50+ Masters Training and Racing Open Forum

BigRed,

Thanks for the input. Still trying to figure out this marathon fueling. 89F yesterday at 6pm(start time). One “BIG” positive is that it will be at night which is exponentially better than 89F under the sun. Going with the salted bread balls with a little banana thrown in. Had a custom belt made that has 6 slots for each bag. Yep, I’m a little goofy but at least I will be wearing Next 2 and not my beyond ugly DIY shoes.

Orient,

Have run 5 marathons. Only once felt like I nailed it and that was 74F at start. The rest I had issues that slowed me down. There are about 5-10 big marathons each year around me that are 78F +( I do not partake ) and the winning 55+ times are around 2:55. That will be a challenge for me but not winning is something I’m cool with and expected.

Big training week and body feels great. Haven't weighed myself but skinny as I've been in years and guessing 155lbs. 47 miles running and another 7.5 hours on the treadmill at steep inclines but most of it very easy. Today I plan on only a few miles then a 3 mile tempo tomorrow. The rest of the week will be 3-5 mile relaxed runs until the marathon.

10.01 Mon

** 75 °F Run 0.5 4:19 8:35/mi 117 bpm

**73 °F Run 16.3 1:50:38 6:48/mi 145 bpm 8.5 milea@6:13/mi + 2.5 @6:05/mi

11.01 Tue

**Tread 15% incline 1:11:02 114 bpm

** Tread 15% incline 44:03:00 108 bpm

12.01 Wed

**Tread 15% incline 48:09:00 129 bpm 16x1 min ints @ 3k effort

**Tread 15% incline 1:04:07 116 bpm

13.01 Thu

**82 °F Run 6.3 47:29:00 7:34/mi 131 bpm

**Tread 15% incline 23:07 108 bpm

14.01 Fri

**75 °F Run 13 1:35:45 7:22/mi 136 bpm HOT and MUGGY -4 miles 5:56/mi +2 MP

**Tread 15% incline 1:04:10 119 bpm

15.01 Sat

**Tread 15% incline 50:02:00 114 bpm **84 °F Run 7.9 1:05:16 8:19/mi 120 bpm

16.01 Sun

**Tread 15% incline 1:30:02 128 bpm 16x1 min ints @ 3k effor

** 82 °F Run 2.4 29:59:00 12:22/mi 104 bpm

KPdx wrote:

Dave,

Your AG% Goals Are Stellar. And I would never bet against you.

I've only hit 94% for 800/1500 back in my M45-47 banner years. I did hit 90% again in the 800 last summer. But, hell man, I can never get close to 90 for anything longer than One stinking mile.

I'm at 107k lifetime miles and counting.

Here's a fun fact. How many races have you run? I think my count is around 1000. 1001 is you count that freakin' redux M60 1500 at USATF Outdoor Natty's last summer; stopped us at 1100 meters only make us line up again!

How many races Mike F?

KP

Thanks, KP! Would love to meet up for a mile race someday. And Dayam!!! That's a helluva lot of lifetime miles. I must have really been a slacker in my younger days.

I chose the 90% figure for my goal races since shooting for 89% would just be dumb! I hit 90% in 29 races ranging from the mile thru the half marathon, at ages 48 thru age 57. I know how to get there, now I just need stop messing around and do it!

Career races? 583. Most of them being 5K (152 ) & 10K (127)

Had a decent 27 mile week last week transitioning back after getting over my 'cold'. Ran a 5 miler in Northern MI yesterday in -3 degrees!!! Took today off after a long late drive home. Just laid out my training plan leading up to a HM at the end of May. It's all stuff that has gotten me to good place in previous years so hoping for the best again. I like to have a plan to look at and follow. I'll be going into my HM training phase with little to no physical issues, my cold is gone, and I'm somewhat confidant! Gotta get my head back in the game though.

That's it from here, time to stop messing around!

Have a good run,

Dave

Base week for me. It has been cold (for here), foggy and sometimes icy.

Mon - 45min TM

Tues - am - 35min - pm - track 10x300m

Wed - 55min

Thurs - am - 40min - pm - track 5x600m

Fri - 30min TM

Sat - 30min including 21:34 parkrun (couple of long drags, icy tarmac and frozen mud)

Sun - 85min

Total 85km/53miles

May all your runs be good

ATP, your training week looks quite solid!

