Thanks Ruthio, good to hear you enjoyed getting out and about, I’ll make a runner of you yet…
Ruthio! Nice to see you around again, and with another long walk accomplished! I am sure the time flies with good company. It’s funny how “what works” is so different for all of us. One of the appeals of running is to have some rare solitary time. I’ve never been able to run with company, but I would sure join you in a nice long walk if I was in your fitness group. Good for all of you!
OGF, I wish there was something we could do to get you over this slump. Injury plus more on your plate than a teenager at a buffet! Ooo, but after that cruise, should we even mention the word, “buffet”? 
.
Seriously though, I understand your frustration, but there is one of the things that leaves me forever in your corner. Despite the piriformis syndrome, despite the weather, despite the extra weight, despite weddings…and kitchens…and ibuprofen…you set a goal and you made it happen. No one is a better model for a full lifetime of fitness than you, so I hope you see this as a temporary setback. Nice job, OGF. 
Here is a hug :hug: and a little nudge in the direction in your physician’s phone number…;-).
Fun running day! I am still having to (seemingly) drive my daughter three time zones away to her college classes, so after making that epic journey and back, we couldn’t wait to get outdoors. With summer running attire on, laces tied, and running watches set, we were off to the trails. After a reasonably decent run at a reasonably decent pace, I was so endorphin happy and so blissed out, now that she is healthy, I announced, “Why don’t we get you behind the wheel!”
She is very conscientious and did a superb job outside of giving me a couple of rounds of whiplash and a near miss with a light pole. It was good fun, but I have to admit that by the end of her little spin down some quiet country roads, we both needed a nice relaxing run….
Enjoy your day off, Floydy, and the rest of you enjoy the day on. Where are are our swimmers?
Bob - Please don’t get downhearted buddy, we all enjoy pour food once in a while. If it’s because you feel guilty - like I do sometimes about my beer intake! - to mention it on this thread, don’t worry about it mate, it’s called “enjoying life”. You have the mindset to keep yourself involved in exercising, so you will no doubt shed those (probably invisible) pounds when you are properly fit and well enough to continue with your running. Jeez man, it wasn’t too long ago that you supplied that photo of yourself on the beach emerging from that water with a flat pack slimmer than most people’s bookcases! You certainly put me to shame in that department Bob. You’re doing just fine, believe me matey 
Suzie - It’s fantastic that you’re now teaching your daughter to drive herself - what age is she by the way? - and that will take some pressure off yourself to travel those long, long distances to her university. Is there any way she can relocate to a closer campus? How does it work in the States?
Whatever, you are both enjoying some quality time together on your jogging. Like mother, like daughter (or is it the other way around?..). All credit to her on making a wonderful recovery from her illness. The only way is up! 
You get the sunny ‘cool’ smilies, me and Bob only get the yellow ones :cool2:
And Ruthio - You’re loving your walks out aren’t you? What’s great is that you are meeting others who are like-minded and this sort of thing can always lead to friendships. Keep it going, sweetheart 
My post coming up next 
My first prototype ‘strength’ session of my new programme went very well today. All I had in place were twelve exercises, a starting weight for each and I took it from there, taking my time with low, slow reps and multiple sets. I also have a fairly strict number of reps formula of 12/8/5/3, with perhaps a high rep finish.
At least I now have some idea of how to fine tune the routine which I will have in place for next week but to be honest there isn’t too much to tweak because I’ll be adding weight as I go along at the time. Here’s my first session…
Friday, 27 Apr 18: Strength (upper body):
DB press:
8x24, 8x24, 8x26, 8x26, 7x28
*You may notice that on ‘reps’ days I use the two 20 or 22kg dumbbells for this exercise, doing around 12 reps for a couple of sets, increasing the weight only 2kg for a final set. Here it’s about gaining power (this exercise is mainly for the shoulders and triceps), so I began at 24kg and increased the weight from there.
I’ll be hitting 30kg next week, and maybe 32kg for the final set.
