Well, it's been a while since my last post. Last week, I managed to develop a bit of a routine. I can't get out training on a weekend, it is too complicated, too many other things to deal with. So, Monday to Friday is my plan. Last week, I managed Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday. The weather was fine most of the week and it was very pleasant.
I am starting to run a little further and walk a little less. I reckon something like 0.25 mile running and 0.20 walking - something like that. By the time I have done a 20/25 minute stint however, I am close to collapse. My plan is to gradually increase the running distance and the total time and I hope that in about another 4 weeks, it will be something like 0.50 running and a bit less walking with a total time of 40-60 minutes. We shall see!
It is interesting to see some of the same people out running in the evenings. There seems to be a sort of code of silence though. The form seems to be head down, don't acknowledge any other runners, in fact, don't acknowledge anybody. It is serious stuff. I'm not sure if that is the correct etiquette or perhaps just the ones that I seem to meet. There are the usual dog walkers. They don't seem very friendly either, or perhaps they have learnt the code and understand that runners don't have time to say hello.
One young woman with two crazy dogs on a leash obviously didn't understand this last Tuesday though. As I ran (staggered) by, she cheerily called out to me with a friendly " . . aren't you doing well?" By way of reply, I managed no more than a grunt as I passed, partly from surprise and partly because that was about the only sound emission I was capable of. Ah, that's why nobody speaks. If they do, it would mean: a) wasting precious oxygen and, b) letting on that you are really gasping for breath.
I have to confess though, that it was rather nice to be given a little encouragement and I felt a bit guilty that I had not stopped to return the greeting. I'm not even sure that she would have heard my muffled grunt in acknowledgement. I think I'm going to have to be better prepared for any future offers of encouragement. As I ran on though, I started to think about why she might have said this. I was not wearing my hat for the first time as the weather had been warming up and I thought it best to let the steam out. "Perhaps," I thought, "she is so amazed to see such an old person running that she just felt compelled to say something."
This week has not been so good. It was my intention to go on Monday. Didn't happen. Too many things got in the way. Tuesday? Did you see the weathe? Not likely. That just leaves Wednesday, Thursday and Friday (you are supposed to do 3 runs a week). So, the pressure is on.
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Hi Michael, I think its fabulous that you are making the effort to do something like this!! Truth be told, it is because of the older runners that I started running myself.
ReplyDeleteAs for the unwritten rule about greeting other runners (I sadly didn't get the memo), I make eye-contact and smile if I'm out of breath or if they make eye-contact with me I will say hello. It makes me feel great making the effort, regardless of what the response is.
Good luck with your training, I am sure you will be fabulous in the race - and speaking from personal experience, you might be pleasantly surprised at what you are capable of in a race, even if you know you haven't put enough training in...