Masters Weekend Races and Runs

Greetings. Congrats to SoCal Pete and TY on their 3000 times. I tried to go to the Big 10 Indoors last Sunday and they were sold out. Bad for me but good for the sport. So then I was chipping away at the ice build up in the drive way and messed up my back. Didn't run much until yesterday. I was supposed to race a 5K but didn't think I was up for racing so I ran 8 miles slow and am going to try to do the same today although it is snowing lightly. I going to fly down to south Texas tomorrow for a couple of days and visit my Dad who turns 80 next week. Probably run on Padre Island which will be a nice change. Congratulations also to the Badger men BB for their conference championship and farewell to Brett Favre. Have a good week all. TC

Well, first of all, congrats to Tony Young (Northwest Master) on knocking the spit out of my 3000 time yesterday. He ran 8:32.32, easily besting my 8:36.86 from last week. Since my record was outdoors, I think I still get to keep that, but Tony will have to tell us if he gets the indoor record (there's some problem with the track size ... or maybe there isn't? ... Tony?). In any case, it doesn't matter whether there's an official record there or not, because Tony certainly claims the prize for top 3000 of the M45-49 season so far!

As for myself, I had a very good run of my own. Because of the inhuman beating 5000's put on my calves, I limit myself to one a year these days. And last night was that 5000. Ran at the Ben Brown Invitational, where I managed to squeak into the fast heat, though I was seeded 34th out of 36 entries. There were three earlier heats, and I got to watch one of my Bunny teammates, Robert Arsenault (our 5th man at both Club X-Country and USA X-Country), post a 15:39.95 - so combined with Tony's performance from earlier in the day I felt like I'd better come up with something myself.

The race started out as these races do: with a huge pack of youngin's charging for the lead and battling for position. But unlike last week's 3000, these runners were a bit more experienced, and I was able to settle into a comfortable pace in the inside 2nd lane for the first couple laps. We came through 1600 in 4:43 (same time as last week's 3000! - only this time I was happy with the pace!). Then I found a young guy who was running the pace I wanted to run, and I just hitched a ride on his shoulder through 3200 in 9:28. Feeling relatively fresh, I spotted another runner a little ways ahead and moved up to him, locking in with a parasitic embrace through the next 1600, which we covered in 4:36. Then gave it everything I had over the last 200, actually experiencing the rush of blazing by some good young runners, to post about a 30 second final half-lap and hit 14:34.27!

Oh, and to finish in 11th place.

I know that I've been very lucky as a masters runner. And I am always humbled after "good" races by the knowledge that I may never run as fast again, that we masters have a bond largely based upon our acceptance of the diminishing returns of our training. But I have to say that I'm sorta shell-shocked to have posted that time at age 46. The first thing I said when I returned to my group of Bunnies in the stands was, "Am I on something?" But except for excessive helpings of Captain Crunch's Peanut Butter Crunch, I'm not. So I guess I was just that lucky - for one night in March in perfect conditions and in the perfect race at Mt. SAC.

Okay, sorry to be so me-me-me in my posts these past couple weeks, but this has already (in 8 days time) been the most memorable track season of my masters career.

Hope everyone has as great a week this coming week as I just got to experience last week!

Holy crap!!! That is smokin unreal. Wow.

Northwest Master and SoCal Pete are going to inspire the rest of us to greater deeds. Keep it up guys! And enjoy it! As SCP says, we always keep in mind the diminishing returns of training, that we may never run that fast again. Being a sprinter, I am always a little bit doubtful about my first race of the season....I'm a year older, have I lost any steps? Is the speed still there? Happily, after Saturday I can say yes, at least for another year. I ran a masters exhibition 100 that was stuck in the middle of a large HS invitational meet and I ran the same time I ran in Orono last summer. It's a good place to start the season.

To encourage you masters, let me say that all the high school kids were incredibly excited about the masters race. The announcer did a great job of giving background info on us, announced our ages (it was a mixed field for ages and genders), and the parents and coaches gave us a lot of love. The crowd was very vocal. Afterwards, so many kids came up to me and asked whether I ran in college, how old was I again? how often I trained, what kind of workouts, HOW old was I?? and if I had any advice for high school runners. These kids are the future of masters sport and it's great to see their enthuasiam. They make me feel so young to be with them!

Lastly, my son was in the stands hanging with his buddies on his high school track team. He had never seen me compete before, so I had added incentive for a good performance. After the race, his first words to me were, "Mom, can we go lift tomorrow?" Right in front of his friends. You know you're doing well if your teenager is willing to acknowlege in front of his peers that he wants to do things with his parent.

It was a very good day, and week as well. Hope that everyone gets through one of the last rounds of winter weather and has a wonderful week ahead.

