Sunday 14 April 2019

Still got a (slow) half-marathon in me!


Hi,
I'm still here
More than two years since the crash (in which I badly broke my shoulder), I am mostly "back to normal".
Or course, I am still in my 50s, so I have the issues from that ;-)

Anyway, while a basic test of fitness might be something like a Cooper Test (run one mile in twelve minutes - and, no, it isn't very hard), a better test of my current ability might be just how far can I run.

So I did.
Two days ago -  and here it is on Strava (at top of post, and here:
https://www.strava.com/activities/2284443506)

I know there is a lot of "exaggeration" about these days, so if anyone wants me to send them the Garmin watch file for the run, then just let me know in the comments section.
Why anyone would want to falsely claim a rather slow half-marathon time is beyond me, but hey, life is what it is!

After all, in training, the only person you cheat is yourself.
Anyway, here are a few other pics showing my "style" ;-)

My kit - all "basic" stuff. Cheap running shoes, a thin singlet,
blue Old Navy long-sleeve top, chest belt, "normal" socks,
black cotton medium-weight close-leg sports trousers (pants)
After-run recovery drink. Ribena with a touch of salt added.
Ribena is a "full-sugar" drink made with blackcurrants.
Drink within 30 minutes of finishing the activity.
Of course, if you get a lot of sodium in your diet anyway, skip the salt!
A couple of bananas, too
Eat within 30 minutes of finishing the activity
The bananas replace the Potassium I sweated, the salt (above) replaces the Sodium.
Of course, if you get a lot of sodium in your diet anyway, skip the salt!

Post-run, and I am a bit hot and sweaty.

Not sure how much it shows up on the pic, but the backs of my hands were rather wet with sweat!
 Talking of sweat, I lost 2.4 kg (about 5.3 lbs) on that run. Of course, it was mostly sweat, and once I drink a reasonable amount, the "weight" comes back.
I have made that point before about exercise in gyms (which are usually reasonably warm) - it is easy to sweat in a gym, appear to lose weight, yet by the next day it has reappeared.

I was running for the best part of 3 hours, with a temperature of about 10 Celcius (about 50 F), and I still got sweaty!

For those that like "zones", here is my readout for the run from Garmin:


custom zones: I have z1 starting at 109 bpm, and z5 starting at 167 bpm
How did I feel afterwards?
Well, two days later, and I am still walking like someone with two false legs,
My wife was laughing at me as we (slowly) went for a walk this morning.
My thighs are still feeling it!

Was the 14 mile run my absolute limit?
Nope, but it was 95% of my limit, and any further would have meant even more thigh pain, and an even longer recovery period.
Next time I will be a bit stronger.
Last time I ran 13 miles, I lost a toenail, so I am clearly improving ;-)
(although my second toe on each foot is a bit sore!)

Onwards and Upwards!

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