Smith flat bench press:
8x50, 8x60, 3x70, 3x70, 3x75
20x40 high reps
*Heavier than I’ve gone for some time, it’s good to test my strength again.
Incline chest press:
8x50, 5x70, 3x80
Lat pulldown, hammer bar:
8x50, 5x60, 5x70
Barbell curl, standing:
8x30, 8x30, 8x30, 8x35, 6x40
*Biceps showing signs of increased size now, hence this surprising weight today.
It’s very important when curling a bar standing up to keep your posture as upright as possible to watch the lower back. I see inexperienced guys lifting weights they obviously cannot manage and waving around like something blowing in the wind! If they are doing this to their spine, the weight is obviously too heavy for them. You do not build muscle that quickly, it takes years of gradual training, adding very small amounts each time. They will learn the hard way through injuries as I did!
There were a trio of young students watching me today silently doing these curls, and one of them picked up the 30kg bar when I put it back on the rack to try the exercise out (obviously the first time they had done this), and the first one was really struggling. I had to interrupt him and say he would hurt himself and it’s best to start on a lower weight. I picked a 15kg bar and guided him with it as he lifted, making sure he kept straight with his torso. He managed four reps and the others followed suit. They wanted to go really heavy but I said that wouldn’t benefit them.
I was lifting the 35kg bar next and they were watching me in some kind of awe, talking to my biceps pumping up! One of them said “how do you get biceps like that?” and I explained that I’d been doing this for years and it takes time but you will get there. Another one was getting cocky by now and said “tense it up, let’s see it!” So I did and his jaw dropped, pretty awestruck. I went on to pick up the 40kg bar and they exclaimed “how heavy is he going to go with this?!”
We’ll see how they fare. I’m happy to help anyone out on the road to bodybuilding if they are interested and do things properly.
E-Z preacher curl, close grip:
8x33, 8x43, 5x53, 3x58
25x23 high reps
*It’s a heck of a long time since I curled 58kg on a bar, so this routine is paying off but it’s certainly not easy. Knowing the daft lad that I am I’ll want the 60kg next time which would be very close to a personal best of 62.5kg I lifted about 20 years ago when I was in top form! Wish I could stop myself but I can’t!!
Barbell forearm reverse curls:
12x15, 12x15, 12x15
*With this exercise it’s just a matter of holding the bar with hands over the top rather than underneath to curl. This develops the forearms.
Single DB press, flat bench:
25x50, 25x50
*A favourite of mine. Heaviest dumbbell in the rack holding with two hands interlocked underneath the inner top part of the weight and simply pushing up like a bench press.
Tricep extensions:
12x50, 8x65, 8x75, 6x80
*On my “reps days” I limit the weight to 50kg, here it was a max of 80kg which is not far off the full stack.
Machine bicep curls:
12x30, 8x45, 5x50
Bicep pumps:
40x10kg high reps
Tricep pumps:
60x15
*These two exercises are a terrific finish to a workout and will be done on every session from now on.
1hr. 30 mins.
I had some cardio pencilled into my routine, but to be perfectly honest I don’t need to do any. My work keeps me very active and the high reps in my four programmes per week ensures I get plenty of light work, so the boring stuff like cardio will not happen. No sweat about it!
I don’t know how this will come out, but this is a copy of my template I use to record my activities whilst I’m training. Today’s figures are annotated, with the rest of the programme ready for the next sessions:
Thanks for reading
^ Bit small that pic isn’t it? But you get the idea!
That’s some lifting Floydy, if we’ve one thing in common it’s the dedication and the years of experience in our chosen activities. I know I like to rant on…:roll:…but I’m not too concerned yet, although this is the longest layoff I’ve had to endure in my forty years of running. Not even a Heart Attack took this long to get back out on the road.
On the subject of journals, one of the good points about keeping a log is to look back and see what kind of buildup produced the most successful performance on an event. Alternatively, you can look back and see where you went wrong when injury strikes. It’s all there in black and white.
