Masters weekend runs and races

Thomas C. wrote:

Pete and others, I'm turning 40 soon and am wondering how competitive (or not) I will be as a Master. Can you direct me to a Masters Letsrun? Or maybe a road or track US rankings page? Or heck, just let me know what the guys who finished top-5 at USATF nationals would do for a road 10k? 30-flat? 31? 32?

Thanks!

As my Guru and team leader, SoCalPete, said. Masters running is WAY more about the journey than the destination. it has taken me a little while to grasp that but I am starting to understand it. There were many guys behind me that have better PR's than me but many times with masters running work, life, family, injuries, etc. get in the way and your fitness is not where it should be.

But you wake up, put on your shoes, pin on the number and toe the line. Then you grit your teeth and try to destroy the guy running next to you....and then offer him a beer when you are in the finish chute!

I can can say unequivocally, I am only running because of my team and the other masters out there. It really is true....misery loves company!!!

Wow...sounds like another brutal xc-champ race for the books! I've heard horror stories about other years but Spokane appears to be at the top of the list. Really missed being there but I have a feeling my bones would've frozen and crumbled with every step and my icy remains would've blown away in the wind.

My week here in So Cal was 80 miles...two workouts (20 X minutes and a hard run up The Beast).

Congrats to all those who ran in Spokane! And nice work FB's....man I'm not even fast enough to be your mascot!

...and did I hear kevinb drank beer?!

Here is a slide show from our Team Manager. Lot's of CNW, but great pics of the elements!

http://www.clubnorthwest.org/CNW/

tony

BRRRRRRRRRRRutal conditons, around 20 degrees and up to gale force wind gusts. This will sum it up better than I can. I ran pretty badly (42:03).

St. Crispen's Day Speech

William Shakespeare, 1599

Enter the KING

WESTMORELAND. O that we now had here

But one ten thousand of those men in England

That do no work to-day!

KING. What's he that wishes so?

My cousin Westmoreland? No, my fair cousin;

If we are mark'd to die, we are enow

To do our country loss; and if to live,

The fewer men, the greater share of honour.

God's will! I pray thee, wish not one man more.

By Jove, I am not covetous for gold,

Nor care I who doth feed upon my cost;

It yearns me not if men my garments wear;

Such outward things dwell not in my desires.

But if it be a sin to covet honour,

I am the most offending soul alive.

No, faith, my coz, wish not a man from England.

God's peace! I would not lose so great an honour

As one man more methinks would share from me

For the best hope I have. O, do not wish one more!

Rather proclaim it, Westmoreland, through my host,

That he which hath no stomach to this fight,

Let him depart; his passport shall be made,

And crowns for convoy put into his purse;

We would not die in that man's company

That fears his fellowship to die with us.

This day is call'd the feast of Crispian.

He that outlives this day, and comes safe home,

Will stand a tip-toe when this day is nam'd,

And rouse him at the name of Crispian.

He that shall live this day, and see old age,

Will yearly on the vigil feast his neighbours,

And say 'To-morrow is Saint Crispian.'

Then will he strip his sleeve and show his scars,

And say 'These wounds I had on Crispian's day.'

Old men forget; yet all shall be forgot,

But he'll remember, with advantages,

What feats he did that day. Then shall our names,

Familiar in his mouth as household words-

Harry the King, Bedford and Exeter,

Warwick and Talbot, Salisbury and Gloucester-

Be in their flowing cups freshly rememb'red.

This story shall the good man teach his son;

And Crispin Crispian shall ne'er go by,

From this day to the ending of the world,

But we in it shall be remembered-

We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;

For he to-day that sheds his blood with me

Shall be my brother; be he ne'er so vile,

This day shall gentle his condition;

And gentlemen in England now-a-bed

Shall think themselves accurs'd they were not here,

And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks

That fought with us upon Saint Crispin's day.

northwest master wrote:

Here is a slide show from our Team Manager. Lot's of CNW, but great pics of the elements!

http://www.clubnorthwest.org/CNW/

tony

wow. the first couple shots are awesome. shows how cold it was. some of the faces/anguish/pain are great!!!

