Feeling better being worn out

stats of the week: run 45km, cycled 45km, gym 4 hrs

It was a fairly busy week, at least enough to let an elderly man feel being tired. Indoor cycling was less exhausting now and running had reasonable speed but overall feeling was like being rather worn out.

It's less than 100 days to London Marathon 2012 but still time to build up the mileage. This year's idea is to focus a bit more on speed between long slow runs.

The photo shows me worn out just about finishing New Year's Eve race which was 2011's best running performance by an age grade of 72.5.

Indoor preparing

stats of the week:  run 35km, cycled 40km, gym 4hrs

It wasn't a lazy week but a somewhat non-satisfying one. Running was too little, indoor cycling was too exhausting, gym was fairly ok.

However, I should feel fine with this kind of load as I usually prefer to have a rest during the first two weeks of the year. Indoor cycling isn't my favourite sort of sports but I do have to prepare now for a private 10-day training camp on the Canarian island of Lanzarote in 3 weeks.
 

Busy year with speedy finish

stats of the week: run 45km, gym 3hrs

I didn't dare to hope it after recent races experienced. But finally and to my own surprise I did it. 26 years after my first new year's eve race, once again I ran faster than I finished my first one. 1985 I clocked 1:08:33 hrs for the 15K, yesterday it was my 20th appearance and I finished after 1:07:50 hrs. It was a tough fight and I really couldn't expect this level of performance. 5 weeks ago I only was able to keep the same speed at half the distance.

The photo shows my own medals exhibited by the organisers at the race's expo.

Surprisingly 2011 was my busiest sports year ever if you add running and cycling load.

Hawaii running experience

stats of the fortnight: run 82km

Watching Honolulu Marathon was a very special experience as this is a really unusual event. Imagine that you'll have half of the participating 20,000 runners behind you when you finish after 6 hours! Official marathon terms assure that the finish will close not before the last runner has arrived. He did after more than 14 hours.
 

A further speciality is that there is no age limit for young runners. Japanese runners could be seen not older than around 10 years! There is even a separate age group for 15 to 17 that was won by a 15-year-old Japanese boy in 3:00:02 hours.

See Top 20 photos at picasa

Las Vegas Heli Roulette

stats of the week: run 40km, gym 2hrs

Regards from my journey to the Las Vegas Marathon that showed typical development: The full distance went down from 5,000 to 3,700 runners, while the half marathon growed from 20,000 to 33,000! However, the organizers were not prepared to handle the masses. Big problems at the start to get through to the right pens, later slow half runners blocked fast marathon runners. It's a fancy race but recommended just for those who don't take it seriously. 

Las Vegas strip is quite an experience for European souls. Gambling 24 hrs and an artificial world inside the hotels:

My special experience followed. After I enjoyed a helicopter flight to Grand Canyon on Monday I heard the news that just 2 days later a heli of the same company on the same route crashed near Hoover Dam with all 5 passengers perishing. That's what I ever said. Getting old is just luck.

Slowing down to year's end

stats of the week: run 48km, gym 4hrs

I am not quite sure why I am significantly slower now compared to beginning of the year. I won't be able to run a 10K sub 45min right now. Maybe the year's load was just too much. Maybe it's just another step towards age. And probably I am not completely recovered from the marathon 3 weeks ago.

Today's short double race of 7.5K and 5K let no wonder happen. Sanity suggests to have a couple of weeks for recover and cautiously build up the new year's schedule. Alas - there is another wearisome journey coming and then there's the always prominent New Year's Eve Race. The break has to wait until January.

Top 100 in New York City

stats of the week: run 41km, cycled 25km, gym 4hrs

Although not running myself the New York City marathon, I had a great time photographing the runners and seeing all the happy faces.
At least I was able to take part in a real race - the inaugural "5K dash to the finish line". Actually it is quite sad that organisers abandoned the traditional friendship run on Saturday morning. Instead they set up a 5K race which was a success if you see more than 5,000 participants who paid at least 25$ while the former friendship run was free for marathoners. But the new 5K race cannot make up for the good atmosphere of the friendship jog. And the new "Parade of the Nations" on a very cold Friday evening wasn't real fun for spectators.

Just six days after Dublin Marathon I was happy to do a proper 5K race in 22:21 min without any pain. This let me be placed 7th of 114 in my age group. The official result list also shows age grade times and places which is very nice for the elderly like me. Taken age graded times (18:17) I made it into the Top 100 of the 5,000 runners field!