50+ Masters Training and Racing Open Forum

Miniscus surgery went well.

i woke up this morning and could actually walk right away. I wasn’t “ locked up” and in pain.

my orthopedist gave me the option to ride a stationary bike starting today for 30 minutes a day. Also he wanted me walking right away. I couldn’t spin much on the bike today. I slowly turned the pedals for 10 minutes then took a 20 minute walk. The only pain that remains seems to be the pain in the crook of my knee, in the soft part behind the knee. Still tight, still hurts. Hopefully it will go away. Goal is to start running again by April 6th. But I feel it could happen long before.

only rough spot was having my 96 year old mom drive me home. I knew we were in trouble when I was sitting in the wheelchair, in the rain and I saw my mom trying to get in my car punching the buttons on the key thing and the trunk flew open. Somehow she got me back I guess.

Best of luck; seems like you will have no issues. Story of your mom was funny. I have been there.

Solid week. Got a run in every day, including-

8 miles at 7:40 per mile, 7 mile

7 miles at 7:21 per mile, including 6x4 min between 10k/half marathon pace (around 6:50) with 4 min steady run recovery.

5.6 at 7:24 per mile, including 16x200m in 44.8 sec average with 200m in 60/65 sec. recovery (last 8 averaged 43.9 sec).

Long reps are good. On the 200s, using Easy Interval Method, they are supposed to be 1500m to 3000m pace. I hit under 3000m pace OK, the last half was quicker than the firstand HR never hit more than 92% of max so physiologically, it's fine, but it also felt like nearly sprinting, and I couldn't imagine running 3000m at that effort.

Turning 65 in early May, and looking for something like 11:30 3000m, 19:30 5k and 41:00 10k.

Used to more proficient at 800-3000m, but after a spell of injuries that limited speedwork, I feel like I've built a good aerobic engine, but short on speed. I'm use to thinking of 5000m pace being relatively slow, now it's feeling like uncomfortably close to max - which is tough psychologically having come from a speed background...

Good running for 65, nonetheless.

Thanks. Truthfully, glad to be able to still run and do track sessions at all at this age.

He is a fb friend and all seems well with him but I don't think he is doing any serious running.

KP: I saw your name in the USATF Masters 5k results. How were the conditions, course?

Greetings!

Robert E. Lee: good to hear that the surgery seems to be OK and you are recovering well!

Cavorty: solid training week and decent plans for 3, 5 and 10K. Hope you will make them
happen.

My week was nothing special. A very difficult period starts when skiing conditions are getting worse and worse (as winter ends), while running is yet not comfortable at all (on icy and dirty roads with traffic). So, am trying to copy the previous year and add 1 day on feet every two weeks. So, ran two times this week.

Mon – off

Tue – ski: 72 min, short intervals - 4 х (3' + 1’ easy + 4’ + 1.5’ easy)

Wed – run (2nd time this season): started easy (8:15 min/mile), got bored after 6 km and tried a sort of a short 3 km tempo. Per km: 4:22-4:25-4:21. Then, warm-up. 55 min total.

Thu: semi-off, 35 min on elliptical

Fri - ski: 74 min, incl. 18 min good tempo.

Sat – ski: 72 min, incl. 30 min good tempo.

Sun – run (3rd time this season): 50 min, incl. 3 km tempo (4:13-4:15-4:16 per km). Faster than on Wed. and also faster HR recovery.

Happy and injury-free run to all!

Wife post-surgery recovery update (thanx for asking): still very little stamina, eating more consistently, bedside commode almost no longer needed at night, still sharp pangs of abdominal pain, more cranky with caregiver (me) which I see as a good sign, PT helping along with now in week 5 post-op. I cannot imagine what all that is like.
M- 10M (Newton Hills replication 5-miler @ 10:00 pace overall)
T- 60:00 treadmill (late winter sux. I’m ready for March)
W- 90:00 treadmill
Th- 35:00 treadmill
F- 90:00 treadmill (progressive pacing)
Sat- 12M rolling hills zigzag loop: fastest pacing on this course since pre-Covid era
setting up for a half marathon race next weekend wherein I intend to race. Plan on blowing it out or simply blowing up. At 63, I’ve raced enuf races to be excited and yet, not overly concerned if I stumble (literal only). The week is a mini view of tapering for Boston and anticipation of racing. I’m slow now but I love that race build up sensation. Boston in seven weeks.
enjoy the week to be.

