Hit 40 mpw again...week no. 5. Trying to be consistent. I was trying to squeeze a run in Thursday and turned out to be my best effort of the week: 4 cut-down miles ending at 6 flat. That hurt way too bad, though...still a long way to go.
Attended National Distance Summit in Grinnell, IA Friday and Saturday. I could listen to Joe Vigil all day! The spirit is fired up but the flesh is still week.
Hey Tony and fellow Master Blasters... sounds like Alisa H hit it right out of the ball park WOW! I am curious as to where and which meet Alisa ran this stellar time, do you know?
I actually watched your Sea Chicks play ball last night and John and I kept saying Tony will be choking on his beer and pounding the carpet, thought we caught a glimpse if you on the telly with big green gloves and a jubilant grin :o)
My own running is steady, John and I look forward to launching out in our new massage therapy careers a little further down the road now that we have graduated whooowoooo!
Are you coming to the Hartshorne Mile this year, you have a title to defend ya know?
All the best to each of you out there in the over 40 world!
16 gritty, gutty miles (if I do say so myself) on the snow and ice that currently passes for the Boulder Creek Path.
Two weeks ago I was surfing and running in sunny San Diego. Now it's time to pay the piper ... more snow predicted for the upcoming week, with some 50+ mph winds thrown in for good measure. C'est la vie.
Holding steady at 60 to 65 mile weeks. If the weather changes I'll be ready to increase to the low 70s, but in these conditions it seems like a bad idea.
Johnny, how much ice do you use ?
None. I leave a garbage can filled with water in my garage and stand in it. Water is probably in the low 50s. I change it frequently and put a capful of bleach in it just in case. Cures what ails me.
Usually.
Thanks, good stuff.
Hi everyone! I know this will sound pathetic but after 6 months of no running I am finally able to complete 3.5 miles without pain. I started back about 2 weeks ago and boy, did the first run suck. 2.75 miles and I thought I was going to die. Will keep ramping up gradually at an easy pace and then hopefully add some speed by late Spring. Lots of good things ahead in 2007 and WOW- how about that Alisa H! She just rocks!
RB
Highest mileage week for me in a while with a xc race to start off the week, a tempo workout on Saturday and a muddy, wet 18 miler on the trails today. Wildwood girl, I hardly saw a soul today, although it may be because I started later than normal. The trail is quite muddy and kind of slow.
I was completely drenched by the end, but I was really glad it wasn't any colder (33 degrees and rain really sucks ;-) ) . I haven't found a mitten that works when it gets really wet. My ancient polar fleece ones (they must be at least 15 years old) get wet and useless after a while.
Didn't watch any football, although my 9 year old son was thrilled with the Seachickens win and kept giving me updates. I was happy they beat the detested Cowboys. Ugh. I hate that team. I did think of Tony giving some Green Bay fans $20 as a consolation prize when he met them in SF!
Tonight, we watched the Trailblazers fall apart in the final minutes to lose to the Heat -- we only went because my daughters were dancing as part of the pre-game entertainment.
Still thinking about xc; must redeem myself somewhat for SF. ;-)
SoCal Pete as a bunny --- hmmmmm -- that'll be interesting.
Ms. Tracklover and I have been getting cabin feverish here in Colorado, with limited running options. The Boulder paper's front page news today is "Athletes struggle to train in poor conditions". For me "running" has become a combo of:
roads (slushy/icy)-- hard on the injury prone achilles
bike path (icy/hard concrete) -- hard on the body esp. feet
indoor track (200m non-banked) -- mostly unavailable
indoor rec center track (0.1 mile) -- constant turns
aqua jogging -- well, just not that fun
treadmill -- ditto
forced rest -- even less fun!
All planned quality sessions on the (snow covered) track have been abandoned, for 3 weeks and counting, no reprieve in sight.
So, yea, please feel sorry for me, I am very whiny and grumpy. Right now winds are a steady 30 mph with gusts to 60.
