SUB 5 at 50

I went 4:50.2 last summer at 50. My excuses it wasn't faster: No mile specific training just 5k/10k summer work and it was over 90 deg on the track. But the goofy thing is I can do 3xMile reps in the 5:08-5:12 range but can barely break 70 for a 400. Just don't have the speed once I get close to 5:00 pace. I was 4:16 in HS...

Dave

Those masters rankings are, for the most part, self reported. They do capture full results from "significant" USATF meets, if someone submits them on Excel. They certainly will not include every top performer.

But the goofy thing is I can do 3xMile reps in the 5:08-5:12 range but can barely break 70 for a 400. Just don't have the speed once I get close to 5:00 pace. I was 4:16 in HS...

You should add some speed endurance drills.

High Ball wrote:

Under 1000 guaranteed and probably under half that.

Sub-5 at 40 is very-very good; my guess would be less than 50.

Gerble wrote:

Yes those masters rankings are very sketchy. Just 9 M30 guys under 5 mins in 2011!!! Granted the older groups are more complete but still, I imagine many 50+ mile performances (at least on the roads) go unnoticed my Masters officials. Also lots of masters running great 5K's on the roads could do sub5 but don't. I think if you include these guys 3-400 is a good estimate

So many things wrong with this post.

I keep close tabs on the master's races and results in my state, track, road and XC, and top mile race results (which includes sub-5:00 at 50) rarely go unreported anymore. Sure there are some top 5K guys who don't ever run the mile but it's not like mile races are that hard to come by. Sure someone like Pete Magill might run a sub-5:00 in a workout and not happen to race one, but only a handful of guys are in this category.

I'm sure there are some good 50K trail runners who never run marathons but could break 2:40. Until they do it the point is moot. Putting on the spikes and hitting the track is a test not just of fitness, but of pace sensibilty and joint integrity that is different than roads.

Road miles are a lark at best and not worth including in this discussion, unless at the very least they finish where they start, which I've never seen but may exist.

100 50+ sub-5:00s is the likely cap for any given year, even as a hypothetical.

fast50 wrote:

Indoor mile. Boston MA 12/24/11

Section 5

1 cooney, mike Unattached 4:50.02

2 fram, craig Unattached 4:51.77

3 hammond, paul Unattached 4:57.49

5 Doe, Paul Unattached 5:00.20

All 50.

Not bad........

What happened to 4th?

Reno no go on sub 5

Did you mean Rono? Is he in the 50s yet?

In two years I will be fifty. It would be fun to have a track Bithday party and do a sub 5 on the track. Maybe add a beer mile.

Any one want to come? I will have a keg and BBQ in May 2013. Location midwest.

Shooting for sub 4:50

There is a 62 yr old that should be able to break 5, Nolan Shaheed from Pasadena, CA. He just ran 36:59 at Nat'l XC Champ for 10K in Seattle. As a 50 yr old he ran 4:27.9 mile and holds the age group record. He ran 4:24 1500 in April this yr at 61. The world age group record is under 5 min through age 65. (4:56.4)

socalcush wrote:

Wolves wrote:

Im 47 and just so you all know, I will have no problem breaking 5:00 at 50. I have not run much over the last 13 years, so I'll be "fresh". Running well now, 27 min for 5 miles off 20 mpw

until you do it, you ain't done it. i'll pop by this thread in three years, though, just out of curiosity. coincidentally, i'll be 47 then, but wise enough not to make such a bold prediction--you never know what father time has in store for us.

also, just because, i'll go out tomorrow and attempt a sub-5 to try to kick up my streak--and defy father time--to 31 years (1982-2012). i'm coming for you egun...

I agree. At 48 4:54 felt great, but 5:00 at 50 and 51 under somewhat similar conditions (a moderately competitive mile race--only one in town) was all I could muster. Failed.

Here's one for you. The World Masters record for Women's Mile age 50 is 5:00.59 by Gitte Karlshoj of Denmark set 8/21/10. That's amazing right there.

Cool thing about Gitte is that she ran in the '80's as a DII great (4:13/9:02) for SPU in Seattle and Doris Brown was her coach who was a great master's runner as well.

GeorgeB wrote:

Here's one for you. The World Masters record for Women's Mile age 50 is 5:00.59 by Gitte Karlshoj of Denmark set 8/21/10. That's amazing right there.

Socal here are a few records for you to go after this year:

Age 44 US single age records:

Mile 4:20.26

3000 8:50

2 mile 9:32.6

The 1500 is pretty much out of reach for just about everyone out there except Jim S prior to his 45th Bday in May (3:54.9) Bill Stewart

At 50 and older it is no longer about miles. Especially if you are a long term runner.

It is about speed.

A friend of mine ran sub five until his mid 50's.

He ran about 15-20 miles per week.

He could also run down around 60 seconds for a single 400. He could either run 4 x 400 in 65 or 2 x 800 in 2:25 or 1 x 1200 in 3:45.

Each in separate workouts.

It is tough to break five if you don't have the speed.

I know that we're all different but there is a day where you have run just about all the miles your aging body needs.

Great post and a fun read. Being part of the CNW 50+ group makes one realize the effort required to remain fast. If you're still racing @ 50, you probably enjoy running for it's own sake. As a youth, the reason to train was to race well, as a Master, just being able to train consistently is pretty rewarding. At any meet, just seeing Masters race at any distance under 1 mile brings on a a cold sweat since the threat of injury at pace is so close. Knowing the peril of fast repeats and the slog of getting back into shape after injury is sobering, so seeing the results from our studs like Joe Sheeran, Dave Cannon & Rick Becker (Tony gets nothing until he's actually 50) gives hope that it's still achievable with luck & smart training.

Wolves, I have some sobering news for you. There can be a gigantic difference between performances at age 47 compared to age 50.

I was running sub 5 1600's on the track in training at age 47 and thought it would be a breeze at 50. Many factors come in to play...you may find that running staple workouts like 12x200 lead to immediate injury. I barely broke 5:13 at 50 - it felt like a 4:20.

Be careful and good luck

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Ok, Ok, I know I was being blatantly arrogant. I was really excited at the possibilities. Having not run much over the last 10 years and then "feeling"it again.

Im hurt now. Achilles/calf strain, probably at least two months.

Interesting that "egun" makes a point of telling how much the training hurts. I was never so fast, just a modest 4:01.0 1500 at age 20, but the training for it was very tough. We all know that training for optimum performance is no cake walk, but we're the people who embrace it, and love the challenge.

I guess Egun's real point is, he's baaaaaaaaaad!

Rono's birth date on his facebook page is 2-12-55 which makes him 56 yrs old. He was at WSU '76-'79 so that would be about right. The Kenyans always appeared to be older than the age stated so he's at least this age if not older.

Track Nut wrote:

Rono's birth date on his facebook page is 2-12-55 which makes him 56 yrs old. He was at WSU '76-'79 so that would be about right. The Kenyans always appeared to be older than the age stated so he's at least this age if not older.

But I think Rono disappeared, and is not running anymore.