Re: Bob's Bits.

If all my runs were as hard as this morning, I'd hang up my running shoes and take up 'Fishing'.......

Re: Bob's Bits.

Oh dear Bob, was it a bad day?

Re: Bob's Bits.

Not one of my best Mags....At only six miles it should have been a walk in the park, but right from the start my legs were heavy and mechanical. I tried to vary the pace half way round, and although I was moving a little bit smoother, I wasn't feeling the love....A pity really because it was a beautiful sunny morning. In the end I was glad to get home but it felt like the last six miles of a marathon and it's taken me all day to recover.

I'm toying with the idea of accepting some defeat and cutting down my mileage, but if I stop running ten miles on Sunday, pretty soon I'd be feeling the same after an eight, and then a six, and gradually it closes you down until you are no longer a runner. I'll see how I manage on Thursday's eight........

Re: Bob's Bits.

Runners or home keepers, we all have our off days Foxy, sometimes I can whip round and get my chores done in no time at all, sometimes it's a struggle to finish. It's probably just a blip and you'll be back to normal in no time.

Re: Bob's Bits.

Don't push yourself too hard Bob, if your body tells you it's not up to it, take notice of it and rest for a while or it may lead to further health problems

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I agree with Val ... good days and bad days .. we all have them.

Re: Bob's Bits.

Foxy, you need to remember that we are all getting older and putting your body under too much strain could also be bad for your health. Why not reduce the length of your runs? I think you do it for health reasons, but your body is trying to tell you that you are doing too much!
We all have to change our routines when this happens, so why not give yourself some new targets to achieve? One day you may have to accept a brisk walk, rather than a run, so what about taking some photos at designated spots, through different seasons. You photos are lovely, so that would give you a reason to go out and keep you fit.
When you body says " I don't want to do that anymore" why not reply "OK well lets start doing this..." ?

Re: Bob's Bits.

Thanks everyone for your comments of support and good advice......
On the 28th of July 2018 I will have been lacing up the running shoes and turning out for a run exactly forty years. Three months has been the longest layoff following a heart attack back in 2004, apart from that, layoffs have been very rare, perhaps a week here, and a couple of missed runs there. When I first started taking running seriously I realised that because it is something that I love to do there is a tendency to overdose on it. So I decided then that I shall only run every other day, and give my body time to recover.....

Over the years I have made many friends through running, and as we have all been overcome with age, there are very few who still go running. Some were training hard to accomplish targets, some [like the amazing Ron Hill] have tried to run every day of their lives and have fell by the wayside. I'm still going, albeit slowly. I have never really set targets or asked for anything from running other than the freedom of the open road or fell, payment enough for me.

Ask me why I do it and I can produce a hundred reasons why, but over the years each reason has, at some point, been tested and has failed, and the truth of the matter is, I just don't know why I do it.
I suppose it's just like the elderly chap who's house backs on to ours. In his mid to late eighties and a devout Catholic he attends his church twice daily, three times at the weekend. Every day of his life [certainly for the last twenty years since I've known him] he leaves his house at seven in the morning, and again at six in the evening. Is running my religion?

Over the years I expect some deterioration, and there has undoubtedly been plenty of that. Distance wise, I have been reduced from long runs of over twenty miles every Sunday to Ten miles. Speed has been reduced from six minute miles to over ten minute miles. The question I must ask myself is this:- Is this a normal depreciation due to age Or something else? There are other runners down the club as old as, or older than me running so much better. Granted, they have not suffered a Heart Attack, but should I accept that this is the best that I can be?

I can't deny that even though I have never really set targets, I have been, and still are, highly competitive, as much as with myself than other runners, and it is this that has probably encouraged me to turn out on those winter mornings in the wind and rain [or worse] to run through pain and obstacles on ultra marathons or fell runs, when the only friend was a rain soaked map and a failing torch. This is why I will fight for every mile. I might lose the odd battle, but I will try my utmost to win the war.

Basically, I'm just saying what Val and Myrtle said earlier that everybody has a bad day....How much better it looks after a good nights sleep.....

Re: Bob's Bits.

great post OGF

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Cheers Myrtle, once I get going I tend to ramble on a bit....