Yesterday I ran a 6:57 mile, the first time I've seen below seven minutes in at least fifteen years.
Hell yeah! How did you get back into it? Just hit a 13:00 2-mile last Friday and nearly puked. Only did it out of pressure to max the army physical fitness test score, apprently because otherwise your subordinates think you’re soft. On my free time I find it difficult to make steady physical improvements without some kind of pressure.
It's just personal pressure on myself. That isn't entirely true. The Tuesday run I do is a group run, and there are some fast people. It pushes me to run faster. I got back into running by making it a habit. It isn't a question of if I feel like running, it's a question of "is it Monday, Tuesday, Thursday or Saturday?" I'm enjoying the routine. I do an internal run, a fast run, a medium length run, and a long run. The mix seems good. I never came close to maxing any part of the APFT. I never kept up my fitness when I was in the National Guard, and I'd barely pass each time. I'm sure I'd do better now (on the run at least) than I would then. I'm sure I ran a 14:15 in there, but at age 37 now I'd have a better score.
That's the key. Certainly was the case when I was really working out before college. It was a loss of confidence in failing to meet the standard of an intense bodybuilding plan after a back injury that threw me off the habit at the time, but some sort of schedule if not a plan is what I probably need the most, as opposed to "do I feel like it today." Well, the run is the only thing I don't max on-record, but being graded on my performance also means my push-ups are 90 degrees enough rather than 90 degrees and my graders are superior enough rather than CO.It isn't a question of if I feel like running, it's a question of "is it Monday, Tuesday, Thursday or Saturday?"