Oops, wrote LT meant AT (anaerobic threshold i.e. comfortably hard). Maybe that is also LT. By 'worse for wear' I meant that my achilles tendons were a bit achey (esp left) and felt a general weariness. Also a sharp pain in my right knee after 20min next to kneecap on medial side which disappeared after some thigh stretches on route.
Thanks for kicking things off this week, Andrew. Sounds like we had pretty similar weeks.
*************************
Week 102
*************************
Hello 50+er’s. Not much to report running-wise for my week. Given the travel and tumult I was happy to log 30 maintenance miles on 5 runs.
Sun: 5.8 easy
Mon: 0
Tues: 0
Wed: 6.7 easy pace, but it felt moderate effort + post-run
Thur: 7.0 progressive 7:30->6:00 over first 5 miles, then eased off to 7:00 for last two + post-run
Fri: 5.2 easy + post-run
Sat: 5.3 easy
We laid my wife’s dad to rest yesterday up here in Wisconsin, and will head home via Arkansas in a few days; it’ll be good to get home. On the plus side, it has been a blessing to reconnect and strengthen our bonds with the extended families that are strewn across the country—old and young. Circle of life.
I look forward to what you all have to offer up this week. Any races?
Cheers!
PS-Three cheers for 50-yo Gary Stevens, riding Oxbow to a Preakness victory!
Pardon my double post, just looking for some feedback:
I've read past posts - they helped. I've gone through three bronchitis episodes since December. Now, after incredible wheezing episodes, spirometer tests, 3rounds of Prednisone, steroid inhalers, they tell me I have asthma. (Couldn't run 1/4 mile two days ago.) Being a semi-old fart (50+), is this the end of my running. At 5'6 130lbs, this has been my sport since the 70s. Now, in just several weeks, it's over? Any new insight as to what I can expect? As of Friday, I'm doing the Prednisone taper schedule, and Flo-Vent. First serious drugs in my life (not including the early 70s).
L2B, my sympathies, also, we are fortunate to have connections with both family and in-laws and the wonderfulness of such, far beyond what we know at the time. My wife and I leave this week to see her Mom for 4 days, she's 82 and healthy, but does not want to travel to see us. Having seen the loss of my Mom, she's reaching out to be much closer emotionally.
My only training for two weeks has been on a Schwinn Air-Dyne, having used, unsuccessfully, my orthotics for the first time in months, in our Corporate Challenge, two weeks ago, and throwing my tailbone out of alignment. Pain with walking, worse with running, ART and acupuncture still has not resolved it. Aw well, just hope to run soon. Des Moines Marathon is Oct. 20. But not feeling sorry for self, health is good, I am loved and in love, and health is still with us. Tried a 1/2 mile run yesterday, but pain in butt still returned.
How's the recovery, Ken M and KP? Fun times here, watching how the track and field community rises with high school, college and pros rising to the top. Cannot wait to go the USATF next month, and meet some of you at USATF Masters in Olathe in July.
Mr Flovent, forgot to mention, my wife was diagnosed with asthma just over one year ago, when she could not recover her breathing after an in-the-caves 10 km called the Groundhog Run here in KC, and had to be in an ambulance and on oxygen. She now takes Symbicort, 2 puffs, 2 times daily. Her need for a rescue inhaler has not occurred since, and she races very well. She cannot miss doses or it shows up quickly, since she pushes herself to the max. We also have a high-end HEPA air filtration system in our house, and she takes an allergy pill in the spring. Hope that gives you some ideas and hope.
FloVent, hope you find a solution, I'm fortunate not to have ever experienced any of that.
Andrew63, stitches, been there a lot. After retiring from competitive running I played a lot of basketball, got a lot of elbows to the face the first few years, probably 30 stitches combined plus 4 broken noses. It's different when it's your kid though, glad he's alright.
Boring week for me, which is good, faster walking and more incline. Stomach is near normal now so I've started modest intervals twice a week. Blood counts are 98% my brother!
Have a great week!
Ken
Hello old fast friends,
An endorsement this morning for you. A boastment for me.
Acupuncture has been a marvel therapy for me this year. Any flare up or strain to hammy, glutes, poplitius, etc are amazingly reduced with ACP. We all know it WILL HAPPEN often for those. Try it. It's important to find somebody who works with athletes. And it's important to get in to see her/him ASAP. I appreciate LMT, Chiro, Physios, PTs, ART, etc. BUT this ACP stuff works.
