50+ Masters Training and Racing Open Forum

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Week 90

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Greetings all! No preamble today, I'll just get to my week. It was a good (though not great) week of running. I managed 48 miles for the week on 9 runs. Here’s the week’s log:

Sun: 6.5 easy w/0.7 mile surge @5:39 pace.

Mon: 5 w/2x1(5:50,5:44)

Tue: 5.6 easy +post-run+static

Wed: 5 easy +post-run+upper+dynamic

Thur: 6.5 w/2.0@6:00 +static+squats+balance

Fri: 9.2 easy (4.6 am, 4.6 pm) +post-run+upper

Sat: 10.2 (5.6 early pm, 4.6 late pm w/2.1@6:02 pace) +dynamic+balance

Notes:

There were no long runs this week…not really planned, it just worked out that way. I did a little better on the ancillary stuff than last week, but it was still substandard (missed Sun. and Mon., for example). I was glad to get some squats in again on Thur., but it did leave me feeling a little sore on Sat. (DOMS). As such, the knee is doing OK. The surge Sunday was just the result of catching up to my usual running buddies during Sunday’s club run after hanging back to talk to a slower runner about some club business. Monday’s two one-mile surges felt good, but I had hoped that the second one would carry through 1-1/4 miles…I ran out of gas. The 0.8 miles between the two surges was still at a decent 6:40 pace. Thursday’s 2 miles at 6-minute pace felt surprisingly easy, Saturday’s did not (result of the DOMS?...or maybe the large lunch that caused me to split Saturday’s run in two?) I started the first run about 2 hours after lunch (was at a morning workshop that served lunch), and tried to increase the pace, but 6:25 felt awful; so I cut it off, rested a couple of hours and went out and finished Saturday’s miles later that afternoon; still felt a bit lethargic, but I had to go. Next week will most probably be a down week. It’s our annual Science Olympiad next Saturday, which will occupy a significant fraction of my time beyond teaching.

Happy that the Badger’s (men) won the Big10 Indoor Championships (they got a little help from some screw-ups, but hey, that’s how track goes.) Helluva showing from the distance guys.

I'll also throw some props to my marathon buddy, who just turned 49, and ran a 3:00:57 last weekend. He hadn't run a single race of any kind since January of last year, and hadn't done any speed work either....just logged miles; and I doubt he'd gotten below 6:20-pace on any of those runs all year. Hmmmm.

Hope all is well where you are at. I guess it was Mike’s turn for the crazy weather. Wonder whose turn it will be this week. Any races to report?

Post ‘em up!

Odd week here. 3/5 of the family had snots and sniffles with kids missing school days and everyone out of routine. 36 miles

SUN- 11.2 followed up last weeks 5K effort by running 2 legs of a marathon relay on a team with (non competitive) friends. While I was out there I thought about how cool it would be to compete in Japan with a sash. Do they have masters Ekiden races?

MON- 0 RHR was high and I felt a little tired, guess it was the crud coming on, so I took off

TUE- 5 felt easy in a group

WED- 5 blew off the AM run, ran 7:45 pace in the PM and it was a struggle

THUR- 9.1 easy

FRI- off

SAT- 6 another struggle at 7:50 pace

Band and core routine on Tue and Thur

Edgewood

I was very pleased to manage to grind out 50 miles this week. Monday I had skin surgery and the dermatologist took a 2" diameter piece out of the middle of my back. Tuesday I caught some virus that settled in my throat and has given me coughing fits all week long. For the next two weeks I still will not be able to bend my back while the sutures heal, but at least I can run because that really does not involve any substantial movement in the middle of your back. My week looked like this -

M - 8 easy

T - 8 easy

W - 8 easy

Th- 8 easy

F - 4 easy

S - 10 with my kids. 4 easy and then 6 progressive down to about 6:45 pace.

S - 4 easy feeling really tired, but the coughing seems to be abating.

Week 90: 9 hours 58 minutes in 10 runs, just one workout.

Sat 27.29 km in 2 hrs 31 mins, first 15 km in 1 hr 25 with the 9:00 pace group, then solo 12 km in 1 hr 06 with 3x strides and 4x short repeats on a bridge ramp. I wore the GPS to keep the pace in check, was not necessary on this particular run.

