In 2000, I ran the Indianapolis Marathon in 3:38. Today I walked 14-14.2 miles in 3:36. My goodness. (15:30-ish pace)
Ok, this was not a difficult effort; I felt pretty good in the final miles. Great weather and I got going at 6:30 am..in plenty of time to beat the Market crowds. On the way back I took it up Hamilton, then Main and then to Kumpf and back up Union Hill.
I got off of the trail in Springdale and then did the Mausoleum Hill and then did the “Prospect Exit” hill and then exited it to return to the Riverplex, then up Hamilton as the Riverfront was crowding up. Lots of strollers!
Personal: yes, it is about to hit the fan. Work should be a circus.
So, what are the changes? I can say that the changes from 50 to 65 are pretty big, at least physically. At 50, I was still running 24 for the 5k (but not under). Now I am walking 33-35. Bench press: 210 lb is long gone; my max this year was an ugly 174, *though* I now have to keep my feet on a chair due to my lumbar stenosis. Pull ups: sets of 15-20 are a distant memory. Now 5-10 is the norm and some days even doing sets of 5 are HARD.
And yes, things hurt, seemingly at random.
Let’s not talk about my 3:05 half marathon walk, my worst ever, by 13 minutes.
BUT, as my wife likes to tell me, all of this is better than my measuring tennis balls for a walker.
So today’s workout:
pull ups: mixed with PT, 10 set of 5 HARD. Just a chore.
downstairs: bench: 10 x 134, 3 sets of 5 x 154 (ok, good for me)
curls: 3 sets of 10. high incline: 3 sets of 7 x 94 (one set slightly sloppy).
then I did a 2 mile walk at just under 15:00 mpm plus a commuter walk of 1 mile. Planning for longer tomorrow.
And yes, there is a home Illinois football game at 8 pm. Too much for a week night (could have made Friday) So, I’ll miss as will many others, given the dollar tickets for good seats that are available.
I did a hill workout: the Garmin got it as 6.26 in 1:30:14, or 14:24 total average pace. This is a nice grade of hill. I did 7 of these all-together.
I mixed pull ups with my PT (2 set of 5 pull ups, PT exercise in between) plus one penalty set of 4 singles. They were just hard today.
Then downstairs: 10 x 134, 10 x 145 (hard)
incline: 10 x 114, 3 x 135 , 2+5 x 125 (hit the standard on the way up)
deadlifts (trap bar) 10 x 134, 10 x 184, 5 x 225 (felt off)
4 inch: 10 x 244 (lost balance on rep 8, reset and got 2 more).
The good news is that I got a great leg pump out of it.
then 2.13 miles of walking (H course) in 31:26 with a 1.29 commuter walk at 18:30.
I am coming up to the moment of truth: 2 more training weekends (this weekend and the next one).
Illinois football first home game is tomorrow: 8 pm. No way I can make it. But that is how it is: all is sacrificed for TV bucks. I suppose I might stay with season tickets ..or maybe not as they are “re-seating” next season.
When I finished it was 78 F, 84 percent humidity. Sticky, though it was not too bad in Bradley Park; I did the out and back 5 mile with a campus loop. I was 1:01:30 at the exit but then did the next two miles in 27:30 and finished in 1:32:05 (14:48 pace). My slowest miles were the middle 2.
Well, the Chiefs lost their last two. Last night: lost 3-2; a key play occurred in the 1’st inning when an apparent double scored a runner from 3’rd with 2 outs. But the ruling was that the runner did NOT touch 1’st and when that was appealed, he was ruled out, which made it a force out. It was 3-1 in the 9’th and the Chiefs did score 1 but that was it.
Stranding all runners in a bases loaded situation did not help.
And today, they lost again, 8-5. They started out well, taking a 3-0 lead after 1. But if we can score 3 in an inning, so can the Tincaps, which is what they did in the 3’rd. it was tied at 5 going into the 8’th when the Chiefs made a whole series worth of bad decisions, throwing the ball away several times in one play, and then getting thrown out trying to stretch a single into a double. A solo home run in the 9’th added insurance for the Tincaps.
Still the Chiefs took the series 4-2 and are 1 game back for the remaining playoff spot.
Time for a tough decision I know that there are guys my age and older that deadlift big weights. BUT, I have the back issue and I want to walk long distance. And we all have our abilities.
On the other hand, a certain type of deadlift feels very good to me: either the low position with light weight, or the high position (wagon wheel, high handle trap) and I can feel the “pump” when done; no radiating pain or back pain at all.
I think it is time for me to admit that low position only works for me with fairly light weight and save the challenging stuff for either wagon wheel or high handles.
Today: 10 x 134, 10 x 184, 5 x 224 (sloppy)
wagon wheel: 2 sets of 5 x 245 (again, straight bar, glute focus)
6 inch: 10 x 280 (felt the pump in the quads)
Then I did an ambling 4.1 mile walk in 1:05. It was warm but the walk felt good.
I have not been sleeping well and I didn’t get started until 9 am. By then the sun was up and I wanted to avoid most of the market/festival near the Riverfront. So I took Columbia Terrace to Hamilton to the Gateway and then walked in front of the Riverplex. The trail: took it to Springdale then UP that large hill to the entrance.
My first mile was about 16 minutes and, though I never felt “totally right” I was NOT miserable; I sort of enjoyed the walk. Most of the miles were 15-15:30, save that long climb. I was NOT fast though; too muggy; too warm. It was a lot like the Mahomet race weather, except with more shade.
I took Sheridan to Moss and then added the last little bit by going on Rebecca. The effort was “moderate/easy” until mile 10 or so. That was also a lot like the race. I HAVE to respect the heat.
Last night the Chiefs fell behind the Tincaps 4-2 in the top of the 7’th before having a monster rally to score 4 runs. Then they held on to win 6-4. More importantly they are now tied for the “second half of the season” playoff spot.
The crowd was very respectable in size; much better than on Thursday.
Week 1 has not been as bad as anticipated. But..wait and see
Last night the Chiefs won 6-4 with a walk off home run in the 10’th. The Tincaps took the lead in the top of the 8’th but the Chiefs tied it in the bottom of the 8’th.
In the 9’th, the Caps first baseman made a spectacular catch on a line drive to deprive the Chiefs of at least a double.
Then came the 10’th when the Caps loaded the bases with no outs! But two strike outs and a fly out ended the threat.
If you live with an elderly person, you will probably go to the hospital a lot. So here I am..again.
But workout: yesterday, 1:30:28 for 6.2 at 14:35; felt ok (1:13 at 5 miles) This was the out and back hill course plus a campus 1.2 loop.
Today: pull ups: 10, 10, 8+3, 6, 5, 5 mixed, 5 mixed (not the greatest reps toward the end) bench: 10 x 134 incline: 10 x 114, 4 x 134, 4 x 134, 7 x 125 Wagon wheel “no bounce” sets: 10 x 184, 10 x 234, 10 x 234 (felt good)
Doesn’t look like much. Note: I had my j-hooks uneven for my first 2 sets of incline presses.
Last night, the Chiefs beat the Tin Caps 2-1. The starter came in with a 2-12 record and ended up giving up 1 run and striking out 12; evidently he is back to his usual level.
Barbara came and Harry joined us.
How many strikeouts could an Oat Milker milk if an Oat Milker could milk strikeouts?
Life of an old goat 