Snowfall in Houston!!!

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24 Weeks Later: A running Saga

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Tomorrow marks 24 weeks since I laced up my shoes and decided to run again—starting from early March. If you compare my first and most recent runs, the difference in conditioning is like comparing a rusty bicycle to a well-oiled machine. The Numbers: 6th March : 4 km non-stop | Avg pace: 7:00 min/km | Avg/Max HR: 161/176 27th March : 5 km non-stop | Avg pace: 7:25 min/km | Avg/Max HR: 146/152 15th August : 4 km non-stop | Avg pace: 6:29 min/km | Avg/Max HR: 145/152 That first run? Felt like jump-starting a tractor that had been abandoned in a field for months. My heart rate was screaming, “What are you doing to me?” But I was determined to make this comeback different. So I ditched pace obsession and embraced heart rate training—hello, Zone 2. By 27th March, I was running strictly within Zone 2, resulting in a leisurely 7:25 min/km pace. Fast forward to 15th August—24 weeks and 880 km later—and I cruised through 4 km at 6:29 min/km. My heart rate barely broke a sw...
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Breaking Bad Training Habits: A Runner’s Journey

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If you are a runner, you keep coming back to it despite the highs and lows. The exhilaration of a great race gives you euphoria, while injuries, setbacks, and periods of poor training bring frustration.  For experienced runners who have tasted success, the mind longs to replicate past training achievements, but the body may not be ready for it. Many seasoned runners overestimate their ability to handle training stress—perhaps due to the mental resilience built over years—while underestimating the risk of injury. But the running gods are fair. They see through carefully crafted Strava profiles, rewarding consistent effort while ultimately ensuring that bad training habits catch up with you, often in the form of a setback.  Learning from Past Mistakes:   The last time I trained consistently for months was between April 2018 and March 2019. Since moving to India in June 2019, other aspects of life took priority. I continued running, but without a structured training plan. Ea...
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Reflections at 20 Week progress mark: Good & Bad both

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The Good: One should give credit where credit is due even if that credit is due to you. Congratulations on completing 20 weeks streak of not missing a single week with 95 total runs in 20 weeks averaging close to 5 days/week running. After a long hiatus from proper training, this wasn't easy for sure. This also wasn't flawless and indeed needs dissecting for learnings. So, let's get to it.   I made the decision to run most of these runs at slow easy (zone 2) pace and I was able to diligently follow it. Running fast without being in good shape was painful so sticking to easy running in summer months made it tolerable. I wasn't very sore/fatigued from these runs but I was stiff like a stick.  There is no hiding of my disdain for stretching pre/post runs. I have mostly avoided it so far in my running and I got away with it when I was young and reckless (Thank God) but at 40+ (42+ actually), my chickens have come home to roost. Right around week 15 of the program, I began t...
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