Yesterday’s pull ups were instructive. I deliberately did NOT allow myself to push off of the upright and getting 10 sets of 5 was downright challenging, even with PT exercises rest. bench: I was fatigued: 10 x 134, 5 x 150, 5 x 150, 4 x 150, 4 x 150 (two pin presses too as I failed rep 5 twice) high incline: 10 x 94, 5 x 105, 5 x 105
curls: 3 sets of 10, plus a 2 mile walk.
Today: it was 79 F, 82 percent humidity. 1:28:41 for my 10k course, or 14:18 mpm. Not my fastest but given how gross the weather was, I’ll take it. I was 59:09 exiting the park so I was 29:32 for the final 2.2, and 1:12:40 (or so) at the house before my campus loop.
Today: so far, Indian buffet with B. She got a bit dizzy while shopping and so I brought her home. She’ll skip tonight’s game but maybe make tomorrow’s instead.
There is quite a bit of construction on Moss (when isn’t there?) and so I took an unusual route out and back. I am going with 10.6 miles (Garmin: 10.4, Strava 10.8) I took Knoxville back, Kumpf out. My route takes you through inner city life. I felt fine; used some sports replacement drink.
Game tonight: with Tracy; Barbara will pass. Maybe tomorrow?
Back of the Pack at races
First, two more photos from the race:
The first is from the start where I am creeping, big time. Later in the race, I did look as if I were walking but not here.
Second: in the background you see two figures: this is Meredith pacing me in.
Here, I am showing walking form, albeit not great form.
So, I DID walk this race, though I would have been illegal early in the race, before I had warmed up.
Back of the pack I was chasing the red head in one of the photos. He is FORTY years younger than I! That’s reality: age plus walking means “way back in the pack.”
And the attitude now-a-days is different.
Many participants do them just to do them. When they boast, they say “I’ve finished X number of half marathons or Y number of marathons.” They do not mention time.
And that is ok. It benefits me too: there is no way in Hades I’d have been allowed to finish during the 1980’s running races. Example: at my second marathon, the time limit was 5 hours. In my third, when I showed up fat and out of shape, my 4:24 put me deep in the rear of the pack. (1983)
But the other side: when you are as slow as I am (2:54; my previous post-COVID halfs were 3:05, 3:03, 3:01), those around you are likely to be the “just finish” types who clown, mug take selifes and just generally party along the way. Very few who are near me are trying their best, and these are likely to be, well, age peers or older.
So, in a sense, it is lonely. At smaller races, even with long cut-offs, you ARE alone. And at the larger ones, very few around me are actually racing (i. e., doing their best)
And so it goes. I mourn for what I can no longer do (run the half in 1:34). I am grateful that I can walk it at all without that “icepick in the butt” feeling. I am grateful for the long time limits. But I am still lonely in the back.
But that’s life, isn’t it? It is having a mixture of things to be grateful for and to mourn.
I’ve really become divorced from the news. I need to do better. I still do not know who I will vote for in a couple of days.
The “dumpster fire” is a reference to my personal life and I’ll leave it at that. Nothing is life-threatening
Workout notes: pull ups: 6-6-6-6-8-6-5-5-5 which included some chin up style and some scapular plus regular bench press: 10 x 134, 5 x 160, 5 x 160, 5 x 160 high incline: 10 x 94, 10 x 105, 5 x 110
Doesn’t seem like much, does it? And I had a 2 mile walk.
I walked my 5 mile course later in the day (due to B’s eye appointment) and was about 1:09 for 5 miles; I had accidentally stopped my watch at 4.8 (the crossing) and it was 1:06:xx there. I was 33:xx at the lower part turn around at 55:27 at the park exit. Weather was perfect.
Pace: 13:48 average. That is good compared to recent months, and I have to forget that my 50 mile pace was faster than that..22 years ago.
Time takes its toll. And I have a small left glute pain (noticed yesterday afternoon) and very “heavy”, tight calves. I think that it is the push off motion.
We have elections coming up and, frankly, I’ve given it little thought. I probably should since I will almost certainly vote for the D in the fall. So, this primary is probably more important but I have a tough time making myself care. I’ll do some research this weekend and try to figure it out.
Monday: 2 mile commuter walk before a Dean’s meeting. Morning: pull ups were a bit of a drag: 5 sets of 6, then 6, 5, 5, 5. I think I didn’t rest enough between sets. I did one pair of mixed grips, one set was chin up style. Bench: 10 x 134, 3 sets of 5 x 160, 2 x 170 high incline: 10 x 94, then 2 sets of 6 x 105. Kind of tired.
This morning: 10k course in 1:25:55, slightly slower than 3 weeks ago, but one of my faster ones. I was especially pleased since the road was slick with rain. And I wore shorts! It hit in the 80’s today; big storm due tonight.
Ok, not a lot to brag about. Pull ups: 5 sets of 6, one sloppy set of 10, two more of 6 bench: 10 x 134, 1 x 175, 1 x 180, 4 x 160, 5 x 155, 5 x 155 (the single took the startch out of me) high incline: 10 x 94, 8 x 105 (weak), 4 x 110
I am just feeling sort-of alienated, though I wonder if a lack of sleep might be an issue. And, well, I think that I want a fight.
Instead, I had a workout on the porch. Beautiful weather for this time of year: I did pull ups in short sleeves!
It went 6, 10, 8, 6 then 4 sets of 5 (3 sets were chins) bench: 10 x 134, 8 x 150 (boo!) 10 x 134 trap bar dead (low) 10 x 134, 10 x 184, 10 x 225 high incline: 10 x 94, 4 x 115, 5 x 110 2 minute plank.
One thing: I am going to have to cultivate a news habit: I’ve fallen so behind. I am wondering if I should have a newscast to lift weights to.
Speaking of which: warm day (by February in Illinois standards) and I walked 2 miles to go to lunch. Weights: pull ups: 8 sets of 6, one of 5 (not as good as I had hopes) bench: 10 x 134, 1 x 170 (harder than I thought it should be), 5 x 160, 6 x 155, 6 x 155 high incline: 10 x 94, 10 x 105 (ok; lock out on the left arm..not quite), 10 x 94
Valentine’s Day came and went, and I am still married, so there is that. We went to a play (The Importance of Being Earnest) and enjoyed it. Yesterday, it was a double header movie day on the couch.
I got some working out in as well.
Saturday: I had a tough 10 mile walk in 2:34:44; I did several loops in Bradley Park: the spur, that mixed loop (about 2 miles) then a 1.3 mile Corn Stock loop then just enough on campus to get to 10+.
Sunday: 5k walk (16:48 pace) after deadlifts: Deadlifts: 10 x 134, 10 x 134 (wanted to record my form at a non-challenging weight), 10 x 184, 10 x 225 (kind of ragged) 6 inch handle: 4 x 300, 5 x 300, 5 x 300
Well, I made it to the end of the work week. I have not slept well, though my mood has been much improved over the past few days.
Thursday: hilly 10k course in 1:26:46 (14:00); best time for the course, post knee episode last year. In fact: maybe over the past 18 months? I had to get it done to take my “wife/friend” to the doctor’s office.
Today: 2 mile commuter walk. As far as the rest: pull ups: set of 10, then 4 sets of 6, one of 7, two of 5 Bench: 10 x 134, 1 x 175, 4 x 160, 6 x 155, 5 x 155 high incline: 10 x 94, 5 x 110, 5 x 110
Life of an old goat 