On September 1, I turned 58 years old. As I headed out for my run that morning, I started to reflect on all the miles I have logged since starting my running life over 30 years ago back in Watauga, TX. Gone are the days when would roll out of bed throw on my running shoes and head out the door knowing I could log any number of miles with no problem. Nowadays I spend the first mile just making sure everything is still working. I check those niggling pains to make sure they are just normal aches and not harbinger of a potential injury. I use the first mile to get myself back into the groove, heart-rate up to a sustainable level and stretch out those tight leg muscles. Even though it feels slow, I know it will lead to a much better feeling in the middle part of my run as I cruise to the final mile.
What I am proud of is the fact that I am still able to get in a hard/easy training pattern each week. I still log a speed session and a tempo run almost every week. The only difference from when I was a younger runner is that if I start a hard workout and it doesn’t feel right or that I can complete it, I back off and just finish the mileage I had planned. This mindset allows me to still run quality hard efforts that build my confidence as I prepare for my races. Even if I don’t complete every workout as planned, I have found that I get more bang for my effort if I have had to ease off on occasion. Plus, I have stayed injury free for most of my running life which not all of my runner friends can say.
I know that slowing down as I get older is inevitable. Since I was never a sub-8 minute runner when I was younger, I am content to still be able to run a sub-30 5K race at my age. I don’t compare myself to my youthful past. Instead I try to accept the phenomenon of slowing down with age. I choose to live in the moment and be content with the runner I am today. I run now for the experience rather than the bragging rights of running a fast race. It makes all my training and races much more enjoyable. The upside is that I am never disappointed when I finish a race.
Running has allowed me to stay active in other aspects of my life. Running has helped me to remain cognitively agile. Not only do I spend time training my body, I continue to train my mind. I try to remain positive, optimistic and hopeful each day. It is not an easy task and I am not always successful at it. But it does allow me to remind myself daily that running is a gift that I can still enjoy. I need to remind myself to continue to nurture, savor and celebrate the fact that I can get out on the road each day. Isn’t that all I can ask for as I approach my 60th year on this planet?
“The race is not always to the swift, but to those who keep on running.” Run because you can and finish because you want to. See you out on the roads!
July 30 – 3.50 miles (27:32, 7:52 pace) – Mile Repeats
Aug 1 – 5.10 miles (49:58, 9:48 pace)
Aug 2 – 5.10 miles (43:07, 8:27 pace) – Tempo Run
Aug 3 – 7.10 miles (1:10:51, 9:59 pace)
Aug 4 – 3.11 miles (27:45, 8:56 pace)
Aug 5 – 4.10 miles (37:01, 9:02 pace)
Aug 6 – 3.50 miles (27:33, 7:52 pace) – Mile Repeats
Aug 8 – 8.30 miles (1:14:08, 8:56 pace) – Tempo Run
Aug 9 – 4.13 miles (37:26, 9:04 pace)
Aug 10 – 7.50 miles (1:10:43, 9:26 pace)
Aug 11 – 7.70 miles (1:11:56, 9:21 pace)
Aug 12 – 4.50 miles (41:57, 9:20 pace)
Aug 13 – 6.70 miles (57:27, 8:34 pace) – Mile Repeats
Aug 15 – 3.10 miles (33:18, 10:45 pace)
Aug 18 – 3.20 miles (30:36, 9:34 pace)
Aug 20 – 4.10 miles (41:35, 10:08 pace)
Aug 22 – 7.50 miles (1:04:25, 8:35 pace) – Tempo Run
Aug 23 – 4.50 miles (42:24, 9:25 pace)
Aug 24 – 7.20 miles (1:10:17, 9:46 pace)
Aug 25 – 8.30 miles (1:19:07, 9:32 pace)
Aug 26 – 4.50 miles (53:45, 11:57 pace) – Hill Repeats
Aug 27 – 6.70 miles (57:27, 8:34 pace) – Speed Work
Aug 29 – 8.30 miles (1:12:54, 8:47 pace) – Tempo Run
Aug 31 – 8.10 miles (1:18:23, 9:41 pace)
Sept 1 – 8.30 miles (1:09:00, 8:30 pace)
Sept 2 – 5.10 miles (58:41, 11:30 pace) – Hill Repeats
Sept 3 – 7.20 miles (1:03:33, 8:50 pace) – Mile Repeats
Sept 5 – 8.30 miles (1:11:13, 8:35 pace) – Tempo Run
Sept 6 – 4.20 miles (39:54, 9:33 pace)
Sept 7 – 7.20 miles (1:09:15, 9:37 pace)
Sept 8 – 8.26 miles (1:19:17, 9:36 pace)
Total Miles: 188.40 miles
2019 Total Miles: 973.67 miles
