50+ Masters Training and Racing Open Forum

It looks like I, a non-runner, got us to 1000 pages!! :)

^Troll^

Troll?

This will be my last post in this thread!

I was hoping to say a quick hello to old friends. (Lucky2B might remember me?) I wanted to show that Life After Running is ok. I was a regular here, 10+ years ago. I was a 3:57 1500m guy back in the day. You can probably find my posts here.

Instead I get a post deleted (and maybe others soon?), and I get called a Troll!! :)

Cheers, and happy running!!

I grew up in inland southern California in a house with no air conditioning and a small built-in pool in the back yard, so I practically lived in the pool all summer long. I briefly took lessons to learn the basic strokes but never worried much about form and never swam competitively. I have a typical distance runner's build and always assumed I lacked the upper-body strength to be any good at swimming.

As an adult I took up running and did it for 35+ years. I occasionally used swimming as cross-training when injured, but I never had easy access to a nice pool. Then my health fell apart at age 61 and I've apparently had to quit running for good, although I keep having hopes of getting some of it back. Currently I do cycling and fast walking for exercise and I keep thinking I should try swimming again. My university recently got what is apparently a very nice pool and I can get access at a reasonable cost, but there's still a big hassle factor. And I still don't think I'd be any good at it. Maybe when I reach the point where I can't even cycle or walk much...

Very Tardy Lexington Report...

M60 (62) 800 Saturday afternoon. Nice and hot & humid & very light breeze. As usual a barn-burner and a proper competitive race. Case in Point there were two full heats. Fast Heat and Faster Heat. I coach high schoolers and always tell them there is no such thing as a slow heat. As for M60-64, I always say it's virtually the same high quality fields since I started in Eugene 2002 - only 20 years older and slower. Gun goes off and with that bang Mr. Chapman 58pt 400 guy is gone. He told me in Miami he would get me back in that 800 I won by the skin of my yellow teeth. He did come back some but held GOLD in a SB 2:19.54 SILVER went to 56pt 400 guy Mr. Yelverton in 2:22.02. Me? Did my typical hold the rail in a good position to strike. Did but only got one or two in the last 150m for a very close Bronze and my third 2:22.27 in a row. Dang that! A fine FOURTH went to Mr. Westenburg 2:22.57. And Mr. Neff was in the mix with 2:23.27.

M60 (62) 1500 Sunday morning. Very nice and cooler light rain. championship Racing at it's best with a big field aiming to sit and kick. Mr. Westy took us through the first lap in 82, second lap in 84, third lap in 80. By then we were still three ducks in a row with Westy, Neff, KP when the heat was on. Truthfully, I tried to hang on, barely did so to 1350 meters before running out of fuel. Neff ran 74 for his bell lap and GOLD 4:59.83. Westy 75 and SILVER 5:00.88. KP 79 BRONZE 5:05.21. I foolishly jogged across the line and almost lost the medal to the 4th place athlete. Whew!

All in all another terrific, challenging, competitive, and fun USATF Nationals. Always a highlight for me is to walk away with rekindled and newly established "Friends For Life". Masters Athletes shake hands before and after every race. Yes, we aim to kill each other during the battle but there is no bull posturing before and after. One of fave parts of Masters.

Post-Note. And now for the excuses. I believe I have a torn hip labrum. It's been limiting my mechanics and training since January. I was only able to do 20-25 miles per week this summer (normally 40-50) and had to cut back from my tested and proved middle-distance training that my friend Tom Carleo coached me with since my Masters Sub 2:00s 800m & 4:04 1500m at age 45. After Westy and other competitors shared their similar injury diagnosis and solutions it feels like I need to get mine taken care of. Welcome all advice from this most excellent thread.

Thanks for listening. Y'all be Good. KP

Forgot to ask if the course is all grass and if you would recommend XC spikes. I see what looks like cement walking paths on an overhead Google Earth image but maybe not significant enough to wear other types of running shoes?

Greetings!

Congrats to KPdx on phenomenal 800/1500 speed and the results! And thanks for your detailed description. Enjoyed reading!

My week was good. In spite of the heat that came from the Western Europe (weakened though – 86-88F) finally made a usual combination of workouts (long intervals, tempo, long) and reached the target mileage range (35-40 mpw).

Mon – off
Tue – interval session: 4 x 4:42-4:32 on a trail, hard. 6 miles altogether with w/u and c/d
Wed – 5 miles easy (70-72% HRM)
Thu - 5 miles easy (70-74% HRM)
Fri – 27 min tempo. Mixed course: forest-road-forest. Measured 3.5 km on the road – the pace was 6:42/mile. 6 miles altogether
Sat – 7 miles easy
Sun – 8 miles easy (quasi/pseudo) long run.

Subtotal: 37 miles

Happy and injury-free running to all!

Greetings, fellow 50+ers and happy August to all. I’m still struggling with this knee thingy which has greatly reduced my mileage this summer. My total actual mileage for July was a whopping 37 miles and an additional 8+ for this past week. The “good” news is that the heat index has been off the charts which would have forced me to the sidelines even with healthy knees. So the knee is getting some much needed rest and it seems to be responding. Once the heat breaks early this week, I’ll test it out. Wish me luck!

All the best!

KP: Congrats and great report!

