*synth* I WORKOUT

[dodint]

Nice, my best was 1:53. Ash was in the mid 1:40s.

[G'day Mate]

Ever run a full marathon?

[dodint]

Yeah, in Afghanistan. 4:33. Not my best shot at it given I was working 12hr a day 7 days a week, but was allowed off crew four hours early to attend the race. I was at 2:00 even at the half mark.

Ash has too but she got injured and ran a poor time.

We have a 6.6k coming up in October. Hoping to run it in under 40 minutes, age is a bitch. I ran 4 miles in under 40 minutes for the first time since 2013 tonight, very happy with that.

[G'day Mate]

I did my best estimated (by Strava) 5kms yesterday in a 7.4km run, which was 21:41.

Looking good for Sunday!

[G'day Mate]

1:41:41 unofficially. Ok for a first go I think

[Ashie]

1:41:41 unofficially. Ok for a first go I think

Congrats! That's a great time.

[JSGeneral]

About 19 months ago I got a bad case of plantar fasciitis. I've had it before so I stopped running and rested/waited. Got new orthotics and then started trying to run again (this was now about 15 months ago.) Suddenly, pain in my knee occurred that I've never experience before. I did the usual stop and wait it out strategy... but it didn't go away. It felt like it got worse. I wasn't running at ALL and it would hurt sitting too long, going up and down stairs and sometimes really hurt if I pushed off on it to quickly rush across the street or something like that. I wasn't running and it wasn't getting better. I was vexed and about 50 pounds heavier.

This went on for a whole year and then I went to see the doc. Told me it was "Runner's Knee". Showed me some stretches to do. Thankful that it wasn't a blown tendon or something... I immediately started getting into a running program again. Started with 3 mile runs 5 days a week. A month ago, I've upped those runs to now 5 miles a pop. Some nights I'll jump on the elliptical machine for another workout for 60 to 100 minutes. It is VERY rough work getting back in shape (and losing weight) but I'm well on my way. My plan is by end of summer to be at where I was before these injuries took place: 5 miles a day M-F and then one or two runs of 16+ miles on the weekend.

Also, I've started my runs ALOT slower and gradually build up the speed so that I'm at pace after the second mile. This seems to have REALLY helped. My knee hasn't felt this good in what seems like an eternity!

It was over 4 years ago when I wrote this. Reading this today makes me feel like Judd Nelson, punching the sky in victory at the end of The Breakfast Club. This was the start (restart) for me, when I finally got back into running.

I was forced to take a hard look at myself and face some truths:

I'm getting older?
Yes.
So, I can NOT expect to run as fast as I once did?
Yes, that makes sense.
Then why do it? What goals do you have for yourself? You can't hit those times that you fondly remember! When you try for it, you have been injuring yourself. Injuries that are taking MONTHS to recover from! Why do it?!
I... just want to run.
... What?
That's it! I just want to run. I want to run every day. I don't care about the times! I just want to be a runner.
Ok! Let's just take it slow every day and do just that...

So that's what I've done. For over four years I've run everyday. Only exceptions are when I go on vacations. Slow every day. If something is sore, I go slower to heal. As you can imagine, running consistently for such a long time has had results. My weight has dropped. During my first post all those years ago, I was over 200 lbs. Today I am around 175. (Google ate my first post attempt in which I had gone into much more detail about what has transpired over the past year... and I'll be damned to type that all over again... so yada yada yada) I'm back into marathon form once again, and running my 3rd marathon in less than a year! Making fun trips of them too. This weekend, my wife and I fly out to Scotland where I'm running the marathon along Loch Ness! After that, we'll spend the week relaxing and enjoying one of our favorite countries.



Whatever goals you have, make sure you have fun along the way.

Maine_Coast_Twitter_pic.jpg

[dodint]

Wow.

I haven't reconciled the idea that I'll never get back to the pace I used to run so easily ten years ago. I think I'll give up at 40 but until then it's still my goal.

[speedpimp]

Uhm, isn't JS General deceased? I'm a little confused.

[G'day Mate]

That's it! I just want to run. I want to run every day. I don't care about the times! I just want to be a runner.
Ok! Let's just take it slow every day and do just that...

I still don't really like running. Had a very painful trot today which was a bit of a loosener following the half marathon. I probably won't do it much more after I tick a proper marathon off the bucket list.