A Note From a Slacker.
Now, where was I? Only my motorcycle knows for sure.
My last entry was made here on May 2, 2019. For a guy who claims to be making The GREAT Canadian Comeback I sure don't check in very often with progress reports.
If I was training to go to the moon - and what I'm doing is truly on par with that concept - surely, there would be lots to say about how I'm adapting to my studies about going into space ("Did I pass 'Becoming an Astronaut 101'?"), how I am handling anti-gravity pills and where I finally got my hands on a spacesuit that actually fits my big head and short legs.
My apologies. May was a busy month in the workshop and my motorcycle sits outside my bedroom window and calls to me on sunny mornings.
That being said, May was a productive month. Statistic-wise I broke a record. Goal-wise (re the pursuit of ultimate svelteness), I felt closer than ever. And detail- and number-wise, oh, I've got some fine details, I've got numbers.
"Hear all about it! Hear all about it!" (May records)
When I draw a running shoe in my monthly journal it means I completed a workout of 2 or more miles that day. Above one will see lots of running shoes, 27 during the 31 days of May. Total miles covered in May reached 188.75, my personal best since I started keeping detailed records of such things. Not bad for a geezer.
Example - May 22 - 24.
On May 22 I completed a walk/run of 6.0 miles. The day before I ran 5.0 miles (averaging about 11 minutes per mile) as part of a 7-mile walk/run, and I assume my speed was similar on both days. Slow and steady, I say. Within my limits.
On May 23 I walked to the YMCA, ran 2.25 miles on a treadmill at 8.1 kph (with 4 walking breaks) and, when converted to miles, averaged a speed of 12:15 per mile. And, for the first time in many years (est. 2006 - 2007) my weight fell under 150 pounds. Thus the "YAY" in my journal. The number 7170 (lower right in above photo) refers to total number of reps completed since I started recording my short workouts with free weights at home, and later with free weights and weight machines at the Y.
On May 24 I returned to the YMCA for my 137th visit since November 1, 2018, ran 2.25 miles at 8.1 kph with only 2 walking breaks and averaged 12:09 per mile. Slow progress to be sure, but at least I'm not going backwards.
One day in the future, I will likely see that my progress plateaus or levels out, but for now I can honestly say I am charting improvements with many numbers re my fun and fitness routine.
I kept track of each walk/run in April and May. Speed slowly improved.
And I dropped walking breaks before May came to an end.
A few of my numbers slowly crept north as the month of May progressed. As well, occasionally, when a pleasant day appeared, I walked and ran north on one of our city's multi-purpose pathways and compared my running speed on tarmac to that on the YMCA treadmill.
I was quite surprised by the results. My outdoor speed is significantly faster than the indoor speed. Though I have been increasing the treadmill speed very gradually, it is not near what I achieve when out-of-doors, and I'm not sure why.
I was quite surprised by the results. My outdoor speed is significantly faster than the indoor speed. Though I have been increasing the treadmill speed very gradually, it is not near what I achieve when out-of-doors, and I'm not sure why.
Might it be because I am not paying as much attention to speed when I'm outside? I don't know, but I'll think about this interesting result.
(Surely there is a simple answer*).
Photos From Along The Way:
Lovely days on London's pathways.
*Maybe I pick up speed on downhills and 'carry it' for 100 metres or so. Maybe I speed up because of a wind at my back. Maybe I'm capable of faster speeds but am just being overly cautious at the YMCA (due to an earlier aggravation with a sore hip). Maybe I have no idea what I'm talking about?
: )
Photos by GH
