RUNNING AGAIN AT AGE 80 LOG JANUARY 2017

Continuing my Running Again at /age 80 log since back at running after a 30 year hiatus

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January Running 2017

1/1/17- new week, new year, entering my eighth month of running since back at after three decades. Rainy and cool 40-degree morning. How to run? See how the day goes. Progress last year was a lot slower than I anticipated #RunningAgainAtAge80 but understandable. Probably will limit me to road, trail and track runs 10K and under. A few
early goals: go under 40 min in 5K, under 10 min in a mile, run 20 miles a week, smooth and strengthen form.
So, to start off the year: no run. I'm finding that after three straight days running, I'm feeling especially worn and weary that way; like I need a rest day. I'm heeding that for now, also to avoid potential injury.
One thing: I'm going to need: more fartleks and speed endurance intervals in the mix.

1/2/17- no run, rainy and raw out. Decent cross-training interval workout, duration 36:04; 11:37 on treadmill for .73 miles in 3 reps. 3 reps too of 10 squat jumps, I minute planks with 10 second leg lifts, high-knee stepping and toe skipping, chest presses and lateral curls to almost failure on the Total Gym. Okay.
Wired, bed at 8, awaken at 9 - now 11, or so.

1/3/17 - Did sleep. Rainy morning, could workout in afternoon outside re forecast. Adjusted down max HR from 174 to 164, an estimate based on HRs over weeks, hoping to more accurately set zones. Resting is at 54, quite accurate.
Ran a somewhat easy 3.3 miles in the hollow, except for a little push in the last half mile. Duration 44:29. Pace 13:27. HR avg 126. Cadence avg 166. So tmsftw 4.03. Slow gain. Training time over 5K, 41:46, faster than any 5K race last year by 2+ minutes (52:08; 46:23; 43:59) and 10 minutes better than the first one, when I started out.

1/4/17- yet cautious about the impact of running long training mileage on my 80-year-old frame. Cooler day. Turning cold by weekend, possible snow.
Okay. Set up my road race menu for the first 5 months of 2017 ... #RunningAgainAtAge80 - things to point toward - 3/4; 5/7; 5/29

Challenging.
Ran a somewhat easy 2.21 miles in holler focusing on stride strength. Duration 29:07. HR avg 123 bpm. Pace 13:10. Cadence avg 162. Msftw 6.24. Okay.

1/5/17- colder weather now. Bundling up for runs. Today's run? Maybe figure it out later. Something interesting and self-explanatory. I am bothered by ageism but don't want to read it into everything. Sometimes it's hard. Got to be careful.

Yet to figure out today ... hace frio...
Ran an easy 3.38 hilly miles in the hollow. Duration 51:49. Pace 15:19 max 10:37. HR avg 121. Cadence 160. Msftw 9.62.

1/6/17- Running has been a refuge from the awful comic-book live drama that is brutally pervading the US of A. Even for a short while.
Snow in the Chatt forecast. Not sure about training today yet.
Thinking about a running blog. Then again, maybe not.

Want more mileage this week but body resists today. Still ...
Okay, after 7 months back at it: Running goals for 2017 #RunningAgainAtAge80
First 6 months- sub 10-minute mile; 39 minute 5K; 8K and 10K pending; trail runs (best times training recently based on pace - 5K 41:47; mile 11:14)
Second 6 months- sub 9-minute mile; under 39 minute 5K; other times still pending; maybe a trail race
Ambitious? ... don't know.
So ... 4 straight training days up to today, this will be a rest/recovery one...

1/7/17- I contend with loss of muscle & bone mass from cancer treatment & aging in #RunningAgainAtAge80 unsure of impact. No baseline to gauge from. In the background. Not complaining; woke up thinking about it. Obsessions.
Dusting of snow, temp 19f, up earlier at 2:30 am when I wrote the above, back to bed at 5:30, up again maybe 1-1/2 hours ago. Now pondering how to run today, want to outside, not on treadmill. Eileen painting in our garage studio, heater on. Sunny. Bright. Cold. Power line workers destroyed my trail clearing a 50-foot wide swath of brush and saplings, leaving a big-tire rutted red clay ground cover that could twist an ankle. Don't want to drive anywhere. That leaves the half-mile long hollow's road and side hills.
Ran easy 4.34 miles in unusual 17 degree ChattTN cold #RunningAgainAtAge80 #runchat ignored metrics while running, kept it easy. Duration 1:04:51. HR avg 135 skewed. Pace 14:57 max 10:44. Cadence 164. Getting it done. Miles this week so far 13.96.

