Yesterday (Saturday) was going to be our last opportunity to be together and run together as we were doing a 5K at the end of our training.
Well, I made it through the 5K yesterday - a fun run celebrating the upcoming St. Patrick's Day that was held in Lucan, Ontario (Canada). I'm still nursing a sore knee so I wasn't sure of how this was going to unfold.
So, I self-medicated beforehand (I took 1 extra-strength Advil). And, while my knee hurt a bit throughout the run, I made it in 30mins, 8secs - amazingly among my better run times. Did I mention that it was cold and windy with a windchill of -17c? Brrrrrr!
My knee felt well last evening but this morning it is sore again.
I go to the chiropractor again tomorrow morning as a planned follow-up. And, then tomorrow evening, I will start my cross-training - finally.
As for our group? Well, we've decided that we will try to continue to meet to run outside of our previously more formalised setting. Sore knee or not, I will be there.
Yesterday (Saturday) was going to be our last opportunity to be together and run together as we were doing a 5K at the end of our training.
Well, I made it through the 5K yesterday - a fun run celebrating the upcoming St. Patrick's Day that was held in Lucan, Ontario (Canada). I'm still nursing a sore knee so I wasn't sure of how this was going to unfold.
So, I self-medicated beforehand (I took 1 extra-strength Advil). And, while my knee hurt a bit throughout the run, I made it in 30mins, 8secs - amazingly among my better run times. Did I mention that it was cold and windy with a windchill of -17c? Brrrrrr!
My knee felt well last evening but this morning it is sore again.
I go to the chiropractor again tomorrow morning as a planned follow-up. And, then tomorrow evening, I will start my cross-training - finally.
As for our group? Well, we've decided that we will try to continue to meet to run outside of our previously more formalised setting. Sore knee or not, I will be there.
Thursday, March 9, 2017
I ran Sunday (Mar.5) morning and everything was fine - 5.4kms - and faster than Friday evening - closer to my normal pace for 10 & 1's.
Then trying to get back in shape a bit faster I went out Monday (Mar.6) evening for a 6k run. I went slower than Sunday and still, at just over 5k, my knee began acting up. *&@$#! I didn't try running through it like before because I now know what the issue likely is. So, I walked, at a leisurely pace, the remaining 0.75k home.
It's now Thursday and, while there's still something there, it doesn't hurt. I hope to participate in a 5K fun run this Saturday because it will be the last time our group (Learn 2 Run, and then 5K) will be together. If I can't run I will be there anyway to cheer them on.
Meanwhile, I've joined a gym. I really need to get some kind of cross-training in. And, learn how to strengthen my knee(s)!
Then trying to get back in shape a bit faster I went out Monday (Mar.6) evening for a 6k run. I went slower than Sunday and still, at just over 5k, my knee began acting up. *&@$#! I didn't try running through it like before because I now know what the issue likely is. So, I walked, at a leisurely pace, the remaining 0.75k home.
It's now Thursday and, while there's still something there, it doesn't hurt. I hope to participate in a 5K fun run this Saturday because it will be the last time our group (Learn 2 Run, and then 5K) will be together. If I can't run I will be there anyway to cheer them on.
Meanwhile, I've joined a gym. I really need to get some kind of cross-training in. And, learn how to strengthen my knee(s)!
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