Start the year off right

[SumoRunner]

No resolutions for me. I can hardly conceive of a better year than 09 athletically. So I'm hoping I can just continue to do as well as I have been doing.

I began Jan 1st 2010 with 228 pushups and a 3.5 mile race which was several minutes faster than last year, which was several minutes faster than the previous few years. I could not have hoped for more.

Of course, as with everyone else, I would like to lose some weight and I've been unemployed for months, so a new job would be nice, but I'm just talking physical condition now and that's tip-top. I started to improve markedly when I got on this and the cardiac athletes forums a couple years ago and shared my experiences with all of you. The feedback and support has been immeasurable.

 

[spartangator]

Sounds like you're going to be set up for the quite the 2010 racing season when spring arrives. Congrats on the successful '09.

 

[Mark Wagner]

Hey SumoRunner, 228 push-ups ... Your making my arms fall off thinking about it! Good job.

As for me, on the 28th of December I officially started training for the Eugene Marathon, to be held on May 3rd. To be really honest, I am telling myself that this is my last marathon. I have already had a tear in my abductor muscle in 2003 and now am fighting what is probably a pulled hamstring and the start of some hip issues. In my case, I figure 7 is a good number to quit on when it comes to full marathons. I do plan on running a couple of half marathons and fun runs each year if my body will hold up. One thing is certain, cross training will definately be on the agenda come this Spring.

I certainly do not want to discourage any one for getting out and pounding the pavement, but injury aside, training for a marathon is very time consuming, and I would like to just spend more time with my my wife, family, and home. When you work like I do 8 to 14 hour days and an hour commute each way, then after you eat, hopefully get 5-6 hours sleep, head out the door for a run .... well you can see the little time left with those you love are limited, and the chores that should get done never seem to. So ... bottom line after this marathon ... I am running for fun and relaxation! Gee, maybe then instead of a run I might go fishing or hiking which is another love in my life that I never seem to have time for.

Well "Happy New Year" to everyone!

 

[SumoRunner]

I'm not exactly an anti-marathoner. I used to be a distance running coach and helped many others through them. But I attribute my longevity and resilience in the sport to never having done one myself. My highest mileage years were about 1500 in the mid 80s when I did a few half-marathons.

Part of the credit should go to my wife for being overly cautious. I had a known heart murmur since I was very young, was not allowed to do high school sports and was declared 4F (unfit for military duty) in the 1966 draft and it was stated that I would some day need a repair job. Consequently, when I did take up running in the 70s, she made me promise I'd never do a marathon. At that time it was widely considered the ultimate physical challenge. No one was doing triathlons and very few ever heard of ultra-marathons.

So I long ago satisfied myself with moderate mileage and shorter races. Now, as far as cardio-vascular stress, racing a mile on the track will push your HR to it's absolute max but marathon pacing has to keep it well below max, so racing as I do is pushing the limits in a different way. It's the accumulated strain of high mileage training, pounding on your joints for hours at a time, that eventually drives many marathoners out of the game.

 

[kodi]

I started my New Year with a 9.5 miler followed by a 5.5 miler today. New Years Day was the 31st anniversary of my running: Here is my story,
Today is the 31st anniversary of my running. How it all started. December 31, 1978 my son, then approaching 14 and very skinny, and I were trying to play tennis. I was lousy, he humored me. There were people running on the high school track. I suggested we go run a mile on the track, and he did. I ended up going a mile but walked a lot of it. When I got home I decided to make a New Year’s Resolution of running every day. Well I didn’t and still don’t run every day but 31 years later I’m still at it. Come to think about it, the longest stretch I ever went without missing a day was six months…a long time ago. When I started running I was about 196 pounds and a smoker. The reason I made my resolution was because I decided I’d like to see my daughter, approaching 16 at the time and my son grow up. I have a family history of heart problems, lost both my dad (age 69), and brother (age 49) to heart attacks. Over the years, I have run 53 marathons, one IRONMAN triathlon, and countless other races, including triathlons, dualathons and biathlons and have no idea how many. Someday I’ll get all that stuff organized and have a good idea of how many of each, but not holding my breath. Frankly, it’s the best decision I ever made in my life. It has changed me as a person, letting me know I have a competitive streak in me, taught me patience and has essentially saved my life. It has been a great source of friendships that will last a lifetime and it also re-enforced one thing I already knew…I’m damn stubborn.
HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE

My plans for this year, 25-30 running miles a week, at least 1 day of biking and 1 day of swimming.

