I started running again about a month ago. Sylvain had started going with a friend in the evenings, and since I now find myself with some extra time on my hands, I decided to start going with. We go to a park in Aubagne where we can run on a flat surface since we both have knee problems going down hills. The course is between 3.2 and 3.5 km depending on who you talk to, but I'm less concerned with distance than with length of workout.
They say running is an activity you get better at with age, and that appears to be true in my case in spite of the first couple of less than ideal recent outings. For my first time back, I ran in some clunky, heavy tennis shoes and my left knee started really hurting. I was only able to do a loop and a half. I had been forced into the shoes because I'd forgotten that I had thrown away my old running shoes (bought in 2000 when I moved to Lascours) after Tiger threw up in them a few months ago. The following weekend, I tried to buy running shoes, but couldn't find any in my size. So the next time out, I wore Sylvain's extra pair. Sylvain and I have almost the same size feet, but mine are just a tad bigger. In his shoes, my toes rubbed against the ends, which became pretty uncomfortable after two loops. I really needed my own shoes! I finally found a pair of sky blue Nikes in the men's section of the Foot Locker in Aix-en-Provence. Now my toes and knees were in running heaven. The first couple of times out they rubbed against the bottom of my arches, giving me blisters. But that problem seems to have now subsided and my arches have joined the other body parts in running bliss. We go twice a week and I'm now doing 2 2/3 loops in about 44 minutes and feeling fine!
When I used to run as a teenager or a much younger adult, I never remember enjoying it so much. I did it, but it was torture. Now, as I'm running, I feel my core getting stronger and I feel confident about making my exercise goals and not killing myself in the process. Go me! Next run: Wednesday, September 20 at 6:15 pm. Feel free to join us.
8 comments:
good for you! don't overdo it.....
I started running again, too. Originally, I started a few weeks ago, but after 3 days of running I started to come down with the intense cold bug that sidelined me for two full weeks. So, now I'm back on the "horse".
I am taking your advice dad, with a total of 9 miles prescribed for week 1.
I think my plantar fasciatis is gone now -- 4-5 months that took. So I may start in again at a low level....
Something smelled fishy ... so Wednesday we went out with a GPS. It turns out our route is only 2.6 km. Now the times and distances are seeming much more reasonable ...
Well, at least I don't feel like such a snail now, Tanya.
So, you're running approximately 10 min/mile, based on the numbers provided in the original post. Don't you hate it when you realize you aren't running as far as you thought you were?
Strenuous workout for me today. 10 min on an exercise bike, and 11 minutes "running" (1 whole mile). But my foot feels fine....
My daily routine: running up/down 3 flights of stairs while packing an extra 20 pounds, or if carrying Rachel another 30-35 pounds or so. There are a few Rachel dead lifts when she isn't cooperating (a word she now knows), and umpteen squats to pick something up. Sometimes I manage to find myself at Curves for a half hour circuit, but those are becoming fewer and fewer...
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