50+ WeeklyTraining Thread (for week ending 19-Dec-2010)

here are a couple of ice tips (aside from moving indoors): yaktrax and screw shoes. these, and similar products or mockups, make a huge difference when it comes to traction. i've had good tempo runs in the wake of ice storms at home and was able to keep up my regular mileage when visiting my inlaws in indiana last xmas where they do only superficial plowing and don't salt the roads (and there are, unfortunately, no off road options). these days i like screw shoes best: they're effectively free, easy to repair, and not particularly uncomfortable when you hit stretches of cleared pavement.

this has largely been a recovery week for me. 54 miles in five days, all of it on icy/chunky trail (in screw shoes), except for one speed workout on the outdoor track on a pleasant 28-degree, sunny, low-wind day. now that i'm preparing for the hartshorne mile, i'm giving real, ahem, speed a try. following a half-hour warmup and a few strides, this first workout was 6x alternating 400s and 200s with 200 jog rest after the 400s and 400 jog rest after the 200s. the plan was to take the 400s a little slower than mile pace and the 200s a little faster. although i started the first one a bit fast and slowed by the fifth, i rallied for the final set and was satisfied. averaged 1:26 for the 400s and 41 for the 200s. i plan to hit the indoor track once or twice a week for the next month and see what that gets me. tom hartshorne says he hopes to have a record field of about 10 women running the elite 50s race, but hasn't told me who they'll be. the other races are always exciting and top notch. hope to see some of you there!

as for the question of the week, the things that have benefited me are (1) consistent physical therapy (ART), which is what has enabled me to train consistently, and (2) targeting my workouts toward the upcoming target race, whether that means simply getting in long trail runs (in prep for any random ultra), doing long hill repeats (in (not-good-enough) prep for a mountainous ultra), doing tempo on the golf course (in prep for xc), or doing speed on the indoor track (as i'm about to start now for the mile). surely this sounds simplistic, but i think i'm doing a better job with it than in years past.

The weather has been unpleasant here in Va as well for this last training week. 10 miles on the Blue Ridge Parkway X2, which was closed, making for wonderful peaceful runs. A couple of just grit it and git it done’s in 20 mile per hour winds at 18 degrees. Total miles were 41 in 5 days. 41 is a LOT of miles for me, as I spent the previous few years hobbling around at 25 to 30, but with more up tempo. I stayed continuously injured in some manner or form from 2006 through March of this year. Knock on wood, I’ve gotten healthier and stronger as this year has gone on. I wonder if it’s just taken me 5 years to get to the point where I can BEGIN to train like I want?

Paradoxically it was my failed attempt at prepping for a marathon that provided my biggest surprise and benefit. After painfully struggling through some 17 and 18 milers and winding up with the most classic case of runner’s knee, I was shocked to find my mile repeats on the track were faster despite my pedantic plodding.

I’ve decided that if I have to get screw shoes to train I am seriously considered moving to Florida prior to my planned retirement. Screw ice! (colloquially speaking, of course).

Hey...

I took my end of season break this week; no runs Sunday through Friday. It was a good time to take off. The weather was nasty and I came down with my annual winter cold. I'm pretty much over it already. And...I ate whatever I wanted and gained a few pounds! Saturday I did 10 and today 11.

Man, tough question. If it came down to one thing I would say the Tempo run. Pretty much weekly year-round 3-5 miles in the middle of a 10 miler. Seems to work for me.

So...how is everyone handling the Christmas Day run? Early? After the presents? Forget it? I might go after the breakfast and before we head to the in-laws, or bag it.

Have a good week...

Dave

Recovery week for me as well. I somehow scheduled a hellacious work week and I'm glad I didn't have any particular plans for workouts. I hope to be back to normal training this week --- but it is the week of Christmas and who knows how hectic that will be.

Best running came off of consistent high mileage (70+), twice weekly weight training, and off season bounding, and strengthening work. Also, I've had success with a mid-week long run.

Now, I'm just desperately trying to find the time to run -- even though I really need the other stuff. Oh and sleep...sleep would be really nice.

Shortened long run today so I could squeeze in my annual cookie baking with a friend. Today was just the only day we could do it (now that the oldest girls are home from college). It was very fun, but I'm pretty tired now.

When I was still married, we'd try to fit in a run after presents. Now, it depends on who has the kids in the morning (we switch mid-day). This year, I get them at noon, so it will be a Christmas morning run for me. Other years, I get to run in the afternoon. I consider it one of my presents. ;-)

With children there is absolutely NO way I would ever have gotten in a run before they opened presents. For one, I am always still up at 2 am trying to finish wrapping and putting the presents under the tree (my ex always would fall asleep before it was done!). We did have a rule (still in effect) that they couldn't wake me up until it was light out (around 7 am) - they only forgot once. ;-) Most years that gets me 4 hours of sleep --- but I sure as heck wasn't going to wake up even earlier to run.

