50+ Weekly Training Thread

Did an easy 20 miles while trying not to catch the flu which seems to be raging all around me. Had a race in my winter series which once again taught me there's no fool like an old fool, or at least an old fool who thinks he can still sprint. Kicking in just behind another runner and suddenly a little surge at the line seemed liked a good idea - for a collection of muscle fibers deep down in my glutes, no so much. Writing this sitting on an ice pack. Give it another day then venture out to assess the damage.

When occasionally healthy, age grade out in the low to mid 80s. Fun to look at once in awhile.

Hi guys! Long time, no see. :)

Sun, 01/31: 12 miles in 1:26:07 (7:10 avg.) Splits: 7:32, 7:26, 7:26, 7:13, 7:20, 7:27, 7:23, 7:09, 6:51, 6:32, 6:40, 7:01

Mon, 02/01: planned day off.

Tue, 02/02: 2.5 mile warmup, strides, 2 x 2000m (7:35, 7:34) with 3:00 rest, 4 x 400m (all :81) with 200m jog rests, 2.5 mile cooldown. Day's total = ~9 miles.

Wed, 02/03: 6 miles easy (7:36/mile avg.)

Thu, 02/04: 8 miles easy (7:44/mile avg.)

Fri, 02/05: 5.5 miles easy (untimed)

Sat, 02/06: 2 miles warmup, 5 miles @ 6:30/mile avg., 3 miles cooldown. Day's total = 10 miles.

Weekly total = 50 miles

Weight work on Mon, Tue, Wed & Thu. I've come to the conclusion, after Saturday's tempo run, that I need to work on leg strength. My legs tire long before my cardiovascular system gets taxed. I need to start doing lunges, step-ups, etc.

Age grading - I don't recall the percentages I hit, but I know my age-graded times are staying right what my PRs were when I was younger, so I guess I'll consder that some sort of success. :)

driske wrote:

No runs;5 hours X-C skiing on 2 outings.

Taxes are turned in so I'll find some better training time in the weeks ahead.

Age graded; 2007 a 10K in 38:54 @56 and 2006 a 1/2 marathon in 1:24:14@55. Both ranked low 80's by the WAVA table in my old log.

SoCalPete is a huge inspiration. Great training info and I believe he consistently submits the best posts on letsrun.

Drill baby, drill.

AK-51; Hope that knee keeps coming along.

Our 15YO neighbor kid skated 4K sub 10 yesterday. Headed him for the JO's out in ME.

Good week to all.

I had a busy weekend coaching for Junior Olympics (JOs)Nordic skiing qualifiers, and by the time I got back online this thread was buried. Just found it now.

driske 5 hr in 2 days is decent, are you doing Birkie?

About the coaching, all three J2s (14-15 yr olds) I'm coaching qualified for JOs in Maine, although one opted to stay closer for the Arctic Winter Games, in Aberta. Woot!

Meanwhile the three big stars of our team (whom I don't coach) returned from Europe, World Junior, U23 WCs, and Scando Cup. They had outstanding results at US Nationals/Olympic Trials last month (including a 3rd in the sprint and a 4th in 30K classic!) and some respectable placings in Europe, and they learned a lot from those experiences. Those kids are amazing, a little like having Chris Derrick, Trevor Dunbar, and Luke Verzbicas on the same team. And that's not an exaggeration.

Knee is holding up! Skiing an hour a day or so. Skating a little dicey, but classic if fine. I might try a little running this week.

Age grading - it's all in good fun, and I'm also a big fan of SoCal Pete and his site. Through most the 40s, my age grade times were quite consistent with open times, but at 49--injury plagued and off a bit, my times were still in the same ball park. Things get easier after 50 and for the past two years my age grade percents were significantly higher compared to the old days. Doesn't hurt that I had been able to maintain the same times or faster at 50-51, compared to 46-47.

Okay folks - first time joining.

I run up in Oregon with imarunner and Charlie S.

I suffered a ruptured Achilles in 2009 right after xc nationals with no health insurance - so I'm now just coming back. I average 60-65 mpw with one hard workout a week. (6x1200's or 6x1000's)

Hummm... age grading - I think us 50+ folks should be happy seeing each other alive rather than trying to be relevant to younger runners. (who don't even notice us unless we beat them...) One word - nonsense. Live in your own skin- run in your own pack...

Pete's site is great - especially Grace P.

Woo hoo, I'm back! A tender knee has seriously reduced my mileage the past month, but a quick 7 miler on Tuesday (@ 7:20 pace) and a 9 miler in the snow today make me think that those days are past.

I age grade in the 70s. I think that it's most valuable to give me a good idea of what I should/can run nowadays.