If there is one thing I’ve learned about myself concerning my running over the years, and that is; Speed is not my friend…
Previous attempts at increasing the speed that I can run have all ended the same way, with breakdown and injury. I can maintain a steady pace for great distances with no ill effects, but once I inject speed work into my running I’m doomed.
So it was to this end that I studied my log prior to my recent injury and it turned up an interesting anomaly… I have posted a snapshot of my running log just before I suffered the breakdown of my Piriformis Muscle. I have highlighted in red the interesting comments I made on the few runs prior to breakdown…
http://www.over50sforum.com/picture.php?albumid=1297&pictureid=11806
Entries highlighted in yellow denote the fastest time achieved on that course for that year. So as can be seen, the outing on the fourth of February was indeed a personal best for this year.
It was at the end of the next run on the sixth of February when breakdown occurred…
The run highlighted in purple was a ‘No Run’ due to injury…Although my forecast of a couple of weeks of rest before returning to running was somewhat optimistic…
]These recordings are great! I have some regrets about not having been so disciplined perusing your notes, and I can see that you both have benefitted from looking back to look for patterns, establish routines, and tweak your plans. My records are all via Garmin Connect, and when I’m back at my computer I’ll dig up a sample to underwhelm you all .
While Sunday is normally recovery day, I am switching today with plans to have a few friends over to celebrate a retirement (not mine 
) and take advantage of a perfect day - light winds, comfortable temps with unusually pretty water. The sourdough is in the oven, the wine is chilling, the beach chairs are out there in the sand somewhere, and the paddle boards and kayaks are ready to go. You all don’t me well, there is invariably some disaster when I entertain that becomes the basis for stories the next time around. So, I am hanging on to my hat and ready for something to happen at my expense 
. Come on over!
https://preview.ibb.co/jFVA4H/IMG_6369.jpg
Now that I have derailed the thread and hijacked this excellent concept of recording your workout data, I can’t help but wonder whether OGF or Floydy, will convert all of this into a story or book? You could. Not everyone is as fit as you two over 50 and you both set great examples.
From your lazy American friend, have a nice afternoon your way!
Bob - I do understand about your plight mate, it’s bad enough having the odd strain which puts you out of action for a week or two but when you’re looking at whether or not you’ll ever be able to continue exercising in the same way as before, then it must be a heartbreaking scenario.
All I can say mate is just do what you can do without over-exertion.
It’s not nice for us as our sorts are competitive types who don’t like to give in but a little is enough sometimes. When I had my knee trouble which came on suddenly last year it was a hell of a blow. From leg pressing over 400kgs to less than half that was almost a suicidal factor with me! Would I ever life again? Would I even be able to climb the stairs or run for a bus again? It was horrible. I persevered and did a little exercise at a time and now my niggles are relatively few…but it’s that ugly caution that has to remain at the back of my mind. Always and forever.
Just do what you can and don’t be too disenchanted matey and good luck with it.
Surfermom - A retirement function today…that makes two of us! I’m out tonight for my friend’s wife’s ‘do’, seeing a live band at the pub as well so we both have something to look forward to. Hope mine is as good as yours will certainly be.:cool2:
This was unexpected: Two sessions in one.:shock:
A training session had to take place today straight after a very intensive workout yesterday, for reasons beyond my control.
I was hoping to have a rest day today, but tonight I have this retirement function to attend which will be no doubt be a ‘no holds barred’ feast of food, drink and entertainment, so I didn’t want to risk missing a second legs session in two weeks. So that was performed today.
My scheduled next session for reps was due to take place on Monday but I have now brought that forward too, and what better way to really have a sado-masochistic afternoon than to do that immediately prior to my legs session?! So that was carried out too. Monday is now a day of rest because I have a haircut booked so there would be no time for the gym afterwards – not that I have much hair to chop off these days, but because it would then be getting on time-wise and I hate to rush a session clock watching.
