All Blobbed Out

[Mid Life Crisis Marathon Man]

Originally posted by Seafront Plodder
Many runners better than I advocate speed and hill work to build ......well speed and endurance really, and I guess plodders like me avoid it, cos it hurts.

I think Galloway in his book calls hill climbing "speed work in disguise". Personally, I'd rather climb a hill than do 400m sprints, which is convenient, coz I live on one. Also, coming down the hill gives one a chance to achieve some "non-plodding" speed, although that doesn't stop me being overtaken by people 20+ years older than me (putting them in the age pension category), as happened to me this morning. Fortunately I run with a paper bag over my head, although that hasn't helped much, being known as I am as "that mad middle-aged bastard who jogs with his head in a bag". Also it gets soggy in the rain. No risk of hyper-ventilating though.

Speaking of breathing, another thing I like about downhill running is that I find it is much easier to develop some genuine rhythm - when running downhill I find my breathing just clicks into synch with my legs beautifully (well, sometimes) and zoom - off we go at 1 min/km faster than usual. Wonderful! Bloody excellent way to finish a run I tell you... my family hates it coz I come home gushing with endorphins and they're just trying to cope with life, which in our house at breakfast time with three teenage boys is more full of testosterone and rather less of the endorphins. Oh well, one day they'll all be middle aged, and then I can out-run them, eh? Perhaps? Please?

MLC Man