Masters Weekend Races and Runs

Great marathon, Dave!

I've run a bunch of marathons and have no desire to ever run one again (unless it's on a trail and then it's still a maybe).

I ran my first one at 22. My boyfriend had me warmup by jogging 2 miles before the start. It was pouring rain and I wore a pair of tights and a long sleeved cotton turtleneck under my uniform and socks. I ran 2:56 and finished 2nd woman and never even got a ribbon for my efforts. I ran a few more in the following years, culminating in a 1984 try-to-qualify-for-the-first-women's-Olympic trials effort - 3 marathons in 7 weeks (2:58 in snowy conditions, 2:52:35, my PR and 2:53 at Boston). I pretty much gave up after that when I moved to MN and started running with a team which was doing xc.

I've dabbled in a couple other marathons with mostly disastrous results, hitting the wall hard and struggling in. My form is a bit goofy and after that my foot-strikes, something always is really hurting. Once I reached the point where sub-3 was not a decent possibility, I was no longer interested.

Decent week for me with 2 hard-ish workouts, following last Saturday's 5k xc race. While I still have some pain in my butt, I am generally feeling pretty strong. 6 more weeks until xc nationals and I've got to get faster!

This will make all of you sick ;-)

I spent most of the last 2 weeks on vacation somewhere hot and tropical with the family. Ran roughly every other day - usually a slow 10-12k followed by barefoot sprints on a beautiful beach, then jump in the sea before overheating got dangerous. Turned out to be absolutely impossible to run hard for more than 5min at a stretch, but who cares? Swam, ate fish, came back healthier and thinner. I did the local 5k on Saturday in 16:52 - wet and muddy underfoot, only 13sec off my best - and got a lifetime PB in the squats in the gym last night. So I think I have discovered a new (albeit expensive) peaking strategy...

Unfortunately after 6 weeks at 50-60mpw, and two weeks at 25-30, I have no excuses and have to bang out some miles for the next couple of months. If I post anything under 70 here, feel free to call me a wimp.

As for marathons...

My only semi-serious one was aged 20 in college - London was the "big thing" and everyone had to try. I was doing regular spring 1500 training, about 60mpw, and just added in some long runs. 2:33, lost 3 minutes in the last 3 miles with a very nasty blister which burst on the cobbles; I still have the patch of mummified skin attached to my race number ;-)

I had one other 3 years ago to spur me into running again, but missed a lot of training and died to finish in 3:15. I was also such a zombie on Sundays that I decided it wasn't fair on the family. I'd prefer to run a track or XC season and hope to get some fair results somewhere during the season.

you sure wrote:

....

DHaaga, saw you on the course today (me spectating) you looked good whenever I saw you. That 2:42:33 PR you mention, is that your straight up PR or Masters PR? Good job today.

...thanks. Life PR, from 2008 national marathon in DC. I'd run 2:49:xx twice in college incl. 1983 Boston in which I pushed Greg Meyer to the win (ha), then no more marathons till 2001 when I turned 40. Gradually worked it down to 2:42, now slowing a minute a year.

Dave

On the sexist side, the Navy women looked the best.

I continue to be amazed and enjoy reading about the running exploits of all who post on this weekly thread. I congratulate all of you on your successes.

This week's question can really get me going. 1961 was my best year on the track. I was traing with Coach Fred Foot, Bill Crothers, Bruce Kidd and many other members of the East York Track Club. We were having great success and a lot of fun but I was always convinced that I was a marathon runner so on Labour Day I ran in the Canadian Marathon Championship in Ste Hyacinthe, Quebec. The race was won by John J. Kelley in 2:31. I was second and first Canadian in 3:01. 47 started and 17 finished. It was 92 degrees and very humid. Per John Kelley, it was "Brutal!".

So on March 11, 1962, I tried another one. It was the first annual Chicago Windy City Marathon. It was in the 30s and there was a little slush and ice on the road. 9 of 15 starters finished. I was still shaking with cold in the hot shower in a University of Chicago locker room an hour later. My winning time of 2:31.16.8 placed me fourth on Canada's all-time marathon list. Next came the Boston Marathon on April 19th.

I finished another 42 marathons and dropped out of 6 more since those days. My last marathon was in 1987.

The changes in our sport of running have been unbelievable. I wish you all the great fun I have had and continue to have with our sport over these many years.

My friend Alan Newton ran 14:55 to finish 6th overall at the Corvallis (formerly Strands) 5K yesterday. He will be 48 next month. I expect to see a great result from him at Cal International next month.

nikeman wrote:

My friend Alan Newton ran 14:55 to finish 6th overall at the Corvallis (formerly Strands) 5K yesterday. He will be 48 next month. I expect to see a great result from him at Cal International next month.

Great. My first post on the masters weekend races and runs and I have to post after a post about some guy who is 8 years older than me and is cranking out sub 15s.

I ran 21 mi this weekend. Would have been a stellar run, but for a few miles of a port-a-potty relay. Ran a half in @80 in terrible conditions a few weeks earlier.

Being relatively new to running and watching many good master runners fade after the age of 44-45, it's encouraging to see the Magills, Newtons, Cannons, Beckers and several others sustain great running and racing. There is certainly some genetic influence, but it also seems to involve stubbornness, hard work, wisdom and of course a little luck.

nikeman wrote:

My friend Alan Newton ran 14:55 to finish 6th overall at the Corvallis (formerly Strands) 5K yesterday. He will be 48 next month. I expect to see a great result from him at Cal International next month.

Orville, thanks for sharing, I love reading your post. 42 marathons ? are you nuts ? amazing !

I just want to tell someone how well I am running -

I am in my early 40s. Last year I started doubling and being more diligent about not missing workouts and making sure I hit all the different kinds of workouts.

Until last year I ran with varying levels of seriousness - it felt like a big plateau - like no matter what I did, my racing would be about the same.

Since I cleaned up my training in 2009 I have been improving steadily but slowly. Enough improvement to keep me interested, but just a few seconds faster here and there.

Since summer 2010, however, I've started slicing huge amounts of time from my prs. Like 30 seconds for 5k. Without any new changes to my training.

So three points - if you have been improving more slowly than you would have liked, keep up your hopes - it can still come, suddenly. That old expression - the workouts you do today are for next season - so true. Linking together seasons with repeatable training has worked for me.

And while I am not elite, I can now understand how runners can take giant leaps forward, even after years of running. Don't automatically assume they started peds.

And finally, at least for me, being in my early to mid 40s has made no difference at all to me - I have been racing for 30 years and I have never felt quicker or more resilient than right now.

Thank you OMBTS. Actually, I am even nuttier than that. I now count 45 completed marathons + 2 completed 50 K races and 5 attempted marathons that were DNFs. Only 10 of the marathons were after age 40. My current memory is that I loved every minute of it. Yeah, sure. Isn't ageing great?