Have a wonderful week and enjoy your families --- I am certainly having fun with mine!

A quiet week here as well

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A kyak session and 30min run on monday. I ran a fast (barefoot)1400m and 2 fast 470m efforts on the grass.

Raced on tuesday (track 3k) after a solid hours run and also did another 6 or 7k warmdown with one of the 60+ guys. The race was made a little more challenging by the number of locusts we encountered. We are not far from the front of a 25km wide plague of the nasty little buggers.

Ran 70mins of rough hilly trails thursday, 90mins mtn bike on friday, the bike had been to the mech. so it was nice to get back on it and grind my way up the trails behind my home.

45 min rough hilly trail run and 2 x 250m fast and a 40 min kyak on sat.

Just a steady 50mins around the golf course on sunday morning, it was my oldest grand-daughter's 5th birthday.

I am toying with the idea of making a marathon comeback in April. I will start a program of slow easy 60-90min daily runs after the new year. I always race well off a easy paced higher mileage program even in the short events. So even if I change my mind on the marathon I will probably gain plenty of benefit.

This was the case this year. I was running poorly early season after a limited prep. After just 2 weeks of slow 60-90 min daily runs I improved my times dramatically.

I suspect I would do well on the "Ed Whitlock plan".

I'm working Christmas day and Christmas eve (until 10pm.)

Topic: On reflection of this past year, can you pinpoint any one thing you did in your training, beyond consistency, that had the most beneficial effect

12 years rest 'tween intervals.

62 miles in 6 days, all outside w/ 10 X :60 @ 5K pace (:30 rec) on Wednesday. Ice and snow here in Omaha, yawn, likely here until April.

Training tips would be doing strength drills every day, plenty of stretching, plenty of naps.

It looks like most everyone is finding some way to persevere through the cold, snow and wind of the northern states. I live north of Dallas where the weather has been in the 30's when I go out to run. It gets up into the 60s during the day. I have run in the winter in Chicago, Colorado, northern Indiana, Boston, and northern Virginia so I am empathetic.

My "Whitlock Buildup" has gone well. I started up on 4 October, after about 3 months of bacchanalian indulgence, with 10 min/day. The next week I started adding 1 or two mins a day. I have worked myself up to 90 mins/day with a 2 hour long run. So I am pretty happy with that.

Here was my week:

12/13 90 min

12/14 90 min Negative split @ 70% effort outbound, slightly more inbound

12/15 90 min

12/16 90 min 15 min warm up, 15 min @ 80% effort, 15 min easy, 30 min @ 80% effort, 15 min easy

12/17 96 min Steady run @ 70% to 80% effort

12/18 90 min

12/19 30 min Took it easy today after feeling really tired yesterday.

My training plan is to continue to carefully add quality and shift around the distribution of my running so I am getting in two medium long runs and one long run a week. I will keep this up for another 6 or 7 weeks then transition to a hill phase. I am targeting a half marathon on 10 April as my first goal race for the year.

It is interesting to read about your various experiences with speedwork. The research indicates that it is cardio-vascular endurance that declines fastest with age, not speed. So, the biggest payoff for most masters runners is to work on endurance. Speed work is mostly about neuro-muscular coordination. Some of your experience seems to confirm that, but not all.

My Christmas day strategy is to get up and out early. I can manage this now that my children who are still at home are older. However, it was a day off for me when my kids were young.

Hmmmm, I have had such a poor year of training that I think the best thing I did for myself this year was the Whitlock buildup I am currently doing.

A relaxed week for me too with the snow and then cold of MN. Did 18 miles on 5 runs (2 runs on the treadmill). Starting to get my "winter stride" back (short, quick turnover).

The most beneficial change I made this year was to get rid of days off unless I was sick or hurting. I feel looser and have more energy running every day even if its real slow.

Season greetings to all of you!

The icy lockdown continued, with the third consecutive week of well below zero. No end in sight.

We did get a respite with a long weekend in Anchorage for nordic skiing Junior Olympic qualifying races. The kids I coach (including my own two) did solid, with one going 2nd in the sprints and 6th in 5K classic and another went 6th in the sprints and 4th in classic.

At the end of two long coaching days I jumped into the older juniors/open/masters 16K classic and got my doors blown off! And ended up with a massive wipeout at 15K, losing 35 sec in one fall on a turn at the bottom of a rollercoaster hill. Still, I got a good workout.

Per training this year, it's been mostly hanging on and trying to find a way to get back. The one thing I've added is consistent weight training and core work (2X/week), more for xc skiing. Built up to 20 pull ups in the fall. Now I'm sort of cutting back.