50+ Masters Training and Racing Open Forum

My favorite ...

“In fact, there was only one other woman older than 60 who managed to beat her, and that was Joan Benoit Samuelson, the 1984 Olympic gold medalist and a former American record holder.“

Jeez LaGeez! That is a 104% WMA performance. I think Ed W only got 102-3%! I know older women's factors are soft, but still a very remarkable time under non-perfect conditions.

Allen1959 wrote:

Checking results of a dozen area half marathons, your time would have won all but two (F60-64): Syracuse (1:42:22) and Wineglass-Corning (1:39:23).

I'm mighty impressed with sub-1:40 at age 60+. My last sub-1:40 was five years ago, but that was on a downhill course. My last "honest" sub-1:40 was seven years ago (age 53).

And I am totally in awe of the woman who ran 3:27 at Chicago at age 70!

Thanks, KC. I actually have the handout from our women's running retreat with the lunge matrix, myrtl, runners super 6, some prehab, drills, dynamic flexibility, and rope stretching on it. But I didn't remember how to do the lunge matrix (or about half the stuff on it), so thanks for the link to the video. You are correct, I've slacked into "just running" - time to correct that!

amkelley wrote:

Allen1959 wrote:

Checking results of a dozen area half marathons, your time would have won all but two (F60-64): Syracuse (1:42:22) and Wineglass-Corning (1:39:23).

I'm mighty impressed with sub-1:40 at age 60+. My last sub-1:40 was five years ago, but that was on a downhill course. My last "honest" sub-1:40 was seven years ago (age 53).

And I am totally in awe of the woman who ran 3:27 at Chicago at age 70!

But why? ? That's total out of this world genetics.

How many 70 yr old women could even run a mile let alone finish a marathon? I often wonder why as a society we always "ooh and aah” the gentically gifted? What about the 70 yr woman or man who struggles just to finish a marathoner in under 5 hrs?

Their accomplishment of finishing a marathon where they don't have a fraction of the genetics some of these anti-agers have is not recognized and no one really cares. All the accolades go to the genetically gifted in the running world. It's a case of "haves vs have nots." The gentically-challenged can work their butts off and get nowhere other than logging a long list of injuries and slow times while the genetically gifted set records and get all the glory.

This attitude is really annoying. As far as being genetically gifted, so are Katelyn Tuohy, Shalane Flanagan, Mo Farah.

But it also takes a lot of hard work and perseverance to become a top runner. So enough with this it's the genetics stuff.

Agreed. I'm a chemistry professor at a state university. I see many kids who find chemistry really hard, bust their butts studying, go to review sessions and office hours, get tutoring, and still can barely scrape by with a C. I also see the occasional kid who masters everything at first sight and breezes through with A's with very little effort. I respect the hard-working C students, but I admire the super-bright A students. Same idea with runners. I respect the hard-working 5-hour marathoners, but I admire the 3:27 70-year-old.

Reminds me of The Penguin. Yes, The Penguin. I was coaching at Blinn College in Brenham, Texas (Bluebell Ice Cream) at the time (1982-83). The Penguin shows up and asks if he can walk-on. Mihaly Igloi would coach anyone, including me, so why should I decline? The Penguin ran like the nickname he was given by the team. Never finished a race other than last and was always respected and cheered by his teammates. About a year ago I received a call “Coach Harter, I don’t know if you remember me, this is The Penguin.” I think my response was something like “How could I not remember you Rodger. How have you been all these years.”

Igy

Talent will get you admiration and envy, hard work will get you respect and struggle; the two together will get you records.

BS!...if you don't have the GENETICS all the "hard work and perseverance" doesn't mean anything! Otherwise, you could take every freaking HS runner in America who's dedicated and hard working, and turn them into D-1 runners and elites. But very, very few make it to that level, any anyone who understands genetics and sports would know this.

I'm a late 50s broken down old stiff with a long history of chronic injuries & arthritis now who puts in a lot of "hard work and perseverance." But all I can handle is a painful 15 mpw and a ridiculous 8+ min 5k racing pace these days. I simply don't have running genetics to able get the mileage, speedwork and necessary training to run faster without injury. I know fast cats in my age group the masters running club I belong to who really don't train that hard, have a very low injury history and run very fast. So, either these guys have found the "fountain of youth" or it's superb genetics. ?

If you knew anything about genetics and running (i.e., talent trumps hard work) you wouldn't have given such a wiseguy comment!

As I have gotten older, I have found that I respect anyone who is putting one foot in front of the other. I think there must be nothing harder than the overweight person who struggles to work out, d/t known AND unknown factors, because their doctor told them to "lose weight and get into shape". I want to always tell them that a little bit of something every day is better than a lot of nothing after hurting themselves again trying to suddenly find that perfect fitness. Any time my wife or I get injured, our motto immediately becomes "just to run", not to run fast, or far, or race.

