50+ Masters Training and Racing Open Forum

Pets are amazing that way, they seem to know when you need them most.

Good old R-CHOP. Well, I was on "R" for about a decade, going in and out of partial remission, until I got into a trial at NIH that paired R with bendamustine, a chemo developed by the East Germans (!) from the molecule that gave us mustard gas (!!).

I went into CR and for the longest time, I could not believe my leukemia wasn't coming back. It didn't. About four years in I realized, hey, this is really happening. And that's when I started my couch to 5K, the week of my NIH checkup.

That's great news, Igy.

Fantastic news Igy .

Excellent news, Igy! Very encouraging, and pets are awesome, too.

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Welcome, KCgeezer. Hope you get some good information from this thread and can share your training with us. I agree that 2/2 generally is where I've crossed the line. I guess when I'm running threshold, I'm closer to 3/2 than 3/3, though (I probably run them too hard.)

Good to hear Igy.

Great to hear Ghost!

Curious: What does the oncologist give Prednisone for? If I recall correctly, wasn't Jerry Lewis on Prednisone for a chronic back problem and one of the side-effects he suffered from was water retention?

Hey Stocky mate pretty obvious all elite athletes have great genes.

Turnbull was a sheep farmer all his life. He always treated his running as a bit of fun. His lifestyle kept him exceptionally strong and supple and he just slowed far less quickly than most. Intetestingly another sheep farmer Joss Naylor became one of the greatest masters runners of all time. Maybe we all need to buy a sheep farm.

BMI is an interesting one. Our man Green is short bodied but long legged with a stride length of a taller man. I wonder whether that is a factor.

Thanks everybody.

KCgeezer,

I suspect for my blood disorder I have a good shot at a five to ten year remission, perhaps longer. The odds are high for a relapse at some point but I am over the first and most significant hurdle. I hope so anyway. One of the cocktails for second line treatment includes Bendamustine. Of course one realizes pretty soon this stuff is highly toxic and no wonder a significant number of patients just can’t handle the dosage. Fortunately I have avoided the nastier side effects and blood values are great ahead of each treatment. I also was fortunate to have no bone marrow involvement at diagnosis.

Igy

I was talking to a multiple 70 plus WR holder on the weekend. She often has injury issues but is remarkably patient in her recovery. She also takes a very patient conservative approach to her training. She is a very long way from being a waif like frail lady.

I have known her 40 plus years. She was a solid competitor but no superstar in her pre masters years. She has beaten her opponents in the age related war of attrition. No doubt some excellent genetics but mostly good management and good luck and the right circumstances.

She is about to turn 75 and she has some new goals to chase, quietly and patiently of course.

Injury-Prone Old Stiff wrote:

Great to hear Ghost!

Curious: What does the oncologist give Prednisone for? If I recall correctly, wasn't Jerry Lewis on Prednisone for a chronic back problem and one of the side-effects he suffered from was water retention?

Injury-Prone Old Stiff,

Standard first line treatment for a variety of follicular lymphomas is R-CHOP. R is a monoclonal anti-body, CHO is a cocktail used to treat a variety of cancers (tumor reduction), and P the Prednisone. Early on in 1950s Prednisone in high doses was found to be any effective Lymphoma treatment, but came with side effects. My understanding is that it has a two fold purpose, effective against the disease and supports the immune system while you experience neutropenia (loss of white cells) from the CHO. I will also receive a shot of Neulasta today 24 hours after treatment to support my white cells. As I said in my previous post you find out early on how toxic the stuff is. On one hand it is killing things growing in your body yet on the other hand allows you to live.

Igy

Igy, that's wonderful news. And Cecil is just adorable.

amkelley wrote:

Igy, that's wonderful news. And Cecil is just adorable.

Thanks. Cecil is the craziest cat. We have a pretty relaxed household so conducive for a feline with ADD.

Igy

What are you wearing on your feet, man?

Berkinstock sandals. One element I added that has helped avoid PF and Achilles issues.

That's great news Igy.

mo'pak wrote:

BMI is an interesting one. Our man Green is short bodied but long legged with a stride length of a taller man. I wonder whether that is a factor.

I don't know about his stride length but his quads are unbelievable - I've never see quads like this on marathon runner! This guy is ripped to shreds and I wouldn't want meet him in a dark alley. In this photo you can clearly see who the "hunter" is and the "hunted" are. Lol.

It's interesting; this guy has generated more than 15 pages of posts on the main frame - more than I've ever seen from an amateur runner in recent memory. But I guess when you're built like Arnold Schwarzenegger and run a fast marathon this is bound to happen.

Ghost of Igloi wrote:

Berkinstock sandals. One element I added that has helped avoid PF and Achilles issues.

Thanks for that tip on the sandals. I dug out my old ones and started to wear them around the house. My PF is improving. Today I woke up and the limping was minimal. I'm keeping my fingers crossed on this one. And I read the excellent news re: your treatment and prognosis! A great start to the day!

Yesterday I ran 2 miles on the treadmill. "Ran" is not an accurate term - more like 10 minute mile slow and easy jogging. I'm testing out my PF foot and so far so good. I seemed to have turned a corner and I'm cautiously optimistic. Of course that doesn't mean I get to jump in and go crazy. I'm going to gradually work in running. This week, once during the week. Next week, twice, etc. In the meantime I'm swimming, stair climbing, and lifting. Soon I will be a runner again. I keep telling myself that and it makes me hopeful! It's been 3 1/2 months of this but I've heard horror stories of it lasting much much longer so I guess I'm fortunate.

Best to all!

I was wondering if I can come within 1% of my 400 time a decade later age 40 to 50.

Good goal for next season I think. I did run a 400 in 55.42 when I was 40, 600m FAT in 1:27.52, which led up to an 800 in 2:01.99- although I am sure I would have gone a second faster in the 800 if I hadn't gone out so quickly.

So really in the 800 I was barely national class an certainly way out of my league in a 400. If I can somehow manage to run 55.97 for 400 meters I can carry that speed up to the 800 in my new 50-54 age group.

It is s only 88.49% AG and it takes at least 90% to get to national class- 95% is more like World class.

A 1:28.52 600 at age 50 would be 93.62%. Won't even speculate on 800, that is whole season of different training intervals.

I do think it would raise eyebrows if a a 40 year old ran 49 flat and 10 years later ran a 49.49.

I'm sure someone out there has done it, just not at the world class level.

I just think some of age beater than others genetically and may or may not catch the faster runners in our age groups when we get older, but we do get closer.

Today's workout: 6 x 200 4 x 100 starts on curve- 3 point stance.

30.16, 29.30, 29.15, 28.02 (those all felt relaxed), 27.62, 27.50

4 x 100 14.44, 14.20, 13.9, 13.78

Light plyos to finish.

Thinking about racing a 400 next weekend. It will give me a starting time at least. Goal is to go out at about 28 flat first 200m.

Skate wrote:

I do think it would raise eyebrows if a a 40 year old ran 49 flat and 10 years later ran a 49.49.

"10 years later ran a 49.49?" That's a 50 year old running a 49.49? It would not only raise eyebrows but, IMO, be very suspicious. A 49.49 for a 50 yr old age-grades to 100% + which is WR level! In addition, that time age-grades to an open time of 43.15!

To put it in perspective, a time of 43.15 would currently be 2nd all-time fastest behind WVN's WR record and just of ahead of MJ's all-time fastest & former WR time of 43.18! ?

Phoenix,

Here is something else that may help if you haven’t tried it yet. It worked for me.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=zGIOiOFxBCs

Igy