Ready outdoor and indoor

stats of the week: run 26km, gym 1h

The wee injury seems to be gone fortunately so I was able to start jogging cautiously again. Missing proper speed training I don't feel fit for the traditional 15K race but I'm happy to start into the New Year being able to do outside workouts.

Happy New Year to everybody. Keep running!

The attic is ready for wintry indoor workouts too:

Unhappy new year's eve

stats of the week: run 20km, gym 6h

Merry Christmas and a happy new year 2014!
Many thanks for still visiting this blog. It's a pleasure to know you're out there and enjoy running.

My most active year now has to end by a little disappointment. The joyful christmas race strained my inner thigh muscle what I ignored first and worsened it by doing an interval session on the treadmill. Result is that I have to cancel the New Year's Eve run. That is sort of a letdown since the 15K-race on the last day of the year is the one event I took part in more often than in any other race: 21 times so far.

However, I know I shouldn't worry and better stay happy and look forward to oncoming events. Most important is to get fit again for the Cape Peninsula Marathon on Februar 16th.

6-mile-christmas

stats of the week: run 40km, indoor cycling 1h, gym 2h

 

Back home in wintry Germany I had 3 nights to overcome the jet lag before my start at the local christmas city race. They could call it a 6-mile-race since the distance is exactly 9.6K.

 

Training in sunny Jamaica did pay off: My speed was faster than two weeks before, an average of 4:29min/K compared to 4:37min/K. The earning was a second place in the age group - just 4 sec in front of my persecutor.

 



3 happy elderlies

Next step is the traditional 15K New Year's Eve race that I have run regularly since 1985. Will I once more be able to run faster than 28 years before? I reckon it's over now. I should not deal too severely with myself. Turned 60 now it's time to be happy with a slow but smiling finish.

I know you don't believe me. You're right.

Sunshine Pleasure

stats of the week: run 37km

It was a pleasureful week caring for a group of runners starting at the Reggae Marathon on Jamaica. The race is a lovely event with a glorious pasta party, an early dark start into a hot morning, a flat course along the coastline with a finish that let the runners walk straight onto the beach and into the ocean.

 

A record of 180 took on the full distance while 600 ran the half marathon and more than 800 the 10K. Surprisingly there were far more female runners than male! Unfortunately I had no time to start myself but I had a good time taking photographs in the sun.

World famous Rick's Cafe was in classic mood with a sundowner and brave cliff jumpers.

It's a destination you should think about for next December: Reggae Marathon  interAir.de

Cough attacks

stats of the week: run 46km, indoor cycling 1h, gym 3h
stats of the week before: run 16km, gym 1h

During the week's workouts I got the impression that the cold had been cured largely. Running a race is a different thing I had to learn on Sunday.

After a speedy takeoff I was shaken by a series of cough attacks. Already at half of the 10K distance I was forced to slow down seriously until some energy turned back and let me finish satisfyingly after 46:13min. Fast enough to be placed 2nd in my age group. It was my 8th runner-up finish at this traditional event out of 32 starts but I still have never won it.

Older and wiser

stats of last week: run 33km, indoor cycled 1h, gym 3h

Was struck down by a bad cold this week and wisely decided not to go out for any workout. This behavior makes a difference to my earlier years when I wasn't able to abstain from sports for minor illness.

Disease never comes in handy but this time at least it doesn't keep me away from any event. So I don't complain although I won't get fit enough in time for the unavoidable New Year's Eve race.

Body and Soul tired

New York City Marathon: 3:53:36

After two fast races I looked forward to running a sort of better NYC Marathon. My last sub 3:50 run dates back more than two years ago. So I started the race by a steady 8:20 min/mile pace and clocked 1:51:30 for the first half.

But already then my body and soul felt tired. The days in Manhattan were strenuous with too much trotting the pavements for about 10 miles per day. The travel group work let no time to relax. I reckon that all this led to an all over body and mind tiredness that obviously dispersed during the second half of the race. I lost 10 minutes while I stumbled the final 10K culminating in a thigh cramp 150 meters before the finish line. Eventually I wasn't unhappy by the result as it makes the end of a really successful sports year. Having completed six life decades one can be fortunate to be able to run 26 miles without more than minor pain. However, this time I was indeed proud to have run it until the end without walking.

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