faster with age

I haven't blogged in a while but I keep intending to get started again. I haven't been running very often [only about once a week] and only around 5 miles each time so there just hasn't been anything to exciting to write about. I ran twice last week for the first time in a while and going for 3 runs this week. Hopefully I can start adding mileage over the next few months and get back into some decent running shape again.

     I figured today was a good day to start blogging since I got a new PR this morning. The PR was for the coldest temperature run. I have run at -15 deg a couple of times. This morning when I took my son out to the bus, the temp in my jeep read  -24 below zero. The thermometer in the house read -18 and it always reads 2 or 3 deg higher than our vehicles when it gets real cold so the real temp was probably somewhere between.  The poor jeep was creaking and groaning and sounded like it wanted to break in half as we bounced down our dirt lane. My son commented that the windshield sounded like it was going to break. Of course I couldn't pass up this opportunity so as soon as I got back I threw on some warm running gear and headed out the door. I guess I dressed just right because I really never got cold at all. The sun came up after about 3 miles. Just went 5 1/2 miles total all on snow.  Averaged around 9:15 pace.  Had a good ice goatee by the end.

It was clear up to 20 deg today when I ran. About 40 deg warmer than the last run. Toasty. Just ran the usual 5 miles I've been doing. Today 3 miles of the run were on dry pavement with the rest on snow.  Ran pretty easy for 4 miles then ran a little faster the last mile with a few striders thrown in. 5th mile in 7:41 and overall pace 8:28.  It's sad how fast 7:41 feels right now.

5 miles again today. This is the first time running 3 times in a week since July. 8:28 AP

I guess I messed up and entered these last two runs on Fri and Sat instead of Thursday and Friday.

Today when I ran it was 30 deg and sunny. I think this is the first time in the last couple of weeks that we've got out of the lower 20s. Almost felt like T-shirt weather. Ran 6 miles about half on snow and half on pavement. Pavement miles around 8:15 and about 30 seconds slower on the snow. 8:26 pace overall.

Ran a very easy 5 miles. My heart rate is so much higher on these runs than it was when I was in shape. I ran 9:09 pace and my ave heart rate was 143. When I was fit my pace was around 8 min or even high 7s at that HR. It was usually below 130 running over 9 min. Hope to start improving quickly.

5 miles at 8:58

Nice christmas day run. 2 of the 5 miles on packed snow so a little slower. Last mile in 7:29. Overall ave pace 8:39.

2 of the 5 miles very slick and slow. 9:39 AP
 

six miles at 8:51. Last run of the year. Not a very good year for running. Hope to do better next year.