50+ Weekly Training Thread 9/7 (New)

I think you might find more 50+ers at www.runnersworld.com.

For background: 52 (53 next month) in suburban New York. Right now I'm training for the fall season, having given up on New York when I couldn't get my mileage going. So a HM in a month, five-miler in November, and 10K in December are my main goals.

Having a bit of a tussle with my upper left leg recently. Sometimes the hip's bothering me, sometimes the hamstring. I've been doing regular track work over the last month and wonder if that's causing some of these troubles, although that work hasn't been a problem before.

I have a blog,

http://runwestchester.wordpress.com/

Charming Charlie wrote:

I think you might find more 50+ers at

http://www.runnersworld.com

.

Given the size of the "how to stop slowing down after 50" thread on here, I'd say there's plenty of 50 plus types here.

Some background: I'm "only" 49 but feel more akin to (and aching like) the 50+ crowd. PR way back in the dinosaur ages of 4:13 for the mile. I'd like to run sub 5 in my 50's but I'm recovering from a knee injury and also realizing that I'm a LOT slower.

Last week: 8 miles easy TOTAL for the week. I mean real easy like 9-10 minute pace. I know it sucks but I'm just happy to be running again. I also did 4x50m striders yesterday. Knee feels decent so will do more this week. Hope to build up to about 60mpw in the next few months with not much but easy runs and some striders. Then I'll start doing more intense stuff.

Great idea - unfortunately just posted on the 'slowing down at 50' thread but will read this one avidly as there's so little info out there about real runners coping with ageing. Keep it up!

Turned 50 this July. Just took 2 easy weeks, mileage in mid 20's, trying to recover from August heat. No goal races yet. 11 mile trail run last Saturday in 1:46:30. Tried not to look at the watch. Shooting for a Tinman type CV workout Wednesday, 7 miles with 6 x 3min @ 6:40 mile pace, and another longer trail run Saturday. Good luck to all this week.

Will be fifty one in Dec. and was planning on running the Detroit Marathon 10/18 but a sore left calf caused me to cancel a half marathon last week and maintain for the last two weeks with 60 minute workouts consisting of 10-20 minute segments on the bike intersperced with fast paced lifting/drills for the legs, core and upper body.

The calf was tweaked by overly aggressive box jumps which I had added to strengthen the quads. I had meniscus surgery 11/08. I've been trying so many things over the last year.

I plan to alternate the bike/lifting/drills workout with days of gradually increased running over the next week or so and hope to return to an average of about fifty miles per week which I had reached in July and early Aug.

The goal is now Philly or Rocket City, hoping to be right around three hours.

I have usually run 2 or 3, three hour runs in training for a marathon. I'm interested in how others have modified building their long runs, including how short the runs can be if segments faster than easy pace are included.

Will be 60 in Dec. I have been running 60mpw for the last couple of months, all in the 7:30-9:00min/mi range, except Saturdays when I run 60 min with my kids (in their mid 20s) who make me run most of it in the 6:30-6:45 range. I have not raced this year while trying to build a proper base for turning 60. 2 years ago I ran 18:48 5k and 1:27 1/2mar, and I hope to better those times when I age up. I was a small college 220/440 guy (23.6/53.9) and have always had decent speed. For most of my life I ran 35-45 mpw of mostly quality middle-distance interval training, until my late 40s when I started to have recurring achilles and hamstring injuries. I have been injury-free for 2 years now on higher mileage-lower intensity training. The threads on training for older runners have been interesting and though provoking. I look forward to seeing more of them.

wokeup with a woody so I did a hard workout.

Another aging warrior here--let's give this a try.

Background, I responded under a different name in the recent thread asking about 50s training.

51, recent races (this year) range from 5:00 mile to sub 1:19 half marathon, all right on the curve, I guess. Training for NYC marathon. Goal of 2:50 or so, but mostly just there for the fun and experience.

64 for the week, a bit of a cutback from low 70s the previous two. Felt kind of crappy, with tight quads all week.

