50+ Masters Training and Racing Open Forum

Igy - my son is a 5,000 guy. 10,000 is more of a stretch for him.

Mike - What a weekend! Next year just stay at my house and I'll drive you to the race. I live near the airport and could have picked you up. The awards ceremony was lots of fun. It would be great to go to Spain next year. I'm going to try to qualify in aquathlon too since biking isn't my best skillset and it's easier to travel with just a swimsuit and racing shoes. Wish we could have connected at the race or Fred Hardy. I'll be there next year if Steve includes another record attempt. I'll be at the bottom of my AG and may give it another go.

A poor week for me last week.

The plan had been to launch into a new block of increased intensity, however I noticed a slight strain or something on Weds under my right rib cage, knew straight after I started my warm up that running hard wouldn't be wise. It feels like I'm continuously running with a side stitch, getting out of bed, getting up from a deep seated position and coughing are quite painful.

Running has been hampered with normal breathing a little difficult and HR running a handful of beats higher in easy runs.

Went to my doctor on Thursday, he thinks it's muscular (no idea how I done it), but need to monitor for a week or 2.

So I'm just running easy, mainly 40 mins max, recovery is up and down, usually during the day it improves, first thing it's quite sore and after a run.

Will continue easy running and make a call whether to re visit the GP at the end of the week.

Wk 14 - 44.7

2018 - 823

Run streak - 238 days / 2,063 miles

Racerdb wrote:

Without going into much detail, I've decided to step away from running for a while. I'm a broken runner. Hopefully, 3-4 months off with solid PT will be enough of a reboot to get me back to good.

Dave, best wishes for a healing break. You are smart to be proactive with the physical therapy. I recently took a three-month break, but mostly neglected all my prescribed exercises.

It wasn't until I joined a gym and set aside dedicated time for cross-training and exercises that I saw improvement, and was able to start incorporating running back into my schedule.

The key to returning from an extended break is being able to reset your goals and training targets. Forget where you were months ago.

The payoff is that you will once again be improving. Getting faster. Making progress. That puts the fun back into it.

Now, I have admittedly been a little impatient with my progress so far; it's been slower to come than in any of my previous (many) returns to training. But the improvement is there, it's measurable, and it keeps me motivated.

After gradually adding mileage for a few months, today I ran my first repeats since last September. A modest 5 x 800m workout. And it was fun and exciting and encouraging. I actually ran much faster than expected, given my sluggish training paces to date.

I wrote up a nine-week training plan today, targeting a low-key local 5K in June. Goal is 20:00. Not even close to where I was 12 months ago, but I am enthusiastic about chasing that time.

Last year I went back through all the previous posts in this thread, so I know that for many years you have competed at national-class level. And that you have struggled at times to accept age-related declines when they have suddenly affected your training and racing. But you've successfully hit the re-set button each time, and will, again, when you return.

Get healthy. Be well.

Been away a while, congrats to both duathletes, and to the good report from Igy, and avoiding that snake mo'pak (what kind was that?). Best wishes on the reset, dhaaga. I have had some heel pain, when I get up, but NOT PF, that runs the width of my heel, and wonder why the tightness. I cannot find it when I stretch, and it does not hurt to run, just the first steps in the morning, again not like my past PF.

After two weeks of under 30 mile weeks, and no long runs, finally run a "longer" run today, 12 miles, in 2:01:40, the last two miles were slowing, though. Really wiped out and have run only 12.5 miles 2 and a half weeks ago, not feeling completely ready for the KCCC 1/2 marathon on May 18. Time for one more longer run in a couple weeks at least.

All the best to everyone! ML

Mid week Man I feel Good post

Today was an ez day but have added some ez running with the walking

60 minutes 10 percent grade 3.6mph walk 80 seconds run 40 seconds

The running is at the same pace and grade really felt refreshing

some strides

80 seconds walk then 40 seconds 7/7 (7 percent grade/7 mph)

80 seconds walk then 40 seconds 5/8

80 seconds walk then 40 seconds 3/9

80 seconds walk then 40 seconds 1/10

80 seconds walk then 40 seconds 0/11 HR 147

80 seconds walk then 40 seconds 0/12 HR 157

80 seconds walk then 80 seconds 0/12 HR 170 out of 193 could have went for 160 seconds

Interesting site :

http://master-athlete.com/news/masters-attempt-re-run-of-relay-record/

*Week 357*

Greetings, semi-centenarians! As I peek my head out from the pile of material that needs grading, a multitude of belated acknowledgements are due from last week.

1) MikeF, congrats on your SFSU scholarship reaching full endowment. To be able to give back in such a meaningful and lasting way, what an honor and privilege that must be!

