50+ Masters Training and Racing Open Forum

Boat,

I am 67 and this works for me. When I am in race build up phase this is my weekly breakdown:

Q1: 2 miles warm-up; drills/strides; 2 of repetions or 3 miles of intervals / 50% recovery walk/jogs; mile cool-down

Q2: 2 miles warm-up; drills/strides; 3-4 miles of tempo runs / 2:00 rest; mile cool-down

Q3: long run of about 25% of equivalent running miles (can use cross training and walking volume to arrive at appropriate number)

Hope this gives you some ideas.

Igy

Slow boat,

I am 68, and not trying to mimic Ed Whitlock's training, but am using his philosophy as a starting point. 3 hrs seems like way too much, but I am trying to hit about 2 hours a day consisting of 20 minutes of cross training (mostly on an rower) and 1hr 40 min of running/walking. I am trying to stabilize on a 3 day cycle of 1 day walking 7 miles at about 14:30/mi pace, 1 day easy to very easy running of 8-9 miles at about 10:00-10:30 pace, and 1 day of workout totaling 10-12 miles. E.g. this morning I ran 12 miles with some other faster and younger (mid-50s) old guys where we did 2 mi warm up, then about 6.6 miles of 10, 8 , 6, 4, 2 mins on (about 6:50/mi) with 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 mins semi-recover between those at about 7:10-7:20 pace, and then recover 3.4 miles at about 7:40 pace.

As usual, total volume with a bit of quality is the route to fitness. We all just need to figure out how much volume and how much quality we can handle without getting injured (plus enjoying the kind of training we do).

Keep up the good work!

Ghost of Igloi wrote:

Boat,

I am 67 and this works for me. When I am in race build up phase this is my weekly breakdown:

Q1: 2 miles warm-up; drills/strides; 2 of repetions or 3 miles of intervals / 50% recovery walk/jogs; mile cool-down

Q2: 2 miles warm-up; drills/strides; 3-4 miles of tempo runs / 2:00 rest; mile cool-down

Q3: long run of about 25% of equivalent running miles (can use cross training and walking volume to arrive at appropriate number)

Hope this gives you some ideas.

Igy

Thanks man!

This is similar to what I am doing. One tweak I am trying is doing a shorter then a longer Q run: Q1 (200s, 400s) then Q2 (800s to mile). Also the long run (I plan to build to 12 max at this time) usually has 3 to 5 tempo on the end although I sometimes just do the whole thing easy depending on how I feel.

Main difference is so far the only time I do 3 miles of intervals is when I am doing mile reps. I could manage 8x800 but it they would be a good bit slower than 6 as compared to what I could do even 10 years ago.

I think quality does win over quantity as we age so I guess that answers my question to more reps. I still have problems getting my head around my 400m time now was my marathon pace not that long ago, seems unreal I am working that hard for that time. I need to get that out of my head like a bad song.

Igy,

...me too re: 800 at Nationals...and came back to the track from ultras...raced 100 miles in 16:40 then next competition was an 800

I am confident you'll beat this thing and look forward to seeing you again in Spokane

Best

MF

Boat,

Old Guy II has some good ideals that works for him. I was brought up on a lot of track work and gravitate toward regularity of it. To get a little more specific on the Q1 and Q2 here are some benchmarks I use with varied distances to create variety in the training package.

Repetitions: 150m, 200m, 250m, 300m, 350m, 500m, 600m and occasionally at peak 800m

Intervals: 800m, 1,000m, 1,200m

Tempos: 800m, 1,000m, 1,200m, 1,600m, 2,000m, 2,400m at peak endurance phase use track and road as in 2 x 1.5 mile / 2:00 rest or 2 x 2 mile / 2:00 rest and occasionally at the peak 3 miles @ 800m interval pace + 2 mile tempo + 800m interval (no rest)

Hope this gives more color.

Others will chime in Sunday through early next week, so check back.

Igy

You are quite a bit faster than me. Those are closer to my times a dozen years ago. Had some medical issues that also have slowed me down more than I had hoped. I will look into getting a rower, that is something that I think I would like.

I am retired and finally able get proper warmups done that I would have shortened or even not done in the past because of the time squeeze. No major owies except for a bit of piriformis that I quickly got under control. I have added pushups and a few pullups as well. Trying to get strong enough to do a one-handed pushup, not there yet but a small personal goal.

