The Running Project 3

Yesterday I ran my regular Sunday route: from the house to Rio and over the bridge to Antirrio. Except in Rio I did another 2.5 km.

From the house to the bridge is 1 km. I concentrated on loosening up. 
Walked up the stairs to get on the bridge.

Until the 4 km marker going uphill, 1.6 km. Concentrating on breathing while not trying to think where the incline changed to flat, just going legs in a steady ritme. Pulse around 145 per minute. Pace 07.55 per km.

After the incline running at 5.57 minute per km until I got to the stairs at the Antirrio side.

My legs got heavier the 2.5 km I ran in Rio. Also discomfort in my hips. 

I walked 3 times a short section. Rested on the Ferry back to Rio. 

From where the Ferry docked I ran back to the house,

 no discomfort, walking only 1 time a short distance.

The 2 runs together was a distance of 9.60 km.

The Running Project 2

A couple of days ago I posted about getting older and running. 
Slower than 2 years ago, but running a longer distance.

I decided that I would work my way up to 8km (5 miles) at a slower pace than doing 4.8km (3 miles)

I mapped out a couple of 8km runs and today I did one of them. Not sure if I could do the whole 8km....

My leg muscles got tighter at the 6.5 km marker, but not too bad. I stayed under 7 minutes per kilometer.

The next 2 days will be interesting in terms of recovery. For now I am planning to do two  3 mile runs and one 5 mile run per week....

Train Patra-Athens

My brother rented an AirBnB in Athens from May 19-24. 
I am going to visit him there.

Booking through the Trainose App is the cheapest way. Except it would not accept my email account (it has accepted it before), so I made a new outlook account just for the Greek train. It worked. 

Going to Athens May 20, back to Patra May 22

Patras

This morning there was a haze over the mountains north-west of Patras. The past 2 days and today wind from the west. This wind brings in humidity, which causes the haze. As spring progresses the humidity progresses so that in the near future sweating a lot is a fact of life.

Getting older

Over the past 5 years I have had to make adjustments because of getting older: Run frequency, nutrition.

Run frequency: every 3rd day instead of every second day, because of physical recovery.
I am about 1 minute slower than 2 years ago. Interestingly I am now running 6 km instead of 4.8km.
That does not affect recovery time.

Nutrition: A lot less fruit (acidic, fructose) and because digestion is a lot slower, meat only on running days.

The Running Project 1

3 months ago, I changed from every 3rd day running to every 2nd day. I have had issues before with the 2nd day running: overtraining (hamstrings, calves). In a month going every 2nd day, my legs gradually felt heavier and tighter. Overtrained, again.

The past month running every 3rd day. Here the results: on top today, 

on the bottom November 2021

38 seconds per mile faster......