2) Racerdb, you've been at the top of your game for such an incredibly long time (as well as being a stalwart of this thread since long before we moved on to this single thread format,) a break is well warranted. I hope it's both rejuvenating and temporary. 60 is just around the corner, just sayin'.

3) Props to Dhaaga and not half fast for some solid times at Cherry Blossom; to amkelly on a well-run HM; and to Mike Rohl and SCgal on your duathlons. And thanks for all the associated race reports. Inspiring stuff!

4) As always, sending positive vibes to Igy; I have no doubt that your physical and mental fortitude have helped immensely in dealing with this in the most positive way possible. Thanks for openly sharing this journey with us.

5) KP, Hayward on May 6th would be awesome. Most definitely not in the cards for me, nor is Spokane. I'd need to up my AG substantially before I could convince my wife I need to make that trek, lol.

6) Thanks for the encouraging remarks regarding my training and physical fitness (or lack thereof). I'll just have to muddle through to the end of the semester (finals week starts Apr. 30th!) and hopefully make a good push through May and June to get some of this weight off and get the mileage back to where it needs to be. Then I'll reassess where I'm at.

So muddling is what I'm doing. Fell back a bit with missing Friday's run and only managed 21.5 miles on 4 days. Log reads as such:

Sun: 5.0 Easy (8:24/mi)

Mon: Off

Tue: 5.0 w/6x400 @~90-95s, 1 lap recovery

Wed: Off

Thu: 4.5 Variable (7:58/mi avg)

Fri: Off

Sat: 7.0 Very Easy (9:01/mi avg) 3@9:30,4@8:40

Mostly easy miles. Glad to get back on the track. Forgot my Garmin, so those lap times are estimates from looking at my pace chart Strava while carrying my cell phone. We always ease into track workout season with "Lap on", "Lap off" for the first few sessions. Intentionally ran with some slower folk on Saturday to keep my pace down.

That's it from me here in the soggy Bluegrass. But nothing like the upper Midwest and Northeast getting hammered with more heavy snow from winter storm Xanto! And one of my best friends is running Boston tomorrow, where this storm is headed. Godspeed to all those that will dare to toe the line in tomorrow's horrendous conditions! I don't envy you, not this year.

Hope you've had a good week, and look forward to reading your reports!

All the Best!

heavy snow --- hard to imagine after a couple sunny days in the 80s in DC. I'll hope for the best for everybody in storm's path and for everybody running Boston and everybody still working on tax returns......

fun and mostly easy week after 10-miler last sunday, incl....

M 60:00 x-t

tu 30:00 run/45:00 x-t

W 45:00 run/45:00 x-t

Th 50:00

F 60:00 incl. 16 X 200 (200 jog) averaging 41.5 + 60:00 x-t cycle class

Sa 30:00 double(!) [to/from a parkrun for which i was timekeeper] + 60:00 x-t

Su 1:30 easy

have a great week,

Dave

I am also still treading water , (well at least swimming it) since I still have to let my PF heel. So this is a running thread but I'm still not running. I am climbing stairs, swimming, using a rowing machine, and lifting weights like a lunkhead, but not running. I don't have lots to add to the thread but I lurk every Sunday. I hope that reading all your exploits will help keep my head in the game as I work through this frustrating injury. I hope everyone has a great week ahead.

M58 -- 5'11" 168 lbs

Goal -- Defend M55-59 title in August 15K

April 9-15, 2018

Mon -- off

Tue -- 2-mi warmup; 5 x 800m w/3min jog recoveries @ 3:11, 3:11, 3:07, 3:07, 3:02; 2.5-mi cooldown

Wed -- 7.7 miles @ 9:24/mi

Thu -- 7.7 miles @ 8:39/mi w/4x100m strides

Fri -- 16.6 miles @ 8:05/mi (middle 11.6 @ 7:48/mi)

Sat -- 7.7 miles @ 8:18/mi

Sun -- off

WEEK TOTAL: 47.5 MILES

Tuesday was my first "workout" since last September. I was happy with how it went, all considered. Knee and achilles woes continue in "management mode." I'm planning a nine-day cycle with workouts and long run, with a low-key 5K in June to assess my fitness.

Hoping for a miraculous forecast change for the folks in Boston. Ice and snow here, with continued temps in the 30s and low 40s for another week. Miserable, but at least I am not racing.

Be well, friends.

Week 26 April 7th 17 minutes hard with 3 easy run walks probably 10 miles of running

138.8 pounds Lowest weight in 10 years. Down from 170+ also have added muscle so probably lost 35 pounds of lard.