RacerDB, 583 races in the career so far, fantastic. Wish you a few hundreds more to come!

Robert E. Lee and Allen1959 – my best wishes for your quick recovery!

My week was not bad (on my scale):

Mon – off

Tue – 72 min skiing, well below LT effort/bpm (easy to easy-moderate)

Wed – off (unplanned, too late from work)

Thu – 74 min skiing, similar to Tue

Fri – 62 min skiing, incl. 13 min @LT pace and 14 min slightly slower LT

Sat – 82 min skiing, incl. 27 min @LT pace

Sun – 80 min skiing, incl. 28 min @LT pace

Subtotal: 370 min

The weather was quite changeable this week and so was ski sliding. E.g., on the same very course at approximately the same effort (LT) the pace varied from 5:55 min/mi on Fri through 7:20 on Sat and 6:45 on Sun.

Happy running (skiing, biking, kayaking, etc.) to everybody!

Mon. 65 min kayak and a 3.6 km 150 m elev gain fast hike.

Tue. Short elliptical and rowing . A 1.7 km 140 m elev gain fast hike then a 21.5 km spin on the mtn bike 69 mins.

Wed. Steep trot up and down the steep single track twice 2.4 km 170 m elev gain 30 mins.

8 km run trying to put in some 800 metre efforts but hammy/hips/glutes playing up. Just easy shuffle last few kms 48 mins. ((37 deg C).

Thu. 32 km mtn bike on flat sandy rough dirt rds/tracks 98 mins. 36 deg C.

Fri. 66 min kayak on the fast flowing Murray, twice as fast paddling downstream. Jogged a slow 2.2 km.

Afternoon a slow 3 km shuffle.

Sat. A slow 2.6 km shuffle then 1 km of stairs and ramps at the wharf.

Impromptu 32 min kayak at Barmah Lake with some Murray River thrown in. 25 km mtn bike along flat dirt roads/tracks alongside the Murray.

Sundy. Just a brisk 8 km walking loop of Moama.

I have managed to hit 20 to 25000 steps each day this week.

Been on family hols at Moama on the NSW Vic border since wed. Just trying to do enough to stay in some sort of shape.

Everybody knows the rules

As we age we lose youthful things like elasticity of body and mind.

Altos time , rethink aging. Big money big brains foreveryoung for some

https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/altos-labs-launches-with-the-goal-to-transform-medicine-through-cellular-rejuvenation-programming-301463541.html

Nickel and Dimes IOW supplements like NMN and NAC ect might help one to slow down aging until the big reboot is figured out.

Not if but when and who gets to partake in the cure for old age? maybe I can get a job cleaning toilets and they will have an employee discount?

Looking for some suggestions on how to structure my training from here to the USATF Indoor Master Championships on March 18-20 where I plan to run the 800 as main event and maybe the 1500.

Background: had been injured most of last year (knee first, then hamstring, always with a lingering achilles weakness) and got back into running in August progressively building up my milage. In December I strung 5 weeks at 45+ miles with a 60 miles week and a few 10-12x400 track workouts. A couple of weeks ago I raced a 5K and was in decent shape, less than a minute from what I think I could run. The week after, I run some hills and my achilles flared up. Took a few days off and only run twice/week + some elliptical. I think I dodged the bullet and this week resumed running every day, planning to run ~40 miles this week of mostly easy with a hills session, a tempo and a 13-14 miles easy run. Basically, 2 months away from the meet I am still at base phase. I think my aerobic fitness is decent, but I have no speed. How to transition to race shape without getting injured?

The week after, I run some hills and my achilles flared up. Took a few days off and only run twice/week + some elliptical. I think I dodged the bullet

What I would do if I was in your shoes

Achilles rehab stuff google Keith Barr tendon

Walk a ton

All out stuff on Bike Standing on pedals using a running motion

- 4x30' all out with full recovery like 4 minutes if you recovery faster you did em too easy

- LT to Vo2 find a steep hill long enough to keep you huffing and puffing for at least 20 minutes

Carefully build to race effort mix of barefoot or track or shallow hill like 2 or 3 percent or treadmill

find a way to get as close to race conditions with the least risk of reInjury .

2 weeks out if my achilles was doing well I would a half race distance at goal race pace like 800 at 1500 goal pace or 1500 at 3k race pace then see how much I hurt make adjustments if things go south the throw in the towel set new goals and build on my fitness

Thanks for the advice. I can't ride a bike in this area, but will incorporate some elliptical in my training and see how it goes.

