Zoom! :)

 

Hot Damn!

I took Pat's suggestion from a while ago, and decided to make it so I only had a 5K run left to do today for this week, and I decided to try to approximate a "race pace" for myself during this 5K.  

So, for this 3.1 mile race (5 km).... I ended up with a race pace for my age... and...  I obtained a time where I was faster than.... get this..... 85% of other runners in my age group!!!!!!!  

And, get this... when I looked at the statistics the "gizmoey" watch that I inherited from my son had recorded for this run.... it indicated my heart rate was only in the "aerobic" range.  The "aerobic" range on this "gizmo" watch is the middle range of five levels of effort it categories heart rate, etc. into:

Zone 1 - "Warm Up"

Zone 2 - "Easy Pace"

Zone 3 - "Aerobic"

Zone 4 - "Threshold"

Zone 5 - "Maximum"

I was completely in the Zone 3, "Aerobic" range the entire 5K!  

This means I COULD HAVE pushed myself even harder during this run and perhaps even performed better!  When I run my longer runs (the 10 - 15 mile runs), depending on the pace I set, I will  ~30% of the time, work to push myself into the "Threshold" level and perhaps ~15% of the time will push myself to get into the "Maximum" level of effort during those runs.  Putting in effort to get to those levels is theoretically designed to improved endurance and fitness.  

I am pleased with these results!  I do not think they are too damn shabby for an old duffer like myself.  Especially for a fellow who used to have a BMI of ~39 (today my BMI is 22.5). 

* * * * *

PCS - 6.... still quite a strong interest, craving, and desire to smoke my pipe.  It feels like I have been in the 6-7 range quite consistently for a long while now.  I guess I have to say that this steady state.... even though it represents pretty damn strong cravings/desires for my pipes and pipe tobaccos..... the STEADY STATE consistency is easier to handle than are the more undulating ups and downs.  I have been imagining and remembering specifically a very lightly tinctured vanilla burley leaf I enjoy as I imagined smoking my pipe this morning. It always was so beautiful and had a silky smooth texture.

* * * * * 

AC commented on wondering why I refer to myself as Roman Catholic very specifically and tend to refrain from using the term "Christian".  I do this for several reasons:

1.  The Roman Catholic Faith (IMO) is overall a more holistic, all-encompassing faith that tends to have considerably different views and foci about faith than many of the other faiths within the blanket, collective term, "Christian".  

2.  The other Christian faiths have developed/evolved away from the Roman Catholic faith, which was the first of the faiths labeled "Christian".  Collectively, the term "Protestant Faiths" is often used to identify these faiths that have branched off and away from what was the origin of "Christian" faiths.  Each Protestant Faith has its own ideas, theological opinions and constructs that make them considerably different in many ways from Roman Catholicism.

3.  And, there are SOME faiths under the blanket term of "Christian" that are actually extremely anti-Catholic in a way that is rather hurtful and even bigoted in their opinions.  Long, long ago, I used to participate in chat rooms and UseNet (Anyone else remember UseNet?) groups that discussed religion and faith.  Some of the folks there from certain Protestant faiths (especially commonly…. it seemed to be in folks from some of the various forms of "Baptist" faith) were EXTREMELY anti-Catholic in rather crude and abusive ways and it was rather disturbing and disheartening.  

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