1/8/17- Another subfreezing Chattanooga day, though temps will rise tomorrow. Temp doesn't bother me much, only the piling on of warm gear for some reason. Plan a short run today.
Tried the hilly trail now hazardous from huge brush and tree debris power line clearing machines. Ran 1.93 miles slow and careful. Duration 32:41 max 14:38. Pace 16:55. No HR. Cadence 154.
Met week goal of running 15 miles: total 15.89.


1/9/17- Start of new running week. Temps to rise above freezing and later in week to be Springlike. No plan for today; play it by feel.
Pondering starting second year of renewed #RunningAtAge80 with the Southern 6 Trail Race on Feb19. After would be the 5K in the 3-race Chattanooga Erlanger Marathon spectacle March4 and the 5K in 2-race Binghamton Bridge Run May7 when we'd be at our Windsor NY mountain cabin. The Southern 6 would be my first-ever trail race.
Changed HR zones (5) to evenly between 154 max and 48 resting. Device and pairing snafus after run, ID'd problems, won't use Fitbit as backup for HR. Ran moderate feeling 2.21 miles in hollow. Duration 29:58. Pace 13.31. No HR. Cadence avg 164. Legs heavy but worked on stride. Windy, low 40s, sunny. Three straight days running. Would like to make it 4, then rest, recovery.

1/10/17- ‪... Mindfulness + Proprioception = trail running ...
- - - -
( #RunningAgainAtAge80 )‬
Might do that today - up at 3 am. Ei to Atlanta later for an overnight- conference - back tomorrow night. Might also take a recovery day.
Mindfulness- Wherever I run, I'm still where my body is ...
Indeed a recovery day

1/11/17- Rain, warmer, aching, foggy, raw, don't feel like running outside. Now early afternoon wondering if I should take another recovery day. Or maybe a couple of easy treadmill miles.
Did the treadmill. Duration 35:59. 2.17 miles. Slow slow 16:35 pace. HR avg 109 max 121. Cadence avg 160. Incline 6%. What I needed, an easy, somewhat sweaty indoor workout.

1/12/17- reminded of my ADD, APD, global vs linear thinking on FB, posted thoughts from today and exactly a year ago- in a different note here, too - what has it got to,do with running? Ponder that.
Warmer sometime rainy day. I expect to take a jaunt outside.
And did, ran 4.04 moderately easy miles in hollow, hills too. Duration 1:01:04. Pace 15:07, max 11:30. HR 121, max 132. Hills 220ft. Cadence 162. Okay. Msftw 8.45. Whew. Sleepy.

1/13/17- wondering if I should do two days run, one day off, etc. Strictly observed it would mean four runs one week five runs the next two, then back to four runs - could try it - so, today, a break.

1/14/17- some kind of run today. Up at 3:30 am, awoke about 45 minutes earlier. Trying out joint remedy supplement - glucosamine, chondrotin, MSN Earth Fare tablets; looked at runners articles re these, based on research. Very foggy out; severe weather alert. Returning to bed soon. Slept some more.
Ran moderately slow 3.2 miles, labored some. Duration 46:29. Pace avg 14:30 max 10:59. HR avg 120 max 125. Ascent 120 ft on hollow's hills. Cadence avg 166 max 200. Msftw 11.65.

1/15- run undetermined. Maybe something more than 3 miles. Afternoon. Up at 4 am. Actually turned out to be no run.
Recovery seems slow. Might be training harder than I think. Age has me fooled. So I end up with a low 12 miles this week. If my HR zone set up is accurate I've been training primarily in zone 4 this week. Feels slow, but also recovery is, too. Adjusted HR zones to 164 max 48 resting 5 zones.
So ... still feeling it out (which is ongoing).

1/16/17- ran an easy 3.45 miles in the hollow, focusing on what seems natural in my stride. Duration 51:54. HR 119. Pace 15:01. Cadence 164. Ascent 120. Cloudy, 50s, humid. Felt good.


1/17/17- Rainy day, storms in forecast, so not sure what type of run to do yet. Want to note training benefits re workout with this chart from runners connect-

Morning hollow run - 2,23 easy miles, started to focus on longer stride. Duration 31:12; HR 116; pace 14:00; cadence 164. Might try another short run later.
I'm certainly into training scientifically but options for coaching my #RunningAgainAtAge80 self are way too costly.
Second run today, 1.11 moderately intense miles, focusing on stride. Duration 13.55. Pace 12.28 avg, 10:44 max. HR 122 bpm (tempo zone). Cadence avg 162, max 180. Encouraging! Msftw 6.79.

