Charlie wrote:
The only thing standing in between you and a sub 3 at 60 are injuries. Unless you can get your knee(s) healthy it is not gonna happen OTOH if you can figure the knee thing out you have a real shot at it.
Charlie, thanks for the link. I will give it a read tonight. Regarding my sub-3 at 60 quest, I have pretty much abandoned it. But it's still rattling around in my brain.
Meanwhile, I think I am making some progress with my knees. I have been working the Nautilus machines three days a week, trying to gain muscle strength/balance. Running remains somewhat uncomfortable, but WAY better then a few months ago.
I am also incorporating some "sort of" squats and lunges -- the best I can do at present. I took a tumble down some icy steps a few days ago, badly injuring my shoulder. Since then I have been running with my left arm immobilized. That affects my gait, so I have to be wary of creating other weird injuries. If not one thing, then another!
On a positive note, this morning's 12-miler went well. Second half averaged 7:44/mile, and just over 8:00/mile for the total. So, some progress, considering a 3-mile time trial in January was 9:00/mile.
It still seems unbelievable that I lost SO much fitness during a three-month layoff. Crazy!
Best wishes with your 5-minute-mile pursuit. In my early 40s, I raced the mile a few times, and could only manage 5:03. But then, my lifetime best was only 4:45 (high school).
What would the Age Grade percentage be for a sub-5 at your age?