The 200-Mile Relay I was expecting to run has flopped. The race will go on, but our team will not be involved. A few guys of our 12-person team are hurt or busy.It is just as well. My workouts have been weak and irregular. My part of the race was to be 3.42, 7.55, and 8.57 miles.
Which bring me around to the Cream of Wheaton Run for the Animals.
Last year, I ran it in 25: 12, an 8:07 pace, taking 19th of 59 places in my age group, and 282 overall. Not ready yet to call my race, but I expect to run much better than that. I ended last summer with a 22:00 5K. If I can equal that, terrific. It would have earned me sixth in my age group, and 111th overall. However, don't call Vegas with your bet.
Compared to last year, off the bat, I am a smarter runner. This will help me train better, and race more sensibly.
To run a 22:00 5K, I need a 7:05 mile pace. Presently I am in no shape to pull that off. I do expect to drop weight aggressively, and with it, catch my wind back, both as a matter of aerobic training that will lose the weight, and by simply not carrying the same baggage.
Today, I ache from last night's four miles. Tomorrow will be warm. I'll shed the cold weather togs and lighten my load, and see if I can get a few miles. Sunday will be off, a rest day, and back at it Monday.
2 comments:
I wonder how much weight affects speed? I should find a fit runner and put a weight bag on them. :)
Runner's World had a piece on this last summer. Roughly, 10 lbs of excess weight = 62 seconds in a 5K, I think I read. I'll check. It was substantial.
Lots of things factor in. The weight must be lose-able. Go beyond that and it becomes injurious. How was the weight lost? In my case, it will mostly be through training, so part of the weight lost returns as muscle, and, in the process of training, fitness increases. If a runner is a veteran, he may not seen the same results, as his overall fitness level may be superior to a couch potato who decides to run a marathon.
However the math shakes out for you personally, it can't help but very good. I have five easy lbs to lose. Could be 10. Possibly 15.
I weight around 137 now. In my fast days, I was almost 110 (107 most often). Quite light by any standard, and I do not think I will see that weight again. There are 27 more lbs, though, that I carry, which causes much trouble over a long run.
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