Mon = 60 min, 30 am, 30 pm
Tue = 76 min, 46 am, 30 pm
Wed = 76 minutes, 46 am, 30 pm (sore legs)
Thr = 77 minute, 47 am, 30 pm (am ran mountain trails)
Fri = Off
Sat = 4 miles with 2 @ 7:40 (7:30, 7:50) pace to remember how to go faster than 12 min pace
Sun = 60 min easy

My hip improved quickly Mon and Tue. But I overdid it a bit with my Sat test run and the issue is not totally resolved. Considering how gawd-awful-slow my training has been I was pleasantly surprised to go 7:40 pace.

Have a good one!

Good morning from Eagle, Idaho. We had a break in the triple digit temperatures, but looks like they will resume this week. We are also beginning to see a near normal racing schedule. I am optimistic that the appetite for lockdowns has outstayed its welcome. I have always been more motivated by racing than general fitness. The Covid restrictions took the fun out of racing for me.

I had my four year post-chemo scan and radiation oncologist review last week. Scan anxiety has been a factor in the weeks prior to the appointments, and this year was no different. I had no reason to expect a different result, and by most measures should be cured. The result was clean, with the possibility I will be released following the chemo oncologist physical in March and a clean CT scan this time next year.

Fall is always the best distance running season in southwestern Idaho. I have a couple of races I would like to target in coming months, so about it is time to get to work.

Igy

I missed posting last week because I had a big painting project on my house that I jumped right into as soon as I finished my Sunday run, and I was exhausted when I finished it. Congratulations to kpdx on the Nationals 800/1500 efforts. My team mate won the "slow" heat of the 800 in 2:27, which was a season best for him but not fast enough to get him on the podium in that very competitive 60-64 group. Igy, also congrats on the clean post-chemo scan.

I squeezed in exactly 50 miles this week and had a good long run this morning. Training at age 72 is sometimes a very uneven and mysterious process. Last Sunday I ran 10.1 miles in 1hr 46min. This morning I ran 11.2 miles in 1hr 44min on the same course at the same perceived effort level just because everything felt a little better. I have two weeks until the first XC race of our local series, and I think I am reasonably well prepared at this point.

Good running to all!

I have always worn spikes on this course. Maybe not necessary but there are some sections with thick grass. If it rains or if there is a heavy dew the grass will be a bit slippery. You'll have the bridge crossing and 2 side walk crossing per lap. I'll probably gag at seeing Vaporflies but no doubt there will be several to many using them unless it's really wet (and that's unlikely).

I did 62 miles this week, plus one day on the spin bike.

Ran 16 moderate effort on Tuesday and it really heated up that morning, 90 by the time I finished. I was pretty cooked by the end and spent the rest of the day feeling crummy.

Did a 1500 m race in Boulder on Thursday (95 degrees) and didn't expect much. Ran 5:15, which was okay for me. Good kick off to my short 'speed season' and I'll do a road mile next weekend and track mile & 4X4 leg the following Thursday.

Hi Skuj, dont get provoked by a troll. Happy to read your posts. BR

Hi to all active and passive runner :)

Kudos to read from great performances, good training weeks and deliberate rehabs. My first week after vacation off-time:

Mo 7 miles easy

Tu 30 min jumps and drills uphill

We 3 miles tempo @6:55 mpm

Th 7 miles easy, 5x100m build-ups

Fr off, no time

Sa 7.5 miles steady attacking uphills

Su 7 miles recovery

Very sore after Saturday run. ...but it felt great to fly over the hills... (no watch needed for this great feeling)

BR

It’s August in the Mid-South. I loathe August in the Mid-South. This too, shall pass.
I’m rooting for Igy and Old Guy II.
M: 9M w/4(8:00/3:00) @ MP pace - young boy and his little dog cheered me on

T: 90:00 treadmill @ 12:45 pace

W: 8.25M @ 10:13 pace - a very hot morning

Th: 75:00 treadmill @ 13:05 pace

F: 5.6M w/15(:50/1:10) - local college cross country teams ran around and around me at the local shaded park

Sat: 10M - way too hot and humid; Miserable Index was over 160

enjoy the week

Thanks again for the info.

Re: KPdx at Lexington

I watched you in both races last week not knowing it was you (KPdx) from this thread.

They were both excellent races.

My friend from college was in your 1500 heat and was kicking himself for not covering your threesome's move. He wound up about a second and half back and lamented not staying in the race when you guys went. He thought you were going to come back and he would still be in the hunt. All the way home, he was planning for 2023. I think you guys lit a fire under him.

I am in one up older age bracket and have finally realized I can not be competitive in the either the 5000 or 1500m. If I go to Greensboro next year, I am pretty sure I will try to move up (back?) to the 10000 and pray for good weather. I have neither the raw speed nor ability to shift gears for the shorter runs.

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I had a decent training week in spite of the heat. Three good harder workouts (two on the track) and a very hot and humid Parkrun on Saturday. There is an accurate measured marker at the 400m turn. I was trying to keep these two 17 y/os in sight and went through in 1:33/4. Right then it dawned on me that was probably was a bit fast for the conditions. Got in a rhythm and relaxed my breathing. I ran solo (the kids were long gone) by the time we hit the woods and nature trails. Not a PB but third overall in nasty hot/humid conditions, so I will chalk it up as a hard tempo run.

I have a local 5K next Saturday the is close flat and pretty fast and the will be a several hundred runners so I should not get totally gapped. That I hope will give me a better indication of my fitness than Lexington did - I am still scratching my head over the 5000 there.

Stay safe and cool everyone....