 

[SumoRunner]

I just set a new personal record of 1040 pushups in one week. I did them every day and I don't generally like doing anything 7 days in a row, so I probably won't repeat that. I wasn't able to run, so a guy's gotta do something to keep the blood flowing.

I am now back out running again after two weeks off. Just 2 miles yesterday and today. I did something that hurt my hip back on Jan 1st and had to take several days off. Then last Sunday I was working on a 25 Km race, standing at a crossroad in 10F temps (-12C) for 3 hours and my toes were freezing. So I jogged around the intersection to get my circulation back and tripped over my own feet. Banged up my knee pretty badly and had to take a few more days off from running. But now it seems I've got all my parts in order again and all is well.

 

[Blanche]

It's nice when it comes together....

It's nice when it comes together....

Looks like you got it together.

I remember, a while back, someone told me that there were three things to be of concen: Some one to love; something to do; and something to look forward to. Looks like you got it going for you.

Blanche

 

[ar bee]

here is my plan for 2010

here is my plan for 2010

I managed to gather a few friends to join me for a high altitude trek (we will cross some passes that are > 4900 meters above sea level (>16000 feet)) in mid May this year.

Preparation: twice a week gym (cardio), once a week Yoga to keep the rest of the body busy and the occasional Saturday morning hike for the next few weeks. I will then take the "temperature" end of March and end of April with consecutive Sat/Sun morning uphill walks (trying to make at least 1000 meters of altitude difference each day). Depending on how I do end of March, I would eventually adjust exercise frequency (but not severity) for the remaining 6 weeks before the trek!

Then another 2-3 days hike in late summer

all the best to all of you
ar bee

 

[SumoRunner]

I much prefer to be where you can breath the air. I've lived all my life near sea level and a big mountain in New York is 4,000 ft. I ran a few times in Colorado - Denver, Golden, Ft Collins areas - which are about 5,000 ft. I didn't find it difficult at all until I tried running a 5 Km race in Boulder CO once. Damn, I thought I was going to collapse. Going to 3X that altitude is unimaginable to me.

 

[Dina]

I began Jan 1st 2010 with 228 pushups and a 3.5 mile race which was several minutes faster than last year, which was several minutes faster than the previous few years. I could not have hoped for more.
.

Just wanted to give you a big YAAY!!

 

[R&N Brown]

This may be one of the more important threads on this board.

These types of conversations provide great hope to folks that are pre-surgery. There is nothing better then first hand representation of how physically active folks can be after having a Valve replaced. The potential for a rich quality of life after the potential of death.

Not to dismiss the share of technical information that is exchanged. That is truly important stuff too.

I’ve been away for a while. (but not that far) I would like to post what I've been doing lately as far as my physical activity goes. I am more active at 50 then I ever was at 40. My quality of life just continues to get better and I would like to share some of the specifics. I will look to start a thread maybe Sunday.

Sumo, you played a part in the initial encouragement.
For starters in a 52-day span from October 21, 2009 – December 11, 2009 as just one component of a challenge I did 5000 push ups. (That was for starters)

Be well.

 

[SumoRunner]

I went easy on the pushups this week after 930 and 1040 the past two weeks. Only 325 total which would have seemed like a lot a couple months ago, but now is merely a light week. I'll boost it back up again this coming week. I still haven't come anywhere close to completing the final challenge of 100 in a row.

I ran a 3 mile race this morning, 29:10 (9:43/mile) which ain't half bad since this is my "off" season. It's a bit faster than this time last year but much slower than I was going in the summer and fall. I've been doing so much treadmill running which feels unnatural, that it felt good to let the legs fly freely on the open road.