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Week 139
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Greetings 50+ers. Thanks for bumping the thread AlanB and SteveL. I'm still muddling through fitness these days (and it'll be a while longer, for sure). I can't really tell if things are getting better, but without doing the core stuff, at least I don't cringe when I have to hustle across the street on my walk into work. Here's my fitness routine for the week:
Sun-easyish 3.3 miles
Mon-1/2-hour spinning HR ~140-150, mets were in the 10-11 range, 3x10 each leg glute isolator
Tues-15-min spinning (same settings as Monday), 20-min elliptical (level 8, avg HR 152, 10-11.5 met range)
Wed-off
Thu-3 miles of jog/walk, 4x10 deep squats (body weight) (that 4th set was a little too much)
Fri-40 minutes elliptical (level 8, avg HR 150 but was continually climbing, 10-11.5 met range)
Sat-4 mile brisk walk, 3x10 deep squats (body weight)
Aerobically, I'm starting to feel an uptick thanks to the stationary machines, but the running isn't good. I get a stiff lower back during my 3-mile stint. I think that 3-days/week is the minimum number of runs/week for it not to feel a little foreign. Did a modest amount of stretching, trying to be careful with it....but I am thinking about doing deep massage (something Charlie suggested.) As per Rtype's question, I guess I'm in the middle of this downturn, so I don't know my answer yet, but yes, about 5 years of solid progression (with several hiccups), and then a few years of steady times (and a few more hiccups), and now I'm hobbled. Not willing to accept that there is a 5-year rule; I'll venture it is just the cumulative likelihood of something negative happening when constantly pushing the envelope. (too much straining when training, against some very sound advice.)
Sorry to not comment on the latest race reports, but I do enjoy reading them. Oh, and the 2014 USA Masters Half Marathon Championships are being held as I write this.
http://www.usatf.org/Events---Calendar/2014/USA-Masters-Half-Marathon-Championships.aspx
Anything else going on?
Hope everyone is able to get in some good training! You boys in the upper mid-west are certainly having a rough go of it these days!
Cheers!