But that fast person, whether it's Eliod, Mo, or the 70 year old lady, had to put in the miles to get in shape to race like that. And that is also worthy of singing some praises, in my book. Yes, she's probably a "high responder" (they do exist) to training (that probably means genetically gifted) but she still trained AND was not afraid to go out and try her best.

Oh, congrats to KP on 100,000 miles! I checked, and I am over 78,000 on my odometer. Getting to 100k is going to be pretty tough for this 67 year old.

Weather forecast for Des Moines this Sunday looks nearly perfect! Yikes, a "no excuses" day!

Insanely genetically gifted. When I was a young buck and less injured (no OA!), I couldn't even run her time on a downhill course! Lol. You've got to have the right genetics for successful marathon running:

"Scientists have discovered that to run a marathon in a good time requires the right combination of genes and that nearly a fifth of the population lack this special mix.

For runners with the right genes, it means their bodies can quickly adapt to carry large amounts of oxygen to their muscles, allowing them to run faster and for longer.

Those who lack these genes, however, will never improve, no matter how much they train, and their performance may even get worse the harder they push themselves."

Genetics R Us wrote:

But why? ? That's total out of this world genetics.

How many 70 yr old women could even run a mile let alone finish a marathon? I often wonder why as a society we always "ooh and aah” the gentically gifted? What about the 70 yr woman or man who struggles just to finish a marathoner in under 5 hrs?

Their accomplishment of finishing a marathon where they don't have a fraction of the genetics some of these anti-agers have is not recognized and no one really cares. All the accolades go to the genetically gifted in the running world. It's a case of "haves vs have nots." The gentically-challenged can work their butts off and get nowhere other than logging a long list of injuries and slow times while the genetically gifted set records and get all the glory.

i agree with your assessment of the "genetically gifted"; however, your genetic gifts have allowed you to work a keyboard and string a few sentences together and yet you feel the need to achieve glory by posting on this thread.

clearly this 70 year old woman just woke up that morning and decided to run a marathon based on her gifts. for my part, i'll be happy just with the waking up part of that story...

in all seriousness, though, i think most of the legitimate posters on this thread are aware that on a relative scale, we've all won the gene lottery, and all the "glory" that it comes with, such as an occasional runnersworld article and an occasional pat on the back by our peers. if it also means we have to deal with idiots who feel the need to denigrate and/or ignore our hard work and persistence (yes, the genetically gifted have to deal with injuries, too) where many would, and have, quit (and there's nothing wrong with that--we all have limits to our patience and perseverance), then so be it...

carpe crepusculem,

cush

knee gene good, hip gene suspect and lymph gene failed

Igy

Speaking of Gifted Genes:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N6JLawaIcmk

Good one, Igy, and you now have "medical treatment gene" on your side, too! :)

Genetically gifted folks still put in the miles, just like we all do, a step at a time. Sure would like to be stepping as fast as that wonderful 70 year old lady did, but I will still be happy to finish the 1/2 marathon this Sunday, barring the unforeseen.

Ghost of Igloi wrote:

knee gene good, hip gene suspect and lymph gene failed

Igy

I would say your bravery and sense of humor genes are excellent!

First thing I thought of after reading the whiny post bad genes stuff was the dude has no idea how lucky he is.

I have lost 2 siblings to cancer(lung and pancreatic) had 3 skin cell cancers one of em nasty and got to say it gives one perspective when it comes to fast times or what ever. I do admire the hard work consistency stuff I lack but also feel ok with how I train because I keep perspective and know how to keep running fun for me in spite of set backs . Used to be I was a drama queen about running no more. Hey I got a 2 year sub 6 streak for 60 , 61 maybe I will extend it to 3 nice thing about running AOS is setting goals not crying about what is on at the other guys plate.

Genetics R Us wrote:

How many 70 yr old women could even run a mile let alone finish a marathon? I often wonder why as a society we always "ooh and aah” the gentically gifted? What about the 70 yr woman or man who struggles just to finish a marathoner in under 5 hrs?

Having gone out on the turkey trot course this morning with my beloved, who is aiming to run a sub-50 in her first-ever 5K, and after surgery on her ticker no less, I can totally get behind the anonymous poster's comment.

By the way, if anyone knows a good source for bombastic turkey costumes, please share. I'm pacing her during the race and would like to be wearing the largest turkey outfit I can find or piece together. Think Paul Simon on SNL, or larger:

Thanks MikeL. Here is radioactive Igy’s last zap for now.

https://imgur.com/a/0ehXwrX