Five Miles at the YMCA

Wednesday, March 1, 2017:

First blog post in over a month, but I am doing the running.

Currently I'm running four minutes of every 10-minute interval, six intervals per run.  The average pace, walking and running, is about 12 minutes per mile, so the whole run takes about an hour.

The running (run/walking) part of my training is going well - I do still feel glad when each four-minute run portion is about up, but that's the road to improvement.  I'm happy to start running again when the next run portion is due.  According to my therapist, I should do the one-hour run three times per week, and I have been doing that regularly.  Soon I will increase the run portion to 4 ½ or 5 minutes.

Another part of the training regimen is a set of resistance exercise and stretches.  I do those occasionally, but not as regularly as I should, or a often as I do the runs.  I am still looking for a way to incorporate the resistance and stretches into daily life.

A third part of the program is weight loss.  I am about 15 pounds overweight, but so far have not been able to take off even one pound.  I have a good system if I do it, but find it hard to resist overeating.  I blame the dexamethasone (DEX) for that, in part, as I get ravenously hungry at times after taking the DEX.  However, it's really just a matter of sufficient will power.  I'll have to figure out a better plan - just doing the same thing over and over is obviously not working.

Mile splits: 12:33, 12:35, 11:50, 11:49, 12:11, total 1:00:57

Monday, February 27:

Very Good Run   Running 4 minutes of each of the six 10-minute intervals now, and it's going OK.  I'll be truthful - I was glad when the run portions ended, most of them anyway, but I persevered to the end of each one, even when they were uphill.  Several were - it's a hilly route.  That's how progress is made, though, "no pain no gain."

The distance was 5.3 miles, time 1:06:14, pace 12:30.  That's a good pace, I'm making progress.

Friday, Feb 24:

Four minutes per of running per interval, at the YMCA.  As usual, most of the intervals were ten minutes.  This is the first time I've run four  minutes without walking in years, and I did it for six separate intervals.  It felt pretty good, actually.  I can't wait to get started on this week's running.

Mile splits: 12:08, 12:13, 11:49, 11:43, 11:51, total 59:44

Wednesday, Feb 22:

My "hospital" run with an extra 1.1 miles.  3 ½ minute runs per interval.  Total time for 5.1 miles was 1:08:14, for a pace of 13:23.  This route is hilly and includes a couple of traffic lights.  I did shorten one uphill run portion to 3 minutes, but added in the extra half minute later.

Monday, Feb 20:

YMCA track.  Mile splits: 12:06, 11:06, 11:39, 11:22, 11:18, total 58:19.  Does it add up?  Doesn't seem to add up - maybe I wrote something down wrong.  3 ½ minutes running per interval.

Friday, Feb 17:

Three In A Row  Another good run, this time a little longer and in unusually nice weather.  April in February.

For about the last 7 runs I walked and ran 6 intervals of 5 to 10 minutes, with the run portion of each interval taking 3 minutes.  Today I extended the run portion to 3 ½ minutes, and no problem.  In fact I felt as though I could go longer.  I didn’t do that, because of the risk of injury, but that’s what has to happen - almost continuous running, as opposed to walking, That’s how I will get my speed back.

This month we have been favored with outdoor-running weather several times, and around our house the roads aren’t flat, so on those days, hill training has been unavoidable.  Running uphill is a lot of work, but it does help build muscle for hills as well as for flat running.  And, it feels so wonderful to get to the top of the hill!

4.5 miles in 59:06, pace 13:08, and I had to wait for several traffic lights.  The training plan is working.

Wednesday, Feb 15:

Soccer dome.  Much Better Again.  Mile splits: 13:10, 12:23, 12:37, 13:14, 6:25 (1/2 mile), total 57:49

Monday, Feb 13:

Much Better.  Climbed 50 feet in about 0.2 mile.  4.7 miles in 1:04:29, pace 13:43, with some stoplights.

Friday, Feb 10:

Weary   This was an outdoor run, unusual in February, temps in the 40's.  My legs were pretty weary toward the end though.

Wednesday, Feb 8:

Weary.  Not such a good run today - I did the running but my legs felt pretty weary.

Monday, Feb 6:

YMCA M.  Mile splits: 13:46, 13:35, 12:19, 13:15, 2:33, total 55:29.

Friday, Feb 3:

YMCA W:  Mile Splits: 12:21, 12:04, 12:18, 11:44, 6:29, total 54:56

Wednesday, Feb 1:

Six Three-minute runs.  In accordance with the training plan, I walked and ran six intervals of 5 to 10 minutes, with the run portion of each interval taking 3 minutes.  It went pretty well I think.  I was glad when each of the three-minute runs was up, but breathing was still OK.  In the past, I have been able to run comfortably while breathing at a rate of one full breath in four footfalls. That ratio held true for each of the runs except the last, when I needed a full breath every three footfalls.

I'll stick with three-minute runs until they really do feel comfortable at four footfalls, then advance to 3 ½ minutes.

Splits: 12:38, 13:05, 11:59, 17:19, total 55:02, but the watch got screwed up in the last "mile" so I might have gone a bit farther than the four miles that I am logging.

Monday, January 30, 2017:

Running at the YMCA.  Run portion of each of the six intervals was 2.5 minutes.  Mile splits: 13:38, 13:44, 12:31, 13:25, 1:44 (0.2 mi), total 55:02, average pace 13:06.