Can't sleep so a quick post. The night Buriram Marathon was last night and did OK. Finished in 2:49:42 and 12th out of around 6,000 that started. The total is a guess but 5,000 finished and I was passing runners the last half that looked like DNF's and weren't included in the final 5,100 that finished.

Strange race and hot waiting at the start. It was about 83F and then 5 minutes before the gun we got dumped on. The first 15 minutes was splashing through a formula one race course and coming out of that the rain stopped an the heat started to become an issue. Most the runners thought the it was pleasant and ran like it was 60F. It didn't end well for most of these and by 13 miles most were regretting it. I too went out to fast but after 5:50 for the first mile I slowed down and by mile 10 was averaging 6:08. Too fast but my heart rate was close enough to where I wanted it.

After the race, decide I'm going to go back to my strengths which are 10k to halfs. Can't seem to figure out the last 6 miles of a marathon and have done 6 now. I'm bigger than all the other faster guys and they seem to not suffer nearly as much as I do the last 6. I could stop the upper body workouts but I want to be more than just a runner so that isn't happening.

In the end, another race that I gave everything and more into the competition. My average heart rate was 8 beats higher than the 155 I usually average. It was not easy hold in 170 the last 3-4 miles when I was feeling awful.

I could ramble on because sleep ain't in the cards. Won't put all of you through that and off to take a walk around the lake in front of the bungalow. Fishermen are throwing out nets and life goes on.

Hi all -

M- 60:00 on treadmill (welcome to winter in January)

T- 10M: 8(800/400) @ HMP/MP for 9:10 pace for the middle 6M - in a good place with 12 weeks until Boston

W- 60:00 on treadmill

Th- 55:00 on treadmill

F- 55:00 on treadmill (temps well below freezing and ice on the road equals indoor running)

S- 15km race; nothing but uphill and downhill. placed 2nd in my age division. I have never placed in this race. 18 degrees at the start. Good effort.

45 miles for the week.

Three good 3-week training blocks remain before the final taper block.

Enjoy the week

BigMango,

Congratulations on your successful race in such "human-unfriendly" conditions! You are only 6 min after the overall winner, very impressive!

I find your considerations about body build quite reasonable, so perhaps switching to shorter distances will be advantageous for you. Also share your thoughts about upper body (from an XC skier standpoint though).

Have a good recovery!

Thanks Orient and I was happy with the result. Too many younger guys coming up into the 50+ AG that are better at the marathon. Beat them in the shorter races so that will be my focus. I'm now in the 55 AG so might enter a marathon at the end of the year in that AG but only a couple choices because 55+ is not a common category.

Well done Big Mango. 2.49 in less than ideal conditions is great stuff.

My week was not too impressive. I am still working on the hips, glutes and hamstrings but improvement is slow.

I have the rescheduled 4 Peaks event starting thursday through to sunday. Certainly not as fit as I was when I did the phantom event in November.

Mon. Still away on family holiday. Slow 2.6 km morning shuffle. Walked in excess of 12 kms for the day as well.

My wife dropped me upstream and I had a fast downhill kayak paddle for 35mins plus 5 mins of hard upstream to finish off.

Tue. Easy 2.5 km shuffle. Then a strong 40 km mtn bike ride on sandy forest road, pancake flat. 1 hr 50 m.

Also 10 kms of walking.

Wed. Short row and elliptical. Ran 10 km rugged single track through the McIvor Range 400 metres of elevation gain 90 mins. Also 10 kms of walking.

Thu. 2.7 km run on some steep single track with last 500 m on steep road at all out effort. Did some stairs and some hilly recovery walking. I had also done 10 kms of walking earlier.

21 km mtn bike ride in 1 hour.

Fri. Parked at the top of Hayes Hill, walked the km + down then ran hard to the top 1.2 very steep kms, easy jog 750 m down the other side the all out back up the steep 750 metres. Total 2.7 kms 200 metres elevation gain.

A 47 min kayak. Also 10 min rowing and 3 x 3 km walks.

Sat. 31 km mixed bag mtn bike ride 1 hr 43 min.

Did a steep 12 km hike in the evening after the temp had dropped under 30C.

Sunday. 7 kms of walking in the morning.

