50+ Masters Training and Racing Open Forum

L2B sorry about the knee but I gotta say your do have grit.

Igy man you are really keep progressing which inspires us all.

CM some quick math says sub Five at 60 is really something to think about.

AMK nice volume thought the halfM race you did a few weeks was gonna sink your rehab glad to see it did not. Unsolicited advice be careful on the 5k maybe go out conservative the first half then pick some people off over the last half.

KP considering your were sick and the nasty weather nice race negative splits in a 5k are a good sign

MikeL congrates on winning the series.

Well I did 2 easy runs and 1 Lt/Vo run all on my new favorite hill was a minute faster over 3 miles at less effort so this is progress. Sticking to the daily 20 hour "fast" but had some temptations with leftovers. Lots of walking/hiking overall being patient with this build up.

Charlie,

Thanks. You as well as the others here helped me get off the couch. The accountability keeps it real.

Igy

Nice to hear most of you are getting healthy again. Hope its just a minor set back Lucky, but you still got some quality in. No Turkey trot for me. Had to drive 4 hours to spend time with family on Thanksgiving, then drove 4 hours home on Friday. My lower back is still tight. Felt better this week and got in 29+ miles.

M: 4.1 mile with strides in 39 min

T: 4.5 miles of run-walk on trails in 54 min

W: 4.1 miles fartlek in 37 min

Th: 3.3 miles in 32 min

F: off

S: 9.4 miles on trails in 86 min

S: 4.1 miles of run-walk on trails in 55 min

Stay healthy all.

GPS is typically less accurate than a course measurement. I certainly wouldn’t rely on it.

I thought I'd dip into this thread/community. Really I need to join in. I'm 59 at this point and hanging in there.

A very good week in some ways.

M: 5 @ 9:34

Tu: travel day

W: 8.5 @ 9:07 w/some faster stuff

Th: 3.5 @ 10:22

F: 9 @ 8:49 w/last three @ 8:15, 8:16, 8:04 (av HR 81.5%....a hard threshold run towards the end)

S: 2.6, very slow

Su: 9 @ 10:18 (pitifully slow)

I've been battling sore knees for a while. Two weeks ago I walked the last mile and a half of a "long run" that started off as a planned 12-miler, faded to an 8-miler as I turned around at 4, and then devolved further into a 6.5 miler. Worst run of the previous three months.

I dug the one last 15 mg. Mobic that I'd stashed and downed it. The following week was incredible! I had great runs. But by last Sunday I was sore again. I took a day off.

This past week the good runs got even better. I felt like a runner again. 8:49 pace for 9 miles--three laps of Rockland Lake State Park in Congers, NY, where I grew up and where I took my first run, with my dad, in the summer of '72 after being inspired by Shorter winning the Oly marathon--just isn't what I could do a decade ago as a young 49 year old, but I felt fantastic.

So I expected to go out there this morning and lay it down again. And my legs were dead. And I suddenly figured out something that I've avoided figuring out until now: sometimes, after a long, hard run--which is what Friday's run was for me--I need two days of recovery, not one. I was an entirely different runner this morning than I was on Friday morning. The two 9 mile runs had nothing in common. Friday I was moving well within the first half mile and every successive mile felt as though something were opening up further. I was flying.

This morning I was dying on the vine. Same guy; same legs; same history. But the power plant just didn't have anything to give.

Still, I'm hopeful. Once you've flown again, once you've had that flying feeling, you'll do anything--or at least I'll do anything--to taste it again.

This past March I got the long run back out to 14 miles @ 8:45 pace and I ran a pair of 5Ks at 7:05 pace. Then, on July 1, a back blowout--the third in 24 months; one strain, two disc bulges--and no running for 7 weeks. So I've had three months of training since full deconditioning. I'm most of the way back. I'll take what I can get.

Good runs, everybody. Smoke 'em if ya got 'em.

"The old guy should really act his age" or words to that effect are apparently what one kid's mom said to an acquaintance of mine when she saw her high school boy struggling in fifth place on Thursday's turkey trot, while this old geezer was forcing the pace up in first. The high school cross country team showed up and went out as one blue clad pack. It took me just about a half mile to reel them back in once they finally settled down. At 3/4s, my instinct was to go hard and break them up...so I did. There were a few that I knew I had absolutely no chance of beating...particularly at a little bit closer to age 62 then 61...but they were going to have to 'earn' it. At the turnaround I added a little extra heat to the cadence in order to string things out a little further once I could actually see who was where. Eventually, after leading for almost 2 full miles, the top two schoolboys moved by hard and as I was pretty darn gassed, could not even vaguely respond...but kept digging ultra deep in an effort to limit the damage. I hadn't run that hard in six months or more...gamely hung on by the absolute skin of my teeth for third...while not acting my dang age ;)

Got in yet another 40 mile week of MOSTLY jogging...hell, I may even attempt a mini track workout this week since I'm apparently in a pretty frisky mood. All that being said, most days I can no longer remember what I had for breakfast let alone where I left my damn dentures. OK, kidding about the dentures thing.

