50+ Masters Training and Racing Open Forum

Charlie wrote:

"In the Wednesday chat, McPherson argued for his innocence by noting he and his wife are deacons in the Second Baptist Church of Lubbock and has good standing in the community, having done optometry for 20 years."

So waz BTK. ... OFF WITH HIS HEAD

BTK was a Lutheran but still lol,. I just love their excuses. "It was the meat"

On night shift so able to use the work computer. Unable to get myself unblocked from my own computer/phone.

Mon. 34 km bike ride /420 metres elevation gain. 1 hr 25 min.

Tue. 34 minute New Year kayak session on the waterhole. Followed by 8 km ride in 18 mins. Long drive to camp at Freeburgh.

Wed. Morning run/hike with Scottish buddy Fiona and my long time partner in mountain crime Greg.

Point to point 22 kms with 1900 metres of elevation gain in about 4 hr 30 minsClimbed from Harrietville up to Mt Feathertop (No.2 State highest) then back off the summit then along the rugged Razorback and up to the summit of Mt Hotham to finish. Cooked, sunny day with temps at 1800 metres of 28 deg C at the finish.

Thu. Pretty cruisey 25 km ride with 360 metres elevation gain in 1 hour. Hot.

Fri. 55 minute river kayak session.

Sat. 8 km moderately hilly trail run in 47 mins.

Sun. 11 km moderately hilly trail run in 1 hr 2 mins.

So far this week.

Mon. 1 hr 45 mins total time for a river kayak, including plenty of hauling up and over huge logs. Actual paddle time was about 1 hr 20 mins, pretty solid work.

Tue. 50 km hot bike ride 700 plus metres elevation gain, 38 deg C. 2 hours.

Wed. Weary15 km testing trail run, 250 metres elevation gain, 1 hr 30 mins.

Cycling Old Fart wrote:

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/90-year-old-pursuit-world-champion-given-public-warning-for-anti-doping-violation/

Pete's sake the cat was tested six times since 2012?!? He's got to be the Lance Armstrong of Senior cycling.

Lets try this:

https://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1074003/usada-chief-tygart-explains-reasoning-for-test-on-90-year-old-amateur-cyclist

So it's all WADA's fault.

I've looked at this thread on occasion but this is my 1st time posting I noticed mention of the 20 mile race. I'm also planning on it. I've been there before. Ran it as a teenager (when it seemed to be much more competitive - the times I would put me on the podium now but I couldn't make my age-group podium then!) as well as recently. M 55.

OK, here's what I did to prepare:

Last long run was 3-1/2 weeks ago (Monday). I did 20-1/2 (maybe close to 21) and was in the 7:30s for a while. A little over halfway I saw a guy going a decent pace and eventually reeled him in, He was probably going about 7:50 and I stayed with him. I very rarely run with anyone and it was cool to talk to this guy who's in the age-group represented here and is and/or at least has been very competitive.

A little less than 3 weeks ago (Saturday I think) I did a fartlek structured as follows: 5 min. hard, 1 min. easy; 4 hard, 1 easy; 3, 1; 2, 1; 1, 1. That's 15 minutes hard, 20 total. Did 6 cycles of that. 2 hours total, 90 min hard. It took 15-1/2 miles. 1mile WU; 1 CD. 17-1/2 total.

About 2 weeks ago I did 14 mostly at 7:10 but wind slowed down some sections so ended up averaging around 7:12. 1-1/2 WU; same CD, for 17 miles total.

This was 11 days out: 10X1-1/2. First was 10:34 then mostly 10;18-10:23 (one of them was 10:27) until the last 2 which were 10:06 and 10:03. 1-1/2 WU, same CD. 18 total.

This left enough time for 1 more medium day (Monday). 3 miles in 20:52, negative split. After that fartlek of 20X :45 fast/ :30 slow. This 25 min. took a little more than 3 miles (came through 3 in 22:00). 9-1/2 for the day with assorted jogging.

I have been doing around 60mpw last few months with occasional down week every couple months or so. Anyway, wondering how many of you in N.Cal are going to Clarksburg. I've seen a few mention it in this thread. Where do you all hang out in the lunchroom afterwards? Good luck to all, Brian.

Charlie wrote:

Race Walker, 60, Under Doping Ban Blames Testers or Tainted Lotion

"In the Wednesday chat, McPherson argued for his innocence by noting he and his wife are deacons in the Second Baptist Church of Lubbock and has good standing in the community, having done optometry for 20 years."

So waz BTK. ... OFF WITH HIS HEAD Them eye doctors are kinda shady justice is blind if peds were legal there would be no cheaters tons of sponsor money like the senior tour lance got a raw deal trump is in cahoots with big pharm that wall is to keep us out of mexico ok back to youtube

Hey...I wouldn't knock it - them shady eye doctors make good dough! ? I was a young dude just out of HS, I thought about becoming an optometrist - but I just didn't have the eyes fot it. ?

I took the plunge and entered the Clarksburg 20-miler this morning after seeing no mention of fog anywhere in the weather forecasts.

I have never done this race before, since the usual date puts it just one week after a half-marathon that is much closer to home. But with the postponement this year Clarksburg comes at a convenient time, or at least as convenient as a 2-hour drive can be.

You are way, way faster than I am. I'm hoping to get under 3 hours (F60), which would give me some confidence that I can get under 4 hours for a marathon. It's been 15 years since I've run a race longer than a half-marathon so I really don't know what's going to happen out there. I just hope I can make it another

amkelley wrote:

I took the plunge and entered the Clarksburg 20-miler this morning after seeing no mention of fog anywhere in the weather forecasts.

