50+ Masters Training and Racing Open Forum

I read this years ago, and it was widely quoted in following years. Track and Field News had a periodical the Little Red Book, and it had a variety of statistics, such as the increased distance run from the curb. Here is the point taken from the previous study that I recalled.

“The energy cost of overcoming air resistance in track running may be 7·5% of the total energy cost at middle distance speed and 13% at sprint speed. Running 1 m behind another runner virtually eliminated air resistance and reduced V̇ O2 by 6·5% at middle distance speed.”

Perhaps newer research would use a lower number.

$246 ..... should have never left my dogged ear and tattered copy at my last coaching job....

I don’t believe it was a periodical, but it was a valuable resource and a part of many coaches’ toolboxes. Nowadays a smartphone is a more comprehensive and functional resource.

It was a periodical. This one the Gold Book. Here is one from 2017:

https://www.amazon.com/Track-Field-News-Gold-Book/dp/0911521704

Guess someone found it easier than a phone.

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Gold Book: Tafnews Press; First printed 2005, updated 2008, 2011, 2012 and 2017 edition (May 4, 2017). The other iterations other than Red, were Green, Blue, and Yellow, perhaps other colors, if I recall correctly. My Red Book was given to me by one of the great track and field announcers. Drawing a blank on his last name, first name Fred. Big man, Texan, from Houston, has since passed away, decade or more. Speaking of that,, announcing track and field, at the meet, is an art. Few can do it well, moving to the various, field and running events.

Found him: J. Fred Duckett

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._Fred_Duckett

Updating something every few years does not make it a periodical. Do you consider dictionaries and encyclopedias to be periodicals? Periodicals are things like magazines or newspapers...things published at regular intervals.

OK then, substitute “revised numerous times over decades.” Happy now? Immaterial to the original point. Find something else to argue about.

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No one was arguing. Chill.

Coureur des bois wrote:

Nice work Charlie. You have some wheels!

Well I think I can go faster;) Three months ago a 51 high 300 left me gassed . So 17low per 100 compared to 17.75 for 2x400 much better endurance slightly better speed. My ultimate 400 goal is something you might consider. Running a 400 in fewer seconds than your years on this earth. So at 66 running 65.xx . For me at 64 is not going to happen .

in fewer seconds than years age groups starting at 60 up thru 75 it is accomplished frequently. Just 2 months before I turn 64 gives me enough years to give it a good go. On a good track no wind WAG 68 low. But I feel like I can recover some more speed if I take my time and not get injured.

2019 400 list of men who beat their age:

number who did it - age group

1 -50 53 51.84 Khalid Mulazim 97.45 AG

10 -55

46 -60

60 -65

37 -70

23 -75

6 -80

3 -85

1 -90 Earl Fee 129.15 AG of 111 percent

speaking of Earl Here is nice 400 M80 of Earl getting his but kicked;)

As far as running speed and impact damage well as you lose elasticity you run slower as the energy that was stored in your tendons is no longer returned . Well that lack of stretch means the energy is turned into impact stress OUCH. That is why I do most of my runs on soft sand.

Not a scheduled running day for me, but it was such a beautiful day I had to go to the track on my lunch hour. 88 F. and sunny with a deep blue sky overhead.

I love tracks. Not because I am fast anymore but because going to the track reminds me of being young. Especially when it's hot out, like at the end of August before school starts, but the cross country team is already practicing and doing 440 intervals. Well, it was 440 yards back in my day. Pete Pfitzinger was our #1. He led the 440's in 65 or so, and I struggled to hang onto the back of the pack at 67 or 68. Coach Young had gone to Alabama, and the story was that he had roomed with Joe Namath. We had a triangular cinder track. Never seen another one.

I took it real easy today: 2 miles at Brittle Master Shuffle pace, in 23:21 (11:41 mile pace).

Brittle Master 1958 wrote:

I love tracks.because going to the track reminds me of being young.

I took it real easy today: 2 miles at Brittle Master Shuffle pace, in 23:21 (11:41 mile pace).