Ok, pulling self together now. Reazding other posts I'm blown away by A.Harveys mile time, awesome! and feeling some hot tub envy. Hoping for Bears/Seahawks and Chargers/Ravens championship games (on new HDTV) after a nice run on dry warm trails.
Take care all
Moved my long run up to 17 miles. Debated if I should do it or not since I had some lower back pain? Managed to get through run very easy @ sub 6:30 pace but lower back has been sore since. I have taken 2 days off and will probably take a 3rd off as well.
Best wishes to all you masters.
OMBTS; first time caller, long time listener. Have loved your show the past couple years but've been shy about contributing since I post on the weekly training thread & rarely race. But, I think I can fit in despite more biking than run days. And being the fan of the sport I am, believe I can offer up some worthy observations from the field on occasion, beginning this week:
northwest master wrote:
tony
**saw where A Harvey just opened up with a 4:46 mile yesterday! Wow! She is doing some good things with those middle distance Masters marks!**
How appropriate the US Male Masters Man in the Mile would take note of Alisa Harvey's fast one at the Father Diamond Invite at George Mason over the weekend. Her time of 4:47.26 is a new Women's Indoor Masters Mile record & if she'd been a man, she would've garnered a LOT more attention here & among other pundits/track savvy followers.
As for me- w/relatively mild weather still lingering in the midwest/MI, managed a PR number of miles for a Jan week on the bike w/194.
So true. She was second overall in that race, too. She can hammer!
Hey folks,
Any advice for a soon-to-be-master? I'm 38 but can't run the kind of times some of you folks (Northwest master, SoCalPete, Johnny Rotten, Me and My Watch) do. It's inspiring! My whole life I've experimented with training stupidly, and I think I'm just about ready to report my finding. It doesn't work. I'd like to try the other kind, smart training, just for the sake of contrast. Only I don't know what it would look like. I could slavishly copy what one of you does...but I'm pretty sure that would fall into the "stupid" category. What principles do you consider important for people in their late 30s and 40s?
From Ken Stone's always informative site
Alisa Harvey lowers own W40 world indoor mile record
Alisa Harvey out on the East Cost, again allowed back on the George Mason track, reports that she lowered her own world indoor W40 mile record Saturday. "I ran 4:47.2," she writes. "I finished second behind Keira Carlstrom (4:46.1). It was a pleasure to be allowed to compete again at the Mason track meets. I give much thanks to Coach Andrew Gerard and Coach Julie Henner who were instrumental in removing the 'top-50 in the world' rule of the past." Meet results here show that she beat 16 women (many half her age; she's 41).
The final results:
Women 1 Mile Run
1, Carlstrom, Keira, Unattached Athle, 4:46.10.
2, Harvey, Alisa, Unattached Athle, 4:47.26.
3, Binning, Bridgette, Unattached Athle, 4:54.82.
4, Ogrodnick, Avril, Georgetown, 4:58.02.
5, Rodgers, Joanna, Georgetown, 4:59.31.
6, Whalen, Christine, Georgetown, 5:15.63.
7, Kessler, Elizabeth, Mount St. Mary's, 5:25.39.
8, Rothlisberger, Julia, Mary Washington, 5:30.97.
9, Yocum, Amy, Unattached Athle, 5:39.47.
10, Stevenson, Amanda, Howard, 5:43.36.
11, Ferry, Melissa, George Mason, 5:45.64.
12, Pollard, Kafi, Delaware State, 5:45.83.
13, Miles, Tia, Norfolk State, 5:49.04.
14, Tipping, Maura, Mount St. Mary's, 5:55.82.
15, Ferguson, Tomita, Winston-Salem St, 6:01.48.
16, Carter, Candace, George Mason, 6:02.81.
17, Limo, Anastacia, Norfolk State, 6:07.33.
18, Bullock, Charisse, Howard, 6:13.61.
--, Green, Nikeya, Reebok, DNF.
