RUNNING AGAIN AT AGE 80 LOG FROM JULY 2016 -

This is the July 2016 log of Running Again At Age 80

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July Running Toward Age 80 -- 7/1 -- back on the hollow's road again, tried a mile moderate run to see how the groin strain felt, didn't feel any pain, wore a neoprene support, shorter stride, quicker 170-steps-a-minute rhythm, not a great time, 14:29 pace, but best so far in this seven weeks of training. Can't push too hard though. Got to keep my agedness and injury possibilities in mind.

7/2 -- One mile again in the hollow,,groin support on, 14'07" pace, 170 step tempo - cautious about adding more volume. Later 5 six second tempo hill sprints on steep driveway again cautious.

7/5 -- Now in eighth week of training since returning to running and I'm finding progress and workout recovery slower than I anticipated. Still, four weeks from my 80th birthday, I can cover ground like I couldn't when I resumed. Yesterday's two-mile pace, though relatively slow, was my best so far. Easy indoor workout today. Moderate as it goes. Listen to the body.
So a workout this morning, 25 minutes in 5 minute intervals on the treadmill at 170 steps a minute cadence. Slow pace.

7/8 -- day off, old back/hip muscle injury aggravated yesterday in back of house 15-yard tempo intervals. Tomorrow's Market Street Mile race in question at the moment, though I'm registered. On 7/6 ran a moderate mile on my usual street in the hollow. Stretching and rehab exercises today, plus ibuprofen, some ice maybe. Rest.

7/11 -- Ran moderate 2.74 miles in the "holler" today concentrating on smooth foot plant and push-off as muscle strains in lower back and groin heal. Follows yesterday's resistance and form work and Saturday's Market Street Mile race, where I got a 2nd place medal in the age 70 and over class even though I finished last in the race (...smile). I didn't overly push it because of the healing injuries.

7:12 -- 47 60 1 20 treadmill workout.

Running Toward My 80th Birthday -- 7/13 -- Rest day (reluctantly), three weeks till the birthday, now in the ninth week of training since I decided to try to road race again. Ruminating about this third time in my life I've donned running gear, probably try a four mile slog around the hollow tomorrow. Found bits of apparel from the 1980 period in upstate NY (not far from our cabin), photographed with t-shirts from three recent races I plodded through. Of course I'm not obsessed. It's slow going ... Old bod and a few new tricks (techniques).

7/14 -- Wondered at 6 a.m. whether I should take another rest day. At 8, I sucked it up and ran 2.95 miles in the hollow, with a few short hills. Parsed out to a 5K, or 3.1 miles, I knocked about 3-1/2 minutes off my Riverbend 5K race time a month ago. Improving.
Time 46'15", 15'40" pace, or a 48'35" 5K - Riverbend 5K four weeks ago 52'08", 16'47" mile pace. Improving.

7/15 -- Cross training day. Adding more of these to lessen possibility of injury from road runs due to my age and where I'm at at this stage. Got out the step machine and messed with that. Later a 32 minute springy walk indoors.
[Looking at mile-down workout for an outside run (1500 m; 1200m; 800m, 600m, 400m, 200m). ]
Did three sets of 10 front curls,underarm curls overhead presses with 10lb dumbbells, reintroduced into workout.

7/16 -- Ran along the power line trail, 2.3 miles, slower pace, trail is uneven and has grades. Careful of twisted ankle, too. Turf is easier impact, but trail tilts to left and right and is bumpy.

7/18 -- cross training day, might do strides, too. Got new racing shoes $$, with orthotic high arch insole inserts - birthday present from Ei - took these out for a mile run yesterday in the hollow. Easier impact on the road, should help performance, too. Tempted to do a road run today, but need to be more moderate because of my age and to avoid injury due to my frailty. Two mile race - Scenic City Shocker - on Saturday. Wish I was in better condition; it's going to take time.
So an inside walk stressing springiness for 26 minutes then 20 eight second frontyard strides uphill. Later dumbbell resistance upper body work interspersed with walking strides. Pretty good workout after all.

