Introduction

Running / Racing Blog Introduction

Hello Everyone.

This is my first post for the Speed Limit 40 Running blog.  I'll be posting on my running, training, and racing.  The name "Speed Limit 40 Running" came from the local country roads around my house that have a speed limit of 40 MPH (which is not always obeyed which can keep on full alert).

I've been running for about a year now, so I'm a new runner but a far from new person (48 years old last summer).  During my first year of running I've learned a little bit, and realized I have A LOT I don't know.  2015 in recap:

January 2015 I thought it would be a great idea to start running.  I used to race bicycles (20 years ago), and I wasn't too bad at it, so I figured I'd run a little and maybe enter a 5k.   Pretty quickly my competitive nature (or obsession) took  hold and I quickly created my own training program by sampling the internet and cobbling together what I liked and remembered from my cycling days.

After getting some general fitness and running a bunch of weekly track intervals I was able to get a 5k PR of 19:12 at the Dulles Airport 5k in September.  I was excited to have the fastest time in the 'Men 40-49' category, so of course I decided to step up my training and see if I could break 19:00 before the year is up.

I ran a couple good track workouts (6 x 800 @ 6:00 pace) followed the next week by (4 x 1200 @ 6:03 pace) and promptly strained by left IT band!  After being down for a month I decided to find a good program that would let me get faster and avoid injury.

I found Jason Fitzgerald at Strength Running who gave me a 20 week program that includes strength and mobility exercises to keep me healthy as my training increases.

I'll be posting my training soon and look forward to comments.

I'll add pictures and make this blog a little easier to read once I learn how!