If it's not prying, are you in your 40's, 50's or 60's? Your fitness level might give some of us who are roughly the same age something to shoot for. Regardless, running three 8 minute miles, which I think you said you're doing, is fantastic for a twice a week runner.
Originally Posted by Tiny
I'm actually in my late forties. To get to the 8 minute mile x 3 I have to rearrange a lot of other ways I expend energy and make it my focus and go all out. It really sucks to get to that time and that is my peak time and I do it about once a month just to gauge my fitness levels. I purposely do things everyday to wear myself out and get in 20,000 steps minimum and climb at least 10 flights of stairs. I'll park my car a half mile away at Northpark just to get in some steps. I never take escalators or elevators - even to an office on the 10th floor. If I watch a show I'll typically do some type of stretching or pushups during the show.
I stretch and warm up for 30 minutes prior to the run, pop at least 2 sugar free RedBulls, and do it in the morning after my one day off per week for recovery. On that recovery day I do very little physical work so by the next morning I'm really ready to go.
My twice a week run is normally about 30 minutes - 10 minute mile. Excessive aerobic type workouts interfere with muscle building but you need to do some of it for lung capacity. I try to make it high intensity.
Many of my friends and acquaintances tell me what I do to stay in shape wouldn't be worth it to them and I totally understand. On the other hand, when I hike up a 5 mile mountain trail and then back down with no pain, it makes me feel great.
All my buddies (I was really just an average player though I was on varsity) from back in High School with whom I played on the various sports teams are mostly out of shape and limping around and I'm lucky and grateful to feel so good at my age. I intend to keep it that way because I like the way I feel. It looks like a sacrifice to a third party but it is a way of life for me and likely a compulsion I cannot easily quit, no more than a drinker could quit the bottle. Fortunately I can afford to indulge it and I have a very supportive family.
The other compulsion I can't live without is having sex with various skinny and pretty girls but I can't tell my friends about that!