Fiddle... I haven't seen results yet - had to dash off to coach high school track all day.

Our Atlanta TC M60 Team won with me scoring 3rd man. I was surprised with my time. My watch read 19:43. Super hilly cold and breezy course. Forgot how hilly Atlanta was. A friend said I scored the Bronze in age-grade. That makes no sense to me as at least three M60s got me that last grinder hill mile.

Again, I'm shocked with my result since I have not run more than 5 miles in four weeks. I have done some swift 800m track workouts though with only one post Houston Indoor grinder for distance just four days before USATF 5k. 6 x 800 w/ 2.5min rest at 3:07-3:07-3:02-2:59-2:55-2:52 and let me tell y'all it killed me! Barely jogged 2 miles the next three days before this 5k Road Race.

Cavorty :

Turning 65 in early May, and looking for something like 11:30 3000m, 19:30 5k and 41:00 10k.

Hayward Classic Returns May 7th , they have a 3000. 11:30 I can hang so can Dan W who is 66. Even if you are not yet 65 it should be tons of fun;)

Magic Shoes:

Cranky is a good sign. Good luck with the tune up half. Onward to Boston!

KP OMS....Old Man Strength;)

Next Race: May 7th 3000 Hayward Classic Goal give it all I got without a real specific buildup.

Phase : Recovery...Base..Speed..Race

Week: If this was a pizza review 8.1

Highlight(s):

-Road 400 in 78 comfortably hard HR 164 which is mile HR but I was way beyond current mile effort probably 800 effort . That was so encouraging because I have not done any fast running on the track or road . Almost all of my running is poweroff treadmill stuff so yeah this was confirmation the training works. Kinda like when I ran my first mile TT after a winter of sand dune slogging. So another tool in my runspan toolbox.

-Progress on poweroff treadmill LT run . Man this is tough but worth it. Sand way less impact but lacking stability still very good . Poweroff thread mill even less impact than sand and stable! My knees love this stuff. But nothing is perfect , imperfections are minor probably the biggest one being nothing beats running out doors just cruising along. I feel way stronger with fewer aches and pains. WAG less impact damage to repair so more energy goes towards building muscle and tendon strength.

-Decision to NOT fall into the deep rut of habit. IOW map out an 8 week plan to peak even though I need to keep building my base. I will do a few reality checks like the 400 I did this week but I am not going to cut my base short . I would put the edge on the knife if I had a realistic shot at 10:49 maybe next year;) This year I want to work on getting STRONG.

Onward!

KP nice surprise. Congrats.

Short week:

Mo off,busy

Tu off, busy

We 7 miles easy, 8x100m with jog back

Th 30 min jumps and drills uphill, 6x60m uphill, 2x150m uphill

Fr 7 miles easy, 8x100m with jog back

Sa 8x330m uphill with jog down

Su 90 min very slow recovery jog

Stay safe wherever you are.

MagicShoes, good luck with your wife, and her care. You have more energy than I do.

Just a quick comment from me. Wife was released after 8+ days, and is progressing very well. The robotic surgery has proven to be a medical miracle for Mrs. Igy. The plumbing is working fine, no meds upon release. She has some dietary restrictions, but is gradually introducing more difficult to digest foods. As for me little time or energy to exercise regularly, but that will get sorted out over coming weeks.

Have a good week.

Igy

great to hear! hope the recovery process continues to go well.

Boring week on my end managing hamstring strain. Almost all cross-training. Couple of test jogs (20-30 mins.) this weekend -- not great but not disastrous. Hoping for better in March.

have a great week,

Dave

M62, 5'11", 181 lbs

GOALS: Top 3, M60-64 in Half-Marathon (May 7) and Marathon (May 29)

FEBRUARY 21-27, 2022
M - Off
Tu - 16.6 miles @ 8:41/mi avg (9:20 > 7:57)
W - Off
Th - 7.7 miles @ 8:42/mi avg (9:27 > 7:45)
F -- Off
Sa- Off
Su- 7.7 miles @ 9:38/mi avg (10:31 > 8:23)
TOTAL: 32.0 MILES

Any training run under 9-minute pace is good these days, so I'm especially happy with Tuesday's effort. I'll need 8-flat pace in the marathon; a ways to go, but doable I think.

