Bleh.
Went running just now. I had intended to do a half mile warmup, then run a mile for time, but that didn't happen. I quit, I'll admit that outright. I'll rationalize a little bit: I have to run for time tomorrow, and I didn't want to kill myself now for two reasons; for one, I don't want to strain my ankle (I turned my left ankle a few days ago and I have an inflamed tendon); and also I have to stay up all day and if I blast myself on a sub six minute mile run when I've already been awake for 15 hours I'll never make it.
That said, I'm happy with what I did run. I think I ran about a 3:15 or 3:30 half mile warmup, which is quick for a stiff old man like me. I felt a little ache in my knees and shins, but no pain. In my stretch routine I actually got my back to loosen up for once--a major problem I've always had is back and neck muscles cramping--and when I started my not-mile I felt like a damn gazelle. I only ran about 400 meters, probably a bit more, before I stopped; at that point my watch said 1:34, so I figure I was on pace for my target < 6:30 mile. The reason I stopped was nausea and feeling like I was going to pass out, mostly respiratory problems I think.
I've always run out of respiratory endurance before muscular, except in interval workouts. I surmise my major problem right now is a very weak midsection relative to the rest of my body. That would explain the cramping and breathing problems I have after relatively short distances, see. The good news is that if the weak link really is my abs, I'll get a shitload of conditioning in OSUT, and my running will improve disproportionally to the crappy running program they use there.
So it's entirely my fault I'm up this shit creek with my running. I neglected my abs in favor of pushups, rucking, and so on, and now I'm screwed. I'm going to look like a shitbag when I get to Benning because I suck at ab stuff so much, and that's just something I have to deal with. Learn from my example: don't ignore your abs. They're more important than you might think.
