50+ Masters Training and Racing Open Forum

Back to normal running after getting the flu (B) a few weeks ago, had the flu shot last fall too.

Sorting out minor aches and pains that have popped up after getting off prednisone, not sure if they relate to Graft Vs Host Disease, how long they'll last, or if they are just training/old age related.

An interesting study came out on exercise above 4 mmole lactate decreasing mobilization of Natural Killer cells among those with latent Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection (common as we age). Makes me wonder about chronic high intensity training from years ago and what affect it may have had on my immune system and subsequent cancers. Regardless, nice to see some research actually getting into some specifics about exercise and immunity rather than the typical Quality of Life research that is so prevalent.

Some good master's miles lately.

Have a good week all!

Congrats CO56!

My week:

Mon = 3, easy, road

Tue = 4, hard, greenway 5K@7:11 pace

Wed = 3, easy, road and trail

Thr = 3, easy, road and trail

Fri = 2, easy, road

Sat = 5, hard, very windy Imperial track: 6:42, 6:43, 6:42 w 1 lap walk between

Sun = 8, hard, 7+ mile hike with 1 mile of perfunctory running

Total = 28

A good week in the books. For Saturday's workout I was shooting for 6:35's. I felt good but the pace just wasn't there. It was very windy and I truly despise the wind, but still I thought I had more zip than that. If I ever catch a day with no wind that is not freezing I'll have to think up some different excuses! I'm confident I can do that :-)

Today it was/is 70+ degrees here in SW VA! So my son and I hit a good hard hike to take advantage of it. Legs are far more sore from that than the piddly track workout.

So exciting to read about ppl putting it on the line. Someday I hope to be next to you.

Week 192: 3 hours 15 minutes like so:

Tue AM 40 min treadmill avg 9:45/mile

Tue PM 20 elliptical - a pseudo-double!

Thu 45 min treadmill avg 10:00/

Sat 90 min run-walk avg 11:00/

6 days 4x 100 downstairs; plus some core, some yoga, some laughable upper body at the gym.

I started the group season in December doing one hour run-walk on Saturday at average 12:45 pace. Built up to 90 minutes and now am holding at 90 minutes while I increase the pace. The groups are every 0:15 so next week I will average 10:45, then 10:30, etc. Some of the groups are run-walk, some of them are continuous run, either way I do my own thing -- what I do is walk at the back then run to catch up.

I believe I am doing it right in the running department. However ... a bit of a tough week as on Tuesday I dared Tae Kwon Do for the first time since October. This and heel drops were the worst for the tendonitis, so it was an experiment at best. The calf was only a little sore during, but the heel pain commenced the next day (skipped the stairs that day) and did not subside until late today. Oh well, more patience is required.

I had a few weeks of just doing whatever I fancied as I recovered from the 28 k Two Bays trail race.

A bit more organised this last week.

Monday. 1 hour of solid paddling on the lake in wild winds. We have had a very windy week or so. 3 km run on the golf course.

Tuesday. 30 km/ 98 min. mountain bike ride on trails. 2.5 km easy run.

Wednesday. 18 km /1 h 56 m rugged trails with 475 m of elevation gain.

Thursday. 6 min elliptical 6 min rower and exercises at our new exercise park.

1 hour fast paddling on the lake, finally free of wind, finished with a short swim.

Friday. 32 plus km in 90 mins mountain bike on rolling trails.

Saturday. 12 km run with 2 x up the fire tower track to the top of Mt Ida. 2 verr solid uphill kms the 2d time. Rolled along the last 3 km 4.22, 4.25 and 4.21.

Sunday. 14 km run in 96 mins with 457 m of elevation gain on rugged trails.

Quite a pleasing week, Thursday, Friday and Saturday were all good hard sessions.

Robert Burns had something to say 'bout the best laid schemes..... my planned return to racing (our Catonal XC Championships held on 30th Jan) was undone by a gastric virus which left me in bed for 2 days and resulted in 4 days off running..... a few days back in the saddle, including a really good workout of 6 x 3mins hills, and now struck down with sinus tarsi 'syndrome'.... I am hoping its nothing too severe and that some manipulation of the ankle and rest will help..... The Swiss National XC Champs are on in 3 weeks and I'd love to get a race in before the season ends..... as ugly as that will be given the inconsistency.....

cheers to all those getting out there and especially to the folks competing.