Regarding my planned HM, I've decided to run a less expensive, smaller, less hilly and more competitive one. Downside is that it's only three weeks before the marathon, instead of four. Normally, I'd like my final long run that week. Hmmm.

Tuesday is the biopsy surgery to verify cancer diagnosis from the MRI. I'll schedule any additional surgeries or treatments AFTER the marathon. : )

Many fine races from folks here. Really incredible performances (national championships, national records ... Holy cow!). A couple local 50+ runners ran great in Atlanta ... Coach Rohl's wife, I believe, too. Very inspiring. Congratulations to all!

Run well.

Great to hear Mrs. Igy is doing well. My carefully constructed training plan got thoroughly derailed by reality this week. The upper respiratory virus I had last week gave me some very bad days for most of this week with lots of fits of uncontrolled coughing and accompanying sleep-deprivation. After 8 bad days, Friday was better and yesterday was much better. This morning I feel like a semi-normal person again with a modest cough. I tried to get out for a 30 minute easy walk each day this week. I expect it's going to be a gradual 2-3 week rebuild back to my prior training level. I dropped 3-4 lbs the last 10 days. I suspect about half of that was lingering holiday fat and the other half is energy stores I need for running.

Good health and good running to all!

Good to hear!

Glad to hear re: Mrs Igloi.

KP solid 5K

Cavorty, nice 65 goals

Charlie, am hoping to show at Hayward...perhaps at 800?

My week was, as usual, held together with epsom salt, duct tape, meloxicam, a little wine, and a variety of salves and potions.

Got in 30 miles...that makes 10 weeks at said benchmark. That being said, both times I attempted to do repeats this week were aborted towards the end of the warm up due to a tug way high in the hammy where it attaches to the glute muscle...I have an ice pack on it as we speak.

It begins to get cranky the moment I get up on my toes in a 'sprint-like' cadence...though not problematic at a hard tempo pace...so, both interval sessions instead morphed into good tempo runs...one at 2 miles, one at 5 miles. Yesterday's 5 miler was my best on that course since March 2016 FWIW.

Headed to the couch with electro-stim on my back, hand held lasers on each hip, a re-fresh of ice on the hamstring, some organic sea salt popcorn (because it was the only kind they had), and a glass of rose...to watch day 2 of the USATF Indoor Nationals meet.

As a side note, the VERY first big track meet that I ever attended was AAU Indoor Nationals at The Spectrum in Philadelphia almost 53 years ago to the day (March 1, 1969)...Madeline Manning set the American record at 880 yards and George Young broke the world record for 3 miles.

Yes, I saw a world record at my first meet. 'Splains a lot ;}

Have a swell week.

your pal,

MF

Great races last week for many of you. ATP - Congrats on the 70+ UK mile record. Just another week for you but way beyond my abilities.

Read DickM’s post and it looks more like a young man’s training week. I could do it for a week or two before falling apart. Amazed how some are just built to run.
My week was all over the place and my back is a mess. Lifting large rocks and rolling logs around the property wrecked my lower back and Saturday’s fartlek, I knew was a bad idea, might cause me to take a break.

21.02 Mon run 8,4 mi 1:06:08 7:50/mi 128 bpm
20% inc TM 40:04:00 10:25/mi 105 bpm
22.02 Tue run 5,9 mi 44:28:00 7:29/mi 123 bpm
20% inc TM 56:07:00 11:09/mi 103 bpm
23.02 Wed run 5,8 mi 47:05:00 8:06/mi 123 bpm -- 10x60x60, 10x45 x45, 25x30x30
24.02 Thu 20% inc TM 1:48:49 8:50/mi 122 bpm
25.02 Fri run 6,9 mi 49:59:00 7:12/mi 129 bpm
26.02 Sat run 8,5 mi 1:04:03 7:31/mi 133 bpm -- 5k at 5:49/mi plus another 15 minutes of random stuff around CV pace
27.02 Sun run 9,4 mi 1:20:04 8:30/mi 116 bpm