Tuesday is school run for me, so that’s a planned day off anyway which leaves Wednesday as my next proposed gym session. But I can’t. I am meeting up with my sister for a coffee and a chat, so Wednesday’s session will be postponed until Thursday with my next ‘strength’ session to follow on Friday. Following all this? Don’t worry, it will all sort itself out and what it means is that I’m not actually missing any planned sessions, just swapping everything around a touch! It happens and we’ll get there in the end!:o
So here we are with today’s ‘substituted’ double session. No more nattering, on with the gory details:
Saturday, 28 Apr 18: Upper body reps (Part 1) & Legs:
Lat pulldown, underarm close ‘bicep’ grip:
20x40, 15x40, 12x50
Seated row:
15x41, 15x41, 15x47
DB press:
12x22, 12x22, 8x24
Tricep extensions:
20x40, 20x40, 12x50
E-Z preacher curl, close grip:
20x28, 15x28, 12x33
Ab crunch:
50x35
Bicep pumps:
40x10kg high reps
Tricep pumps:
60x15
That was my upper body session, all well and good. This was for the legs:
Adductor:
25x60, 20x60
Abductor:
20x60, 20x60
I don’t normally do the ab/aductor exercises first but I just could not get onto the incline press today. Sod’s law, but every time I finished an exercise, somebody else had taken it. No matter, I made up for it with a sled press thrash blast instead, after the ham curls.
Seated ham curls:
25x40, 25x40, 15x50, 40x25
Sled press:
100x100 high reps.
55 mins. Done!
And that concludes my new weekly routine. It worked very well despite having to move the days around. It was all completed and I’m feeling fit, strong and better defined without the bulkiness – which was the original plan.
Thanks for reading and have a great evening
I was just going to call round on you Floydy and try and get a flight to catch Surfermom’s do…But seeing as you’ve already made other plans, we’ll have to postpone it…
Maybe next time…
Spent a hard day working on the kitchen yesterday climbing, bending, twisting and lifting. Boxes full of broken ceramic tiles are a bitch to lift. So it was no surprise that my back was wrecked last night…
So it was with some surprise that it felt a lot better this morning after a nights rest.
Fortunately my next scheduled run is set for tomorrow morning, so it will be ‘Shorts at Dawn’ and hope for the best…
A day of rest today with Mrs Fox bending my ear…Oh for a quiet life living on my own…
How did your run go, Bob?
How was the party, Susie?
Thanks for asking Floydy, I had a choice earlier, either write up this morning’s run, or go out and cut the lawns while they were dry…They look lovely…
I did manage to get out at the crack of dawn and see how I could manage a steady jog around my six mile road course. Although slow, it went better than expected, and I survived without the need to resort to Ibuprofen.
The food and company are gone, the dishes are back in the cupboard and I put five miles behind me today. Do you hear that, OGF? A paltry FIVE…which means you ran farther than me, leaving me in the dust.
As was the last weekend before tourist season starts, all of the locals were out in force today, which meant I had to run like an owl with my head swiveling every which direction. The one thing I know about running on public roads is that in a battle between a ton of metal and me, I wouldn’t fare so well. Add that to the fact that a lot of people are drinking, and the zen type of running that I love is out the window and constant vigilance is the name of the game. Most drivers are considerate and usually wave and give me a wide berth, but it just takes one…
So, at a pace that would not qualify me for the Olympics, I shaved what was supposed to be a good long run for a moderate five. I suppose I will have to wait another day to burn off the calories from last night.
The get together was a grand success, and the retiree is now officially retired, full of a pasta, salad, sourdough bread and a slice of chocolate meringue pie with half sent home - mostly so I wouldn’t eat it . I have to say that after being out of the circuit so long, it was really fabulous to catch up and spend time with my friends who thought I was either dead or had gone into the witness protection program.:cool2:
I’m just still in a funk about how good you all are about recording your exercise and I have no idea what I did a year, week, or month ago… I feel like a slacker who has nothing to show for all those workouts.