DrT

M: rest.

T: 3.5 miles easy / 6.5 miles easy.

W: 12 miles progression.

R: 3.5 miles easy / 6.5 miles easy.

F: 9 miles progression.

SA: 7 miles easy.

SU: 18.9 miles.

My volume has been slightly ahead of what I was running this time last year, but the intensity is behind. The fastest mile I have run is 7:24. At this point, my body seems to handle the volume much better than the intensity.

I am not sure how I am going to race a half in three weeks with low-intensity training like this. But it worked for Ed Whitlock, so it may also work for me. At least I should give it a try and see how it works.

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Week 193

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Greetings 50+ers! Hope you all were able to spend Valentine’s Day with someone special, doing something special. After 32 years of marriage, every day is worthy of affectionate recognition, so the wife and I have chosen to let the youngsters have their day of excess, while we celebrated in our own private way; we’ll have a nice (hopefully quieter) dinner out tonight.

The weather has run the full gamut once again this week, and has now turned particularly cold (especially for these parts) in this topsy-turvy winter; hopefully, I’ll still get out today, but tomorrow may be another story. Managed 23.5 miles on 5 days this week, and hit the stairs once. The log looks as such:

Sun: 5.2 mostly easy (last 1.2 @6:58)

Mon: off

Tues: 4.2 w/1.2 miles @6:22 pace

Wed: 4.1 miles w 4x11 stories of stairs

Thur: off

Fri: 4 easy

Sat: 6 miles with 2 miles in 13:04 (6:40, 6:24).

Nothing much to remark for the week. Glad to get some stairs in, but I think that once isn’t quite enough. Saturday’s run was an unintended reverse progression. I felt loose and ready to go when I stepped out the door, and the first 2 miles ended up being the fast ones; I eased up, but kept steady for the next two averaging 7:20 pace, and the legs were a bit dead for the last two at 7:50 pace.

As WOC said, the Masters Mile records are taking a beating. Started with Anselm LeBourne, and now, this weekend, the 40 and 45 indoor marks are obliterated. Lagat’s 3:54 was somewhat predictable (yet still astounding), but it’s the resurgence of former Olympian John Trautmann to run 4:12 @46 that is all the buzz---equally humbling and invigorating! A little recap at Masterstrack.com:

http://masterstrack.com/2015/02/34538/

and

http://masterstrack.com/2015/02/34527/

(great shot of John T.)

On a side note: I am reading on the boards that he had his Hallux Rigidus issue fused….starting to think that I might be in line for that some time down the road myself.

Props to Co56 on his XC run last week. And KP, you really seem to be rounding into good shape post surgery. And I'm wondering if Spikez might be second-guessing the wisdom of that move from sunny CA (boy has it been brutal in Boston!)….at least you don’t have the drought to worry about! Speaking of CA, quite big fields for next weekend’s Masters 8k Championships in Brea:

http://www.usatf.org/Events---Calendar/2015/-Events---Calendar-2015-USATF-Masters-8-km-Champio/Status-of-Entries.aspx

OK, that’s about all I've got. No weight came off this week, unfortaunately, and I hope to get up over 25 miles on towards 30 by March…..then see where we can go to from there. Hope you all are having great weeks, would love to hear from all of you, whether you’re racing, training or rehabbing.

All the Best! and stay warm out there!

I didn't post last week as I was running at the SE Regional Indoor meet where I ran my first 800, the mile and the 4X800. I'd never run a race shorter than the 1,500 so this was a big change for me. I learned that I really am a distance runner, that I can't run multiple events in one day very well and that 800s really hurt! I felt so good on the first two laps of the 800 but I thought my lungs were on fire for the last two - and I sure learned about "track hack". I placed first in the 800 and relay and third in the mile but my times were not good at all, I did have fun and now I've got times to beat at nationals however I'd rather run a road race any day.

So yesterday, I ran a 10-miler. I was going to run it as a long run but I wanted to see how my fitness was coming along so I decided to run an 8:00 pace on the hilly course. I was right target through mile 7 but fell off after that finishing in 1:21. Last year, when I was really racing I finished in 1:19. I'm happy with my progress coming back from the time I took off in January to deal with my knee but I've got work to do before I'll be ready for the two 10ks I have scheduled in March.