April 9 Run walk on rolling quarter mile trail next to house about 10 minutes of running , 5 minutes semi hard and 5 minutes easy. Run the uphills and walk the downhills.

April 12 6 minutes weight 138.8! 6 minutes plus 20 minutes of ez running 2:1 for 60 minutes 80/40 10 percent grade 3.6mph

Today was an ez day but have added some ez running with the walking

60 minutes 10 percent grade 3.6mph walk 80 seconds run 40 seconds

The running is at the same pace and grade really felt refreshing

some strides

80 seconds walk then 40 seconds 7/7 (7 percent grade/7 mph)

80 seconds walk then 40 seconds 5/8

80 seconds walk then 40 seconds 3/9

80 seconds walk then 40 seconds 1/10

80 seconds walk then 40 seconds 0/11 HR 147

80 seconds walk then 40 seconds 0/12 HR 157

80 seconds walk then 80 seconds 0/12 HR 170 out of 193 could have went for 160 seconds

HRR after 80 seconds at 12 mph 170 3 minutes 140 120 110 recovery was walking 0 percent grade 3mph

April 14th 6 minutes at 10 mph 0 percent grade

HR 174 which is 88 percent of MHR Karvonen 60 resting 190 max

HRR 1 138(36) , 2 117(21) , 3 107(10)

Felt pretty easy just did this at the end of a one hour run walk easy tread mill just to see how I was feeling about 5k pace

Good morning from a spring day in Idaho. Partly cloudy today expected to hit 70 then drop back down into the 40s daytime Monday. I plan to get out for a long walk in a couple of hours then having the kids over for babyback rib dinner (son’s birthday). Is that a proper diet for my condition? Oh well.

This was my best post infusion week. Last session I had three days of low white blood cells, this week just a day and a half. Yesterday walked three miles with two of my masters friends, then coffee, shopping and a couple hours yard work. That is pretty much a typical spring weekend, just minus some distance and intensity on the exercise. For the week about 20 miles of walking. I am the opposite of Charlie, putting on the weight he is taking off. The Prednisone I suspect, but my weight training has been improving.

Happy traing and racing.

Igy

Another positive week here. And the golf courses were in full spring mode, too! My recovery continues to be nearly complete, though there was a very slight ache noticeable the day after my first golf round of the week. I guess that was to be expected. Otherwise all is good. Pace is naturally improving. Perhaps I’ll try a longer run or some fartlek this week.

Sun: off

Mon: 53' jog, body wt ex, med ball routine

Tues: golf, 27 holes...48/47/45

Wed: 52' jog, body wt ex, med ball routine

Thu: golf, 18 holes...98

Fri: 52' jog, body wt ex, med ball routine

Sat: 3 mi walk with the fam

Mon: 53' jog, body wt ex

Best to all!

Hey Igy sounds really good.

From the other tread on exercise my opinion is to move down in distance as you age especially if you are a heavier person.

Gene Dykes breaks 3 at 70 plans on going after Ed's records seems like a small framed dude. He is nutz but will be fun to follow.

http://www.letsrun.com/forum/flat_read.php?thread=8756044&page=1

Earl Fee who I am sure you know about just ran 1:25 for 400 at 89. He is a bigger guy but that is an insanely good time . Always thought Earl gets more out of himself than any other .

http://www.earlfee.com/biography

My legs were trashed from the duathlon so this was a cut back week for me. I raced an aquathlon (swim/run) yesterday which is my new favorite event. The swim was in a lake so it was my first time racing in a wetsuit and the first time I've worn one in 40 years. The swimming was easy compared to squeezing into the suit - thankfully, Bodyglide worked like a charm. The added buoyancy made the swim fast and helped save my energy for the hilly 5k run afterwards. I hope to qualify for Team USA in this event too. That means I have to have a ranking by doing USAT sanctioned races. That sholdn't be a problem as I'll be doing aquathlons in the future for sure - I loved not having to bike!

Sun: Duathlon

Mon: Legs tired - 1650 yd swim

Tue: 7 mi E (8:50), 60 min spin on bike

Wed: 6 mi Fartlek with 6x800 (alternating 8:00/8:30)

Thu: off

Fri: 3.5 course preview - lots of ups and downs

Sat: Aquathlon: 500yd swim in 11:00 (including 300 yd run to transition area) + 5k (25:17), 1st OA

Ran 6.2 mi @ 8:47 when I got home since it didn't look like I'd get a run in today.

I'll be heading to Dedham for the 10k in two weeks. Are any of you going? Hope the weather is better by then.

GOOD News Igy...I sure like the direction things seem to be heading...yay!