Hi ABM. I'm also in the "junior master" category ... a few more months until I hit 4 to the 0.
The main things I've caught onto since following this thread:
- Old guys are very vulnerable to Achilles injuries. Be cautious whenever increasing intensity or mileage.
- Many of the competition-oriented masters on this thread log big mileage, upwards of 80 miles per week.
- For those focused on racing, regular (two or more sessions per week) tempo runs and speedwork is popular ... but not at the expense of solid base miles, I suspect.
- Other posters have turned away from racing and/or big mileage, but still highly value their running.
- Masters are less prone to mean-spirited smack talk than the youngesters on other LR threads.
Maybe we need a "masters in training" thread ...
Scott, welcome aboard. Your observations are always welcome.
BOulder-ite, I can attest to the achilles problems. I ramped up too quick and its haunted me off and on now for too long. You made excellent observations.
Btw, as far as a training thread I think thats why we added "Runs" along with the "Races" so please feel free to add whatever you like in regards to training anytime during the week. I learn much from these guys as I dont want to hear only about these blazing times, Id like to hear about HOW they got those times. Thanks. OMBTS
Hey Sarah!
Good to hear from you and John again. Best of luck with your new career move. Unfortunatly, that is why I will not be able to head over to Ithaca this year for the Hartshorne Mile. I am two months into my new job (different bank) and they frown on leaving on extended get-aways until I have proven myself again. I will have to race locally for awhile. Trying to let Tom H know, so if you see him, tell him sorry for me.
Hopefully, hit the Indoor track a couple of times this season for an 800-3k effort, if not then I turn 45 in April and it would be nice to ready to go then.
Best of luck,
tyoung
Hello all. Some general comments and questions first:
BOulder-ite, you've been paying attention. Some good observations.
Top Cat and others, have you made much use of your hot tub?
Sounds a lot nicer than ice baths, although I've done some modified versions of those, as in foot soaks in a bucket of ice water for Achilles tendinitis, etc.
Johnny R and others, I just started The Men of Oregon. Seems a bit slow at first, but I'm sure it will get better.
I had a good news, bad news week, as I continue to train for XC Nationals with the goal of not embarrassing myself.
Good 6 mile AT run on Wednesday, 4 X mile at goal pace on Saturday. Had to cut Sunday's planned 13-miler down to 8, due to pain on the outside of my ankle, just above the bony protruberance, that gnawed at me with every step. First noticed it as a slight pain Friday AM. Ran Friday and Saturday with no pain, but the area was swollen and tender to touch. A quick search makes me think it's peroneal tendinitis. Not sure if it's from running overuse, an awkward step on the trails Thursday morning, or from some "injury prevention" exercises I've been doing. Anyone familiar with this that can offer some suggestions?
Booked my trip to Boulder this weekend, so anxious to get better and continue training hard. Hope to see many of you in five weeks.
ABM,
I think you'll find a pretty wide array of training techniques used. My best advice is to read and contribute to this thread weekly. You will see first hand what others are doing on a regular basis. You will also read the goals others have. This is valuable because as someone (I'll use NW Master) progresses in the season, the workouts will change. BTW, I don't advise doing any of his track sessions!
For general fitness, you'll see some pretty standard stuff; mix of intervals, tempo runs, and longer runs. You just have to adjust the times and make sure you're recovering. The overall mileage tends to be less than it used to be as well. Workout days become every third instead of every other day.
One of the best things here is that if you have specific questions or problems, you can ask and someone will most likely give you some insight on how to stay healthy. I would say many of the regulars 'ride the line' on injuries. We're always close to the edge because we push it. However, we also know how to keep ourselves healthy.
Keep in mind that the first thing to deteriorate is speed and aerobic efficiency. So, you might see more tempo stuff (especially from me) and more strides/speedwork. Be careful of speedwork, it tends to injure quickly.
Consistency is the key. First, be consistent at stopping in once per week :) We will learn from you too.
Skin