I started running again in June, about the time I started my new job. I was doing really well. Some weeks, I ran 15-20 miles in 4-5 days. Oh, how the mighty have fallen.
A couple weeks ago, allergies started kicking in. I went for a run, got back to my rented basement, and my nose started running and didn't stop for 2 days no matter how much cold and allergy medicine I sucked down. That killed my running that week. I ran again the next week, and had the same result.
As I remember, the same thing happened about this time last year. I wanted to start running, but had allergy type reactions and I stopped. This time I'm determined to push through it, even though it did take me down a notch.
I ran Sunday, and barely got a mile. I ran again yesterday, and pushed through two miles, but my pace had definitely slowed. At my peak, I was running about 11:30-12:30 per mile on a flat run, and under 15 per mile on a steep incline. After my couple week slowdown, I'm averaging 12:30-14:00 on a straight run. You don't want to know what my pace is on steep hills.
Today, while I was running, I was passed by another runner doing a really good pace. I watched the way he ran. His hands were a little too loose and out to the sides for my tastes (and my self-perception), but I realized I was probably running a little too tight in the muscles. I've played with different strides, but it's always easier to just do what seems right.
I started playing with a longer stride, and by landing about the middle of my foot and rolling on the balls of my feet. The scary thing is, this was easier on my leg muscles, and actually shaved about a half a minute off my pace, even uphill, without even trying. The problem was, this put more stress on my cardio-vascular system. My heart and lungs didn't like it very much, in other words.
I'll have to keep working with the longer strides. It's funny one one stride wears my legs out but is easier to breath, and another stride makes it harder to breath, but I can run a little faster with less effort (outside of my heart and lungs).
A couple weeks ago, allergies started kicking in. I went for a run, got back to my rented basement, and my nose started running and didn't stop for 2 days no matter how much cold and allergy medicine I sucked down. That killed my running that week. I ran again the next week, and had the same result.
As I remember, the same thing happened about this time last year. I wanted to start running, but had allergy type reactions and I stopped. This time I'm determined to push through it, even though it did take me down a notch.
I ran Sunday, and barely got a mile. I ran again yesterday, and pushed through two miles, but my pace had definitely slowed. At my peak, I was running about 11:30-12:30 per mile on a flat run, and under 15 per mile on a steep incline. After my couple week slowdown, I'm averaging 12:30-14:00 on a straight run. You don't want to know what my pace is on steep hills.
Today, while I was running, I was passed by another runner doing a really good pace. I watched the way he ran. His hands were a little too loose and out to the sides for my tastes (and my self-perception), but I realized I was probably running a little too tight in the muscles. I've played with different strides, but it's always easier to just do what seems right.
I started playing with a longer stride, and by landing about the middle of my foot and rolling on the balls of my feet. The scary thing is, this was easier on my leg muscles, and actually shaved about a half a minute off my pace, even uphill, without even trying. The problem was, this put more stress on my cardio-vascular system. My heart and lungs didn't like it very much, in other words.
I'll have to keep working with the longer strides. It's funny one one stride wears my legs out but is easier to breath, and another stride makes it harder to breath, but I can run a little faster with less effort (outside of my heart and lungs).
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