Just a how-hum week here. Sunday was a nice run, Monday was a quick tempo run.

Tuesday? Wednesday? Thursday? Friday? Saturday? I have no idea what happened these days because my little girl arrived early on March 4th!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Baby 1500Master has joined us. Olivia is her name. She was 5 pounds, 7 ounces and 17.75 inches.

You mom's and dad's have been keeping a huge secret - what a special feeling to see your child be born.

Mrs. 1500Master and Olivia are doing fine. She was at 35 weeks, so not too early but enough to be considered at risk. We needed the photo therapy to help her little body remove some waste for a few days and we're trying to keep her from needing more. I think it is working as she looks great and her numbers are in the safe zone.

I don't think the huge smiles are ever going to leave my or my wife's face. It took us so long to get here.

Question. Will we ever be able to sleep again?

1500Master, Mrs. 1500Master and Baby 1500Master

1500m congrats on Olivia's arrival! What a great name.

Spikez - I said this a couple of weeks back when I was watching a meet at UW. They had a mixed masters 60m dash and it seemed like all of the kid's around me were astonished by what they saw. Listened to some real cool comments. Keep it up!

Arsenault (old roommate from glory days) Nice 5k!!

SoCal - "you are SICK!" 14:34!! Hats and Spikes off to you man. I think your secret is that you just compete. Nice splits along the way too! This is going to be (another) great year for you!

Cut back to 55 miles this week to get some lift in my step for Saturdays 3k effort. First real track effort so nervous as to how to approach it. Even if workouts are going well, there is always some hesitation with diving into a pace until a couple of races are under your belt. The kids had a rabbit going out in :64 pace, so I knew that the leaders (7-10 runners) would drift off from the start. I just hoped the second pack would carry me to the 2k so I could push it from there. We were about 2-3 seconds slower than I had hoped at 1k (2:52), so begrudgingly I went forward on my own seeking any fallout from the faster kids. I just thought of it as a hard workout that I have done the past two weeks. 2k (2:53) and 3k (2:47) in 8:32.32. It felt smooth (I didn't say easy) and I think that this Spring there could be several more seconds to knock off.

Mon 2 x 1200 (800 @ :70, 400 @ :60) - Good confidence workout in relaxing and then picking it up. 2 x 300 (40.5)

Wed 6 x 150's

Sat 3k race. Pm Bball for an hour and half at the gym with son. Even had some "hops"

Sun - 90+ later today.

I can't wait to enjoy these longer days again. For us up here in the Pacific NW, that now means light past 7:30 again!!!!!

To your health,

tony

Holy cow, some awesome news this week. First, 1500Master, my congrats to you and the missus. Enjoy every minute of the first years, you can't get them back. Second, congrats to Pete and Tony - those are wicked fast times.

My week will be roughly 82 miles if I can get out for 10 later today - we've had ~ 40 cm of snow dumped on us the last couple of days, and I'm not sure if there's anywhere I can run just yet. And the streets aren't driveable yet either, so I can't get to the track to do it indoors either. And I'll be damned if I'll do it on a dreadmill. :-)

Tuesday was 10 miles continuous a little faster than M-pace, and Friday I ran some easy 800s (8 at ~ 10k pace on 60s standing rest). Current goal race is a half later in April, although I will race a local road 10k next weekend, so this week will be relatively light.

Have a great week, everyone!

Here I thought I had a good week going and then I read Pete's post above. Brings you back to earth real fast! Incredible run, Pete. I'm going to toast you with a few cold ones tonite!! You are an inspiration to us all....

Ok, on to my week...63 miles with a day off. I'm starting to take my easy days M/W/F/S very easy, and the hard days T/T/Sun very hard. Tuesdays Tempo got me down to 17:27 for the middle 3, I did off/on miles during Thursdays 10 miler hitting, 5:42, 5:34, 5:35. Really got after todays 12 miler, a planned progressive tempo. First 4 25:51, middle 4 24:45, last 4 24:20. Ended up 6:15 for the 12.....

Looks like we finally get some days in the 40's this week!!

See you on the roads,

Dave

AMAZING! Pete and TY you guys are simply incredible

You are both closing in on World records. Can't wait to see you push each other in upcoming events, certainly a sub 8:30 3K is right around the corner

This is just the beginning of March right?

BIG hats off to TY and SoCal...just remarkable to be running solid collegiate times at 45+!!

Below is regarding the upcoming masters mile in SF on 4/12 from my pal Tom Lyons:

We are hosting the Johnny Mathis Invitational at San Francisco State on April 12th. In that college meet, we are staging a master's mile (40 yrs +) once again. As you can see from the results below, the '07 version was fantastic.

