20 Mile Run Fun

Last night I did my fourth 20-mile jaunt in the attempt to get fit. I’m no longer unfit, but I certainly don’t pretend to be fit (using the American Council of Exercises’ simple but sufficient 3-component approach to fitness; muscular strength, flexibility, and cardiovascular still evades me), since three quality workouts don’t make for drastically improved VO2 levels. My flexibility is also in question. I’m more fit than Richard Simmons but can’t touch Galen Rupp, nor could I when I was at my best. And I should not compare myself to our nation’s top runners because it’s just plain silly. Instead I should focus on what can be accomplished now, after taking many years off – strength through endurance. I’ll never set another mile PR so strength it is. Thus, 20-mile runs while I decide if I want to run my first marathon in the fall.

So far the 20-mile distance has been fun. Yes, it’s tiring. My knees have screamed at me twice, counting last night. Of course I’m “flat” for a couple days after completing a these runs, but it’s easier than mile intervals or 20x400 with 150m rest. A 1-month old baby adds to the exhaustion factor. Due to the lack of sleep the trick is mentally preparing to be on the road for over 2hr30mins. When you’re this tired it takes a little extra motivation. Tricking my lazy brain and sleep deprived body into lacing up the shoes for this type of roadwork comes in many forms; superficial identification (reading books about world class runners on the toilet), repression (“Its not going to hurt, its not going to hurt”), reaction formation (“I’m going to hammer this thing”), and fantasy (the misguided belief that I will win the NYC Marathon if I can just complete another long run), and so on. I blame the baby. Don’t tell my wife.

The more long runs I do the more questions I have. I question how frequently to do these runs and how far in advance, especially since I let my fitness go for so many years and got back to it at this age. Frank Shorter did them every weekend for 40 years (Oops, there’s that comparison again – Identification). Others suggest every three weeks. Of course, overall volume is the important factor. It’s my opinion that I can do these because of the steady increase in mileage during the past year. While I only log 5-day weeks, a diet of no less than 8-9 miles per day lays a nice foundation. I’m slowly ramping up a second day of 10-13 miles.

Finishing a marathon is not the question. Oprah did that. It was a question during my fat stage when exercise meant sprinting to the bathroom, but no longer. The other extreme is also out of question…running fast. Nonetheless, I would still like to perform at a respectable level and I want to do it without feeling like the undead.

Marathon aside, these runs are fun. What better way to spend Friday nights? I do revel in the increase of endurance, blood volume, connective tissue, muscle fuel storage, oxidative (glycolytic enzymes) and capillarization but that is just the byproduct of the activity. What are my other options; watching television, mowing the yard, or drinking a beer? More importantly, these runs remind me of my youth and my 20s where a hard effort was simply enjoyable and the rewards great. We only have one body and one chance to use it properly. Our body affects every other part of our lives. How can I neglect that? Today’s running, while different from the running in my teens and 20s, has one thing in common with those earlier years. It gives me time to appreciate and build on the gift of health, time to commune with my surroundings, and the numerous gains that come with fitness. Yes, I’m serious about all that. The pleasure of the moment is only exceeded by the gratification you get by challenging yourself.