Masters Weekend Races and Runs

Had in the high 70's for mileage last week with no run over 11 with 2 workouts, both on the mill. One a 7 mile tempo in 5:27 pace, but in progression fashion with a slower start and faster finish. And yesterday a puzzlingly difficult 25 min. tempo averaging 5:18 pace on the mill in progression fashion - 5:00 at 5:24 pace, 5:00 at 5:21 pace, 5:00 at 5:18 pace, 5:00 at 5:15 pace, 5:00 at 5:13 pace. I had my HR over 166 for 5 minutes, which I haven't been able to do in a long time and I was about to collapse at the end - my HR was still in the 120's a few minutes after finishing. This was only 3 seconds/mile faster than the last time I did this format workout, but it was much harder. I lubbed my mill thoroughly on Wednesday and I wonder if that made it run faster. Planning on doing my first race as a Master in San Diego in mid-January.

runguru,

No Lincoln marathon for me this year as I will still be in Iraq. I am hoping to run a spring marathon here.

Good luck in Lincoln, and don't forget to have fun.

Long time since I've posted. Really interesting year. Spent nearly 3 months not running from June 'til nearly September as a heel spur that had been growing for 15 years finally said no more. Had Shockwave therapy done on July 1st and when I started back my only goal was to be fit enough not to embarrass myself at Club XC Nationals. My Atlanta Track Club teammates were very supportive and we had so many guys I even could run on our B team. It went really well as I ran 34:27 and was 38th OA. Our B team almost cracked the top 10 as we were only 4 points behind the 10th team. Of course the post race beers and conversation with Compex and whoever else came by were fun. I hit 65 miles last week and ran in snow twice! Very unusual for Atlanta. There is still snow here today. I need 42 miles over the last 5 days of 2010 to get 2000 miles for the year. My goals for 2011 are to stay healthy, have fun and follow more of Coach Magill's advice. I hope to run Carlsbad 5k, Syracuse 5k and XC in Seattle. Running more than one track meet would be good to. Have a great last 5 days of 2010 everyone!

Those are some great rules Pete. Everybody should have a set of their own rules. I have developed mine based on what worked and didn't work for me in the past.

My goal for next year is to run some of the older, larger races that have been around 30+ years that I never got a chance to run.

Last week's 32 was my most miles since July. I did a run till you drop progression on tuesday lasting 40 minutes and a 76 minute run last sunday. All the runs were at 12% incline except sat. where I tested 13% for an hour. The test was very hard!!

[quote]Old Man by the Sea wrote:

For me speed work is what I want to do more of this next year. Do you call it "speed work " once you turn fifty ?

Missed this on first reading. I call it "wish that I had some speed work."

Oops. For Oregonians that has an unintended double meaning.

Pete,

Thanks for the advice. I have recently given up the watch, although I do run with a Nike band, mainly because I have been running a lot of new routes and don't want to find myself too far from home.

This year, sub 36 10k. Boston qualifier marathon. Run in the club national XC's in Seattle....

2012, I'm hoping to get in good enough shape to run a lifetime PR at some distance 5k to half marathon. 5000 PR is 15:35 and all other PR's are in line with that.

Late to the party because I'm in paradise running the desert trails of Arizona. Ran 4 miles with my kids - son and daughter - on Christmas day.

Goals for the year? Yoga twice a week, piano 6 days a week, and run two days a week. I would really be happy if i was healthy enough to run XC Nats.

Pete,

No, there are few things in life as fun as running with your kid. I enjoy my runs with my daughter so much and I will really miss her when she is at college next year. Good luck to Sean in his transition to an 800m runner. I will be interested in hearing about his progress and I found transitioning a 200/400/jump guy (who played soccer and ran xc) to be really challenging. It's not at all the same as training a distance guy to run the 800! ;-)

Me, I'm finding myself at somewhat of a "crisis of faith" at the moment. It's really hard to see myself slowing down more and more. Part of it has been work. I'm self-employed and been working my butt off trying to earn more than the paltry amount I earned last year. I've been slightly more successful - but it means working lots of hours and chipping away time at my already limited run time. With 2 kids still at home, I'm always tired, always trying to juggle too many things and feeling like I'm failing which leads to me being not as fit as I want to be.

I was disappointed with my club xc race - the one race that I actually look forward to each year. I didn't run exceptionally poorly, although the "fast and flat" course did me no favors, but I didn't run as well as I can. The pictures of the race tell the sad truth - I am noticeably heavier than any of the other competitors and far from my normal racing shape. (Thankfully, one of my male teammates is in exactly the same boat, which makes me feel less alone and ashamed). I hate feeling this way. While I obviously have some talent (I was in the top 25% in the age-grading), it is also obvious that I could do so much better if I were more disciplined (and had a little more time).

It's also hard getting help to lose the 10 lbs - my doctor frankly worries about eating issues as my 5'4, 130 lb body is perfectly healthy as far as she is concerned. It is, but it's also 10-15 heavier than every other female distance runner I know. The only sure way I know to slim down is to run more and I just can't find the extra 2 hours a week to run (I'm doing 50-60 mi/weeks instead of the routinely 70+ I did just a few years ago). Plus, I need to also remember to stretch and do strengthening exercises so I can continue to run at all.

Sorry to dump this all on you guys - it's probably a topic more suited to the 50+ thread.

