Allen1959 wrote:
Arthritic Old Stiff wrote:
... the genetically anti-aging very fast middle-agers get all the accolades while some of us slow stiffs get the laughter of the masters running community (I experience this a lot in the master's club I belong to).
Really? That doesn't sound like any running community with which I have ever been involved. Always supportive and friendly, no matter the competitive level.
Meanwhile, I failed again at my attempt to rise and shine before 6 a.m. this morning. But I did take advantage of the cooler weather to run an encouraging workout before work. Six continuous miles, alternating 800m at 5K pace and 800m at marathon pace. Average was 6:34 per mile, which is my approximate LT pace.
With warmup (2 miles @ 11:00/mi) and cooldown, a solid 10 miles for the day.
5K a week from tomorrow.
Allen perhaps you have missed out on the genetic gift of being able to get out of bed in the early morning.
I haven't posted my training for sometime. My 24 days in France were active but hardly involved "training". I did a bit of walk and jog and plenty of hiking.
I did manage to run up the 800 plus steps of the tunnel from the walled village of Villefranche to the hilltop Fort Liberia. If you are looking for an off the tourist path place to go in France then Villefranche de Conflent is the place. Loved it.
Had a few wonderful swims in the Med in the artists paradise of Collioure. Some good tough hike and jogs there too.
I had a spot 200 metres from the finish of Stage 15 of the TDF in the incredible town of Carcassonne. That was pretty special. Happily mingling with the riders post race as I walked back to the B & B.
Lots of Chateaux in the Loire/Indre, Loches was top pick, another place that is a bit off the tourist path.
Some good hikes in the Vosges Mountains while staying in Barr, one was 23 kms with 500 metres of elevation gain and loss.
Also hours of traipsing through the never ending halls and galleries of the Louvre, you could run a marathon in that place.
So back home from temps in the 30s C. to temps topping in the low teens C. A good dose of jet lag. Back to the grind of shift work.
Last week was just about getting the body back into something like training mode. Weight vest hikes, a couple of short trots at low speed and some short kayak and mountain bike rides. Plenty of supplementary exercises in small doses.
So far this week things are looking quite good. I have managed a decent mountain bike ride, and a solid kayak session. I mixed some running and brisk hiking at the hilly Pyalong golf course. 10 plus kms of which 45 mins was running. Yesterday I jogged around the back of Mt Ida and surprised myself by being able to run all the way up the "Hardway" track and it's 40ish % gradient, I jogged down the dirt road the other side and ran the 2.5 km back up to the top. I held good form all the way although it was pretty slow. All up an hour of running. I walked the 3 kms back down to the start.
Great to read all of these inspiring race efforts from you guys and girls. Good to see Igy doing well.
For inspiration I don't have to look far from home. My good mate Johnny J keeps posting solid race times pretty much every Saturday arvo. Johnny is 80+ and clocks around 7 min. mile pace for the club short races (1 to 2 km). Yep good genes but also good management and a great attitude.