50+ Masters Training and Racing Open Forum

Alan Bennet wrote:

I was waiting for your report. Congrats, Dave. It seems like winning is a very simple thing:

* be talented

* train for years

* wait for the stars to align

* run like hell

+1

Alan Bennet wrote:

I was waiting for your report. Congrats, Dave. It seems like winning is a very simple thing:

* be talented

* train for years

* wait for the stars to align

* run like hell

Agreed; plus: Intelligent resolution of injuries. I appreciate Dave sharing the hard parts too. It's too easy to assume fast people are just lucky and don't get injured. They do, but they figure it out.

Racerdb, congrats here, too. I'd certainly call a 91.98% a 92%! :) That is a gnat's whisker of a difference.

So, Allen, interested in the comments on the 1/2 marathon training. One week after my 11.5 miler, I ran a 13 miler (last Sunday), two weeks out from my 1/2 marathon in Des Moines. The first run was at 9:46 pace, the 2nd was at 10:00 pace, and a slightly warmer day. I did use a couple gels in the runs, nothing before. I am VERY hesitant to use a gel prior to running, though I am considering drinking some UCAN an hour before, since it's a carb polymer and so should not cause a blood sugar spike and then drop.

The 1/2 is a new course, and has a 100 foot climb of a hill at 10 miles, else is flat, so is a bit slower than prior years. A couple years ago, and fitter, I ran 1:48 there. Still feel like latching onto the 1:50 pace group, since that is a pretty solid effort for me, and would be relaxing to not have to "think" my pace out much, but just tag along. There will be gels on the route, too, in case I need to take one.

I have been to the track the last few weeks, so am improving my anaerobic threshold a bit, too, to hopefully handle the faster pace. My last 1/2 was in the spring, on a hilly course, and ran 2:02 just to finish, and had zero long runs (like 12 or more miles) before it.

The competitor in me wants a sub 1:50 for the age group competition, but I know how I can feel intimidated by the distance when I stand at the starting line, not having any 2.5 hour or longer runs behind me. Ah, the anxiety of it all. Have a good week folks, I am off to the track shortly.

Oh, and good race SCGal! You and my wife would have a good time running and racing together.

Whoops, just looked at my Des Moines 1/2 of two years ago, and it was a 1:49:13 on a flat course. That would be a great time for me in a couple weeks, dreamy even.

Mike Lundgren wrote:

I am VERY hesitant to use a gel prior to running, though I am considering drinking some UCAN an hour before, since it's a carb polymer and so should not cause a blood sugar spike and then drop.

If you take a gel at the gun, it won't reach your bloodstream for 20 minutes or so. At which point you are warmed up and ready to use it, so you should not get a spike. Of course if you are diabetic or prediabetic then you need to be more careful.

Alan, sorry to misspell your name. Not diabetic, but have tried a gel prior to a 5 km before and was not feeling too good by 2 miles along, so will probably wait until have some miles run before using any in the 1/2.

Alan Bennet wrote:

I was waiting for your report. Congrats, Dave. It seems like winning is a very simple thing:

* be talented

* train for years

* wait for the stars to align

* run like hell

Rtype wrote:

Agreed; plus: Intelligent resolution of injuries. I appreciate Dave sharing the hard parts too. It's too easy to assume fast people are just lucky and don't get injured. They do, but they figure it out.

Probably should add 'Luck' to the mix...

Dave

Thanks Alan and Scott/nyloco. Think I'll go for it--latch onto the 1:40 pacer, aim to stick with him through 8 miles and see how I feel.

Alan Bennet wrote:

I think you should trust the prediction. Ten/eleven-miles is enough to prepare. A decent taper, cooler temps, and reasonably flat course will make all the difference in holding the faster pace. The 1:40 pacer is the way to go, stay there until mile 8 and only then re-evaluate. The half marathon is very forgiving compared to the marathon, if you go out too fast you can slow down later and not really even suffer. Who knows, you might feel great at 8. If you do, get out in front of the pacer, but don't go crazy yet. Save a little something for the run up High St starting at mile 11. If you can push there, you will pass many, many runners.

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Week 279

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Greetings, 50+ers! I'm going to be brief (for me) today to get the ball rolling. It was a flat, even a little regressive, week. Only managed 25+ miles on 5 days of running, and even one day was two shorties. Log looks as such:

Sun: 5.0 progression through 4.

Mon: Off

Tues: 5.2 w/6x400(200 jog recovery) 93,91,88,90,86,85

Wed: 2.1am+2.1pm each w/backpack (both @~7:45 pace)

Thur: off

Fri: 5.5 moderate (7:24 pace)

Not sure shy my post got chopped off. Here's the rest.

**********************************************************************

Sat: 5.3 easy (8:07 pace)

It's sad that I can barely muster the power to run a 400 (last two on Tuesday) at a pace that was my 5k pace @51, but let's not go there. Friday's run was good. There was a huge uphill in the first mile, and the rest of the miles were in the 7:10-7:15 range. Saturday was meant to be 10 easy miles, but my legs were dead and my hips really tightened up; I was happy to just get to 5. I now know what happens when I ignore my foam-roller for 2 weeks (ever since the floor sanding started); I pulled it out of hiding this morning.

Today's my wifes birthday, so who knows if I'll get a run in or not. Today is her day. :-)

How's things in your neck of the woods? Hoping those of you that got drenched by Hurricane Matthew are OK.