Email me at

tomlyons@sfsu.edu

if you are interested and I'll make sure to keep you posted on entry procedure, time schedule, and status of entries.

It's a great environment to run - fast track, fans, auto-timing, great weather, ...

Please let me know if I should take you off this list. Also, forward to local clubs/athletes if you know of any who would be interested in running.

A photo sequence of last year's race is here -

http://www.flickr.com/photos/16675594@N03/sets/72157602899982638/

MASTERS OF THE MILE

Saturday, April 7, 2007 11:40 a.m.

conditions: foggy, damp, 62 degrees

San Francisco State University

21 starters

1. Jeff Mann, 43 4:28.39 89.76% SILVER

2. Jeff Adkins, 46 4:35.44 89.52

3. Mike Gottardi, 40 4:36.36 85.23

4. Rob Van Cleve, 40 4:41.66 83.62

5. Tim Wallen, 43 4:44.77 84.60

6. Bill Bushnell, 42 4:45.37 83.79

7. Ray Cruz, 42 4:45.92 83.62

8. Vince Ewing, 42 4:48.37 82.91

9. John Foley, 41 4:53.56 80.84

10. Mark Richtman, 52 4:54.38 87.86

11. Tom Bernhard, 55 4:55.12 89.85 GOLD

12. Roy Kissin, 50 4:58.27 85.34

13. Jim Gorman, 58, 5:03.78 89.54 BRONZE

14. Chris Oakes, 48 5:06.24 81.78

15. Tony Fong, 48 5:09.20 81.00

16. Jim Bordoni, 54 5:10.60 84.66

17. Peter Kirk, 43 5:14.86 76.51

18. Scott Schneider 5:20.02 73.06

19. Peter O'Reilly,48 5:28.75 76.18

Tom Lyons

San Francisco State University

Head Coach Men's and Women's Cross Country

Assistant Coach Women's Indoor and Outdoor Track & Field

(415) 338-2219 On Campus - Room 201 Gym

(415) 717-6103 Cell Phone

(415) 338-1967 Fax

http://athletics.sfsu.edu/men/crosscountry/

Host of the 2009 NCAA DII West Region Cross Country Championships

Northwest Master and SoCal Pete,

Amazing runs, that is fast!

Great work.

I'll try to use your fast times as inspiration to run a bit faster this year.

And Roger up in Alaska good work with your ski racing and snowshoeing, your last 50K race was fantastic!

Congratulations Mr. and Mrs. 1500Master, and welcome Baby Olivia! (I LOVE her name!)

1500, a heartfelt congrats to you and your family. The 4th of March will be a special day from here on.

It's always inspiring to hear about the great races that fellow masters are having. This was a good solid 58 mile training week for me. I just need to keep putting them in until Carlsbad, and maybe a Spring half-marathon. Then it will be time to think about getting back on the track for a race or two this Summer.

Congrats to Socal Pete. What an amazing time !!

8:32 as a 45+

Simply amazing

14:34 as a 46+

Simply amazing

I am not worthy to document my week:)

Congrats to Pete and Tony. See you all next week.

You guys.... SoCal Pete and Tony are sick. Those are some great efforts.

I'm just getting back to my running after hernia surgery 6 wks. ago. I'm now up to 15 min. at a time with 5 min. walks between. I think I can go more but I'm affrid to push it for another two weeks. I don't want to have that surgery again.

Keep up the good work guys/ladies and hope to be racing again this summer.

Coach B

SoCal and Tony blow the roof off the dump, but have to take second fiddles to baby Olivia. Great name, and congrats.

Still, awesome stuff on the track in the 5K and 3K.

I had a race scheduled today -- 15K in Central Park -- but my knee's been bothering me for the last couple of days and after a test jog at home I thought the better part of discretion was to not race. So the week was a bit of a down week.

Joe

SoCal and Northwest Master I'm giving you a big standing ovation right now for "off of any chart there is" performances. I simply can't quite believe these numbers, esp. the 5k. SoCal, do you think this is the best race for you all time? I'm thinking it might very well be.

Now back to my humble report. Knee problems of two weeks have finally cleared up, so I got back to it this week. and cut back on the dreaded aqua running.

Tuesday (test): 12x100 meters, 18 down to 14 low (with a big tailwind). Felt fine.

Saturday, repeat of the workout of two weeks ago: 1600 in about 6 minutes to wake up and warm up the body, then 3x500 in 1:26-1:27, lots of recovery. This time it felt much smoother and under control compared to two weeks ago. No pains.

Sunday: long run 8, felt very good.

So..I'm healthy enough to plan to go for indoor nationals, which for me is a big big sigh of relief and positivity. Blue track here i come!

Take care all,

Ps. congrats to 1500 on the new arrival!