Running

 I haven’t run much at all over the past 2 years - since my nasty lower leg fracture, incurred while skiing: together the Ortho and I counted seven distinct fractures  repaired with a stainless steel plate and titanium screws:

I spent some time in Spring 2021 sitting in front of the fireplace, recovering.

I told the Ortho I’d run five kilometers before the end of summer. 

I tried a 5 K in September of 2021 (the break occurred on March 20, 2021) but that run was mostly walking. In my memory, I used to routinely run around 28-29 minutes 5 K but it was more like 45 minutes or quite possibly an hour that first run and lots of discomfort and some swelling after that. 

I did resume skiing in the winter of 2021-2022, cross country only and I switched from skate skiing to classic XC which I hated less than I feared I might. In fact, with skating being quite technique-dependent, I could ski nearly as fast and with a lot less effort in the “old” style! For the first time XC skiing I could keep up with my wife. Then last winter I got back into skate skiing and I do enjoy the sense of flying that comes with that motion despite the extra effort required. 

In March I participated in the Sleeping Giant Loppet, a cross country ski tour with distances of 8, 20, 35, or 50 K.  I’ve done that “race” at least ten times over the past few decades, always 20 K and always skating. I never competed above the middle of the pack. That used to be around 90 minutes for 20 K, depending a bit on conditions.  

This year I was happy to finish with a solid 2 hrs! I somehow thought that I’d place higher as I got older, due to the numbers in each age group diminishing, but I ought to have foreseen that the people stopping aren’t the fastest ones. So although I’m placing a bit higher due to fewer competitors at my age, I’m falling behind relative to my age group. Oh well. I’m still getting out. And it doesn’t really matter: I really enjoy the event, and will keep at it as long as I’m able.

I always enjoyed running, within limits. No marathon is on my horizon, future or past. I don’t have patience to train for long distance endurance sports but I’ve completed a number of 5 and 10 K runs and have done the 10 mile road race in Thunder Bay a few times, always finishing in the second half of my age group, as I anticipate.

I’m considering trying another triathlon: the short course that is 800 meters swimming (took me about 25 minutes the last one I did) followed by 20 K biking (45 minutes) and 5 K run (half an hour).  It’s been a few years, however!  I figure if I can do it in two hours, I’ll be pleased  but first I need to know I can run, even just a bit!  So went today and managed 5 K in just over 40 minutes - - - I can live with that.  I want to try a half-hour swim and see how far I can get.  I have not swum much, lately and hope I remember how.  Aparently it’s a “rugged” 15 K mountain bike for the Xterra that I’m looking at, for Aug. 12. 

We’ll need to see if I have the capacity.