Sorry Grav, I take my superhero advice from Edna Mode... No Capes! But you know that we only ever wanted to be wall flowers anyway - blending in like everybody else. I came in mid-pack for this 10K... totally normal. Nice to be just your average Joe.


So this year's 10K is done. I trained well. I'm still a bit heavy, but my legs are quite fit. I had no sore muscles or joints in the hours and days following the event. My sciatic nerve pain is a thing of the past. I haven't had a twinge of that in a couple of years. Even my lower back, which does still get a dull ache from time to time, was not any worse for wear after pounding the pavement for 6.2 miles. Except for the overheating part it was just another workout.

After the previous 2 10Ks my "training" came to an end. My exercise routine reverted back to daily walking until the following winter when I felt the need to start training for the next spring 10K. I'd like to change that routine this year; however, cardio is not my favorite thing. I enjoy walking way more than pushing the limits and sweating like a pig. So what do I do? The plan for this year is to keep up the cardio at least once or twice a week. But rather than train hard, shooting for the 'red zone' with the cardio workouts, I'll dial it down and work out in the lower end of the cardio heart rate spectrum. I referred to this article a few posts back...

Want Speed? Slow Down!

My workout plan borrows the basic premise of this technique... that working out at a less intense cardio level will ultimately result in better fitness and better performance. It is a long term process, though. I've got to make this part of my regular routine for it to work. I think that it's worth a try. I keep saying that I want to do a 10K in under an hour. If I dedicate an entire year to it, perhaps I can make it happen. Who knows? Maybe I'll come to enjoy cardio if I am not pushing the limits. In any case, if I keep up some cardio, then I won't lose any ground before next year's 10K.