Yeah! Tracks! My favorite track old Uof O Hayward Field track. Lots of amazing history you could just feel it!

BTW I was doing 15 minute miles today;) and felt pretty good doing em.

Learning how to run slow has been the key for me. Looks silly but works.

Charlie wrote:

BTW I was doing 15 minute miles today;) and felt pretty good doing em.

Learning how to run slow has been the key for me. Looks silly but works.

Charlie, what do you like about running slow? I have read a lot of people recommend it for various reasons, starting with Joe Henderson.

How does it help you? Sure doesn't seem to hurt your 400 speed.

Recovery while maintaining and advancing fitness. Tossing out the idea of heart rate training zones opened my eyes. I spend most of my time running below 50 percent of Max Heart Rate. I believe that just getting air ie jumping from one foot to the others provides plenty of stress. When I say jumping I mean any air time what so ever.

Allows me to meet my running volume goal safely. Just run by time not distance or pace if I feel tired or sore I just slow down without changing the workout. At 20 minute per mile pace people walk past me ok have a nice day.

Skipping rope lets say you skipped rope for 50 minutes a day whew! That would be tough well slow jogging is kinda like skipping rope in slow motion!

Here is my inspiration:

https://youtu.be/9L2b2khySLE

Brittle Master 1958 wrote:

I love tracks. Not because I am fast anymore but because going to the track reminds me of being young.

I detest tracks. They remind me of running fast, or particularly doing intervals, both of which were painful. The only track I ever used much was the one at the University of Rochester, and after a while just the scent of that track would make me feel a bit nauseous.

Give me an open road, or better yet a smooth dirt trail, a cool day, and no time constraints on my morning and let me run easy for a long time. Yeah.

Charlie wrote:

Recovery while maintaining and advancing fitness. Tossing out the idea of heart rate training zones opened my eyes. I spend most of my time running below 50 percent of Max Heart Rate. I believe that just getting air ie jumping from one foot to the others provides plenty of stress. When I say jumping I mean any air time what so ever.

Charlie, thanks for your great response to my question. I will watch the video.

You should have seen me running today on the track at 11:41 mile pace. I think I got more vertical air than horizontal stride length. Just call me "Air Brittle."

I felt great afterward, not tired at all, but nevertheless got in 2 miles in 88 F. under the bright sun. If I had run 2 mins/mile faster in those conditions, they would have had to scrape me off the synthetic track surface afterward.

amkelley wrote:

The only track I ever used much was the one at the University of Rochester

Ha, I went to high school in Pittsford, NY, a suburb of Rochester.

By the way, I have been thinking about your need for speed, and I think I have your solution:

HILLS.

Frank Shorter said, "Hills are speedwork in disguise."

You should run hills. You will get the strength and power benefits of running fast on a track, but since you won't actually be going fast, you won't have increased injury risks.

I know California has hills, so you are golden. (See what I did there? California is the "Golden State"...you live in California...ergo "you are golden.")

The only drawback to hills versus speedwork is that on hills you don't get the neurophysical benefits of fast leg turnover as you would on a track. But you can even get some fast leg turnover, if you jog fast down the hill in between your uphill running reps.

Just a thought. Also hit the weights, especially squats and dead lifts. You don't need a barbell for these. You can use dumbbells (one dumbbell in each hand). This is what I am doing since I don't have access to my gym these days. (Not sure when I will dare go back.)

I lived in Rochester from 1987 to 1999 while on the faculty at the U of R. I ran a number of races in Pittsford. Nice area.

I now live in a really flat area, but there is one short but quite steep hill just a mile from home and I used to occasionally do hill repeats on it. Then five years ago I blew up my right Achilles. I've recovered to the point where I can mostly run on level ground without trouble, but steep hills are a no-no. Just last week I decided I was bored with my usual running routes and I tried one rep of that hill. My Achilles has been decidedly more sore than usual ever since. Bad idea.

Getting old sucks, but I'll keep holding it together with duct tape and baling wire for as long as I can.