After the race, I went to a race walk clinic hosted by some of the top race walkers in the country who had walked the 10-miler. I've been thinking about trying the race walk to earn more points for my team at nationals. There is a lot more to it than I had imagined. The same form flaws in running carry over to walking so I'm going to have to practice a lot to see if I can walk legally by nationals - even if I'm not fast.

My other news is that my son raced at XC Nationals at Boulder last weekend and really struggled. We thought it was due to the altitude because when he got back to school his workouts were good and he felt fine. But he had swollen glands so he got a blood test which tested positive for mono. He's pretty down because he was trying to qualify this spring for Junior Nationals in the 10,000m. We all know what it's like to be injured or sick and not be able to run, but it's hard to see your child be so disappointed.

I've been thinking about those of you living with the cold and snow - you're much tougher than I am. Take care and be safe!

A good, if unspectacular, 47 miles for me this week. Wednesday I dropped to 3x mile rather than my usual 5x mile because my legs were still sore from running the hard 400 last Sunday. I averaged 7:09 which is a little improvement in speed. This morning I ran 4x100 and 2x400 at 1:20, which felt much better than my one at 1:22 last Sunday. My speed is moving in the right direction incrementally.

LucKY2b,

Great write up today… and thanks for the encouragement. Dang is it exciting to be a masters track nut or what? Our good friend Kip Lagat (can't wait to see him to say "well done" from all of us), John T, Anselm L, and some Russian dude. Are we just "also rans" now?

Not me i'm a new born believer that building my aerobic tank is the way to spike up again later this summer to enjoy the middle distance racing I love so much. Aerobic Tank? Mine is puny. Specific example? This week's long run was as follows…

a) 20mins typical LSD run straight into

b) 3 x 2mile tempo intervals with 2mins rest/jog at 12:36-12:30-12:23

c) straight into 20mins typical LSD

Wiped me out but I now know why and how much more of this type of "slow tempo" i need according to my coach & body.

A big potential benefit of this aerobic tank focus for the next few months or so might just be injury prevention. Any comments from y'all? All my previous masters 800/1500/mile years were more like "hands on thighs" workouts all year long. Clearly I cannot get away with that any longer. Found this out starting at age 47 continuing through age 53 with chronic foot injuries and 3 surgeries and therefore 3 lengthy rehabs.

I wish us all inspiring thoughts as fans of Kip-John-Anslem, plus wisdom for our training so we too can race as hard as we wish.

KP

Wild Thought… since we west coasters are having a good weather phenomenon why not rally up all y'all for the Hayward Classic masters only track meet in Eugene? Its oddly early this year - April 26th. Bummer its a Sunday. But how cool would it be if a lot of us showed up anyway, found a way to skip work Monday, to make this a good 'ol fashioned masters weekend? I know Mike Blackmore is keen on waving the rally flag. Who's up for it?

KP

kevin paulk wrote:

Wild Thought… since we west coasters are having a good weather phenomenon why not rally up all y'all for the Hayward Classic masters only track meet in Eugene? Its oddly early this year - April 26th. Bummer its a Sunday. But how cool would it be if a lot of us showed up anyway, found a way to skip work Monday, to make this a good 'ol fashioned masters weekend? I know Mike Blackmore is keen on waving the rally flag. Who's up for it?

KP

I'd love to go out west to race....but I need to get faster first!

My week.

Mon = 3, easy, road and trail

Tue = 4, hard, greenway 5K@7:13 pace

Wed = 3, easy, road and trail

Thr = 2, easy, road and trail

Fri = 1, easy, road

Sat = 5, hard, 5K Race@6:58 pace in windy/cold conditions

Sun = 3, easy

Total = 21

Pretty good week where, on a lark, I entered a 5K race. Normally I'd never run a race in February, especially in Blacksburg Va, which historically, is a very windy town. Also, I'm not really in racing shape but I was getting so bored running hard by myself. I figured why not run hard with a bunch of people I like? So I did.

I'm not proud of the time but I knew it would be slower given the conditions, which were 16 mph sustained winds with 33 mph gusts. My running club has a race series this year and this is the first race on the books. So I was running for place and points. I'm guessing the weather spooked the other 50+'ers as I somehow wound up winning the grand-masters (50+) division and got a nice plaque. I felt like I stole it.

The good news is I felt good, nothing hurt, and I got to see my old running friends.

Bummer your son and the mono. Of all places to come down with it! One of my kids got it a few years ago while trying to qualify for junior nationals in skiing. After his race he just fell asleep on the gym floor with 100s of people running around.

