The Potential of Being Around 60

Today was a 10km build-up run.

I had intended to do an LSD run, but managing my heart rate felt too restrictive, so I decided to just run as I felt today.

I check my form.
Keep my hips high and my pelvis upright.
I focus especially on my arm swing.

Pull my elbows back.
When I do that, the opposite side of my pelvis shifts forward with a little 'pop'.
My leg then naturally follows that flow and lands smoothly underneath me.

I've recently awakened to this 'pop' sensation. 👀

Regardless of what the correct movement or the way to verify it might be, this is just my own personal sensation.

Before running, I did some thorough hip joint stretches at home, passed down from Chappy.
(Actually, I've written about this on note before.)

Lying down with both knees bent, I let them fall side to side while keeping them together.
From there, I naturally extend one leg at a time.
Stretch, stretch.

Once I arrived at the park,
I did sumo squats, leg swings, and lunges.
Yes, the iliopsoas muscle is also important.

I wanted to reawaken that feeling I had a little while ago—the sensation of my legs swinging forward smoothly and my hip joints feeling loose and flexible—
so I carefully repeated each movement.

I don't know if that directly helps.
But I want to cherish those small sensations.

There was one more thing I realized while running.

That I might have been obsessing over my heart rate a bit too much lately.

To try and lower my heart rate,
I consciously exhale. Exhale more.
—It doesn't change.

Exhale even more. Inhale lightly.
Even then, the numbers don't behave the way I want them to.

So today,
even though I started out intending to do an LSD run,
the moment my heart rate alarm beeped saying 'exceeding range',
my mindset shifted instantly.

'I'm not going to worry about it today.'

I ignored the alarm and kept running.

Then, around the 4.5km mark, I realized that I had quietly and unconsciously settled into a 'two exhales, one inhale' breathing rhythm.

As the running pace increases, breathing naturally follows along with it.

Huff, huff, puff.

Perhaps I had forgotten to trust the natural power my body possesses.

I got home and checked the data.
Along with the build-up, my stride length had gradually increased, and my ground contact time had shortened.
My heart rate also rose naturally in response to the run.

Looking at the sequence of numbers, Chappy gave me my first '100 points,' calling it 'ideal'.

Data shouldn't be able to measure the subtle changes in form.

Even so, the results derived were not contradictory to what I felt.

As you get older,
your goals tend to lean toward 'maintaining'.

Still, after running today, I thought:

I can still learn.
I can still change.
My arm swing, my breathing, and how I use my body.

The potential for change might be very small.

But it definitely exists.

The harvest of today was that during the 10km build-up, I was able to get a slight grasp on the sensation of my arm swing.

And another thing: I realized that the 'sensation of learning something new' is still very much alive within me.

For today's run, just knowing that was enough.

#Running
#BuildUpRun
#RunningForm
#BodySensation
#Essay
#RunnerAround60
#RunningLog
#HeartRateTraining
#Iliopsoas
#Potential
#WhatIDidToday
#SelfObservation