I would cycle more but not very safe around here and I have a fear of falling.

My volume is rather low, around 35 - 40 mpw but I have run pretty well off that in the past as long as the quality was on target. I do dream/think about Ed's 3 hour magic, but highly doubt I could manage that and stay intact. Got to have the hernias fixed soon so not looking forward to the time off since I am finally getting some decent fitness. Can't really ignore it anymore.

Thanks for the tips!

MikeF,

Funny story, more range than I could ever muster.

Thanks doing really well. A lot of the credit goes to my wife of almost 44 years who hung out at the hospital for 20 hours last week while I was poked, doped and napping. The fitness is really helping me handle the multiple layers of stress (physiological and psychological).

The training thought will be to add quality on the feel good days, so an element of play it by ear. I also believe concentrating on the 800m where I can integrate drill, sprints and reps would be more manageable. At least these gives me a physical anchor to latch on to.

Igy

Quick update here. Have transitioned into the new age group and made debut effort, with a 15K. Did 54:42 (5:52/mile). Norm Green ran 22 sec faster on the same course 25 years ago for the American record, which still stands. It was warm and humid but not unbearable, high 60s for temps. Slight negative split. Won overall masters (go figure) and 91.5 age grade and that's a pb by a half point. Looking forward to the season ahead.

Coyote,

Excellent performance, but had a hint that you had something big inside.

Igy

Ghost of Igloi wrote:

Hope this gives more color.

Others will chime in Sunday through early next week, so check back.

Igy

Thanks very much. I have always loved running on the track and have done long runs on it for safety at night. If I won the lottery I would build my own.

Historically I have kept it simpler than you in all the distances. 100s, 200s, 400s, etc. Usually as I got in better shape I would add some variation like 300s and 600s as part of ladders. What is your training idea with all those distances?

We are moving soon and I am not sure I will have access to a track but we will make do as always. On the plus side a lot of hills so a boost there.

Ghost of Igloi wrote:

I completed all my initial testing, and my wife and I met with the oncologist Wednesday to go over the results and recommendations. The bone marrow was clean, and the diagnosis is an aggressive form of follicular lymphoma. The fast growing nature of the disease is actually a benefit for targeting treatment. The disease is considered cure able, which does not mean there won’t be challenges down the road, but the outlook favors survivability thru a normal life expectancy.

Igy aka Reid Harter

Just catching up here, dude, you are a warrior. I think the perseverance running demands of us will serve you well in this battle.

Boat,

Thanks, doing well.

Here are a couple ideas how you vary the training:

Repetition short day-8 x ( 250m R / 150m E) or long day- 2 x 200m R / 100m E; 400m R / 200m E; 500m R / 300m E; 600m R / 300m E; 500m R / 300m E; 400m R / 200m E; 2 x 200m R / 100m E

Interval short day- 6 x 800m I / 400m E or long day- 800m I / 400m E; 1,000m I / 500m E; 1,200m I / 600m E; 1,000m / 500m E; 800m I

Hope this adds a little more. You can go back over the year’s posts and get a sense of progression. There is a lot one can do with varying pace, and distance. A lot of which one learns thru experience and what works for them. You can see all of that as you peruse the different training ideas on the thread.

Igy

Coyote Montane wrote:

Quick update here. Have transitioned into the new age group and made debut effort, with a 15K. Did 54:42 (5:52/mile). Norm Green ran 22 sec faster on the same course 25 years ago for the American record, which still stands. It was warm and humid but not unbearable, high 60s for temps. Slight negative split. Won overall masters (go figure) and 91.5 age grade and that's a pb by a half point. Looking forward to the season ahead.

Wow, that is very impressive. Good job!

*Week 350*

Greetings, 50+ers! Another short report--this lingering crud really has a stranglehold on me. Two weeks and I'm still hacking and wheezing. Thought I was getting better Mon. & Tues. but then Wed. I was back to where I was last week, listless and that head-under-water feeling. Finished up our last promotion work Friday, then I finally forced myself to run yesterday, but I felt like crap. Times aren't reflective of the lethargy I was feeling. Only 10 miles of running and hacking, log as such:

Sun: 2.6 mile brisk walk (14:35/mi)

Mon: 3.2 (7:53/mi avg) middle mile was pretty hard for me

Tue: 3.0 4xhill repeats (8:13/mi) wiped me out

Wed-Fri: Off

Sat: 4.0 (7:56/mi avg) progressive through 2.6, then easy

Damn nice 15k race, Coyote, and Happy Birthday!

