50+ Masters Training and Racing Open Forum

This was the week that my luck finally ran out and I contracted COVID. Started to get sick Sunday night, had a 101 degree fever and felt awful by Monday afternoon. I took a rapid antigen test and it was negative, and I had only normal flu symptoms, so I figured I'd managed to catch the flu. But I still felt awful by Wednesday, so took a second COVID test and it was clearly positive. My husband came down with the same thing three days later, so we're both quarantined at home. Now, on day 6, I'm definitely feeling better but still have junk in my sinuses and a cough, so I'm being very careful not to stress my respiratory system too soon. I did nothing but a little easy walking until today, when I went out for a very easy 1-hour bike ride. Needless to say, the backpacking trip we'd planned to start on four days ago didn't happen and it isn't going to happen next week either. We're now shooting for the first week of August...

By the way, my husband and I are both fully vaccinated and singly boosted, but my understanding is the vaccines don't work very well against the current COVID strains. Neither of us is dangerously sick despite being 64 and 68 years old, so perhaps the vaccines did their job.

amkelley: Wishing you a speedy recovery from Covid.
I sure am enjoying Worlds. Got goosebumps watching McLaughlin’s world record.

Mon = 1 hour 14 minutes (44min am, 30min pm, very hot)
Tue = 1 hour 14 minutes (44min am, 30min pm, very hot)
Wed = 1 hour 14 minutes, big park, 2 mile laps
Thr = 1 hour 14 minutes
Fri = Off
Sat = 1 hour 15 minutes
Sun = 1 hour 15 minutes
Everything easy, everything flat pavement.

Not very exciting running but it was a good week.

Have a good one!

Only ran 20 miles this week. Raced yesterday. Also volunteered to set up the food tables, registration area, filling the tubs up with water bottles and ice and one aid station out along the course.

I was surprised at how much energy I had in doing the job. When I got back there was still 15 minutes until gun time so, I got my flats on and walked towards the line. I raced anyway and by the time I got to the aid station just beyond mile 2, the aid station people were hooting and hollering because after watching me unload tables and igloos and walking them down to the station, they didn’t believe I’d jump into the race. That invigorated me.

i finished fourth in my age group. Taking the day off today. Despite prostate cancer treatment 3 years ago, my PSA is on the rise again. Went from 0.8 to 1.3. Not much I guess but enough to stick on my mind. Before treatment it was 15-20! Funny thing is, I had 4 biopsies and they found cancer only on one tenth of one core sample and only on one of the biopsies.

Of course it scared me into treatment anyway and it was ridiculous and brutal. I’m not going through that sh— again. Start training 4 am tomorrow again for next volunteer/ race. Goal, 30 miles for the racing. 3 weight lifting sessions for the tables, tubs and water lifting

67 yr old, prostate cancer (?) colectomy and 3 knee surgeries. Running has been my life since 1977.

hope you and your husband feel 100% soon. I know my luck will run out at some point as well, but would love to ward it off till after an August vacation with our kids

great week of watching track on TV and ok week of running in hot/humid DC:

M 1:15

Tu 1:30 with drills/strides + 1:00 x-t

W 1:15 with 4 X 5:00 hard--5k effort (3:00 jog)

Th 2:00 double

F 1:25

Sa 2:40 -- 2 hours steady, then parkrun done as progression run (22:10 for 5th OA, 1st AG), then cooldown jog home

Su 1:30

I was feeling good about the parkrun Sat. morning -- down to about half-marathon pace by the end. But just before the finish the guy in front of me, who was pushing double-stroller, stopped to let his kids out, as I went by to grab 5th place and administer a teachable moment to the young people ("roll all the way across the line!"). He told me later that they're usually good for riding the whole way but this time "just weren't having it."

So this is what it's come to. Babies and toddlers now feel bad for me and let me win. I guess I did not look as good as I felt.

Have a great week,

Dave

I love it. Congrats on a nice 5K!

Five years ago I was nailed just before the finish line of a half-marathon by a woman pushing a triple stroller. The fact that her performance qualified (at the time) as a Guinness World Record didn't make me feel much better. There was also a widely circulated photo of her crossing the finish line with me gasping and flailing in the background. Sigh.