Maybe I could just go back and fudge it…draw up a spreadsheet, throw in a few injuries…but make the paces and distances stellar .
Ok, never mind. I’ll behave. :roll:
Five miles is not poultry Surfermom……I think us runners sometimes get complacent about the distances we run, and it’s only when we experience a layoff through injury, or converse with a sedentary friend do we realise how far are the distances that we take for granted…
As for ‘the dust’ I suspect that had we run the six miles together yesterday, you would have arrived home, showered, washed and dried your hair and enjoyed a cup of coffee, in the time it took me to wobble round the 10k route…:-(…And I would suggest that should I ever have the privilege of accompanying you on such a run, you would be well advised to bring with you a good book to read, to pass the time while waiting for me at the finish…
You made me laugh with the bit about being ‘dead or attending a witness protection program’ :-D…Tis surprising how some friends we meet throughout our lives and assume will be part of our lives forever, seem to sink into the quicksands of time and disappear, never to be seen again. Or an unlikely meeting in a supermarket years later and you can’t for the life of you remember their name…:!:…Face looks familiar though. And it’s even worse when they remember your name…:shock:
Anyway, back to business…
Although my piriformis ached and siffened up after my six mile outing yesterday, I don’t think it was any worse than if I hadn’t run……Lifting, bending and twisting while stripping out the kitchen seems to aggravate it more than running…or am I just in denial?..
It aches quite a bit when rising in the mornings, but seems to wear off once I get moving.
Anyway, it didn’t stop me from going out on an interesting three mile walk that I devised last Friday. Armed with my trusty GPS I walked the mile down the deserted muddy lane at the end of our road, and with little rain recently it had dried out a treat, that meant, no need to clean my shoes afterwards… Then it was down a good path alongside a planted field (goodness knows what’s growing in there) and into a wood of silver birch…
I never feel as far away from the human race as I do when walking (or running) through a nice thick wood. Bluebells sprouted up through the remains of last Autumn’s leaves, and Hawthorne bushes at the perimeter of the wood were sporting fresh vivid green jackets, and in the shady reaches under the trees, Ferns were shaking off the soil and reaching for the limited daylight…
By the time I exited the wood I had covered two miles. I have strayed into popular dog walking territory now and had to cast out one or two good mornings to smiling walkers with happy hounds, but it was early and they were few and far between. Although the weather was fine and little possibility of rain, the wind was cruel, not fierce, but freezing cold as it embraced my bare legs and face making the ten degrees C seem much colder.
I was back on the lane now, and with not a soul in sight, once again alone with my thoughts. I strode out at a brisk pace with just a hint of discomfort from my annoying piriformis, and wishing I had worn a hat…:-(…But I’ve enjoyed this oasis of freedom and catch up with mother nature so much, I shall try to include this walk on all of my non-running days…Perhaps it will help to reduce the size of my expanding girth…
You are too humble, OGF. At my age, you know full well that would have been a blur going past me, and I am pretty sure that even this week I would be reading this as you zoomed by:
[ATTACH]5840.vB[/ATTACH]
Ah, well some days are better than others, and while it was a meager five yesterday (and yes, I could be guilty as charge of complacency), I pushed this morning’s distance to a solid 10K. With cloudless Prussian blue skies, I made a beeline for the forest trails too, but they could not possibly be as lovely as the ones you describe. You have a keen eye and a gift for describing the best of what is out there, OGF.
In this ecosystem of sage and moss, pine trees and river oaks, there is a beauty that is both stark and green at the same time. This morning the birds and butterflies were singing or flitting their way around me like I was running in a Disney movie. No better company for an otherwise solitary run.
Few people were out in this continued calm before the summer storm of tourism, so in addition to losing myself in my thoughts, I dedicated part of my time to improve a few bad habits, like opening up my stride, keeping my back in form, and thinking about my over-pronation. Once the temperatures start hitting 31-32 C, I can really get sloppy, so I am trying to re-establish good form before I am in full survival mode.