All the Best!

The Achilles is slowly getting better. I was able to get out twice this past week for 1.5 mile jogs and played 9 holes. Much quicker recovery these days, though some soreness and tightness lingers. There's another Graston session scheduled for Tuesday. Working on my 6th month of inactivity and getting very itchy.

One week of post-marathon recovery--haven't taken a step. Probably will start some easy running at the end of this week. The fall weather is too tempting to ignore for much longer.

I'll look for a spring marathon to register for (suggestions welcome) in upcoming weeks and get back to it. I feel like there are some valuable lessons learned and am looking forward to hopefully making incremental improvements.

Have a good week, everyone!

a favorite spring marathon, which I ran twice, is B & A trail over near Annapolis, MD in late March -- low-key, small field, mostly flat course on bike path. Judging from your handle, though, it would be a long way to travel.

good week of training for me incl.

M 8 miles

Tu 9

W 24

Th 6 + 24:00 stationary bike

F 9

Sa 10

Su 12 incl. 6 at marathon pace progressing to half-marathon (39:12)

Glad our South Carolina daughter lives fairly far inland. Hope any of you more squarely in the hurricane path got out safely.

Have a great week,

Dave

Raced my 8 km yesterday in 39:41, so met my sub 40 goal, though missed my sub 39 goal. Was not able to cut every tangent d/t the out/back nature of the course and the slower 5 and 8 km runners/walkers. Ran steady pace of 7:45 to 8:00. A bit more rest now before my 1/2 marathon one week from today. Perhaps a 39:30 would have happened but no big deal, the 1/2 is the focus. Must mention that my wife ran a nice 38:59, so glad for her, too. Weather was good.

I was pretty busy and didn't get around to posting last week. My younger son is getting married next weekend, and I started in on demolishing a bathroom in my house that was overdue for a redo. Also, I seemed to have some low level stomach bug that left me feeling low energy last week and this week.

Last week was 36 miles with my only hard run being 9 miles on Saturday with my son. This past week was only 19 miles consisting of

M- 3 easy

T- didn't feel like running

W- didn't feel like running

Th- didn't feel like running

F- 5 easy with some strides

S- 2 w.u., 5k XC race, 2nd 65-69 (21:51 with miles of 6:49, 7:10, 7:10, 0:42) The course had a lot of rocky, eroded footing, so the effort probably was comparable to the 21:00 I ran 2 weeks ago.

Su- 5 very easy

I expect the coming week to be something of a lost cause for run training with final wedding preparations, travel, etc., although both my sons and their spouses are former college distance runners who still are training and racing, so we should all squeeze a few early morning runs in before the other festivities.

Have a great week and healthy running to all!

Congrats on the race OGII. I've gone on several pre-wedding shake-out runs with several of my friends over the years. Can't say it brought them luck on the marriage though….about 50/50.

Mon: 27 min medium road

Tue: Rest

Wed: 28 min medium road

Thu: 29 min medium road

Fri: Rest

Sat: 30 min in cold mist at 3800 feet

Sun: 31 min medium road

A good week where I very slightly turned the screw on the pace and the heel is feeling pretty good.

We had 5+ inches of rain in Roanoke Va peripherally related to Matthew. Hope others rode it out OK.

I almost always have a half marathon on the future schedule and presently I take my first gel at about 2 or 3 miles and the next ones around 6 and 9 but it's an individual thing. Have a 10 mile trail race this Saturday and I have a decent enough base I am trying to maintain.

Tues-5 miles 9 pace

Wed-5 miles 9 pace

Thurs-Tai Chi class and bike

Fri- 4.5 miles into heavy wind with big temp cooldown. felt good after summer

Sat- 9 miles. Don't know my pace exactly because I forgot my watch and that was kind of nice also. Saw 2 bald eagles which isn't real uncommon but thought I would throw it in.

Have a good week all.

Had a good week of training this week with 43 miles. I'm feeling stronger and even the arthritis in my big toe feels better. We had beautiful weather in the Upstate with only about 1/2" of rain from Matthew but it's been windy since Thursday.

My week:

Mon: 7.4 E

Tue: 6 4mi XC, 4X200H/200E (:47), 1mi cd

Wed: 6.9 E

Thu: off

Fri: 6.4 E

Sat: 6.4 4mi XC, 1mi threshold (8:04), 4x100 hill sprints, 1mi cd

Sun: 10 @ 8:53

LucKY - Nice Friday run!

Mike L - I normally eat nothing before a HM. Then take a GU at about 6 and 11.

Hope I get to run with your wife sometime :-) Good luck next week!

OG II - Nice 5k - Enjoy the runs with your family!

Inspired yet again by all that you 50 plus-ers...thank you.

Knocked out a gimpy third consecutive 42 mile week and day 44 in this 'mini streak'

Felt crippled with a variety of nerve pains all week and yet today managed the best time since August 2015 on my 11 mile long run course...go figure.

That 'accomplishment' caused me to enter a half marathon in 3 more weeks...just needing something/anything to remain in the game

The 'All American' standard for men as ancient and decrepit as I is a borderline laughable 1:53...but you know what? I am no longer sure that I still have even THAT left in the tank...that being said, as a once upon a time sub-1:10 sort, I am just grateful to still be in motion...at all.

I never though it'd come to this ;(

Train don't strain.

MF