Planned recovery week after the 15-mile hilly race, so no mid-week workouts. The calves were still achy on Saturday -- sharp pains that subsided and switched from one calf to the other. I threw in the bridge repeats as a little "hair of the dog" and felt good doing them. By the end of the run though I changed my mind and wished I hadn't done them. Felt much much better on today's easy run and I've changed my mind again, the small amount of hill work was just what the doctor ordered.

A big week is planned: 800s on the road. I wonder how many to start?

As Frank Burns once said "It is nice to be nice to the nice"

Not sure why I like that one.

This Cat Stevens song could be used to explain my relationship with running

Father

It’s not time to make a change,

Just relax, take it easy.

You’re still young, that’s your fault,

There’s so much you have to know.

Find a girl, settle down,

If you want you can marry.

Look at me, I am old, but I’m happy.

I was once like you are now, and I know that it’s not easy,

To be calm when you’ve found something going on.

But take your time, think a lot,

Why, think of everything you’ve got.

For you will still be here tomorrow, but your dreams may not.

Son

How can I try to explain, when I do he turns away again.

It’s always been the same, same old story.

From the moment I could talk I was ordered to listen.

Now there’s a way and I know that I have to go away.

I know I have to go.

Father

It’s not time to make a change,

Just sit down, take it slowly.

You’re still young, that’s your fault,

There’s so much you have to go through.

Find a girl, settle down,

If you want you can marry.

Look at me, I am old, but I’m happy.

(son-- away away away, I know I have to

Make this decision alone - no)

These guys do a good job

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7grs23HoHkw

So that uth full rnr inside me dont wanna slow down

anyhow good week cold got old and went away and I may be so bold as to try again

Nice to see a couple of new posters, or is it postors?

I think they overdid my saline IV last week and diluted my electrolytes, I've been dizzy all week (except for on the treadmill), most likely low blood pressure. Tomorrow I get a blood draw to check.

The article I posted about last month, regarding the Mayo Clinic oncologist's failures to follow NCCN cancer related fatigue guidelines, including recommending exercise, was the cover feature of the latest issue of Oncology Times:

http://journals.lww.com/oncology-times/pages/currenttoc.aspx

I don't see the debate if my experience is any indication, the BEST I feel each day is on the treadmill.

Week of 2/18

Mon nothing, 13 hour infusion with new drug, crazy day.

Tue 2 miles on treadmill @ 0% grade, fastest 3.8mph, ~ 70% aHRmax. Feel better walking on treadmill than puttering around the house.

Wed 2 miles on treadmill @ 0% grade, fastes 3.7mph, ~ 65% aHRmax. Hemoglobin 14 & RBC's 4.6, last week's counts must have been diluted. WBC 3.5, got booster shot - fortunately no bone pain.

Thur 2 miles treadmill 0% grade, fastest 3.8, ~ 65-70% aHRmax

Fri 2 miles treadmill 0% grade, last mile 4mph, 31:00 total time, felt better walking today since it got my BP up which had been low all day (dizzy standing up and moving around the house).

Sat 2 miles on treadmill up to 3% grade @ 4 mph, ~ 70% aHRmax, 30:45 total time.

Sun 2 miles on treadmill up to 4% grade @ 4mph, ~ 70+% aHRmax, felt like about 5.5-6 RPE, total time 30:10.

Good week to all!

My week could best be described as "consistent"... balanced stress and recovery, then stress and recover yet again...hopefully the stress loads were 'optimal' and recovery modalties 'ample'.

So, situated around a FAR less than ideal 60 hour work week (laden with highly potent stress), managed:

a) 1:30 hard trail effort, b) one jog recovery day, c) jog active recovery day w/ 6 x 100 meters hard, d)one recovery jog day, e) track session with non-stop laps at 87, 99, 87, 99, 88, 99, 85..jog 400 then 6 x 100 meters e, m, h, m, h, h f) jog recovery day, g) recovery jog day, h) 10 miles at 1:19:13...easy first 2.5 miles then just this side of anerobic threshold for remainder with focus on 1500 meter/3000 meter technique, cadence, form

Ancillary work included push ups and sit ups 5 days, 2 weight workouts, one Deep Tissue body work session with active isolated strectching and one intense ART session (Active Release Therapy)

Next race = one mile in 4 weeks...will focus more on higher intensity speed this week, back to strength next, short speed the following week, then race!

