Clydesdale Blues

I'll be running as a "Clydesdale" participant at the LP Run and the Bun Run next week. The good thing about that is that I have a chance to place and earn some hardware. I don't think I even won a bowling trophy, that's how athletic I've been historically. Been saving it up for now.

The bad thing about the Clydesdale world is I have to drag around all this weight. No so bad for 5k or 10k and in the winter, but not so good for longer distances and in the summer. I ran 5k at Memorial Park today at lunch time and my heart rate needed to work extra hard to keep this large person cool.

So it will be important to lose more pounds if I want to improve further. This would help me sustain my pace over longer distances. It would also help avoid injury. I lost about 20 pounds in my first six months of running, but have hit a plateau. One reason is that my mileage has not been very high lately. I've purposely kept the brakes on to ensure my knee recovers from the injury I had Christmas Eve and my muscles fully recover from the stress of the Houston Marathon. I think I am almost there.

Another reason I have hit a plateau is that I have not worried about my food intake. For example, this evening was a lovely Mexican chips, salsa, queso, nacho, and margarita evening. Not ideal for optimal fitness. Then again such indulgence of food porn like this only occurs once or dare I say it twice a week. I should have given up unhealthy food for Lent.

Time to start stepping up the weekly mileage, lose a little weight and target some half marathon PRs come September. You will see my monthly mileage build from the first three months of the year. 5k and 10k PRs have been great fun, but it is time to take on the much more difficult challenge of running to my potential at longer distances. This will take some months of focused effort. It will be done.

You too, my reader, can run longer, faster, more efficient, and be fitter than you ever have in the past. Go for it. Happy Easter.