I'm so bored in fact, that having crashed the 30 mile barrier this week, I wondered how badly this running year is going compared to others. But first, let's catch up:
My knee is "stable." What that means is some days are good, some days are not so good. I passed on the Dec 1 knee replacement date. The reasons are chronicled here, https://runspittle.blogspot.com/2019/12/yesterday-i-woke-up-on-couch.html, so no need to dwell.
The sensation in my knee is different than ever before: a lot of the time it just feels like there is nothing holding it together. I'll pivot and it seems like it's either way behind or way ahead of the rest of me. Weird. It has been a struggle to walk/jog (lovingly called WOG), as it is SOOOO boring beyond all belief and other forms of aerobic activity just don't do it for me. Having said that, the last two weeks have seen a considerable uptick in my wogging, strangely associated with the Coronavirus.
Anyway, having CRASHED the 30 mile barrier this week AND..... having logged a whopping 219 miles so far, I thought I'd take a peak at the past and the miles logged between Jan 1 and the first day of Spring. In five year intervals, here goes:
2020. As mentioned 219 miles
2015 414 (some time off with a bad hammy)
2010. 474 (long runs on the South Platte 14, 15, 15)
2005. 425 (seemed to be a good bunch of runs on the Highline Canal)
2000. Wait for it.......779 miles. Enough said
1995. 906 ( lots of 18-21 mile runs, two weeks of 90+ miles. Mostly driven by my Wednesday run with my buddy Amy, always either side of 20)
1990. 406
1985. 502 (lived at 7600 feet)
1980. 465 (Had only been in Colorado a bit over a year)
1975. 761 (Young, fast, and fresh out of college. Would be the year of the 1:02:01 12 mile race)
1970. 501 (In my first ever collegiate indoor season - actually ran an indoor steeplechase - no water jump obviously - ran 9:38 - crazy)
So obviously, my best years were in my 40's - 1995 and 2000 (life begins there, right?). The best ever was 1976 at 1002 on the way to a 3802 mile year and some great races. THAT would have been the year to run a marathon, but they weren't exactly having one every weekend in the 70's. Did run a 20 mile "paced time trial," at least that's what I called it, in 1:49:04. Wrote in my log, "felt pretty good."
While this was a nice boring jaunt into the past I am 99% looking straight ahead. Hell bent on getting this sucky knee out of here and moving to the next chapter of RUNNING , whatever that might be.
Run on (and stay safe).
