I am feeling quite old, and it's only March.

How long can I keep this up?

Very productive couple of weeks.  A couple of notes....

• Since the last post, I have run 23.02 miles.  I am starting to feel guilty if I don't run.   For example, I did not run on Monday or Tuesday this week due to some knee pain (more on that later)
• My average pace was 0:10:32 per mile...which is a precipitous drop from previous times, and I think it is due to some pain in my right knee.
• I hit some great runs on both Sundays.  4.4 miles and 5.16 miles.  these long Sundays are going to continue and increase weekly.  This coming up Sunday, i will get to 5.5.   I have a 10K coming up in April, so that is timed perfectly.
• My arch is feeling much better since I started wearing my orthotics again.
• My VO2 Max has been steadily rising.  For those who don't know what the VO2 Max is, here is a definition.

"VO2 max, or maximal oxygen consumption, refers to the maximum amount of oxygen that an individual can utilize during intense or maximal exercise. This measurement is generally considered the best indicator of cardiovascular fitness and aerobic endurance."
​

​Low = 26 and below
Below Average = 26.1 - 33
Above Average = 33.1 - 41
High = 41.1 +

​For many years, my VO2 Max (according to my Apple Watch) has put me in the "Below Average" category.  

When I first started this trek, my VO2 Max was 28.1....putting me on the low end of "Below Average".  Through hard work, I have brought myself up to a whopping 32.7...just millimeters from average!

The problem is that I am probably going to cut back to 3-4 runs per week...so in order to make sure I stay in shape, I will have to supplement my runs with activities that have less wear and tear on my body....I plan on switching to a Tuesday/Thursday/Saturday/Sunday routine.

So until next time...

Michael