And so it is...train don't strain,

MF

Thanks Alan,

You nailed it!

Participating is great, competing gives it all "heart and soul".

So Birkie #40 is on the books. A gala endurance event with 10,000 XC skiers from 48 states and 20+ foreign countries. The temps were mild at 24-30F, no wind, overcast skies. 6" of overnight new snow made for slower times, but those conditions prevailed for all.

As is the case in every race, aside from the big picture, there are the smaller challenges we wager against our friends and acquaintances. I hit the finish line ahead of our daughters 26 YO boyfriend, and over an hour ahead of a cyclist friend who has no trouble riding a sub 4 hour century. Sweet!! It was high time those 2 got to see what my backside looked like.

1799 skiers finished the Classic portion of the race, I made it in around 480th place OA, and 37th of 70 some 60-64YO Males. Given the lack of consistent snow we had this winter, and the holes in training, I have to be satisfied with that.

I'll eat crow on missing my stated goal of 3:45. Add 45 minutes and the 4:29 for 54K, I skied was all the old man power I could generate this year.

AK 55? your people were smoking hot in Hayward and at Nats. Kudos.

Mopak, heads up and easy as it goes. Here's hoping the weather is favorable. Looking forward to a report when it's over.

Glad for the new posters weighing in, all the best in the upcoming week for the vets in our midst as well.

First week of training after the Houston marathon in January 2013. Still feeling a tad "tweaky" in the hip flexors - an area I have to watch and build up strength.

Mon: a.m. - 4 easy p.m. - 6 easy

Tues: p.m. - 9 mi with 5x1 mi repeats @6:50 pace.

Wed: off

Thurs: a.m. - 9 mi w/ 1 min on 1 min off x 15

Fri: a.m. - 8 easy

Sat: a.m. - 7 mi at 80% effort

Sun: Cowtown half marathon - 1:39:05 finish

TOTAL:56 mi

Working into higher mileage and intensity this week. Goals this year are a 1:29 half and 3:20 full marathon. Last year I did a 1:33 half and 3:26 full, so seems reasonable to shoot for these results. Shoot for the stars,hit the moon! Did alot of volunteer work over the weekend at the Cowtown Marathon in Fort Worth, TX where we live. My husband did the full marathon (his 4th marathon or ultra since October!)and I tried to do a hard half. Disappointed with results, but still having some hip pain from January's race. I'm not injured, so that is a successful race for me.

FYI - My handle, GreteHund, is for my dauchsund, Grete. We got her the spring of Grete Weiss (NYC winner for multiple years) death, so my husband named her that. Turns out, she is a great running buddy.

Hope all other posters had a successful and happy week.

Next race Wrexham 10km 7th april.

My aim is to do another 6/8 weeks muscular endurance bace training so week 1 of 8.

week 1

mon 8:01 miles steady

tues 8:41 miles " tempo 3 mile" =17:47

/ rec 3 min /6x70sec hill

weds 11:02 miles steady

thurs 12:01 miles "tempo 10 mile" @ 88% = 63 min 48 sec

fri 10:26 miles easy

sat 8:40 miles hill repeats 15x70sec @85 - 95%

sun 12:26 miles easy

weeks total = 70:37 miles

yttd = 511:49 miles

alan what do you think of the 10 miler? must admit i felt rough after it.Thats took me 14 months and about 30lbs in weight plus blood sweat and tears lol !!!!! keep on running you all take care.

alf tupper wrote:

alan what do you think of the 10 miler? must admit i felt rough after it.

No doubt you know why you are doing that workout, but even so I think the warmup was too short. And I've learned to worry less how I feel at the end of today's workout than how I will feel at the start of the next one, although it takes a little black magic to know that.