3 X 1 mile on tuesday (10K effort)

12 with 6 at marathon pace on thursday

19 on sunday

friday cross train for 40 min (roller ski)

other days recovery, 45 min to 1:05 easy

I turned 50 in January. I have been running since 9th grade. I am not very talented but I enjoy the sport. Unfortunately I have been battling all sorts of imbalance issues for over 25 years. I have tried everything through the years to sort things out with little success. For the past month I have been doing Feldenkrais lessons. They have been very helpful. I am relearning "how to move" properly. My runs are improving. I have done three 16 milers in the last 8 days. My form needs a lot of work still, but I am running with more balance and coordination. I hope to run a sub 19 minute 5k this weekend and a sub 1:25 hilly 1/2 marathon this month. Good luck to all you other 50+ runners!

Good posts one and all...how about just incorporating this thread into the very steady/always enlightening "Masters Weekly Races and Runs" thread...bunch of us 50+ geezers there.

MF(53)

MikeF wrote:

Good posts one and all...how about just incorporating this thread into the very steady/always enlightening "Masters Weekly Races and Runs" thread...bunch of us 50+ geezers there.

MF(53)

Mike, I think the idea was that there seems to be difference in kind and not just degree between the 40-49 and the 50+. I only post off-and-on there. Although it is one of LRC's best threads.

MikeF wrote:

Good posts one and all...how about just incorporating this thread into the very steady/always enlightening "Masters Weekly Races and Runs" thread...bunch of us 50+ geezers there.

MF(53)

Thanks Mike but how about those bunch of 50+ geezers on the masters thread posting on this thread also. As you know 50 is much different than 40. It's really a turning point for many, not just physically but motivationally. I have friends who stopped running when they turned 50. And others who still run 37 10ks past 55. And many in between. I just think the 50s group needs to hear from others facing the same issues as themselves. Great posts from all. Keep it up!

Early 50s. Was a decent 800-meter runner in college then ran on the roads. Returned to much shorter stuff a few years ago. Competed at Landover nationals last winter and am pointing toward 400/200 in Boston next March. Here’s my last eight days. Most days also include ab work and a lot of stretching/yoga. The sprints are not timed at this point, but these are at or very near full speed.

8/31 short sprints (30s-40s-50s) and drills on astroturf

9/01 40 minutes hilly cross country

9/02 16x50 sprints and drills on turf; yoga class

9/03 40 minutes XC; 20-minute swim; full weight circuit

9/04 4x150 plus long sprints and drills on turf; yoga class

9/05 full weight circuit; 20-minute swim

9/06 track work: 355 150 120 all hard, about three minutes rest between

9/07 5x300 plus 8x60 on turf

The 355 (that’s starting at the 400 start and continuing until the last 300-meter hurdle line on the finishing straight) is designed to mimic a 400-meter race. Same pattern of a fast opening 100, float the backstretch, push on the second turn, then kick from the 150 line. This will be a weekly trial until indoor season starts. Because I do most of my training on astroturf, I’ve been able to carry a MUCH higher sprint load than when I was hitting the track 3x a week.

I'll post under both masters threads for a while. I have to admit that when I read what some of you do on a regular basis and what your goals are, it frightens me. I can't even bring myself to run a marathon let alone set a sub 3hr goal. Running 70 miles per week is something that has long been gone.

But I'll read this for training and injury information. That is what I use the other thread for because if I'm healthy, I'm happy. And right now, I'm healthy.

So far, there has been remarkable civility on this thread. There are no cowardly remarks such as calling someone a nincompoop or a hockey puck. Its much better for the blood pressure. Lets have a minimum age requirement here of 50 (just kidding, I think there must be people in their 40s who are OK also).

A recent addition to the 50 age group -Aug 26th.

I post many of my sessions on the long running DYRT thread but will try to make a contribution to this thread too.

OK, but only mature 40's. We don't want any of those young bucks polluting our thread with inappropriate language.

Caveman wrote:

So far, there has been remarkable civility on this thread. There are no cowardly remarks such as calling someone a nincompoop or a hockey puck. Its much better for the blood pressure. Lets have a minimum age requirement here of 50 (just kidding, I think there must be people in their 40s who are OK also).

Speaking of troublesome, screwing-up-the-curve guys in their 40s, Pete Magill has a video on drills for old folks.

http://blip.tv/file/2579553

But he gets what he deserves in the end.