CarolinaBlue's profile   



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Profession: Telecom/Broadband
Age: 66
Height: 1.93 m
Current Weight: 90.7 kg
Location: charlotte, nc
About me: 
I live in Charlotte & work in the telecom/broadband sector. I'm always someone who enjoys working out and keeping in great shape. I have no running background. I'm an aquatics person, started swimming in HS, attended a NESCAC college (DIII) and swam there in addition to playing water polo. And continued to play water polo at a high club level till my 40's (I played and also coached water polo in addition to working in the professional world...elected to two Hall of Fames for water polo -- one as a player and coach, and another as a coach).
Why do I run: 
Running is a new experience and a challenge (esp given my background). I love that feeling of quantifiable improvement, whether its a new PR or completing a tempo or interval set that represents a new personal best. I'm getting faster in running (I don't know if that will continue, or if my back will give out but its about living each day to the fullest -- plus I wasn't getting any faster in swimming). I never thought I could run competitively. Up until the fall of '08 I was running 12 mi/wk on treadmill in the 8:20 to 8:40 mi range. I then nudged the speed up to see what would happen -- no pain and I got faster. In Feb-09 my next challenge was to break 7 min for mile (went 7:01 first time, then 7:00.4 second time, then went a 6:52 in Mar-09). And then I got progressively faster (ran a 5:57 mi in Nov-09). Recently I've targeted running road races, and upped my mileage to 35-40 mi/wk starting Jan-10 fr the 15-20 mi/wk for the prior 4 months. We'll see what happens?
Why I started running: 
In 2006 I had a "simple" back operation for herniated disc (L5/S1). Things did not go well as within a week I was in excruciating pain and unable to stand. I was confined to a hospital bed. Doctors could not figure what was wrong & hinted I may never stand again. After 4.5 months (unable to be upright) and wasting away, I "miraculously" recovered (I was able to get myself upright w/out pain). My Doctors told me not to expect anything. I was so weak at this pt I could not walk unassisted- 3 wks later I was able to walk 100 feet unassisted, at 7 wks I could climb one stair. At 12 wks I could drive and began to swim. At 10 mos I attempted to run (20 yds/walk 20 yds). I gradually regained my strength without any back pain. My running progressed literally in "baby steps". Running was a "new frontier" for me (vs. the 30 years that I swam) and I was motivated as I began to see "very gradual improvement".