Isn't it the best when your son or daughter does something way bigger in running than yourself? Especially since we understand how difficult it is? All 3 of my kids run and they're all enjoying doing their best. But this week's highlight is son #2 winning the 3 Rivers District Champs 800 and earning a semi-final hip number for STATE. It's So.... hard to pop outta that competitive final 8 to win, or grab the other willy-wonka gold ticket to STATE in that 800! I know y'all know. Anyway I said it was a boast... forgive me. Hayward Field or bust Aidan Paulk!
KP
Congrats to your son KP.
My week:
M, T, W = 3 miles each day, very rocky trail/w 500 foot elevation gain
Th,Fr = 0, always take off
Sat = 3 miles rocky trail/w 550 foot elevation gain
Sun = 3 miles soft trail/w 350 foot elevation gain.
15 miles total.
I’ve moved to 100% trails for a few weeks now and the trails I’m on are rocky and steep, requiring an alteration of stride length, push off, and landing with almost every step. The goal is to work those stabilizer muscles and reduce the over-use pounding, particularly in the heel area. Although I’ve been fooled before in thinking the PF is getting better, I think I’ve seen some real improvement in the last two weeks. These trails effectively give me a hard workout with low impact. Being the obsessive track person that I am, I’ve been timing my courses and seeing steady progress in the paces. Job one is fix the foot, job two is to increase fitness. So far, so good on both tasks.
thanks much - so there is life after asthma? they tried Symbicort, but the headaches/nausea got to me - so FloVent is the one. Two weeks ago I was cranking out 4-6 w/ little effort, this past Thursday I couldn't do 1/4 mi., winded on a flight of stairs, carrying in groceries, etc. I'm looking into the HEPA system today.
I have been having issues with EIB or asthma for maybe 10 years, I am still coming to grips with the best warmup to cope with it. Bicycle racing in the cold is especially hard as the races often start fast. I'm using Advair or Symbiacort 2x a day in the week before I race along w/ the rescue inhaler, it helps often but not always. If I get an attack, I have to slow down but can resume again once it passes, but in a bike race that's game over. So, I'm trying running again...
50 mile week plus 5.5 hrs on the bike:
mo 5.25 mi easy / hour mtb
tu 400 / 200 x 4 at rep on the cinder track
we 9 on trails
th 2 hrs on road bike, 3 mi run
fri tempo on track, 4 x 1 mi minute recovery at 6.45
sat 5 mi on grass / 2 hrs mtb
su - hard 9 on trails
Week 102: 3 hours 18 minutes in 5 easy runs, plus 400m race (Columbus Classic) in 1:11.x.
Just running easy this week, then jumped into the 400m for fun, I definitely surprised myself -- although actually 1:11 was predicted by my half marathon time, but no way did I expect to run the prediction. Tied up at around 300m so I see some room for improvement over the summer.
Week 103 I will go back to running 7 days, still easy all the time.
Another 48 mile week for me with mostly easy running. I am trying to work my way through the moving injury thing in one leg. A little over a month ago I got my hamstring sore cutting down a tree in my backyard. I kept my running volume up but eased back some on the intensity. As it started feeling normal again I picked up the intensity again two weeks ago. After my hard workout 10 days ago my ITB was sore the following day. By Thursday of this week it was feeling almost normal and I picked up the intensity a bit on my Thursday run. Friday morning my ITB felt fine but my ankle was stiff and sore, but not in the achilles. Friday yesterday and today the ankle warms up during my easy running but then tightens up again shortly after the end of the run. Hopefully, the ankle will settle down in the next couple of days and I can get back to injury-free running again. Next week will be a lower mileage week because I am helping my younger son move about 400 miles away for his job and I will have two long driving days with no runs. I will miss my regular Sunday runs with him and his girlfriend followed by breakfast. But life goes on and he and his girl friend will have great job situations in their new location and I will have motivation to take more fun road trips to see them.
Old Guy II, that is known as The Moving Knot of Pain. Feel free to call it TMKoP. Yes, I coined that phrase. Yes, I use it frequently as I experience it frequently. Mine was a strained ham in January which ultimately led to a calf and achilles tear in late January, which then healed up but coming back too quickly re-injured the achilles....which is where I am at right now. In the middle of a forced 6 weeks of no running. None. Nada. Zip. Only elliptical, weights, and stretching. I have an ortho appt in early June which will hopefully lead to more insight.
Ken and KP, great news! Flovent, have you tried just one a day, or one puff AM and PM of Symbicort, to adjust more slowly? It's worked great for my wife, and perhaps you need a more gradual adjustment period?
