Back on track

Summertime, and specially August, is a period of big choices: either you kick back all the time, doing nothing but eating, laying down on the beach (if you're lucky) and watching sport on TV (by the way, watching people sweating won't make you lose weight); or you can get back on track and use your time at best to improve your shape (or, if you are an ambitious runner, your personal bests). I made up my mind for the second option, literally. After many years of absence from an athletic track, three days ago I set foot in a 400-meter ring to run the 5k distance. I had forgotten how great it feels to run on tartan, even without spike shoes. The track is actually in poor condition (see picture below). I found it by chance inside an old structure, now abandoned and attended by a few local sprinters. However bad, it has an advantage: it is situated 5 minutes away from my summer-house and it is always open!

As said, I wanted to try running at first a 5K, as so far I've timed all my previous performances on a 500-meter circuit which is not completely flat, therefore my PBs cannot be considered "official". Moreover, a doubt has always been nailing me: how fast could I run in a real track? This month I have finally the chance to find it out! I concluded my first 5K in 22:25, not bad. But I can do better. My task is to run 5K in 20 minutes in a track by the end of August 2016. Will I make it? I'll keep you posted!

New 10K PB!

In March I set a new PB in the 10K distance, breaking the 48 minutes barrier. It took me quite a lot to reach that task, so I couldn't believe what my watch showed me today, after concluding the last 100 meter sprint: 47 minutes and 33 seconds! What surprised me most: this time I didn't "suffer" so much, apart from the first two kilometers (run at a 4:26 m/km pace). Actually I decided to adopt a new strategy, designed by long-distance runner Benji Durden (more details here). In a nutshell, the training is based on long runs, even at a slow pace, that should improve stamina and speed. So, beginning last month, I've been including longer sessions in my training week (once a week, 10 or 12 km), and as a matter of fact I've realized that I can run faster and more relaxed now.

Second personal best in the 5K

Maybe it is to be ascribed to the optimal weather conditions (25°, light wind) or to my new summer outfit and shoes. Maybe I got inspired by the great Steve Prefontaine (I wrote an article about him two days ago). Who knows. The fact of the matter is that today, at 19:00, I almost equalled my record in the 5000 meters, running the distance in 22 minutes and 10 seconds (4:26 minutes per kilometer), only one second more than my PB set last year in October.

Food for thoughts: all over the last months I haven't slept well, due to a problem which I will describe in another post. I need to research more on the matter, but it seems that the lack of sleep might increase stress, but also efficiency and physical performances, at least in the short term. But never forget: I am not a doctor!

Till the next record!

 

New Reebok shoes

Just in time to celebrate my 1-year running activity, this morning I received the new Rebook shoes I had ordered online some weeks ago from the English eBay (at a cost of 30 pounds, plus 10 pounds shipping costs). All in all, I'm satisfied with this price: the ones I longed for (electric blue color) are still available on the Internet, but they cost more than 80 euro, so I think these nice grey Reebok I bought are a good bargain. 

The model is the V62609, very light, elegant and breathable. Compared to the version I am currently wearing, the single shoe is 20 grams lighter, a factor that should increase my running speed. Moreover, I think that my foot will sweat much less during the summer season. Of course I am looking forward to trying them on! I will write a longer review in a couple of months, but my impression is that they will perform quite well in the near future!

1-year evaluation: running and exercises

On April 2015, after checking my blood values, I decided to take up running and physical activity. Regarding the first, I alternated jogging and intensive running (at a 5 minutes per km pace and below), as regard as the second, I focused on crunches, push-ups, chin-ups and pull-ups. Starting from May, the 18th 2015, I kept track of each performance in a small agenda, so now I can have a 1-year overview about what I have achieved all over the last 12 months. Here below you can find the results:

Period: from 18 May 2015 to 17 May 2016

Distance: 1217 km

Distance at 5min/km pace: 634 km

Running days: 228 / 365 (around 4 days a week)

Exercise days: 133 / 365  ( around 2/3 days a week)

Pair of shoes changed: 2 

Longer distance: 14 km

Longer streak: 19 consecutive running days (twice)

Longer stop: 18 days (due to tendon inflammation) 

And what about the achievements? Well, as you can see reading my previous posts, my LDL cholesterol and triglycerides levels have decreased, the HDL value has increased, my weight has been stuck to 62 kg for the  last 6 months and after the first injury suffered last spring (probably due to an exceedingly demanding running plan) my body feels quite well now. So I can say it clear and loud: running is really beneficial for you body, your health and your mood!

The power of music

Records are made to be broken. After 4 years and 5 months, this afternoon I finally managed to run 10 km breaking the 48 minutes barrier: my new PB is now 47 minutes and 57 seconds, which improved my 2011 and till today still unbeaten personal best of 48:07 by ten seconds. No need to mention that I am particularly satisfied about this last performance, because it confirms that hard work pays, no matter how old - or young - you are (on Eastern I am going to turn 40).

I guess that my new record is to be ascribed also to the mp3 collection I prepared just before going out today: 9 songs from the late '70s and early '80s, including Rocky's soundtrack and similar yes-you-can-do songs. Mostly at the beginning of the running session, the drum beat gave me the right mental strength to increase the pace, whereas at the end, when my stamina started to decrease, the music provided me with the energy I needed to cover the last two kilometers.

Here are the data of today's historical session:

Distance: 10 km (20 laps of a 500-meter circuit)

Time: 47:57:93 (manual)

Average: 4:47 min/km

Speed: 12,51 km/h

Temperature: around 10° Celsius, partly cloudy

Wind: 15/25 NE (quite annoying when running south)

Progression: 3 km: 14:13 - 5 km - 23:42; 7 km - 33:35

Heart Rate average: 178 (max: 191)

Kcal: 793

PS: let it rock and let it roll!

The bold is not beautiful

Read this paragraph below:

"There are two types of lipoproteins, the 'good' protective high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and the 'bad' harmful low-density lipoprotein (LDL). Cholesterol can increase the risk of atherosclerosis, heart attack, stroke and TIA."

And now read it again:

"There are two types of lipoproteins, the 'good' protective high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and the 'bad' harmful low-density lipoprotein (LDL). Cholesterol can increase the risk of atherosclerosis, heart attack, stroke and TIA."

Probably, when reading the lines a second time, you might have focused more attention on the words highlighted by bold characters. Now think about it: it was me, the editor, who decided which words to stress, in order to lead your attention (and thus your opinion) towards a definite direction. This is the reason why I don't like the new trend of using bold characters in articles and in the news (unfortunately this system is spreading also in the newspaper). 

Today's readers are used to be taken by the hand while reading: in a way, it's much easier, it requires less time and energy to understand a concept...but what about personal and free interpretation? Or, more importantly, the critical approach to a text? What if the great writer Fyodor Dostoyevsky had scattered words in italics and bold characters throughout the pages of his masterpiece "Crime and Punishment", in order to lead the reader's opinions as he liked? Horrible. 

Reading, like seeing and hearing, is an act of interpretation. Do not accept to be passive while reading: always ask yourself questions and think with your own brain!

PS: I know, this post has very little to share with running, but once in a while I like to go off topic, just for a change!