While I ran into no dogs today, there were plenty of cyclists who passed me at regular intervals. Waves, nods, and smiles exchanged, they were good enough so as not to be a distraction. I like it that they are out there; camaraderie in sports can blur the lines between our sports. Whether walking, swimming, cycling, or getting up and down from a chair as fast as one can, I like just about anyone who is willing to get out there and try.
Temperature today: 22 C. Winds from the east at 9 MPH. Perfect conditions!
You all really need to collaborate to drag those isles down a few degrees of latitude. Not only will your weather improve, you will have the added bonus of being a few hundred miles farther away from France. .
A good read Surfermom, as usual…
I’ll just take time from my busy schedule to report on Foxes story so far:-----
May has arrived and made quite an impression on me this morning. Clear blue skies and not a breath of wind…Well alright, it was below ten degrees C and stepping outside into the crisp (cold) morning air did take my breath away somewhat…:surprised:
Five miles had been chiselled into the stone for this mornings outing, so five miles it was.
I would not be truthful if I didn’t mention the very heavy and tired legs and the ache in my piriformis that just won’t go away, but I survived without incident, and the bright sunny morning made it all worthwhile. And strangely enough, once I had left the village, I didn’t encounter a soul all the way round…
Several boxes of broken ceramic wall tiles to take to the dumpit site now as the kitchen job proceeds, but you might be glad to hear that I’ve made an appointment for Thursday to see Kevin the physio…
…If I think that I’ve endured some pain, it will be nothing compared to the pain dispensed by Kevin’s probing fingers…:shock:
Today’s poetry, courtesy of Surfermom:
Thank heaven,
For Kevin.
All rights reserved, 2018©
(Off to run. )
So you’ve still got your tender bum as well Foxy - same here. Though mine is better than it was, it is still lurking in the background and it doesn’t take much to start it trying again. It’s been months now hasn’t it.
I never dreamed it would take so long to get better.
I think some of mine is compounded by this bulging disc at the bottom of my spine, because that radiates too, and the picture gets blurred then.
I hope you get on well at the physio’s Thursday. I shall keep a look out for your update. 
I’m still here folks, watching and looking in at what’s going on in Exerciseville.
As you say though, Bob, it’s probably best to carry on doing what you can, aches and pains notwithstanding. It’s like having a bad back, it’s sod’s law that if you don’t exercise an injury and rest too much it can make things even worse. Best to grin and bear it at all possible. Same with you, Mups.
Do what you can but make sure your posture is correctly adhered to, that will help a lot.
Surfermom…who’s Kevin?
I haven’t trained since my exhausting weekend of three sessions on the trot so I’m up to date. Been very busy at work lifting heavy cartons back and forth so there’s plenty of muscle work going on there.
My normal Wednesday session will be done Thursday now as I’m meeting my sister for a coffee , then a big session on Friday.
Take care folks
Well, it only took me twelve hours to check in after writing my first poetry of the year and my morning run, but I sure am happy to hear the news that OGF is going to get the perspective of a professional. Since this is a very common problem among older athletes, I will be eager to hear what Kevin has to say. 
While on my five and a half mile run today, I noticed that my glutes and piriformis were tight (sympathy pains, perhaps?), so I tried to relax them while I ran. While it isn’t a panacea, it might be worth trying, Piriformis People.
With all that lifting and moving, OGF, you might not have relief, but you will no doubt cut a find figure for the wedding. If I ever have to climb Mt. Everest, cross the Nefud desert (think Lawrence of Arabia ), or otherwise go to war, I am taking you with me ;-)! When you set a goal, you set it. Very admirable!
Floydy, after an awesome weekend, I think you can afford a coffee break…but what is with the sad face? I hope it’s about the delay and not your sibling .
On a final note, my metabolism has gone on vacation :twisted: (holiday), but I will save that as a topic for another day.
Oh no! It’s because I’m on my mobile doing this at work. My chubby fingers…My sister isn’t all that bad. :):)