Ever since my car accident in 2018, my running hasn’t been the same. No matter how much I push myself, I can’t seem to get back into the swing of things of my younger days. It has been a struggle to adjust to the changes in my performance as I grow older. In late 2019, not listening to a twinge in my knee and hamstring, I pushed myself on the track and hurt myself badly enough to take me out of running completely for a couple of months.
At the beginning of the new year, I told myself I was going to do things differently. I was going to start off by only running 2 miles a day until I felt comfortable enough and I felt my recovery rate post-workout had begun to shorten and adjust to the strain I was putting on my body.
These aren’t incredible numbers for a seasoned runner, but I am proud that I have taken steps to get back to running a 5-minute kilometer. I’m not there yet by any stretch of the imagination, but I have been beating 30 minute 5Ks consistently for the last two weeks. Working through injuries, a slowing metabolism, and a foundation of not being raised in an environment where athleticism was fostered as a priority are all something I personally see as regrettable obstacles that limit my potential. Nonetheless, I’m proud of my progress.
Here’s a summary of running for the past 4 months.
2021 Running
- January: 49.20 KM (8 runs, 7:11/km)
- February: 3.26 KM (1 run, 6:35/km)
- March: 47.41 KM (12 runs, 6:32/km)
- April: 76.68 KM (14 runs, 6:10/km)
What’s Next?
For Spring & Summer, my goal is to work towards running 4 miles (roughly 6.5 km) at least 4 times a week. Ideally, I’d like to push it to 5 times a week, but we’ll see how that goes.
If you have any suggestions or tips on how I can improve as a runner in my mid-thirties, drop me a line on Twitter.
I love learning new tips, tricks, and advice from experienced runners.