Planned recovery week. 31 miles w/ nothing stressful except for strides on 2 days.
SUN- 5
MON- 3.5
TUE- 5
WED- 5
THR- 6.7
FRI- 0
SAT- 6
Get after it y'all,
Edgewood
**********************************
The promised review of the Shoulders Back device.
Product is $49.95 + shipping directly from the manufacturer. It is basically a triangular shape of lycra-type stretch fabric with Velcro straps. Lay the item flat, connect the straps to make the 'arm holes' and slip on as you would a jacket. Secure the lower strap around the chest as you would a HR monitor. I always wear a tee shirt under the unit. As soon as I cinched up the Velcro I felt my shoulders being pulled back. I measured 5'4 1/4" tall without the device and 5' 4 5/8" the first time I put it on.
I have worn the Shoulders Back between 1 and 5 hours everyday for the past 3+ weeks. Around the house it's no problem being seen with it on but when going out and about I pull on another shirt to cover it up. In summer heat the extra shirt may be uncomfortable. The unit itself is snug but not awkard (my wife jokes that I have my JogBra on backwards).
I have not attempted to use the product while running or doing any other exercise.
I was taught to carry my arms low and occasionally brush the waistband of my shorts with my thumbs (of course this changes as the pace increases). After 2 weeks I noticed I had to intentionally move my hands to be able to touch my waist when running. Although not as extreme, I feel as a bodybuilder-type appears when running with their lats pushing their arms wide. My running friends have not indicated any noticable change in my running form.
Often during the day when not wearing the unit I find myself 'shrugging' into the position I feel when wearing the device. This happens when driving, walking, at meals and practically every other waking activity.
Because of the thumb rub differences and the daily shruggs, it appears the Shoulders Back has conditioned my upper body into another posture. However, in the mirror I see no difference and my family does not see a difference in posture when I am not wearing the device. I remain my non use 5' 4 1/4" height.
I do not believe the unit has had a short term impact on my running economy. Time will tell if there are long term benefits in efficency.
Spikez, sadly, I have learned about the TMKoP through the school of experience. I hope your rehab goes well. I have always paid attention to your postings since I occasionally describe myself as a long sprinter masquerading as a distance runner. I was a 220/440 guy in college and only became a mid-distance/distance runner late in life due to the lack of track opportunities and the fact that my sons turned out to be very good distance runners in high school and college. If I ever feel that all my connective tissue will hold together sufficiently, I will go back to being a serious 400M runner during Summer track seasons.
We do the shoulder shrug and back all the time in yoga.
One of my yoga teachers just returned from an extended trip to India. She hasn't seen me in five months, had me stand up, "Yup you're taller." I've been slowly shrinking for 20 years, nice if that trend has halted.
@lucKY2b - Yoga is also good for the sitting posture. Considerably more expensive than $49.95 though.
KP - Congratulations to Aidan. I have to tell you that tears welled up in my eyes when I saw the photo of you and him after the finish. The joy, pride and love on your face, coupled with the exhaustion and elation and relief on his just told such a story. What a great, great moment.
Ever see one of those old houses that was built without a foundation? Well that is kind of what my running reminds me of. So now I am jacking up this old house and putting in a foundation. Using the same pattern of training 3 days hard followed by 4 easy day. The hard and easy runs longer in length and duration. Overall the hard runs are also slower but with a mix of paces.
Easy runs are 40 to 45 minutes about 4 to 5 miles
Hard runs are 50 minutes but 15 of the 50 minutes are ez. About 7 miles total. I am still experimenting with the mix today after a warmup
I did 2X
6:50 pace for 3 minutes
HARD HILL for 90 seconds
6:00 pace for 6 minutes
6:50 pace for 3 minutes
plus
6:50 pace for another 8 minutes
The slower pace is hopefully going to train the undertrained fibers with the fastr stuff keeping the FOGS in good condition.
I can already feel the different soreness fatigue more sleep hitting 9 hours a night instead of the usual 8
Mileage looks about like this:
18 for 4 easy days
21 for 3 hard days
===
39 miles a week
and I gained 3 pounds;)
Onward!
Old Guy II, this Not Running Stuff is driving me crazy but I have found an outlet...coaching the local high school hurdlers! Such a fun eager group; I love being on the track with them. I won't lie when I say I envy their youthful achilles tendons.
If you ever decide to come over to "the dark side" (sprinting) again, just take it verrrry verrrrry slowwwlly or else TMKoP will rear its ugly head faster than you can sprint a 400m. As for me, I'll continue hoping and waiting for good health.