I have never done this race before, since the usual date puts it just one week after a half-marathon that is much closer to home. But with the postponement this year Clarksburg comes at a convenient time, or at least as convenient as a 2-hour drive can be.

You are way, way faster than I am. I'm hoping to get under 3 hours (F60), which would give me some confidence that I can get under 4 hours for a marathon. It's been 15 years since I've run a race longer than a half-marathon so I really don't know what's going to happen out there. I just hope I can make it another

Hey, great! I'm glad to see the 20 living on. I grew up running in Sac area and it used to be one of the big events on the calendar. Once CIM came along and picked up popularity and prestige the Pepsi 20 (unlikely corporate sponsor!) may not have been as big a deal.... It's funny that I ran it in the 6:30s in my youth (very long ago but I remember doing 2:11 once) and I was buried so far back in the back that I may have come in top 100 but could end up top 10 on a good day now!

The date changing this year actually works well for me, too, and it seems the weather should be OK. I was planning on signing up at the pickup tomorrow morning. I left the area decades ago and normally live and train near Lake Tahoe now. I came down a few weeks ago to get ready for this race and another back in December that was a postponed Turkey Trot. It's cool to run the American River bike trail, the training ground of my youth.

It seems like I saw mention of some of you doing the HM at Clarksburg, so maybe several regulars from this forum will be there. I always enjoy looking at training from the masses and from more exclusive groups like the sub 2:30 and OTQ attempt threads, so I'm glad so many of you are on the boards and sharing information. Well, see some of you there!

First Timer wrote:

.... It's funny that I ran it in the 6:30s in my youth (very long ago but I remember doing 2:11 once) and I was buried so far back in the back that I may have come in top 100 but could end up top 10 on a good day now!

That reminds me of a marathon near here. As a youth, I placed a lackluster 9th in the M18-24 age group, and way back at 53rd spot overall (1,600 runners). In 2017, my time would have won it by five minutes! It was a little more competitive last year, but my time would still have been good enough for third (only about 800 runners nowadays).

There are a lot more races these days, so the competition is pretty diluted. During the summer, every weekend there are a dozen nearby 5Ks. Winning times are often so slow, I could have won one every week! I actually did win one last year, running not much under 20 minutes. Crazy!

Enjoy that 20-mile race! I've raced 30K a couple times, never 20 miles. Sounds fun! (no, I won't be there ... long ways from the Northeast, although my wife and I trekked out to run Big Sur Marathon a few years back. She had lived in SF for many years before I knew her ... we met in a running club in 1997, ha!)

Hey Mo'pac, here's hoping you get your computer mo' back. LRC is such a weird antiquated system.

Well, I had an epiphany on Thursday, four days late (that's a religious joke). Hadn't been feeling great since Chicago, but powered through two hard workouts and a lackluster 5K anyway. This week, after a speed workout on the TM, it was like all the life got sapped out of me. Went home, slept 11 hours, ran a recovery jog Thursday ... and realized I was having trouble getting my heart rate up into the recovery zone. Next morning my back ached, just a little.

Hmmmm.... a light bulb went on. I reached for my training log and looked at how many rest days I'd taken. Just 22 rest days in 12+ months, less than one every two weeks and no more than two rest days in a row.

I asked the group a while ago, "Who around here takes breaks?" and got mixed responses. But I think I have enough warning signs here.

So I'm going to take 1-3 weeks off then get ready, Jack Daniels-style, for the indoor track meet in Wichita. (Dr. Jack says if you only have two weeks before a race, do Phase I weeks 1-2.)

Now all I have to do is actually rest. I spent three hours today outside, shoveling a foot of wet, heavy snow during a midwinter deluge, and another three hours jumping up and down aerobically cheering the Chiefs to victory. Thank heavens for the working week when I can take it easy ...

KC Geezer,

I think it may be a wise move. This week I took a hard look at my training. I was planning to do four indoor races over a period of five weeks. My wife scolded me “I don’t know why you are beating your head against a wall.” And she was correct. I need to get back to the most elementary level of the sport before I consider racing again. My running endocrinologist (diagnosed me) friend also recommended I get back in the gym. Fundamentals first.

Igy

Years ago I used to post on the old masters thread when I was running a lot of miles and coaching. I do neither now but have started to run again somewhat after a DVT and PE in October. A little sobering though I was lifting, hiking, and crossfitting within a few days after the ER doctor told me she was surprised I was alive. What a moment! Anyway, my week included a lot of different exercise and about 10 miles worth of running.

Glad you got the medical care you needed. How old are you?

I’m just 53. Was running 100mpw and still reasonably quick until age 42, when coaching took over my life completely. As for the DVT: worst pain I’ve ever felt. I’d wondered, too, why I couldn’t breathe very well for the previous couple of months. Thought it was walking pneumonia! I feel normal now.

I am 68, relegated to walking and running because of my own health issues. I am keeping my upper limit at 50 miles and limiting my racing to 5k and under. That is reasonable for someone my vintage.

Ghost of Igloi wrote:

I am 68, relegated to walking and running because of my own health issues. I am keeping my upper limit at 50 miles and limiting my racing to 5k and under. That is reasonable for someone my vintage.

50 mpw of running @ 68 is quite commendable. Kudos

No, I wish, running and walking. Probably 30/20 mix, but not bad for my age, but nothing special.

Ghost of Igloi wrote:

No, I wish, running and walking. Probably 30/20 mix, but not bad for my age, but nothing special.

30 is terrific, especially if it’s legit running. Too many hobby joggers think they are runners.