Good luck to those of you heading to XC Nationals...am extraordinarily envious...race well.

Thanks everybody for your ongoing tales of inspiration. Look forward to catching up again next week.

your pal,

MF

Gotta love it.

MikeF wrote:

"The old guy should really act his age"

Thanks everybody for your ongoing tales of inspiration. Look forward to catching up again next week.

your pal,

MF

Pictures worth a thousand words

I was trying to find the results of my first Turkey Trot, interestingly 11/23/1972. Document on the right, 2nd place, think I ran just under 40 minutes for 8 miles. Amazing what you can find on the internet.

https://mobile.twitter.com/Turkey_Trot/status/917417510722592768

That year I ran the NCAA X-country on Monday (poorly), USTFF x-county Wednesday (better), and the TT Thursday. Back at that time you never really thought, at least I didn’t, you might be overdoing things.

Igy

Lucky, I hope you heal quickly. Nice to see and read about the excellent racing.

I ran my third race in 11 days on my cranky Achilles on Thanksgiving. It’s a very hilly 10k, with a steep descent in mile one. The temp was in high 20s, in the teens with the wind. Took it out very slow, was in 20th place but picked it up steadily to finish 8th in 40:23. Was first master. Of top 7, oldest was 31 years my junior.

In case you missed it, the battle in the 55-59 ag at the Manchester road race must’ve been intense. Top two ran 5:21/mile, with Chisholm over Larsen by a couple of seconds. Those performances are mind blowing.

Charlie wrote:

Gotta love it.

MikeF wrote:

"The old guy should really act his age"

Thanks everybody for your ongoing tales of inspiration. Look forward to catching up again next week.

your pal,

MF

Pictures worth a thousand words

https://i.nextmedia.com.au/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=http%3A%2F%2Fi.nextmedia.com.au%2Finsidesport%2F2010-07-504002741.jpg&h=630&w=1120&c=1&s=1

Running barefoot keeps me young.

Acer wrote:

Charlie wrote:

Gotta love it.

Pictures worth a thousand words

https://i.nextmedia.com.au/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=http%3A%2F%2Fi.nextmedia.com.au%2Finsidesport%2F2010-07-504002741.jpg&h=630&w=1120&c=1&s=1

Running barefoot keeps me young.

https://architectninja.files.wordpress.com/2015/01/experience.jpg

But don't you need track spikes for traction? I'm sure you're losing some seconds running barefoot.

Acer wrote:

Running barefoot keeps me young.

https://architectninja.files.wordpress.com/2015/01/experience.jpg

Is that Moses running through the Red Sea? ?

Take a look at this: A 97 yr old setting a new WR in the 95+ 5k with a time of 48:33! ??

http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/front-range/highlands-ranch/97-year-old-highlands-ranch-man-sets-5k-world-record-time-during-thanksgiving-race

Not sure how I feel about still potentially running in 47 years time

Good luck to everyone in their up and coming races, hoping to race 4 times in December myself if life allows.

Hope the various niggles iron themselves out.

A bit of work travel last week, but I kept my current streak going and hit 100 consecutive days on Tuesday [885.2 miles, 4d18h46m], also hit the 25,000 mile milestone on Saturday since I returned to running in '08.

Mon: Double, AM recovery 3.55m @ 8:09 / PM Treadmill Tempo 2E - 6T (6mi/ml) - 2E 10m @ 6:32

Tue: AM Treadie 50 mins easy 6.73 @ 7:26

Wed AM Treadie 50 mins with a little ramp 6.97 @ 7:11

Thu AM Ventured outside the hotel for a little recovery run 4 @ 8:03

Fri PM Treadmill progression run, easy to tempo 10m @ 6:42

Sat AM 90mins easy 12.22 @ 7:22

Sun AM 10m @ recovery pace 7:58

WTD: 63.5

MTD: 247.3

YTD: 2,807.8

Beginning to feel some strength coming back after a solid 4 weeks of 267 miles (Av 67), 10 runs of 10 miles+ and 10 workouts.