And you, too, KP, nice 800!

Props to Michael R and your wife on some nice racing!

Welcome, Slow Boat! Good to see some great feedback.

Glad to see SCgal getting back at it.

amkelly, I continue to be amazed by your resilience and toughness. I'd have long been sidelined with what you've been battling.

Keeping the faith, Igy!

Sorry to read about the loss of some of your-alls good friends and fellow runners, RIP.

Will this crud ever end? Maybe when it stops raining here; we're projected to set an all time record for rainfall in February. Keep up the good work, y'all!

All the Best!

Solid week here on the unusually chilly left coast.

Surpassed streak day # 450 on Thursday...2331 miles or the equivalent of 64 weeks at 36 miles per...my approach to 'streaking' isn't one of compulsion...instead, pure amusement and a dose of discipline.

Managed 36 miles for the week...following Sunday's race (19:18 for hilly 2.75 mile relay leg), did two track sessions ...one was 8 x 200 cut downs finishing in 38.53...the other was 4 x 100 then 400, 600, 600, 400...aim was to head into the final 400 in a fatigued state that'd replicate the last lap of a mile...scratched out a blazing 85.49...the aforementioned 200 and 400 were both 'seasonal bests'

Looking forward to hearing of your weekly highlights...Coyote, anytime you can be mentioned in the same sentence as the legend of Norm Green, you are doing something quite extraordinary...huge congrats.

...oh, and also looking forward to following World Indoors this week...televised Friday, Saturday and Sunday on NBCSN...M800 and W 3000 both hold particular appeal.

Alright then, be sure to 'train don't strain'...catch you in another week.

your pal,

MF

Happy Birthday Coyote, great start. If I’m using the right calculator that 15K converts to a 43:10 12K, just 20 sec slower than the current US 60/64 AG road record.

Sounds like you got it good lucKY. My boss was sick with the real flu and she was so sick we had to take food to her because she could not get to the store. I sheepishly set the food at the door and then texted her to come get it. No way in hell I’m exposing myself to that!

Tu, Th, Sa, Su: 23, 24, 25, and 26 min of running respectively on those days with 50 pushups/crunches. Slowly climbing the ladder. On Thursday here in Roanoke, Va we broke a 100-year-old record for the warmest February day EVER, at 84. Man, it felt nice! Hope we don’t pay for it in March.

Have a good week folks.

Opposite here late winter snow all week. Looks like cold temperatures and clearing on its way.

Greetings to all:

I ran in a local senior games on minimal sprint training and was quite pleased with the results. I finished in the top 3 and didn't pull a hamstring! My times were nothing to get excited about but they were actually better than I anticipated. Unfortunately my wonky PF acted up (again) and I am back to limping. So now I need to really get serious about resting it. I can maintain fitness with weights, pool jogging, and the stair mill but unfortunately I can't maintain speed. So that's going to suffer. But so it goes in the life of a masters athlete. Reading the posts I realize there are more serious battles to face. All the best to Igy who seems to be on a good path and to everyone else who deals with injuries, illness, and life's inevitable setbacks.

Igy and OGII good advice for slow boat also got me to thinking about things

CM fantastic Gasperilla . Negative split ran down a couple of young masters in their late forties . Looking forward to your well deserved run to the top.

KP nice 2:17

MF looks like you have your speed back . Nothing like nailing that last 400!

First pete then repeat.

12 weeks 3 calf "strains"

New approach.

1.Change my form

-Posture upright need stronger core.

-Use my glutes more

-Relax my calves at ground contact instead of tensing them up.

2. Gradual structured return to running

-All running on treadmill. The idea is that if I feel any tightness/strain I can stop running immediately and not be tempted to just ignore the issue and finish the workout

-Use good old run walk with various speeds and elevations

3. Massage and stick several times a day .

This week I actually ran 5 days in a row! Averaged about 20 minutes total 20 x a minute with R 1 minute

elevation/speed in mph 5 x :

7/7

6/8

5/9

4/10

so far so good