7/19 -- Felt drained, and wanted to do a volume run, but on the road it seemed wiser to let up and do an lighter mile, actually 1.13 miles, slower 14'37" pace. Thinking about the "can do" attitude and the race this Saturday and wondering if I should pass. Research suggests I should be aware of limitations, but, though my body today is saying "rest," in the longer term I'm not settled on limitations, no matter the age handicap. Wisest way, though.

7/21 -- day off yesterday, ran a moderately easy 1.12 miles this morning. Later had a noontime 20-minute cross-training workout with dumbbells, doing squats and a springy-steps walk indoors. I'm registered for a 2-mile race Saturday but will skip it for a park training run and family time. I'm registered for two 5Ks in August but likely will pass on one of those, too. Feels too ambitious with just 10 weeks into this after decades away. Need to focus on conditioning. -- Twelve days till my 80th birthday. Onward!
(three repetitions each of 10 squats; 10 dumbbell front curls, overhead presses and underarm curls; and 3 minute springy step walks - )

7/22 -- Ran two miles (2.03) on Greenway Farm trails, 14'48" pace, not too bad, but sure do need volume runs. Cautious about the long runs though, age and injury prone.

7/24 -- Light or no running workout maybe today in line with idea I need more recovery time because of my age. Yesterday's workout over 47 minutes - five treadmill 3-minute form runs interspersed with Total Gym presses, lateral curls and squats, with short walks in between. Do need to develop aerobic and strength capacity.

7/26 -- Ran 3.1 miles (5K) in our home hollow, some hill work, quality stride focus, old bod slowly getting the knack again. Pace 15'47", time 47'56". Contrast with Riverbend 5K 16'47", 52'08" in June - One week till 80th birthday. Okay.

7/28 - Morning 2.25 mile moderately pushed run in the hollow, 14'56" pace, time 33'36", goal this year to go under 14 minutes a mile up to 5K. Not close, not a gain, but... Contrast 12'59" Market St Mile. ... Yesterday walked somewhat vigorously indoors for 18 minutes.

7/29 - Could be a rest day. It was, mostly re training.

7/30 - Ran 2.2 moderately hard miles, part of it hills up toward the hollow's ridge, improved pace, aerobic feel and stride cadence. Rest day yesterday helped. Pics, me before run and the hill I started on. Three days and I'm 80.
2.2 miles, 32'02", 14'32" pace, mile splits 15'04" & 14'16"

7/31 - Cross-training on this last day of July. Nope. With Ei traveling to Orlando tonight and church with meeting after, couldn't work it in.

RUNNING NOTES FROM FIRST 2 MONTHS SINCE BACK AT IT

Running notes from my return to training after 30 years away from it ...

These are rough and have been compiled month to month, eventually taking on form.
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May/June Running Toward Age 80
The raw start of logging my running as I approached age 80, beginning again after a 30 year hiatus

Training 5/20 - Wind sprints, favorite workout (intervals), moderate speed, 15 repetitions, 70 strides, on treadmill, 13 minutes running time. Satisfied. Stretching out stride..
Training 5/21 - two mile jog on the road, a little kick at the end. 43:11, slow.
Training toward 80 - 5/23 - jogged a 5k (3.2 miles), slowly, but OK I can cover the distance now doing something that looks like running

Running Footwear -- okay, jogged two miles on the road in these new friends, slow for sure, too slow, still the training continues, the wind better than the legs right now. These are Nike Air Premium running shoes, discounted $36 (must be an older model, like me). Onward ...

Crazy old critter, getting the spunk on - I decided renew the runner in me and try a road race on my 79th Memorial Day. The event, fittingly, the oldest road race in this city, the Chattanooga Chase, its one-mile event. With three weeks of training, I'm destined to finish last. But, I can jog/shuffle a mile now, right? So what if it's been three decades since I last did this. I'll dedicate the run to my upstate NY friends with Ankylosing Spondylitis who are part of Walk Your A.S. Off ... Motivation...