Charlie, thanks for the links...Earl Fee (along with Ed Whitlock R.I.P.) have been my inspirations for some time...and they each took polar opposite approaches to training.

Along the lines of longevity in sport, I am so impressed that my long time pal Amby Burfoot, who won Boston Marathon in 1968, is running tomorrow...50 years later...how friggin' awesome is THAT???

Meanwhile, this old geezer hit 42 for the week (2018's first time over 40) but far more significantly, hit streak day 500 (2561 miles) AND 109,000 lifetime miles, both on this past Friday...hoping to nail 110,000 by Thanksgiving.

Yesterday was a great 9 mile run of single track on a bluff overlooking the Pacific Ocean and now am momentarily about to go jog 6 in the prettiest vineyards in America with my running pooch.

Have another fine week of geriatric training and racing, and as always, remember to "train don't strain"

your pal,

MF

I didn't check in last week because it was somewhat of a lost cause, and I was battling some annoying malware on my computer most of last Sunday. I had some calf tightness at the start of the week when I tried to run both Monday and Wednesday and cut the runs short. Then I got the new shingles vaccine Thursday and spent the next 3 days feeling like I had malaria with the fevers and chills and no running. This week was drastically better and back to some good base work. 53 miles for this week.

M- 7 walking with 100M stride every 1/2 mile

T- 10 hills 10:11/mi ave

W- 7 walking with 100M stride every 1/2 mile

Th - 10 hills 9:55/mi ave

F- rest

S- 12 with 2 w.u., 18 x 1 min tempo/1 min fast recovery pace (6:53/mi ave) , 5mi easy

S- 7 walking with 100M stride every 1/2 mile

Igy, keep up the good work and everyone else stay healthy or get healthy.

Igy, very pleased to hear the good news. Crossing my fingers that it continues. Your positive attitude has to help.

SCgal, I had never heard of aquathon but it sounds interesting. I practically grew up in the water, living in the near-desert of Riverside, CA in a house that was barely air-conditioned but did have a small backyard pool. I never did any competitive swimming and don't have the right body type for it, and now I almost never swim because of no access to a decent pool. But my university is supposed to get a pool as part of our ongoing campus expansion, and when we do I plan to start using it. Swimming is a great way to get a low-impact total-body workout, and it's so much safer than cycling.

This week started out with a couple of days off from running to let my heel recover from last Sunday's half-marathon. It ended with a long-run tribute to tomorrow's Boston Marathon--I ran for more than two and a half hours (but covered only two-thirds of the marathon distance). Ended up with 48 miles in just four days of running.

Monday and Tuesday: 90 minutes on bike trainer each.

Weds and Thurs: 10-ish miles at 9:12/mile-ish pace.

Fri: 10.6 miles at 8:58 pace. Felt good, but it seemed I had to work pretty hard to get under 9-minute pace. Apparently still tired from last Sunday's race.

Sat: 32 miles on bike easy, enjoying a beautiful spring day.

Sunday: 17.6 miles averaging 8:48/mile. Started to tie up in the last few miles, but overall was quite happy with the run. One calf got tight but never actually cramped.

The important parts of the Boston Marathon will occur during my office hours tomorrow morning. I expect I can live-stream it on my office computer; however, since my students have an exam on Friday, I may actually have people in my office hours tomorrow. I'll set the TV broadcast to record in case I have to miss the good parts live.

My condolences to those of you who are still having winter. California is in full spring mode, with another four to eight weeks before the brutal heat of summer clamps down.

lucky: I think you can get darn fast on 20X miles a week if you make it count when you do run.

Igy: Good to hear.

Racerdb: A little break is good.

My week:

Tu: 39 min, road, Cemetery

Thur: 40 min steep rocky trail

Sat: 41 min very steep, very rocky trail, pushed hard, 575 feet of climbing

Sun: 42 min, very steep, very rocky trail. Unplanned. Tried to take it easy but legs were wobbly afterwards.

Good week. Continue to build the minutes and increase the intensity. With any luck all these hard trail miles will grow me a pair of calf muscles……which I’ve never had in 43 years of running. Goal is to get to 45 min Tu and Th, and 60 min on Sat and Sun. Then hold.

Have a good one folks.

Recovery week means time in the pool.

3 runs totaling 20 miles including 10 yesterday in 7:18/mile

2 spins totaling 90 min

3 lifting sessions with 1,050 sit-ups

4 swims totaling 6 1/8 miles including 2 today in 61:43. That was my CB time — my 10 mile race time to my 2 mile swim time over the years are almost spot on. 4 years ago both were comfortably around 59 min and now neither can break 61.

Like SCgal, I just entered the 10k in two weeks in Dedham.

Have a good week all.