Happy Running

SP

Mon. 1 h 20 m. mountain bike ride.

Tue. 1 h 30 m. mountain bike ride.

Wed. 18.6 km forest run 600 m. of elevation gain. 2 hours.

32 min. kayak session.

Thu. 1 h 15 m. mountain bike ride.

Fri. 1 hour mountain bike ride.

Sat. 16 km hike and jog in the forest for 2 hours.

Sun. Wild weather before work saw 2 failed attempts to get out for a run.

A quiet week of just doing enough to stay fit and healthy.

We Have Found The Fountain of Youth wrote:

Take a look at this: A 97 yr old setting a new WR in the 95+ 5k with a time of 48:33! ??

http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/front-range/highlands-ranch/97-year-old-highlands-ranch-man-sets-5k-world-record-time-during-thanksgiving-race

That's wrong. Roy Englert, age 95, ran 40:40 at the USATF Championships in Syracuse this past October. Hate to break it to the 97 year old, but he's not even close.

M: swimming 1000m.

T: 7 miles.

W: 7 miles.

R: 8.8 miles.

F: 7 miles.

SA: 7 miles.

SU: 10 miles.

So after two weeks of tapering, some speed has reappeared in my legs. I went 7:44-7:41-7:39-7:31-7:17 for the last 5 miles of Sunday's 10 miler. This was after struggling to stay under 8min pace on Thursday. I had started doubting if I was tapering enough or if there was still enough fatigue left in my legs. Sunday's run erased that doubt.

The purpose of tapering is to be fresh on the race day, not one week before the race or ten days before the race. If I feel fresh too early, I could be peaking too soon. On the other hand, if my legs never feel fresh in any workout before the race, that could raise some concern. I thought I had figured out the right balance, but that balance could change with aging. So it is a moving target. I am still learning, and I will always be a "work in progress."

L2b: You made the course sound so easy! For some reason just running on grass seems to be a lot harder for me. Then throw in the little up & downs... Hope the knee is well enough to run next week.

Not sure how I feel about running in my 90's! I think I know how it will be since I feel that old most of the time now... If I'm alive and able to walk, then we'll see about running.

Week was ok. Just slow running. 40 miles with a post T'day off. My Turkey Trot went went better than expected. Once again the results proved to be far better than any training would indicate. Place 5th, four young punks beat me.

M: 7.81 Miles in 1:01:32 [7:52 per mile]

T: 6 Miles in 46:48 [7:48 per mile]

W: 3.95 Miles in 31:54 [8:04 per mile]

T: 7.5 Miles with 10K race in 37:23. 609.4, 604.9, 600.9, 608.2, 559.3, 550.6, 70.3(.19) From my log "Solid run, started off cold... Kind of sluggish. Cold breeze most of the way. 30 deg/wc 23. Ran pretty strong last two miles. AG 85.78/31:09"

F: Off

S: 5.1 Miles in 39:22 [7:43 per mile]

S: 9.51 Miles in 1:15:33 [7:56 per mile]

I'm not doing any more workouts before Lexington. I'm sure theres nothing I can do to improve at this point. Might run a local Ugly Sweater 5K Run Saturday afternoon just to get something a little faster in...

Lastly, any weight lifters here? Bought a weight bench with about 100lbs of weights. It has a bar and a leg thingy. Never lifted in my life but want to be pro-active by maybe building some strength this winter. It just might help with all of the aches and pains I've been having. Looking for a little routine for runners that I could do 2-3 times/week.

Thats it from here. Have a good week!

Dave

ThatsWrong wrote:

We Have Found The Fountain of Youth wrote:

Take a look at this: A 97 yr old setting a new WR in the 95+ 5k with a time of 48:33! ??

http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/front-range/highlands-ranch/97-year-old-highlands-ranch-man-sets-5k-world-record-time-during-thanksgiving-race

That's wrong. Roy Englert, age 95, ran 40:40 at the USATF Championships in Syracuse this past October. Hate to break it to the 97 year old, but he's not even close.

That's not good...how do think an oversight like this happen? Race director's mistake? It's too bad because the media here in Denver has made him out to be a hometown hero breaking what they believe to be the 5k WR. But hey..."97" yrs old and finishing a 5k! I'm 40 yrs younger than him and can't even finish a 5k without something breaking on this junk body. So kudos to anyone 90+ than can finish a 5k...I know I'll be in the junkyard before I ever reach that age. ?