That whiny sound you hear is me, lamenting the end of viewing the Tour de France, the last night of the WC, and a long August. Thinking I’ll turn off the tv for a long while.
M: 7.5M on the early morning shaded greenway - 5(1200/400) @ 8:20/12:00 pace

T: wife’s medical testing day

W: 8M @ 10:15 pace in early morning high heat/dew point

Th: 75:00 treadmill @ 13:30 pace

F: 6M on a greenway loop in the early morning shade - 8(300/300) @ 7:45/11:00 pace

Sat: 11M early morning on another shaded greenway in high heat/dew point @ 10:20 pace

Last 5km of the season in five weeks; BQ effort for 2024 in nine weeks. No complaints from me given how well you are all doing.
enjoy the week.

Running took a backseat to family activities this week. My son and his family headed back to New Zealand Thursday evening and we packed in a flurry of activities all week before they left. Also, a couple of minor but chronic problems in my left leg flared up a bit and forced me to dial back the mileage. I've had inflammation at the top of my hamstring for over a year now, which normally only bothers me when I do higher intensity and fuller leg extension on my stride. Also, I've had calcaneal bursitis, which makes the back of my heel very tender, but usually doesn't have much effect on my running. After yesterday's run my heel was so sore that I could barely walk on it when I got out of bed, and then could only walk, not run on it after my warmup exercises. 20 miles for the week. I have my annual physical in two weeks and I'll talk to my GP about options for dealing with those issues. I tend to avoid medication if there are other options, but I think cortisone injections may be the answer to knocking down the inflammation for both spots. My first XC race is 4 weeks away.

Good running to all!

I am heading to Lexington this week 5K on Thursday and 1500m on Sunday. I have absolutely no expectations of grandeur, but am decent shape and seeded about midway in both events.

Just looking forward to a good experience.

I would ask the group one question please;
Shoes? Definitely planning on using the Dragonflys for the 1500, but unsure about the 5k I have used them in a 3K before, but not a 5K and I am prone to getting tight calves when I get up on my toes for anything over a mile on a race of in an extended workout. SO... I am thinking about bringing also my Next percents to give me a little extra cushioning, so I am not wrecked for the 1500.

Thoughts?

I run in Dragonflies up to 3000m, but flats above that. Against advice, I did once run 5000m in spikes, but my calves told me this was not something I should repeat in a hurry. Strictly, Next are not track-legal because the sole thickness is too great, but here in the UK runners are often allowed to wear them outside championships. If you intend to wear Next I suggest you go with a plan B in case they are not allowed.

I agree with ATP. Even in my youth never used spikes for more than 3K because of my (weak) calves. Am afraid that now they would kill them in a mile or so. But it is very individual, assume that many aged guys have stronger calves and feel comfortable in Dragonflies.

One more consideration: why not to make a test and see what is the benefit specifically for you? No need to run all out at 3K-5K race pace. Stick, e.g. to a 10-15K pace and run 5-6 laps on a track, first in Dragons and the next week in Next% trying to be in similar conditions (weather, time of the day, feel, etc.). I used to do such tests for various kind of shoes and know e.g. that Saucony Triumph 18 regular trainers are 5 sec/km slower on my legs than Next% and MetaSpeed and 3 sec/km slower than Pegs Turbo 2.

Good luck with your 5K!

UPDATE RE: Road flats versus spikes for the 5K for USATF Masters in Lexington

Thank you ATP and Orient for your responses.

As ATP pointed out and I just confirmed, neither my 4% nor Next% are track legal in Championship races. So that option is out. Looks like I am going with a pair of Hoka Mach4s which are permitted. (I found a NOS pair in the shop on the next block from where we live for $60 - worst scenario, I have yet another pair of trainers) At the last minute, I may decide to gamble with the spikes for the 5k, but I need to look at the long game.

Thanks again. I will try a report in next week

I'm pretty sure but not positive that shoes like the Next% are legal for USATF Masters.

Quote from the 2021 USATF Competition Rules (maybe this changed for 2022??):

"For Masters events, shoes shall comply with WMA rules. As of January 2021, shoes with spikes shall have a maximum thickness of 30 mm and shoes without spikes shall have a maximum thickness of 40 mm"

I had a medial meniscus operation in the Fall. I think they took a little less than the 20% you mentioned; I also had some diffuse mild OA. While I got pretty much full mobility range back very quickly, the knee hurt for months after (including going down stairs, as you mention), every time I'd do a lot of walking or try to run a few days in a row, however carefully.

