Tour of Philly, Longest Run of the Year (#runforsteem post)

This is my #runforsteem challenge post for Weekly Run for Steem Challenge Apr 11th - Apr 19th & Payout For Last Week.

Check out the challenge post and visit @junowa’s blog!

This was a big week in my current running program. I’ve been grappling with this new reality of once again being a little older than the last time I ramped up from 0-60. Heed my advice you younger peeps: don’t stop running! A week or two, or maybe a month now and then is fine. But if you take a year off you will be kicking yourself.

First, the route. There’s something a little unsettling about heading the opposite direction from him on a commute run. This route takes me west from work, around the Art Museum to the Schuylkill River. From there it’s a nice little climb from the river to Fairmount Park, then level city streets for about 15 blocks. The pedestrians and red light can be a drag, but I just try to be Zen about it. After the b-line across town it’s up onto the Ben Franklin Bridge, which is always a treat on a beautiful day. I’ve given myself the liberty to walk the incline for now, but next week will work at sticking to the intervals explained below. I always like running into Camden off the bridge. No really goes to Camden, unless it’s for court or to buy drugs. And there’s the Rutgers University campus. You will rarely see a runner in downtown Camden. So I see it as a bit of defiance to run the last half mile from the bridge to the train station.

I’ve been building a foundation with lots of easy, short runs, and long walks. This seems to have paid off as this week I doubled the elapsed time on my feet to 1:30 and I am by no means running fast, but it feels good. On Wednesday I ran for 7 minute intervals followed by 3 minutes walk intervals. Did that for most of the distance, with some longer walking on the bridge incline. On Friday I repeated the route, added .5 miles, and did 8:00 runs with 2:00 walks.

These run/walks felt good as I said, but holy moly was I beat afterwards. This is what I mean by aging and coming back, and kicking oneself! It is downright astounding how rough an hour and half of work can feel! But at the same time, the progress of the last several weeks is tangible. I fee like I am over a bump.

I am also at my lowest weight since I began seriously trying to drop: 185.5, down from 190. Slow and steady wins the race!