Just wondering how you rate fatigue (0-10?) and relate that to your current exercise routine. Did you get discharged the same day as infusions ended or next day, when do you decide to start on treadmill, etc.? I imagine you are self-coaching, but also who would you turn to for advice that you feel is something reasonable? What are your current treatment plans, or is it follow up testing at this point?

How's your weight and appetite been with all this, and what do you consider important foods presently? Organic, high protein, anything tolerable, or ???

Last week ended with a Sunday 10 miler for my wife and I. She took yesterday off, due to increased soreness in her gracilious/semitendonosis area around the knee, so I did some deep muscle work into the belly of the hamstring and towards the insertion, found some tight spots that released some. Today's workout is another round of snow shoveling, we got another foot of snow overnight. Glad I was able to get a second snow shovel yesterday! Now we have two good ones, life is good, and our little burg's streets have been cleared, would be glad to send this to Wisconsin, though!

GreteHund wrote:

Tues: p.m. - 9 mi with 5x1 mi repeats @6:50 pace.

I'm not sure this is the best setup for a Sunday half.

alan you said = no doubt you know why you are doing that workout, but even so I think the warmup was too short. And I've learned to worry less how I feel at the end of today's workout than how I will feel at the start of the next one, although it takes a little black magic to know that.

I did the workout because as i said early i wanted to break 60/65 min for 10 mile so after my race i thought i would give it a go.Plus its a way of my next race so i would not be digging myself a big hole.Yes the warm up was to short but time was my worry i did not want to be out too long.Do we need a longer warm up then when we did when younger?,for my last race i got it totaly wrong!!

Okay a time trial that makes sense.

I never did a real warmup when I was younger, so can't say how things have changed with age. But just recently I have been experimenting with warmups. For me the heart monitor tells the story, for example on my easy run this morning

walk 15 mins @9:50/km avg hr 77

run 18 mins @6:04/km avg hr 170

run 27 mins @5:37/km avg hr 125

walk 6 mins @11:04/km avg hr 95

So the warmup needs to be around 35 minutes, I know this varies with outside temperature and time of day. The problem I was having with my treadmill tempos was the warmup was both too short and too easy, I was doing:

5 mins @15:00/mile

5 mins @12:00/mile

5 mins @10:54/mile

5 mins @9:40/mile

10 mins @8:27/mile

then tempo pace and burning out at 17 mins. Have switched to a faster warmup but haven't done a tempo yet. I have one planned for Friday, I'm curious to see how it goes.

I'm hitting what I like to call "Monster Workouts". Although they usually represent painful strength sessions later in Phase II (like April/May) and faster stuff like 400-1200-800-400-800-200... where your forearms go numb. This week's was longer intervals and more volume. Way more volume. What do y'all boys think this is translating towards for this here 1500/800 old git?

4 x 300 with 100 jog rest @ 58sec

400 jog break

5 x mile with 200 jog @ 5:55-5:48 neg gradual neg splits

400 jog break

1 x smooth but faster 400 @ 72sec

I swear I haven't done mile repeats in decades.

KP

Kevin Paulk wrote:

I'm hitting what I like to call "Monster Workouts". Although they usually represent painful strength sessions later in Phase II (like April/May) and faster stuff like 400-1200-800-400-800-200... where your forearms go numb. This week's was longer intervals and more volume. Way more volume. What do y'all boys think this is translating towards for this here 1500/800 old git?

4 x 300 with 100 jog rest @ 58sec

400 jog break

5 x mile with 200 jog @ 5:55-5:48 neg gradual neg splits

400 jog break

1 x smooth but faster 400 @ 72sec

I swear I haven't done mile repeats in decades.

KP

Since you are relatively Faster at the 1500 than the 5/10 I would hazard a guess of 4:36 for 1500. The last 400 at 72 is probably just a hair faster than you can hold for the whole 1500.

a-h is an 8-day week? Or on of those was a double but I couldn't figure out which one...

Kevin Paulk wrote:

What do y'all boys think this is translating towards for this here 1500/800 old git?

You didn't say how hard it was to hit those times. There's a big difference between 90% mhr and 92%. Anyway my method has been to use a recent race to figure out my workout paces, not the other way around.