In my younger days athletics were simple - I could do whatever I wanted as long and as often as I wanted. That's not an exaggeration - there were many times I was home after a 8-10 mile run and someone would knock on my door looking for a run. Inevitably I would head right out for another 8-10 without a thought.
Things change. If someone knocked on my door looking for a run after I'd finished mine, I'd slam the door in their face faster than I would a Jehovah's Witness. It's not even something to consider anymore.
When I was younger it was all about appetite... I could do as much as I wanted to, but mentally could not take as much as I can now. Ironic it is that I am mentally stronger but physically more frail.
I always said I wanted to go after this athletics thing like there is no tomorrow because you never know when it will be over. As I look at my running life, I can definitely see darkness growing in the east and light fading in the west.
This could be an awful thing, but in some ways it's also liberating. I can't do what I used to do, and nothing will ever change that. With that in mind, there's no reason not to experiment. And that can be exciting. Over this winter I changed up and did not take my running miles up as I usually do. Instead, I popped the riding up. This is harder to accomplish with the time available, but it has paid huge dividends. I maintained optimal body weight throughout the winter, and in some ways have never been in better shape. I changed lifting emphasis to core, and that too has made a big difference. I've found new running/riding/lifting combinations that balance pretty well and have given me overall great health.
But can I race on that? We'll soon see. Terre Haute is coming soon, and that's where the rubber meets the road. I'm fit, but am I racing fit? There hasn't been any speed work over the winter, so I'm guessing probably not. Will that be overcome by greater fitness... we'll see.
Tonight I ran again, another 10 miles, and this one faster than last night. That's unexpected, because I will normally slow down the second day. I have also worn my heart rate monitor the last two days, and got more unexpected results... my recovery heart rate is in the 90 beat range. That's outstanding, and a sure sign of great fitness. Effectively my recovery is almost instantaneous. That most certainly can be used in racing.
Tomorrow is the group ride from Mitchell Church of Christ, 5:45 PM. I plan to run afterward.
Things change. If someone knocked on my door looking for a run after I'd finished mine, I'd slam the door in their face faster than I would a Jehovah's Witness. It's not even something to consider anymore.
When I was younger it was all about appetite... I could do as much as I wanted to, but mentally could not take as much as I can now. Ironic it is that I am mentally stronger but physically more frail.
I always said I wanted to go after this athletics thing like there is no tomorrow because you never know when it will be over. As I look at my running life, I can definitely see darkness growing in the east and light fading in the west.
This could be an awful thing, but in some ways it's also liberating. I can't do what I used to do, and nothing will ever change that. With that in mind, there's no reason not to experiment. And that can be exciting. Over this winter I changed up and did not take my running miles up as I usually do. Instead, I popped the riding up. This is harder to accomplish with the time available, but it has paid huge dividends. I maintained optimal body weight throughout the winter, and in some ways have never been in better shape. I changed lifting emphasis to core, and that too has made a big difference. I've found new running/riding/lifting combinations that balance pretty well and have given me overall great health.
But can I race on that? We'll soon see. Terre Haute is coming soon, and that's where the rubber meets the road. I'm fit, but am I racing fit? There hasn't been any speed work over the winter, so I'm guessing probably not. Will that be overcome by greater fitness... we'll see.
Tonight I ran again, another 10 miles, and this one faster than last night. That's unexpected, because I will normally slow down the second day. I have also worn my heart rate monitor the last two days, and got more unexpected results... my recovery heart rate is in the 90 beat range. That's outstanding, and a sure sign of great fitness. Effectively my recovery is almost instantaneous. That most certainly can be used in racing.
Tomorrow is the group ride from Mitchell Church of Christ, 5:45 PM. I plan to run afterward.
No comments:
Post a Comment