high school xc coach wrote:
the way i see it is that as a 66 year old who has been out of running for several years now, speed is something that needs quite a bit more special emphasis than a typical runner. Even if just for a training cycle before you can go into a bit of a maintenance mode with it.
I accidentally figured this out first hand in my late 30s, coming back from an injury, I went into low mileage 800/1500 type training, and it ended up hugely benefiting my 5k speed when I went back to normal training. I hadn't realized how greatly my speed was sapped from being uncompetitive for 20 years. I just thought I was old and it was gone. But it was still in me. It just needed intense specificity to be re-awakened.
emphasising speed for an old decrepit fat runner who isnt even concentrating on base seems like exceptionally poor advice. Late 30s is not late 60s.
if i was an old slow runner, which i am, i would be wary of advice from a 'high school coach', and would take nothing from a 'wizard'.
as at any time, good luck JS, but i would concentrate on slow and steady, as i am.
when is your next time trial js? its all meaningless without measures. or are you, as we suspect, just imagining this from your sofa?