I'm trying to decide whether I try to make a trip to San Diego for winter nationals. I've run the last ten straight (and the last nine club nationals) and I don't know if it is worth continuing the streak. OTOH, it is warm and sunny in SD in February and it's rainy and cold here. I just don't know.

Thanks for all your support over the years. I have enjoyed reading this thread and getting to know a few of you in person.

Brian, some great races in San Diego, good competition as well.

Runguru, nice to see you posting, plenty of us are 50 and over here. Stay warm in Nebraska !

Late to the party, good week all on the treadmill with solid efforts between 2-6 miles.

Now that it is sunny, took my girl to the track this afternoon and she ran and ran. All over the place. When she was on the track, she stayed in her lane for a bit, then jumped on the triangles, then counted the track lane numbers, then ran on the artifical turf of the football infield, then back to the track for 20 meters, then played 'freeze' and 'go' on the track. Too much fun. Most of you with older kids have been this route and this old dog is sure enjoying it now.

We then stopped at the gym to pick 'mommy' up and while waiting she bounced the basketball and lifted a couple of 2 pound weights - 1 x 3! She then proclaims she is "Strong like bull!". I am so pleased that she sees fitness and exercise as a part of daily living and enjoys her time doing so.

Have a great week!

MG, try to hang in there as best as you can. I was self employed most of my working life and it is hard with little security. You can never leave the job at the office. The stress levels can be very high also. As far as the weight issue it's possible you could risk injury by losing weight which would be more depressing and besides you seem to fairly satisfied with your performance. You may need more sleep which can help with weight loss and recovery. However, I'm sure the self employment and kids at home, etc. make that difficult. Good luck regardless.

MG, I am in sales where we have specific goals that you must hit to have a job. I can relate to your stress. I am glad you shared. The last two years were tough on me and this coming year looks great. Don't quit before the miracle happens.

Running does suffer when we work hard. I can't tell you how many times during my trail run I think "will my running ever be as free and easy as it was in my early forties " Can I get it back ? I don't know the answer but I do have to provide for my family. So like the rest of you I try to balance all of it and hope it works out. Good luck with everything.

OMBTS and Top, thanks for the support. I know I won't stop running as it helps with the stress and is such an important part of my day, but I am struggling with spending time and money to go to races when I am not as fit as I want to be. I almost never race here at home ($35-50 for a 5k on roads????? No way!) and I love to see friends who live far away, but I worry that it is frivolous when I can't get myself in really great shape.

I appreciate your words more than you know.

MG

Old Man by the Sea wrote:

Brian, some great races in San Diego, good competition as well.

Runguru, nice to see you posting, plenty of us are 50 and over here. Stay warm in Nebraska !

I am just going to San Diego on vacation next week and there happens to be a 15k race aon Mission Bay. I have no idea what the competition level will be like (I don't think there is any prize $$) but it starts a few miles from my hotel and I want to take advantage of the warm weather.

MG,

I vote to go to SD. At our age, don't we race to socialize? The best part of the race happens before and after - not during. Have fun and have a great new year!

Greetings from London - now back to its usual grey/muddy/wet state! I hope you all had a great Christmas...

Last week was one of those times when training just didn't fit - a mad rush early in the week at work, then driving all over the country visiting relatives, so a few missed days training, totalling just 40. Quality was pretty good though.

Tuesday night (21st) was the last session of the year at my club, and we had an awesome relay event. Stadium covered in snow, so a few heroic volunteers shovelled lane 1 and the changeover zones clear. We had a 10km relay (any number of runners, split it up any way you like, just buy some mince pies to support the club), sledge-dragging races on the infield, medicine ball throws...wonderful night out. The highlight was an 800m race between a runner with baby-buggy in lane one and a cross-country skier on the (snow covered) lane 3.

I think I'll count this week as 2010 and am hoping to bang out one last 70-mile week to burn off the turkey. My plans for a month above 70 in 2010 failed (although at least it's down to time pressure and not injury), so I guess that's the first resolution for 2011...

2011? It sounds boring, but I just want to keep improving and avoid injuries. 7 more weeks of base work, then a week skiing, then the real work begins...

muddy girl,

the key to succeeding in real life is: lower your standards. i used to want my kids to become future messiahs; now i hope they just don't kill anyone. and maybe don't play on the freeway. so far, i'm parent of the year--maybe the century --by these standards, and i'll bet you are too.

jobs and money are overrated as well. if you've earned enough for the trip to san diego, you should go. you can't take your money with you when you leave this world behind, and i doubt god'll care about your overtime. however, i have it on good source that both he and santa check weekly mileage logs, and any extra "cred" you earn by hanging out with us in san diego may be worth its weight in gold.

see you on february 5th,

cush

MG --I hear ya on the weight issue. I solve that problem by staying away from the scale! No seriously, I also need to drop some pounds but it's not as crucial for a sprinter as a distance runner. I think you're in a funk at the moment (probably intensified by the gloomy weather) and when the weather brightens, you will too. But we all have ups and downs. You will miss your daughter when she goes to college...but then you will find that you'll have more "me time" that will allow you to run more. And I bet you'll have a kick-butt time in San Diego, so GO! Be sure to grab me at the world meet in Sacto and have me show you my vast array of strengthening and stretching exercises.

Remember, we're all in this together.