I thought part of the problem might be that the knee joint was too loose after the operation. About a month ago I started very carefully running again, and deliberately have barely stretched, in hopes that maybe everything being a bit tighter would help. I don't know whether it made a difference, but so far so good -- am now running (very slowly, and only on forest trails, no hard surfaces) close to an hour a day.

Don't know what advice to give specifically, other than that it may take more than 6 months (in my case closer to 8) before it's fully healed.

Yes, of Course! Thank you "Also Going to Ky"

I completely forgot about the exception for us 'Older Than Dirt' runners.

So I guess I now just have another pair of new Hoka Mach 4 trainers for $57.00 (out the door price). There are worse things in the world to worry about.

See you in Lexington, this will be an adventure if nothing else...

I'm pretty sure but not positive that shoes like the Next% are legal for USATF Masters.
Quote from the 2021 USATF Competition Rules (maybe this changed for 2022??):
"For
Masters events, shoes shall comply with WMA rules. As of January 2021,
shoes with spikes shall have a maximum thickness of 30 mm and shoes
without spikes shall have a maximum thickness of 40 mm""

Here in the UK we are all required to comply with the latest rules regarding shoes. My shoes have been checked for compliance at national level masters competition. Regionally, the rules have been applied more leniently, but with a general warning that any times will not count for record purposes.

I have to say that I do not know what rules were applied in Tampere and neither do I know what rules will be applied in USA.

Well, after ghosting you all for a year+, I figured it might be worth at least getting on here to welcome anyone that is showing up in Lexington this week for the Masters T&F Championships, and wishing you good luck in whichever events you are running. I wish I could say I was participating, but alas, I've not been exercising a lick since I took on this new role at the college. My arthritic toes have only gotten worse, as well, but have recently started to fuse to the point where I might be able to start running again soon. Who knows. I won't bore you with the details. At any rate, I'm still alive and kicking, just not quite roadworthy yet. I'll try to see if I can get out and watch some of the races, but I'm pretty tied up as we start back into the fall semester. If I get there, stop by and say hello. I'll be the woefully overweight dude who is will be wearing a Blue ball cap with the letters BCTC (our community and tech college) on it. Cheers!

Greetings!

My week:
Mon – off
Tue – 7 mi, intervals on a trail, hard (4 x 4:33 – 4:43). Average effort equivalent to 3:47 min/km on asphalt
Wed – 5 miles easy
Thu – off
Fri – 7.5 miles. A sort of a fartlek (mix of a road and trail) with 3 segments hard. First, 1.5 km at 6:05, then 1 km at 3:55 (both on a road) and finally 8 min hard on a trail.
Sat – 4 miles easy/recovery
Sun – 7.5 miles easy/moderate
Subtotal for the week: 31 miles.

This summer is worse than the previous one in terms of mileage. Increased workload and many family issues make it hard to run more.
Looking back, the mileage per month is frighteningly low:
April – 141 (miles), May – 92, June – 108, July – 115. And though the percentage of “fast” miles (all those above LT) is OK (between 18 and 25%), the endurance acquired in winter on ski trails has disappeared.
As usual in the end of the month, the plan for the next one is to work harder, but… will see. Perhaps will concentrate on 5K instead of 10 in the fall.

Happy and injury-free running to all!

Growl and a grunt for the end of the month.
M: 8M w/4 sets of 3(400/200) and a 400 jog between sets @ 7:30 pace - overcast with thick, warm air

T: 90:00 treadmill @ 12:45 pace

W: 8.25M - broken out as 2M warmup, 1M @ MP up long hill, 1 mile, 1M @ MP, 1.5M, 1.5M @ MP, cruise -cloudy with thick, warm air

Th: 55:00 treadmill @ 13:05 pace

F: 6M: 15(0.10/0.11) @ 7:00/11:00 pace - torrential downpour with thunder in 81 degrees

Sat: 18M @ 9:45 pace - 10:00 pace for the first 12M, then pushed the last 10km - nice run on a nice morning.
Enjoy the week