The Fitness Thread

[Highlander]

This thread does a good job of reminding me that I am a slow runner

"Fast" and "slow" are relative terms in my mind. People have told me I run fast, but I certainly don't feel all that fast when I'm being passed.

One of my favorite motivational quotes - "Dead Last" is greater than "Did not Finish" which trumps "Did not Start."

[devildeac]

"Fast" and "slow" are relative terms in my mind. People have told me I run fast, but I certainly don't feel all that fast when I'm being passed.

One of my favorite motivational quotes - "Dead Last" is greater than "Did not Finish" which trumps "Did not Start."

My speed has been described as half-fast.

[Matches]

"Fast" and "slow" are relative terms in my mind. People have told me I run fast, but I certainly don't feel all that fast when I'm being passed.

One of my favorite motivational quotes - "Dead Last" is greater than "Did not Finish" which trumps "Did not Start."

Great way of looking at it. I'm a fast runner relative to some people, slow relative to others. Unless you're a competitive racer (which I definitely am not), it makes little or no difference. Running is good. Jogging is good. Walking is good. It's ALL good.

[wilson]

"Fast" and "slow" are relative terms in my mind. People have told me I run fast, but I certainly don't feel all that fast when I'm being passed.

One of my favorite motivational quotes - "Dead Last" is greater than "Did not Finish" which trumps "Did not Start."

Great way of looking at it. I'm a fast runner relative to some people, slow relative to others. Unless you're a competitive racer (which I definitely am not), it makes little or no difference. Running is good. Jogging is good. Walking is good. It's ALL good.

I appreciate these sentiments too. Relatively speaking, I am quite slow...just now crossing the 10 min/mile threshold. But instead of focusing on the fact that I will not be winning any footraces anytime soon, I choose to emphasize things like:

• My stamina has increased drastically since the start of my workout regimen; in January, I could barely maintain a run for 2-3 minutes straight. Now I'm up to a minimum of 16-18 minutes per run.
• My recovery rate is faster...the walking intervals are getting shorter and fewer.
• There's an undeniable difference in my waistline and general cardiovascular health. I just look and feel healthier.
• You might be faster than me, but I'll still kick your [fanny] in Scrabble.

[devil84]

Glad to see so many people exercising more and seeing positive results!

I've been back to training for swimming for about a month now, and I've seen some real gains. I'm still easing into it, as the PT therapist really doesn't want me to undo what we're accomplishing. Last night, I was able to put in 800 yards (I would have done more if I had more time), and I was doing sets of 100, focusing on form -- high elbow, early catch, body rotation, kick, hand position, elbow up, body rotation, oh shoot - BREATHE! The first felt good, and it was at the best pace I've had by a second or two. But my first set is always my fastest, as I tire easily and wind up trying to over-focus on form.

Next set: a second faster. Woo! I won't get too happy, though -- fatigue will set in, right? Third set: 2 seconds faster than that! EACH of my sets were substantially faster than the previous. Went from 2:29 in the first set to 2:15* in the last -- fully 8 seconds faster than the fastest set I've done since returning! WOO HOO! I left the pool feeling GREAT. Maybe it was a good thing that I had to stop, because I stopped on a really positive note.

And the scale is down 3 pounds, too. And PT is working and I'm almost pain-free for the first time in 3 years. Dry needling is my friend right now!

*Talk about slow...this isn't going to set the world on fire. I wasn't the fastest in the pool, and I didn't do the longest distance. But I was IN the pool and trying to increase my physical fitness. There's a lot of truth to Dead Last > DNF > DNS.

[kmspeaks]

Tomorrow will mark week 15 of my 16-24 week recovery from hip surgery. Prior to having surgery I had lost almost 40 pounds and was a little worried about putting some of it back on due to activity restrictions but I weighed in today just 0.7 pounds heavier than on the day of the surgery! The stationary bike was my best friend for a long time but over the last 3 weeks I have been able to mix in the elliptical and today I did over a mile for the first time. Only 18 days until a follow up appointment which is the first chance at being cleared for running/jumping and I'm so anxious to get back on the volleyball/basketball court. *fingers crossed*

[Reilly]

My speed has been described as half-fast.

Turn it into a beer name: Half-Fast Pebble Pounder ...

[OldPhiKap]

Turn it into a beer name: Half-Fast Pebble Pounder ...

Oddly enough, that’s what Mrs. OPK called our honeymoon.

