First Kilted mile, at age 48!

**Grunthos** · 20th July 15, 09:45 AM

I ran my first Kilted Mile race ever, along with my son, two days ago at the Portland Highland Games in Portland, Oregon.

I spent several decades letting myself get fat and lazy. About 3 years ago my wife and I decided we wanted to live

and started exercising and eating healthier food. Well, she was ahead of me in figuring it out, and I realized she was right. I started exercising at the gym with a variety of weights and machines, but no real running.

At last year's games I decided I would run in this year's race. At that time I could only run about one city block, gasping for air.

My wife and I started training using the Couch-to-5k program. It is a step-by-step plan that takes you from running 60 seconds up to running a full 5K distance, in small increments over a period of several months. It has really worked well for us. My wife has an old knee injury that has been difficult for her, but she still has been able to run more than she expected by using the C-to-5k.

Three months ago I ran a mile for the first time in 30 years, in 10 minutes. Over the last 3 month's I've been working on improving it.

At the games I ran the mile in 7:10, my best mile time so far since I was a teenager. I even came in second place in the Men's 40-49 category. My son ran with me, and he can out-run me, but he paced me in the race and we had a good time together.

It was really hot at the games: 95 deg F = 35 deg C, but it felt great to achieve it!

My wife has also gone from hardly-able-to-run a year ago, to running a mile in 9:23 a week ago. Her knee wasn't cooperating on the Games day, but she is still happy with her progress so far.

Next up: My wife and I are going to run a 5k soon with a few of our adult kids. I just heard there's a Portland Kilted 5K in September

**Martin Roy** · 20th July 15, 09:56 AM

Congratulations! That is a real accomplishment and one you can build on. Keep up the great work.

**Wareyin** · 20th July 15, 10:18 AM

Well done! Is the kilted mile a common part of the games, or specific to Portland?

**MrLion** · 20th July 15, 10:37 AM

Originally Posted by Wareyin

Well done! Is the kilted mile a common part of the games, or specific to Portland?

First, let me say WELL DONE Gronthos! My son and I were watching the race from the stands that afternoon! Always one of our favorite events to see.
.
Wareyin: the announcer told us that the Portland Highland Games were "the first" to run a kilted mile in 1991.... This event has since become very popular at many other Highland Games around the country!

**Lady Grey** · 20th July 15, 01:26 PM

Well done and you both look great in your kilts

**rebelrouser** · 20th July 15, 04:04 PM

Way to go !

**Grunthos** · 20th July 15, 11:16 PM

Thanks everyone for the encouragement!

Originally Posted by Wareyin

Well done! Is the kilted mile a common part of the games, or specific to Portland?

Good question.

PHGA has a story that it traces its roots back to Scottish king Malcolm III. See http://www.phga.org/competitive-events/kilted-mile/ I don't know how true that is but it's a nice story

I know there are other Highland Games that do the Kilted Mile, such as San Francisco's annual games in Pleasanton, but I don't know how far they go back or how common it is.

**Spartan Tartan** · 21st July 15, 03:47 AM

That is fantastic! Keep it up.

That's a great picture of you and your son too. Looks like a perfect way to spend an afternoon or morning (or both!!)

**usonian** · 22nd July 15, 11:20 AM

Congrats and well done! Mrs. usonian and I have been on a similar "get back into shape" regimen over the last 2-3 years. What got me going was showing up at my 20 year high school reunion and being simultaneously appalled by how old and unhealthy a lot of my classmates looked, and a little chagrined at how young and fit some of the others still looked; I was somewhere in between. It was a bit of "use it or lose it" wakeup call; I was pushing 40 and knew that getting and staying in shape is only going to get harder.

Exercise has definitely helped. Couch to 5K is fantastic, and if you have a smartphone there are various free apps available that are really handy for stepping you through the various intervals; walk 5 minutes, run 60 seconds, etc. and don't skimp on shoes! I started C25K with a cheap pair of generic sneakers and hurt my knee after a couple of weeks - once it got better I went to a running shop and got properly fitted for a quality pair of shoes; a good shop can analyze your gait and match you with the right pair. I've had zero problems since.

Diet has really made the huge difference, though... eating better food and less of it. Once you start scrutinizing labels it's really kind of appalling how much sugar there is in everything in the U.S., especially stuff that's marketed as "healthy".

The only downside is that I've shrunk out of a couple of cherished kilts! I really need to sell my tank so I can buy the tartan to make its replacement, but I'm still trying to drop another 10 pounds or so, which would make about 60 total.

**Grunthos** · 22nd July 15, 03:34 PM

Originally Posted by usonian

Mrs. usonian and I have been on a similar "get back into shape" regimen over the last 2-3 years.

Good for you! I wish I had started 10 years ago, but better late than never

I'm right with you on the C25K, shoes, and especially diet. Sounds like you and I have really been in parallel.

Three years ago I weighed 265 pounds/120 kg. I made it down to 205 pounds/93 kg, but I've been averaging about 210 lbs lately. I actually think I gained a little weight in muscle.

I completely agree with you on the sugar. I lost the first 15 pounds just by stopping drinking soda pop. I was shocked! Especially since I didn't drink it every day.

Keep up the good work!