Yet Another Cycling Forum

General Category => The Knowledge => Health & Fitness => Topic started by: Andy W on 24 November, 2020, 09:08:27 pm

Title: Running whilst carrying some excess
Post by: Andy W on 24 November, 2020, 09:08:27 pm
 Clearing my garage today I happened across some old barbell steel discs. The weight of each one clearly stamped. The heaviest  ones weighed 10 kg ,or 22 LB .
Now I weigh 13 stone 2LB, and 6'1". In 1984 I weighed 11stone 6 LB.
Those 22lb discs are somewhat weighty. I repeatedly picked it up and placed it back down, against at how much heavier I'd become. I feel cheesed off, and disappointed.
 Back then my PB for half marathon was 1 hour 21 minutes and 1hour 30 seconds for 10 miles. Now I struggle to do 23 minutes for 5 km. Then I looked at the steel disc. What a revelation! 
I d dearly love to be athletic  again, willpower and motivation can't be bought unlike a carbon fibre widjet
Title: Re: Running whilst carrying some excess
Post by: mrcharly-YHT on 25 November, 2020, 08:39:03 am
It is all relative, Andy. What is slow for one person is gut-busting, road-scorchingly fast for another.

When I break 25min for 5km, I'll be pleased with myself.

Getting older has a significant impact as well. 1984 was over 30 years ago . . .

Once over 50, it starts to drop dramatically.

This summer was going to be my racing year. I'd worked hard on technique. Worked on strength. Pushing stamina over winter. I just needed to put it together with speed work. Goal was to get a place in a division 5 race, maybe get promoted to div 4.

Covid hit and I've lost a racing season. I'm in my mid 50s and every year lose some aerobic capacity. It is almost impossible to overcome that, I was racer of indifferent ability anyway.

So don't be harsh on yourself. Don't expect to be as fast as your (much) younger self. Get out and enjoy being able to run. Look at mixing up road running with exploring some trails and wild places.
Title: Re: Running whilst carrying some excess
Post by: chrisbainbridge on 25 November, 2020, 12:14:20 pm
Andy, I was there in May.  3 stone overweight at 13stone 13.  I had not run for over 10 years or more but consoled myself that i was slowing down in my cycling due to getting old.  My wife and I went on an 800calorie keto diet (essentially the recommended type 2 diabetes diet but even less carbs).  We followed the diet to the letter for about 18 weeks with an occasional few days off when we actually managed to get away.  My current weight is 11stone 2 and I plan to lose another 4-6lbs to give me a buffer to stay under 11.

we went teetotal for about 12 of those weeks which certainly helped.

On Beardy's suggestion I started the couch to 5k program, bounced past that and kept running.  I do not think I will ever be fast but I am now running several times per week and can happily do 10k.  I have very purposefully followed a Maffetone type plan for my running as I am older so keep my HR below 130 and aim to only occasionally touch 129.  On a fairly flat 10k on road this morning I was doing 6:48/km pace and my HR was 123 on average.  My plan is to continue like this until New Year and then add in some speed work to get faster and increase the distances.  I doubt I will ever do a 23minute 5km but I am running and exercising more than ever.

I commuted by a different route yesterday which I have not done for a while and on an easy ride home saw several PBs suggesting that my cycling is also getting faster. 

For my wife and I, lockdown and Covid gave us the opportunity to reassess our lives and bodies and start changing.  It was not easy but also not impossible.

Good luck