5/30- ran the Chattanooga Chase mile run, very slow and labored, but was granted an award
Age 70 and above
1 Wes Rehberg 79 M60OV Chattanooga, TN 16:02 16:02


6/13 - Exercise-induced hives - the reason I stopped running 30 years ago- returned on my run this morning. I carry an antihistamine with me and took it immediately, and jogged home slowly, where I took another. Now an hour later, the hives have disappeared. Back then, a sports medicine physician identified the condition and since, more research has been conducted. I once passed out, cracked my face against a boulder and was hospitalized because of the injury.
Implicated probably is the wheat toast I ate a half hour before my workout. One recommendation from a primary care physician was to take the antihistamine before I run, which I'll do. I've read the research and looked for summaries and a decent one shows up in LiveStrong.
"Experts believe that food can play a role in exercise-induced hives. According to a 2007 review published in "Allergy, Asthma & Clinical Immunology," food-dependent exercise-induced anaphylaxis is easily overlooked and often underdiagnosed. Wheat is the most common trigger, followed by buckwheat, pistachios, apples, oranges, corn, mushrooms and celery. Medications -- particularly aspirin -- can also influence exercise-induced hives; researchers note the drug may increase gastrointestinal absorption of food allergens. Hives resulting from exercise are generally divided into two categories: cholinergic hives, which appear as a result of body warming; and classic exercise-induced anaphylaxis."
Recommendation is to not eat up to four hours before I run. Antihistamines have always been effective, but I'm also going to find out if I might be well off to carry an epinephrine pen (self-inoculation) to avert anaphylaxis.
Onward ...

6/14 Running Toward Age 80 -- 6/14 -- tested if yesterday's hives would recur (they didn't) with resistance work and a short moderate half-mile run. Worked on stride. Okay! Avoiding wheat before running from now on, and generally.

6/15 -- up off and on overnight with a severe bronchial cough attacks, a malady Eileen had first and that still bothers her. Code Orange air quality here in Chatt doesn't help, I'll bet. No run workout today.

Next, July 2016

RUNNING AND SCIENCE DENIERS

Running again has re-deepened my fascination with *science*, from exercise physiology courses I once undertook, thru sports medicine research that associated my exercise-induced hives with wheat, to research that helps keep my cancer in remission and the notion I have that an improved immune system aids this.
Runners check the weather, of course, climate science. Many follow orthopedic, kinesiological and biological information related to technique, what to wear, and to injury. And they know about VO2 max, the two main muscle types-fast twitch and slow twitch, heart-rate zones, and the relationship between diet, rest and muscle fiber development. It goes on.
From the cosmos back to the cell's mitochondria, it's about science, even though some of it is contingent. From just this, though, I'm baffled by science deniers. Utterly baffled ...
#RunningAgainAtAge80

THOUGHT ABOUT PROTESTS

Protest thought- I protested the Vietnam war 1965-1973, draft board sit-in, arrest at the Chicago DNC (clubbed, maced, tear-gassed blind), DC & NYC marches; then the Gulf & Iraq wars, on local streets, in DC, with videos, in local congressional actions including a sit-in, and against the use of depleted uranium weapons, again arrested- and on and off for human rights, civil rights and the environment.
My question to myself now at age 80 is about their effectiveness. My answer, contingently yes to civil rights struggles in the US regarding women, child labor and African-Americans, no to the human rights and war protest activity I was engaged in, not yet re the environment. Or so it seems with these.
Still, I'm never without hope. Especially after the monumental outpouring of women last weekend. It embraces many causes.
Yet. What is it about war?