^^^ Ate a large white wheat bun and got hives - wheat protein, exercise implicated, maybe gluten. Exercise induced urticaria and wheat ^^^

1/18/17- Last night's hive attack after earring large sandwich bun - underscores why I can't eat wheat, and how wheat allergens are associated with exercise and hives. Important to distinguish between wheat and gluten hives reactions. Anyway, took an antihistamine last and this morning and carry one or two when I run. These eased the hives. Don't yet know about a workout today.

From a medical article:
"A distinct subset of exercise-induced anaphylaxis is food-dependent exercise-induced anaphylaxis (FDEIA), in which anaphylaxis develops only if physical activity occurs within a few hours after eating a specific food. Neither food intake nor physical activity by itself produces anaphylaxis. [5]
***The foods most commonly implicated in food-dependent exercise-induced anaphylaxis are wheat, shellfish, tomatoes, peanuts, and corn. [6] However, the disorder has been reported with a wide variety of foods, including fruits, seeds, milk, soybean, lettuce, peas, beans, rice, and various meats."
From another medical article -
--"The most common specific food allergen that induces FDEIA is wheat and in particular, ω-gliadin11. Major proteins of wheat flour, gliadins and glutenins, as well as proteins of the albumin/globulin fraction are involved in wheat associated food allergy. Gliadins are significant allergens and different types are involved in the IgE response14."--
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2861251/

So, better to take a training break today ... put up new twitter profile -
Spouse, artist, writer, #RunningAgainAtAge80 after 30-year halt due to exercise-induced hives; once All-American; love to run; activist; PhD.; Cancer survivor.

1/19/17- up at 1:30 am, now 3:30, perusing the internet. Running and family finances and the incoming presidency on my mind, and, Eileen's hopes for us in our years ahead
So a run today. It might be well to log some miles. Though I'd like to run a marathon, right now I'd be better off sticking with middle distances. Body's still got some build-up to do.
Later. Rainy day on and off. Treadmill?
For #RunningAgainAtAge80 I tried a 71 minute 4/2 run-walk on & off treadmill, adapting an interval training fondness -like it

About 2.9 miles. Pace? Unreliable. Msftw 9.69.

1/20/17- How to run this warm afternoon after a 70-minute 4/2 treadmill run/walk workout yesterday, now almost noon.
Well, an easy recovery run - 2.22 miles in the holler. Duration 30:18. HR 121. Pace 13:39 max 11:47. Cadence 164.
Oh yes. Trump was inaugurated today. An unholy mess.
Tweet - Ran 2.22 recovery tempo miles after yesterday's 70 min. 4/2 run/walk treadmill run #RunningAgainAtAge80 Stride sense returning.
Msftw 11.91.

1/21- bleak era for the US with Trump et al. But this is about running.
Up at 2:30 am, now 3:22. Rain due later in the a.m. Expect to run afterward, probably in the hollow. Might try the 4/2 again, run/walk or Run/jog. Or maybe fartleks. Or a semi-hard 5K. Oh, the choices. Or better - to stick to my new plan of 2 days workout, 1 day off, to aid recovery. Also, a tooth crown is hurting, gum area. Checking with the dentist Monday. Abscess? Hope not.
Women's march in D.C. - 500,000 estimated- amazing turnout in resistance against Trump et al. Then, countless numbers more around the world.

1/22/17- From the Chattanooga Track Club awards banquet last night - 2nd place, Runner of the Year Award -- but ... only two of us and I ran in the necessary races to qualify, to my surprise.


Now, today and running. Raining all day, forecast, so expect to do treadmill and maybe strength work inside to cap off the week.
A rain break before t-storms hits this area. Took advantage to run 2.24 miles, moderate/easy. Duration 29:56. Pace 13:21 tempo. HR 124 Lower zone 4. Cadence166. Worked on stronger stride. Might do more on the treadmill later. Msftw 14.15. Followed that a couple of hours later with an easy mile treadmill run, slow 19:18 pace, HR 104. cadence 162. Miles for week - 15.15. Duration for week - 03:36:15

1/23/17- Nasty rain spray and 20mph winds outside- not going to run in that. Something then on the treadmill. So ... a duration 4/2 treadmill on/off run. Total duration 54:08, tread 36:17. Tread miles 2.16, total est 2.91. HR105 zone3. Cadence low 148. Pace estimate slow 15:50. Overall feel during, moderately easy. Including duration and miles in weekly count now.

1/24/17- Pre-dawn morning, chill returns to Chattanooga TN, got warm gear, another day to be #RunningAgainAtAge80 - yes, later today, but yes...

So, third running day in a row, second this week. Moderately easy mainly hilly 2.11 mile tempo run in the hollow, which slowed pace but worked on strength. Duration 30:09. Pace 14:18, max 10:37. HR 122. Cadence 168, max 194. Msftw 5.02. Dsftw 01:24:01. Upper body strength tomorrow?

