Just Cause You CAN Do Something, Doesn't Mean You Should!

"And you know that you're over the hill when your mind makes a promise
that your body can't fill." Little Feat

In trying to keep doing this running thing, you keep getting these daily choices. Now I know that I am still 15 months from age 60, when I want to be near my best for a few races. So, pushing too hard now would be pretty ineffectual. Plus, the risk of hurting something, or hurting something MORE (like my back), is always high. I have gotten myself into the structure of the 4 runs, and begun to do those things I want to try to do on those particular workouts. That includes a progressive hour and a half run, where the last half hour is at a more moderate pace. It includes an hour to hour and 15 minute run where I progress from 20 to 30 minutes at threshold, and ultimately, start to make it faster. Add a one hour run with short intervals for leg turnover and running economy, and a 4 mile run on the treadmill at the gym, where I go easy for 3, and then do a variety of hill efforts for the last mile. Add in some weight work and a few short exercycle bouts, and that is about all that I think I can get this body to do with out destroying it. I have to weigh what one workout or training session can offer as a positive adaption vs the risk of hurting myself, or getting so tired I can't do one of the other workouts. Never used to have to think about this kind of stuff. Most all training errors were forgiven fairly quickly, and injuries would heal in a few days. Nothing is forgiven now, and punishment for a training mistake can last a pretty long time. Sure do miss those easier, faster, more fun runs of my 30's and 40's. Rarely ever feel fast, fluid, and like I can just turn it up anytime I feel like it now. But, as always, you only get to play the hand that you are dealt, and you can never place too many chips on one hand anymore. Oh, and when I race in Las Cruces or El Paso, I will be at least 5 miles east of the Rio Grande.....