Freak genetics, muscle memory?

[Torn Mind]

I've been running just a hair under 0.3 miles(by about 50-80 ft) for the past couple weeks. I just been logging my times and I just clocked under two minutes.

And for the past three years, I've basically done no consistent exercise, had a symptomatic case of COVID that last a long time.

 

[purbeast0]

Not trying to be a dick or anything, but what are you trying to discuss in this thread?

 

[Torn Mind]

Not trying to be a dick or anything, but what are you trying to discuss in this thread?

Is it the norm for someone who hasn't done anything physical for about 3 years, also had gotten wrecked with symptomatic COVID to progress this well.

I mean, just tonight, I covered the same distance in 1 min, 45 seconds after a ton of hamstring stretching, and yesterday it was 2 minutes flat.

 

[DAPUNISHER]

This is supposed to be funny, right? Please say it's right.

 

[purbeast0]

Is it the norm for someone who hasn't done anything physical for about 3 years, also had gotten wrecked with symptomatic COVID to progress this well.

I mean, just tonight, I covered the same distance in 1 min, 45 seconds after a ton of hamstring stretching, and yesterday it was 2 minutes flat.

I'd say it is normal for any adult who is not obese to be able to run a quarter mile pretty easily.

I mean let's be real here. That is not a very long distance by any measure. Not to say it's nothing though - it is better than nothing for sure. You're basically on pace for a little under an 8 minute mile, if you could keep that pace up the whole time. I'd say an 8 minute mile can be had pretty easily by anyone who is in "normal" shape after a week or two or three.

I don't do any cardio at all and haven't really done any consistent cardio in like over a decade. I hadn't played basketball since I broke my ankle in like 2004. But then 2 years ago at 40 years old I started balling once a week with some people. The first time I was super gased but still hung quite a bit. I was super sore afterwards as well. Then the next week I was better, the week after better, etc.

I do lift very hard though and get my heart rate going high from that.

So to sum it up, I would say, yes, that is pretty normal for someone like yourself.

 

[Torn Mind]

Based on Google Maps, it's actually more like 1500 ft, 1320ft. My landmarks are a street pole and a street sign.

If I actually did exactly a quarter mile, I'd need to shave off about 10-15 more seconds because my muscles are dying for the last couple hundred feet. My best time so far for the full 1500 is 1:45, so it'd be about 1:30 for an exactly quarter mile.

The only routine fitness I got running was in middle and high school, then a lot of wlaking in college....but then 10+ years no running, not too much walking.

 

[igor_kavinski]

Get into ketosis and see how well your running times improve. Your muscles should hold up better using ketones as fuel.

Also, maybe you are not breathing well? Oxygenate your body with deep breaths for a few minutes (15 minutes is ideal though) before starting the run. I think the proper way is to breathe air in rapidly a few times, then exhale really long, then deep inhale, deep exhale and again repeat with rapid inhaling and so on. That should help to remove more CO2 and oxygenate your blood cells more. So when you are running, your muscles will have enough oxygen to burn glycogen and not resort to anaerobic respiration due to lack of oxygen which produces more lactic acid and causes your muscles to fail.

 

[Torn Mind]

Get into ketosis and see how well your running times improve. Your muscles should hold up better using ketones as fuel.

Also, maybe you are not breathing well? Oxygenate your body with deep breaths for a few minutes (15 minutes is ideal though) before starting the run. I think the proper way is to breathe air in rapidly a few times, then exhale really long, then deep inhale, deep exhale and again repeat with rapid inhaling and so on. That should help to remove more CO2 and oxygenate your blood cells more. So when you are running, your muscles will have enough oxygen to burn glycogen and not resort to anaerobic respiration due to lack of oxygen which produces more lactic acid and causes your muscles to fail.

I don't have any formal training breathing. I'm basically just fiddling around with breathing and pacing.

My left leg is musculary tight due in part to falling on the ankle wrong in high school, which then messed up everything else. Lack stretching as well. So I'm gradually stretching and trigger point massaging the legs. Eventually, I intened to do weight-added runs up to 40-80 lbs.

I'm taking a rest because some muscles seized up in my back.