In the Club Northwest photos one can sorta see the grass through the snow. I thought you guys said it was rough!

Thanks for the pics Tony, brrrrrrrrrrrr

Just made it back home from Washington. What a great weekend. I loved looking around Saturday morning and knowing that everyone there was there to compete. What hardy souls cross guys and gals are for sure. It was my first masters race and I am enthralled with how tough the guys are. I finished up week 30 over 100 miles with some uptempo miles on the track Wednesday night, then a top 15 finish in Spokane. I'm hoping the strenght I'm gaining from the cross workouts and mileage will pay dividends for next fall's marathon.

I realized this fall why I loved this sport so much as a teenager and Saturday's race was just icing on that cake.

Nice job toe everyone.

got a question...anyone know anything about the course at XC Nats in Feb? How is it the USATF does not have a course map/description and we are less than a 2 months away?

kevinb wrote:

got a question...anyone know anything about the course at XC Nats in Feb? How is it the USATF does not have a course map/description and we are less than a 2 months away?

kevinb wrote:

got a question...anyone know anything about the course at XC Nats in Feb? How is it the USATF does not have a course map/description and we are less than a 2 months away?

Or...

Meet website

I ran a race on that course in mid-November. "rolling" is a good descriptor. There was no one hill you'd say was a killer, but it was difficult to get in a steady rhythmn and go fast for any extended section. The times were on the order of 2 mins. slower than a typical road 8k, but I don't know how much of that is purely attributable to the course vs. the conditions that day [muddy -- then again, it may well be muddy in feb. as well].

BTW as of this morning I'm the only 45-49 man registered for the race according to the website. If that holds up for just another 7 weeks or so I can be a champion!

I'll be there too ... so there'll be at least two of us 45-49ers.

nice, my coach and team guru both come through with the answers. :)

you going to go Ghost?

kevinb wrote:

nice, my coach and team guru both come through with the answers. :)

you going to go Ghost?

Won't be ready, and ain't got no money honey....

Lexington next December, I hope, in the new age group!

I''m planning on MD because I try to stretch out my xc season for 6 months -- until trail racing, adventure racing and HTC roll around! ;-D Sick, I know, but I'd rather run what is fun for me.

But, I hear you about Lexington and the NEW AGE GROUP, Ghost! Our B team will all be 50 next year and we're psyched to try to get a new title (50s) and retain the old one (40s).

Ok, some of you say onward to Track season. I am looking to run a fast 5k (16:00) on the track this year, maybe even a 10k (if i can deal with 25 laps). However, there doesn't seem to be a lot of competitive track meets around to compete in. Or am I just missing it? I'm in SF and I ran in the Mathis meet in April at SF State, but if anyone has other suggestions, I would love to hear them. I would be happy to travel to get to them, preferably closer, maybe southern cal... thanks, Brian

I coach a group of semi-competitive to competitive M/F East Bay-based runners and they're starting to get recognized. Several of our guys want to break 16:00 (mostly frosh, grad students). We had a Halloween 5000-meter timetrial at 6 p.m. with 22 runners and plan to have a couple of more 3K-5K-10Ks on the track during the week in the evening next semester.

It will probably be held on a Friday at 6 p.m. or 6:30 an under the lights event at UC-Berkeley's Edwards stadium. This isn't an 'event' per se or FAT, as you know unless you're running 14:30 it's hard to find track meets. But this is a nice nucleus, the track is honest, there will be at least two people calling and confirming splits, and there are a few guys with the same goal in mind so you can try it out if you are interested. Let me know. I am at cerose88 AT aol DOT com, or Fanelli knows how to get ahold of me.

Ghost of Ashenfelter wrote:

kevinb wrote:

nice, my coach and team guru both come through with the answers. :)

you going to go Ghost?

Won't be ready, and ain't got no money honey....

Lexington next December, I hope, in the new age group!

sweet. you should those 60+ guys.... ;)