I was completely wiped for the first few days following XC last week. Getting it back and did a tempo on

Thursday, a longish ski with 10K at marathon pace on Sat, and a good 1:40 trail run today. Knee has been a bit bothersome and going day by day with that.

Kevin,

Wish I could make it out in April but, of course, that's the heart of our season! Some good workouts the last couple of weeks with 5x1600 @ 6:12 avg w/3' rest...also did 8x1200 w/1' rest @

@

John Ts performances are inspiring and interesting.

It helps me have confidence with my take lots of time off because you can always come back later approach to training. LOL.

Well getting back into running shape is going well. On the downhill stuff I am doing about 12 miles a week . The 12 downhill miles are spread over 5 days going up and down a 1/4 mile hill that is probably 8 percent grade. l am still just hiking. However my downhill stride is becoming very loose/fluid just like last time I did this. I am starting to get to the point where I feel like running a bit of the downhill but no hurry.

Mon. 1 hr paddle on the lake. Ran easy 2 k to the supermarket then stopped at the exercise park on the way back and did 6 min elliptical and 6 min rower and some other exercises.

Tue. 31 km mountain bike ride on dirt roads and trails in 1h 30 m.

Wed. Visiting daughters and my mother in Melbourne. Caught up with my old crew for their wednesday night group run. Did a nice hilly 12 km road run rolling along with best buddy Greg (ex 2.26) and an official legend, Johnny Dobbo. Johnny has run every sngle Melbourne Marathon since the first one in 1978. A solid pace of 5 min kms with 3 kms to 9 kms being pretty tough.

Thu. 1 hr paddling kayak on the lake then an easy 3 km jog.

Fri. 24 km mountain bike ride on rolling trails in the forest, intended to do 6 to 8 more but pulled the pin as a huge thunder storm rolled in.

Sat. A hot and humid 15.5 km run, twice up and down the Mt Ida fire tower track. 334 m of elevation gain. Average pace of 6 min per km. Took it pretty easy with the downhills only at 5 min km pace.

Sun. Another hot and humid 15.5 km run, this time on the back Tooborac farm roads. 454 m of elevation gain and a slow 6.17 per km average pace, very easy effort.

A solid week despite being very flat and tired from night shift and lack of sleep, only 25 hours sleep for the week.

Only one more week of nights to go.

Well, here's my big news: This will be my last brutal Boston winter as I will be heading back to Sunny CA in a few months. My spouse took advantage of a very exciting job opportunity in Los Angeles. He was instrumental in getting his previous employer's IPO off the ground but had grown a big stale and restless (I pointed it out to him and he agreed) until this new challenge came along. Gearing up for one more IPO!

So I spent this lovely Valentines Day weekend at the Palm Desert Sr Games where I opened up with a 100m time that was faster than anything I ran all last season -- VERY encouraging! I was only 3 hundredths off my 50m PR as well so I was feeling very pleased with my performances. Add to that a fantastic V-day dinner with family and friends and it made for a very fun weekend! Now I'm at LAX waiting for my redeye back to Blizzard-Ville. Luckily I don't have to be online for work until later tomorrow afternoon so I can sneak in a nap when I arrive home. Then it will be back to the training as I prepare for the indoor national championships in March.

And yes, Lagat and Trautmann are unreal. Happy running!

M: rest.

T: 4 miles easy / 7 miles easy.

W: 12 miles progression.

R: 4 miles easy / 7 miles easy.

F: 9 miles progression.

SA: 7 miles easy.

SU: 20 miles (last 5 miles @37:40).

70 miles have matched the peak from the last year, capped off with another 20 miler. This time I pushed the pace from 5 miles left with the average pace of 7:32/mile. 7:03 in the last mile was the fastest split since September. So slowly but surely, I seem to be moving in the right direction. It was probably the "best" Sunday weather this year, with no snow or rain and little wind... in spite of the temperature in low 20s. (The only problem with cold weather is that I feel it on my face. I can cover up everything else to keep myself warm.)

Last week, I got an email from the organizer of "Go! St. Louis" about the new course for this year's race. They say it will be "flatter and faster" and the casual peek at the course map and elevation chart seems to confirm that. Now I am tempted to continue the current "no hill" training schedule, and I may also have to rethink my time goal for the race (which, of course, also depends on the race day weather).