"I'd rather be seen on my bicycle than on a park run" - Quote from the dark side

Tuesday 12 November 2013

What shape are you in?

While I'm not able to run this week because of the cut on my foot I can't help to think about the shape I would like to be in and be training for right now.

The best shape I've ever been in was from 1996 – 1998. This was also when I ran all my best times for the various distances we run.

Finishing a 50km in 04:54 - Skinny me!

Now I am 50 years old and that makes getting into and staying in that shape much harder. I’m sure I can get there or almost there but it will never be the same as it was when I was in my prime.

56km Two Oceans in 05:37 - Skinny me!

Yes, there was actually a time when I was not a back of the pack runner. :)

Marathon in 03:49 - Skinny me!

When were you in the best shape ever or are you lucky enough to be in that shape now?

13 comments:

Kate Geisen said...

Weight-wise I was in my best shape when we got married, but I couldn't (didn't know I could) run or bike seriously. Fitness-wise, probably early 2012 when we did my first 24-hr AR, but I'm pretty close to that now. I just need to get the weight and the fitness right at the same time!

Robin said...

For me because I started running (again) later in life (at 44 in 2008), I'm actually in the best shape of my life now (at almost 49). Makes me wonder what I could have been capable of in my 30's...

oldrunningfox. said...

Running-wise, in my early 60's when I was running sub 3 hour marathons and setting a couple of age group course records that still haven't been broken.

One Crazy Penguin said...

Round is a shape, right?

I was in my best shape during and right after college. I played basketball at university and staying in shape was a job! I miss it greatly, honestly.

Raina said...

LOL @ One Crazy Penguin!
I'm not in top shape..but still want to be strong. I need to get a hold of the nutrition aspects though.. When running 20-30 mpw you can't eat like you are running 60! :)

Char said...

I was in my best running shape ever in 2008. But it may be that I'm in my best running shape for the rest of my life at the moment so I'm going to enjoy and appreciate it as much as possible rather than beating myself up and trying to get faster.

Unknown said...

I think my shape is a square...

ajh said...

Probably in my early 50s. I started late.

Jill said...

"Best shape" had had various definitions, depending on what I was running at that time. I was in the best mile shape when I ran the mile in college. I was in the best road marathon shape a few years back before I had the foot fiasco. This summer I was in prime 50 mile altitude shape. Just what we train for specifically, I think.

I'm putting my road marathon to the test again next month after being off from racing them for 4 years. I hate that I'm letting previous times enter my head - aging is significantly slowing my average long run pace down and at 50, times are slipping. But it's hard to let it go. Maybe we can just start with a clean plate when we turn 50? :)

Sorry about your foot and not able to race. Quick healing vibes sending your way!

coach dion said...

back in 95 and 96, those were the years I had the most time to train.

Tina @GottaRunNow said...

I ran my PR marathon way back in 2008 so maybe that was my best, but I've gotten pretty (kind of, sort of) close to that PR since then so I'm still hanging on to the idea that I can improve a little more!

Black Knight said...

A great post with wonderful memories.
My best period was 1990/1992 when I established all my PB and I was member of the Navy running team.

Colin Hayes said...

I've had brief flashes of being sort of in shape over the past 30 years, but I was my fastest in high school during my senior year. I only ran track and cross country my final two years of high school. I managed a 5:01 mile and a 39:06 10k (road race). Since then (1985), I've had many ups and downs in both training and racing. I know I'll never be as fast as I was in high school, but I would like to be able to run consistently, possibly regaining some speed, while staying healthy. A tall order, so it seems. I hope your foot heals quickly!