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Week 189
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Warm Wishes, 50+ers! Such a bounty of interesting contributions last week. From KP’s detailed rehab routine, to Charlie’s cautionary warning, to mo’pak ever-entertaiing outback adventures. Great stuff! And welcome to a few new (or returning) posters: “tbirdxc” (good luck on your build up to XC Champs), “Running Formula Reader” (I know a few around here who do most their mileage on a treadmill….still find it hard….maybe if I had my own set up in the basement decked out with sound and video….), and “2 X Around” (not sure what other takers there might be, but sounds like KP would be game if he gets back to his “normal” outstanding speed and fitness.) Good to see so many others doing well, although sorry OGII about your strained back. As for me, it was another week of haphazardly trying to get the heart rate up. After taking Sunday (by choice) and Monday (too busy) off, I managed to get in 4 days of training over the rest of the week, logging 20+ miles and a bunch of flights of stairs (not sure how to quantify those):
Sun: off (needed a day’s rest after 4 straight days)
Mon: off (but I did get in 4 miles walking w/some jogging)
Tues: 5.2 w/3.2@7:10 pace and 4x9 stories stair-climbing
Wed: 4.2 easy
Thur: 2.6 easy and 4x11 stories stair-climbing
Fri: Off
Sat: 8.5 and 3x11 stories stair-climbing (and 3+ mile brisk walk)
On Tuesday, the 7:10 pace stuff wasn’t meant to be that fast, just high cadence. I was trying to run smoothly with a high turnover. I was able to keep my cadence at 174 steps/minute….which is pretty high for me, typically this would have been a 168 type run….it took a lot of concentration. I followed it up by going over to the parking garage and doing stairs. I was surprised at how the stairs helped loosen up my hip and how it didn’t aggravate the knee. I liked it so much, I figured that I’d return on Thursday for more. They’d opened up the gate that went down to the basement floors, so I added two more stories-11 stories translates into a 132-foot climb. The first half isn’t too bad, but the last 3-4 stories really starts to burn: legs, lungs, and heart are really maxing out. My HR at the top was over 160 and usually closer to 170; 11 stories would take about 1:45-1:50 to complete; it's important not to try and rush it so as not to twist the knee. I'm not sure how all this translates into running mileage, but I know it did my legs some good. Added three more sets at the end of Saturday’s long run (well, long for me these days.) The brisk walk afterwards was probably not a good training move, but the weather was great and it was good for my relationship with my wife.
I think I’m going to continue doing stairs (or hills) a few times a week. I don’t know whether it is the stairs in particular or just doing something different that has helped out the hip. Glad that my knees are pretty much back to normal. We’ll see how this all pans out.
OK. That’s the news from the bluegrass. What’s going on in your neck of the woods? Oh, and Go Pack, Go!!
All the Best!
PS-Spikez, what do you think of Boston's Olympic Games bid?