[devildeac]

Turn it into a beer name: Half-Fast Pebble Pounder ...

Sounds like a Stone Brewing Company product.

[Reilly]

Sounds like a Stone Brewing Company product.

Maybe they can join forces with this outfit: https://boldrock.com/

[BD80]

Can there be a more flagrant hijack than to bring beer into a fitness thread?

[devildeac]

Can there be a more flagrant hijack than to bring beer into a fitness thread?

My guilt-free response:

https://www.shape.com/healthy-eating...stamp-approval

[left_hook_lacey]

I have done nothing but cut Bojangles in the morning and replace it with a slimfast shake for two weeks. I drink a 6 pack every night. I have lost 11 pounds without exercising. This week. I'm doing shake for breakfast, healthy snack, shake for lunch, healthy snack, then jogging before dinner. Then 6 pack after dinner. Buckle up. I'm gonna bust any myth about beer being a barrier to losing weight.

[devildeac]

I have done nothing but cut Bojangles in the morning and replace it with a slimfast shake for two weeks. I drink a 6 pack every night. I have lost 11 pounds without exercising. This week. I'm doing shake for breakfast, healthy snack, shake for lunch, healthy snack, then jogging before dinner. Then 6 pack after dinner. Buckle up. I'm gonna bust any myth about beer being a barrier to losing weight.

That's amazing. That's a LOT of beer. That's a minimum of 900 calories of ales every night, unless, of course you're drinking Michelob Ultras.

[Reilly]

... flagrant hijack ...

Did you say 'flapjack'?

[left_hook_lacey]

That's amazing. That's a LOT of beer. That's a minimum of 900 calories of ales every night, unless, of course you're drinking Michelob Ultras.

I am. (Ducks head). I switched for the calories. I still get a weeping willow or something when I go out to eat on the weekends. 😀

[Mal]

I am. (Ducks head). I switched for the calories. I still get a weeping willow or something when I go out to eat on the weekends. 😀

On first read, I thought you were saying you had 6 slimfast shakes every night, and I thought "What misery we subject ourselves to." Then I felt better when I understood you meant beer. But then worse again when you mentioned the kind of beer.

[devildeac]

On first read, I thought you were saying you had 6 slimfast shakes every night, and I thought "What misery we subject ourselves to." Then I felt better when I understood you meant beer. But then worse again when you mentioned the kind of beer.

left hook lacey could enjoy ~3 real beer for the cost/calories of 6 Ultras .

[Mal]

Great way of looking at it. I'm a fast runner relative to some people, slow relative to others. Unless you're a competitive racer (which I definitely am not), it makes little or no difference. Running is good. Jogging is good. Walking is good. It's ALL good.

Yep. I don't consider myself a fast runner, having just gotten back into it, and having never done track or cross country past 6th grade, but when I'm out on the trails near me I have so far encountered all of two people over the age of 25 moving at a noticeably quicker pace than I am. (Actually, one of them wasn't moving faster than me but that's because he was practicing an exaggerated light foot strike barefoot, but he could clearly have dusted me with shoes on). I suspect a lot of us are "faster" than we think and there's a steep and wide bell curve where most of us are within a few minutes/mile of 75% of the running population. Don't let those guys who tell you you're a punter if you're not running 6 minute miles into your head - those are lifelongers who put in 30 miles/week.

I went poking around at a few race and fun run results pages recently to get a sense for how I might stack up with others in a timed run. I can tell you after some research that even in an "event" type of race - meaning not your suburban community Fun Run or local Turkey Trot, but races where there are hundreds of joggers in shorter runs tied to a half-marathon or something, and participants from a radius of beyond 25 miles - less than a quarter of the people over 30 years old in your average 10k are finishing in less than 50 minutes. If you can run 6 miles at 7:45/mile you'll finish around the top 15 percent; 9:00 miles will probably be in the top half in a group comprised primarily of people who run a lot and trained specifically for this race.

There's probably some truth to what I've seen from some experts, that if you're running 12 minute miles you'd probably get a better workout that puts a lot less stress on your body by just walking faster than normal. But for most people, if you're getting your heart rate raised for even 25 minutes several days a week to jog 2 and a half miles, that's a huge thing. And for the most part your calorie burn doesn't vary much based on your pace - it's the time spent exercising, and the basal metabolic rate increase, that matter more.

[left_hook_lacey]

left hook lacey could enjoy ~3 real beer for the cost/calories of 6 Ultras .

You make a valid point. (Hangs head in shame).