Getting back in shape is harder with age! While I've been having good luck at my gym lately, becoming proficient at the finer points of slipping, bobbing and weaving, my stamina isn't what it used to be. Ergo I've spent a lot of time running hills and let's just say in this weather, it ain't a cake walk. My normal run is just under 3 miles, but the first mile is almost completely uphill. I've been timing myself on the first mile and I *just* missed my best time on it last Wednesday, (coming in at 7:39, 5 seconds over my best) which was the hottest day this year so far (104, 115 heat index). Yeah, I know, I'm insane for running in this weather. Needless to say I was a bit nonplussed because I had to stop and tie my shoe, which likely cost me a new best time.
However, that record was utterly smashed last night. I took a few days off to recover since I've been running almost every day and going to muay thai classes, and was rewarded by shaving off 35 seconds. Now I need to find a track because I'm pretty sure I can break a 6 minute mile again if the terrain is flat. So I feel pretty good about that! Guess that whole rest and recover thing is true! I should probably work on extending endurance now, but I'm just having too much fun working both aerobic and anaerobic endurance. For one thing, my footwork is ten times better at class now, and I hardly suffer any fatigue. That might also have something to do with shedding 14 pounds....
In other news, congratulations to Khuen Kru Alvin for making Associate Instructor, and to Khuen Kru Scott for becoming only one of 16 Full Instructors worldwide under Ajarn Chai in the Thai Boxing Association!!!
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Evil,
Sounds like your training is going well. As a person who rotates through a few sports and is thus perennially getting back into shape for something, I agree that it's very frustrating and seems very slow. The worst part for me is knowing that I USED to be faster/stronger/better/whatever.
I'm hoping to do a total of 44 miles today, with 26 of it being hard. Ugh.
See you Friday.
Damnit, Monkey, congratulations. I had the opposite experience last night. Usually I can run for about 3 miles or half an hour, but I think NYC was having some low-lying ozone problems last night. Or maybe it was just me. At any rate, twenty minutes of running turned me into a heaving mess. I'm glad to hear that things get better sometimes. Be careful in that heat, though.
As an aside, I really hope that skeeler, above, isn't talking about running. 44 miles! Sheesh.
Ms. Sharpe,
Nope, I'm talking about biking. The heat isn't as bad on a bike, because of the wind-chill. Off course, when you hit a steep climb, that effect goes away, and you end up cursing your helmet.
Monkey,
I agree about being careful in the heat. Even when you don't suffer heat stroke, working out in 95-degree temps just takes more out of you somehow. The story of my last public flogging---I mean, group ride---should illustrate my point:
http://industrialstrengthscience.blogspot.com/2006/08/39-miles-and-101-…