Saturday, October 13, 2012

Running Again!


I ran a 5K for the first time since I had surgery in February.  Last Sunday, October 7th I participated in the Set the Pace for Prostate Cancer 5K on the Seattle waterfront.  This was to benefit the Prostate Cancer Education Council provide information and available screening services to communities. All proceeds will fund local prostate cancer needs such as free and low cost screenings, research and education, in addition to the PCEC's national awareness campaign. (prostateconditions.org)

I have been training since September 9th and it was fun to put my Vibram Five-Fingers barefoot sports shoes back on and hit the Burke-Gilman Trail in Kenmore near our home after work to begin working toward the 3 mile run.  The picture is of our Medical Director Tony Woodward (left) and one of our Emergency Attending Physicians Neil Uspal (right) and me before the 9am start.  They did the run to support me!  How fun is that?!

My results weren’t stellar, but my time was only 3 minutes slower (42:31) than the first 5K I ran 4 ½ years ago.  Not so bad for an older guy who had major surgery 8 months ago.   (Tony’s and Neil’s time were way better than mine!)

I’d encourage you, if you are not already exercising more or less regularly, to begin by doing something you enjoy.  It can be by trying to get that little white sphere into a tiny hole a million yards distant, swimming, running or, my favorite other exercise, resistance training.  The point is that we’re never too old to begin!  I don’t know if he is still doing this, but I seem to remember that Tony Chapa told me he was riding his bike 10 miles a day; I have a friend at the hospital who is my age and she and her husband take a trip to Europe every year just to ride hundreds of miles on their bikes!  My plan is to continue running and training for a 5K in December. 

Also, check out this website: The Gray Iron Fitness Newsletter 
www.senior-exercise-central.com; Logan Franklin puts out an email newsletter that I have found to be really encouraging.

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