Masters Weekend Club XC Races and Runs

Old Man those are good bird dogs. I'm partial to flushers myself although pointers are better on grouse. A blizzard here. Just heard the Mpls Metrodome roof collapsed. Have to use the treadmill today. I'm looking at running snowshoes at REI. We have alot of snowmobile trails and I think that type of snowshoe would work swell on those packed trails. No racing last week and maybe a 5 mile race next Saturday. I'll have to see. Have a good week and stay warm because there's an artic blast heading south.

I am new to the masters ranks. I just hit 40 at the end of Sept. I have not done any running/racing at this age. The magical #40 has gotten some juices flowing and is starting to get me back out the door. Last running I did was early 2004. (I have dabbled in triathlon the last 2yrs)

Just wanted to jump in on a masters thread.

XC Nationals results...some pretty impressive marks by regular MWR&R posters.

http://www.usatf.org/events/2010/USATFClubXCChampionships/results/mastermen.asp

BTW OMBTS, until recently I ran practically every day with my vizsla (Hungarian bird dog/hound)...quite likely my all-time favorite training partner...he's a little gimpy these days...just like his geezer Dad ;}

MF

congrats on turning 40 and getting back into it. I hope you love masters racing.

Congrats also to everyone who ran club x-c nationals. I take vicarious pride in the awesome race run by Edmund Burke repping American University (our asst. cross-country coach).

I had a good week -- 63 miles with 18 on tuesday incl. 6 at marathon pace.

Today I ran an 8k road race in I believe 28:48 (results not up yet) for 4th overall and 2nd master. 17 seconds faster than same race last year. We had a good, tight lead pack of 7 most of the way, 4 of them being M45-49's. With maybe 700-800 meters to go I figured that I had little chance against the young guys in a sprint, so I took the lead on an uphill and tried to get away. Apparently nudging in front by about 2 steps does not sufficiently discourage people. top 2 blew me away with maybe 250 to go, and then my M45 friend Mark Neff passed me easily on final uphill. Speed kills!

Have a great week,

Dave

Congrats to this week's racing crowd.

Was about to put a "gone fishing" sign on my running until I popped a big workout pr on a seldom run route. Now, I can go back to being really slow with more confidence.

Run well everybody.

Hello old timers. Been a while. All is well with this here 2-lapper getting his base miles in after 2 years of plantar F and this and that in lower limb injuries.

Say... how doe Pete do it? Wow! 32 something for 10k XC at his age? Wow! Well done sir.

KP

Drug test him. Too fast for a guy almost 50.

49 and hands it to the rest of the field including the 40 year old "youngsters". Pete is shaping up to be the best all-around American Masters guy ever.

The best masters in the US weren't there.

One more day in Orlando (8 days total)! Have run on the treadmill everyday as there is no safe route outside, busy roads. A good week for training and avoided the temptation to overeat on the road.

I think SoCal Pete was the overall winner yesterday, Muddy Girl had a good race. Hope the weather was good.

Have a good week!

qrkid, welcome, keep us posted on your post 40 running. I've slowed since I hit 50 but just walked in the door from a trail run with Shooter and it was the best.

Love rain, clouds and 50ish. Perfect.

Last weekend I made a decision to run XC again this winter for Navy XC Masters team. I was going to not run this year, but a buddy who hasn't run for Navy in 3 years called me and convinced me to do it (something about San Diego, cold beer, and fish tacos). So, I started to train again last Monday. It was slow going, but I had a pretty good four days.

Then, on Friday the Navy coach informed us that due to budget cuts he can't take Masters this year (probably the first time in nearly 10 years). So now I'm thinking of returning to my original plan of taking at least 6 months off from racing. It's very hard to consistently train in my current job, and I am really enjoying swimming 3-4 times a week right now (swam 5,000 meters Saturday morning with my Masters team). I was a swimmer before I took up running.

Congrats to everyone who ran Club Nats. Have a great week everyone.

Congrats to Pete and all others who ran at Club Nationals!

Had a good week on this end. 60 miles for the week, culminating in a 20-miler on the Leif Erikson Trail this morning. It has been very wet here in Puddletown, but we caught a dry spell for this morning's run.

Great runs at the Nationals, everybody! Pete, that's phenomenal (likewise, Tony & Christian, and apologies to anyone here whose real names I haven't yet figured out).

My week wasn't too good. Just when I thought I'd built my mileage up I caught a cold, had to work through it with some big meetings, and spent the week exhausted. I ended up with 50 miles, mostly slow, and a mediocre 5 mile XC race (29ish).

Clearly some greater power doesn't want me to run 70mpw!

strapiton wrote:

49 and hands it to the rest of the field including the 40 year old "youngsters". Pete is shaping up to be the best all-around American Masters guy ever.

Congrats to my Compex Teammates and all the XC Club runners. Wish I was there. Not only did Pete win at the age of 49 but the Top 5 for Compex included 3 49 year olds and their 6th man is 48. Look out 50s, here they come. Great races for Gray Mahvera and Christian Cushing-Murray. Rumor has it CCM let the old man take the tape for his last one in the 40-49 age group. I'm not sure I buy it as that means CCM has to hear Pete yap about it until the next race. Also congrats to my old roomie TY (also 48) for a great Top 10 performance, to Mike Livingston who used to clean my clock in college and appears to be back in form, and to Atlanta TC who ran a race worthy of a repeat victory. Well done all.

clubs wrote:

The best masters in the US weren't there.

I wasn't there either but I can't claim victory because of it. You've got to show up to be the best.

Hopefully we can get a race report from Pete and other who ran. It rained here in eastern NC , don't know about out there.

Amen to that DC. He who toes the line with his spikes laced may speak up. Others may either cheer or remain silent. I would only hope they be inspired to toe that line next time.

weather was perfect, and the course was like a road race, though there was a treacherous downhill we had to navigate three times. it definitely favored speed/track guys over strength/marathon guys--i even wore my nike victory track spikes, though probably could have worn racing flats to the same effect.

running up front with pete was a blast, like some of the workouts we've done together, and made the 20 X 400s and 8 X 1000s worth it all. and to the knucklehead who posted that the best masters weren't there, no one was going to beat pete yesterday.

good fun all around--thanks to the atlanta track club for "loaning" us some beers, and for beating us last year and providing motivation for a bunch of old guys. obviously i'm glad we won, but it's great to be part of real battle. good luck next year, because i'm done with this x-c shit...