1/25/17- Don't want to but should give legs a break today. Upper body strength and core workout intervals would help. Could lightly jog indoors between. Cold weather returning to Chatt tomorrow.
Twitter notes - "Hit a running plateau? Do heal raises & squats. “Resistance will stimulate muscle growth that transfers,” said BA trainer Diego Martinez." - "The best way to warm up for your run is to work your feet. This activates muscles all the way up… instagram.com/p/BPscBvel7vj/ - Eric Orton"
Ah, been neglecting UB strength work. So, 25 minutes push-ups (pathetic), dumbbell curls to OH presses (10lbs), dumbbell underarm curls, 1-minute planks w/ 30 second alternating leg lifts - (3sets each). Maybe more later. Dsftw 01:49:01.

1/26/17- cold snap next several days ... glad of warm gear. Up at 3:30 am. Napped a little later. Some kind of run today, like to do a longer one, probably in the hollow. So, ended up with a 3.21 mile moderate feeling tempo run with hills. Duration 46:29. Pace 14:28. HR 126 zone 4. Cadence 166. So-so about it. Msftw 8.24. Dsftw 2:35:18.

1/27/17- Another day to arise around 3 am. Temps in 30s, hace frío afuera. Ran 4.38 tempo miles in hollow, windy, working cadence 174, duration 1:03:24. HR 127 avg. Pace a slow 14:29. Mantra keep it easy, rapid, serene. Felt good. Msftw 12.62 dsftw 3:38:42.

1/28/17- Up at 4 am. News blues re presidency. Totally absurd and malignant. Okay. Running. Shorter run today. Stride's too short when cadence is increased. Maybe spurts to address that.
No spurts - cautious. Ran 2.21 moderate tempo miles, hollow, working stride. Duration 29:28. Pace 13:24. HR 134 (erratic H7). Cadence 164.
Msftw 14.83. Dsftw 4:08:10.

1/29/17- up again early a.m., then back to sleep later. Undecided about a run. Should take a break after three running days in a row, actually seven days if three other running days and a cress-training day are considered. So, I want to increase my weekly mileage. Now at about 15. Next goal 20. Running 6 days, what could a breakdown look like. 5-3-2-3-4-3-rest, say, working up to 6-mile day. Could have two runs a day in there, too. Then up to a 7-mile day for now. Needed for improvement, but increase should be gradual - the 10% rule.

1/30/17- awoke at 12:30 am, up at 1:30. Ate a fat gluten free pancake, coffee to settle my sense of outrage over the Trump administration cruel and egomaniacal actions. Need sleep to run, to grow in strength and endurance. Determined.
Going to try the Scorsche Rhythm+ HR monitor again, had returned the previous, but have an idea of what I may have been doing that made the readings erratic (loose arm band, for one). Arrives in two days. Also. I'm still unhappy with my stride mechanics. Tried heel striking, but it doesn't feel quite right. Last week tried the shorter stride, more rapid cadence, that felt smoother though clocked slower. Today learned I need to lift knees more as leg moves forward, something I used to do in college and in the mid '80s. Quicker cadence then. I jump around.
Mid afternoon run? Maybe an easy 3 miles, short stride, quicker cadence, softer and smoother.. Six 3s this week would get me 18.
So, ran a moderately easy 3.16 miles, tempo level. Duration 44:19. Pace 14:00. HR about 125. Cadence 174. Added a little campaigning with it.


1/31/17- Another 3+ mile run today? Warmer temps. Hip flexors sore, maybe from pushing cadence. Decided on a treadmill run/walk. Polar has it at 2.24 miles. Duration 31:37. No HR, didn't wear chest strap. Pace 14:07, questionable. Cadence running 184, what I worked on. I also worked on what in my form might have put more stress on my right gluteus minimus, could be some sideways moves now and then. Msftw 5.4 dsftw 1:15:56.

2/1/17- awake at about 2:39 am, up at 3:30, usual segmented sleep pattern. Expect to try a Greenway Farm run later.
First 5K 2017 goal -39 minute run #RunningAgainAtAge80 -30 years ago, in my 50s, ran sub 20 minutes, then had to stop.

Tale of the trek. Ran somewhat easy 4.08 miles at Greenway Farm, beautiful day for it. Did trip on.a root again and fall, smack, on the trail. Gotta learn to pick up my feet. Duration 59:20. HR about 127 (Scorsche, new). Pace 14:32, slow, fall. Cadence 168. Msftw 9.48 Dsftw 2:14:16.