"FIRST CUP" - WATERCOLOR SKETCH

This is "First Cup," a watercolor sketch, expressionist, on 7"x10" Arches field book cold press paper - (c) 2016 Wes Rehberg

"JERSEY RAINWAY" - WATERCOLOR PAINTING

This is "Jersey Rainway," watercolor on 10"x14" Arches cold press 140# paper (c) 2016 Wes Rehberg

"GABRIELLE AND WASSILY (FOR AWHILE)" - WATERCOLOR ABSTRACT

This is "Gabrielle and Wassily (for Awhile)" watercolor on 7"x10" Arches hot pressed paper MisFitisT abstract style - (c) 2016 Wes Rehberg

"JERSEY ROADWAY '72" - WATERCOLOR PAINTING

New - "Jersey Roadway '72" - watercolor , From my B&W photo, on 9"x12" Fabriano Artistico hp paper- (c) 2016 Wes Rehberg

"KL SEMBLANCE" - WATERCOLOR PORTRAIT

This is "KL Semblance," 
watercolor on 7"x10" field book paper
 (c) 2016 Wes Rehberg

"CALLING ON THE HOMESTEADER" - WATERCOLOR

This is "Calling on the Homesteader," 
watercolor on 7"x10" field book paper (c) 2016 Wes Rehberg

TWO RECENT WATERCOLOR SKETCHES

Two recent watercolor sketches, one a takeoff of a Rembrandt drawing, the other, adapted from a Jean-François Millet painting, on 7"x10" field book cold press paper (c) 2016 Wes Rehberg

"SUSPICION" - WATERCOLOR PAINTING

This is "Suspicion," watercolor painting
Expressionist self says it's done, figurative shrugs
on 9"x12" Fabriano Artistico hot press 140 lb paper (c) 2015 Wes Rehberg

QUICK WATERCOLOR SKETCH OF VLAMINCK PORTRAIT

Quick watercolor takeoff sketch of a Fauvist Maurice de Vlaminck portrait on 7"x10" field book cold press paper (c) 2016 Wes Rehberg - free-falling ...

"CLOWN: 'YOUR STYLE CONFUSES ME'" - WATERCOLOR SKETCH

This is "Clown: 'Your Style Confuses Me' " - watercolor sketch
on 9"x12" hot pressed Fabriano Artistico paper (c) 2016 Wes Rehberg

WATERCOLOR PAINTING - "SEASCAPE AND SUN"

This is, "Seascape and Sun," watercolor 
Adapted from a friend's photo, with permission 
On 10"x14" Arches cold press 140 lb paper - (c) 2016 Wes Rehberg
(gotta say my heart isn't in this style - more an exercise)

NEW, "PORTRAIT" - WATERCOLOR PAINTING

This is "Portrait," watercolor painting
On 9"x12" Arches cp paper (c) 2016 Wes Rehberg

"OIL LAMP PRAYER" - WATERCOLOR PAINTING

This is  "Oil Lamp Prayer," watercolor 
On 10"x14" cp 140# paper, expressionist (c) 2016 Wes Rehberg

WATERCOLOR - "CHILDREN SCAVENGE BANGLADESH DUMP"

This is "Children Scavemge Bangladesh Dump," from photo made available for public use, on 10"x12" Fabriano Artistico hp paper - expressionist - for my child labor series (c) 2016 Wes Rehberg

"BOY WORKING IN GLASS FACTORY" - WATERCOLOR PAINTING

This is, "Boy Working in Glass Factory," for my child labor watercolor series
Adapted from public domain photo circa 1912, 
On 9"x12" Fabriano Artistico 140# hp paper - expressionist, (c) 2016 Wes Rehberg

"OYSTER SHUCKERS: DEEP SOUTH USA" - WATERCOLOR PAINTING

New one - watercolor, "Oyster Shuckers: Deep South USA'" 
for child labor series, adapted from public domain photos
This on 10"x14" Arches 140 lb hot pressed paper (c) 2016 Wes Rehberg
Evaluating, letting it rest -