Afternoon. Parked the car on the Mt Alexander Rd and walked a couple of kms down. Then a grinding 6 km run up to the top 420 m elevation gain. Pretty slow. Warm, 34 C. Jogged 3.3 kms back down to the car, picked up the last section to test the hammies, tight but not hurting at 5 ish km pace, didn't want to go any quicker just in case.

Only 30 kms of running but over 70 kms of walking and more than 90 kms on the bike. I am on lomg service leave so have extra free time re. the walking. I always walk alot anyway but was monitoring it this week.

3 easy days to try and prepare the mind and body for 4 hard days in the mountains.

Greetings, fellow 50+ers. This will be a short post as I am officially on the IR with this calf/Achilles strain. There is no significant running mileage to report for this week. I have been taking daily short walks without any issues. But I also did a pair of walk/jog sessions which let me know I’m not yet ready for prime time. So the plan is for more rest and a gradual increase in the activity level. I hope to have better news to report next week.

Best to most.

Greetings Masters Of Father Time.

Way under the norm temps here in GA has me adjusting workouts on and off the track. We have a 12degree hill in downtown Rome that makes for a perfect 30-40sec interval session. Called ClockTower. My workouts are what I coach the high schoolers (occasionally) so I can FEEL what I am asking them to do. Starts with a 2 mile slow tempo on the track rolling into 4x4x4 = 4 ClockTower, 4 East 5th Streets (longer 3-level hill), 4 ClockTower. For old man me there is no need for a CORE workout as these babies make your arms go numb and your guts feel like the last burning 30 secs of planks.

Hoping to race an indoor 800 at the Ali Track in a few weeks. Does anyone care to join me?

KP

Recovery....Base....Speed....Race

Sciatica much better back to base training.

More exercises for back from this guy bashbackpain

Training

One run a sand run for an hour 40 easy,1 5 warmup and 5 minutes at 3k effort

Bunch of bike riding

Lots of walking

Lots of POTS Power Off Tread Sled on my new to me PS100 True treadmill

Now I do my power off forward/backward pushing, like a sled , at home. Amazing workout.

The PS100 is almost as good as the PS800 at the gym. Built like a tank. 400 mile round trip to Medford to save 3k. Seller was an interesting English expat 73 veggie with long hair strong as an ox. next morning I felt strong so I unloaded this monster by myself. Backed the Taco up to my stairs used a 3/4 inch piece of plywood as a bridge from tailgate to landing at top of stairs.... what could go wrong right? Wheels got stuck on the 3/4 inch ramp One mighty tug and KaBoom edge of plywood slipped off tail gate of truck KaThud 3 foot drop 250 lbs OSheet Amazingly Zero Damage Made in the USA TANK. tipped onto edge and slid the mill thru door call it a back test I passed. Made in the USA old school . We need to take pride in our work kinda like what JFK said ya know.

M62, 5'11", 183 lbs

Race Schedule

Feb - 10 mile

Apr - HM

May- Marathon

JANUARY 17-23, 2022

M - Off

Tu- Off

W - 7.7 miles @ 9:12 avg (10:17>7:44)

Th- Off

F -- 6.0 miles (9:50, 9:21, 9:00, 8:49, 8:29, 8:04)

Sa- Off

Su- 6.0 miles (10:50, 9:40, 9:37, 9:07, 8:46, 8:14)

TOTAL: 19.7 MILES

18 inches of snow on Monday kept me on plowed roads this week (no towpath runs). Below 0°F to single digits, but very light winds, so quite comfortable. This morning, steady snow, a couple inches deep on the road -- beautiful and a nice cushioned run.

Man, I read the training regime's in this week's postings and feel like such a puss by comparison.

Managed my 5th consecutive 30+ mile week...highlights were a 1:00, 2:00, 3:00, 3:00, 2:00 session on the bike path with 2:00 run (not jog) between...also a 5 mile 'time trial'...fastest post-surgery by almost 2:00...and on this morning's recovery jog in the vineyards (which I am currently procrastinating over), I'll surpass 100 miles year to date.

As there doesn't appear to much in the way of track races upcoming for a few more months, am just concentrating mostly on strength...to that end, I've enterd a half marathon just a few weeks before my 66th revolution around the sun. Sadly, breaking 2:00 is a really ambitious goal these days... beats the alternatives.

Have a fantabulous week of training and racing...oh, and Go Niners.

your pal,

MF