50+ Masters Training and Racing Open Forum

It's been a terrific year on this thread thanks to all y'all who care to post and offer self-tested & proven advice for our masters lifestyle. I wouldn't trade it for anything.

Lexington worked. It has motivated me to continue to build my aerobic tank. Feeling much fitter already with a simple plan of 1x week Strength Workout such as 8 x 800m hill intervals at Mt Tabor, and 1x week LSD Run such as 95mins yesterday, and all the other days are recovery-to-easy mins until my body can FEEL it is ready for the SW or LSD. Oh yeah... I'm also getting back to some form of core on a daily basis. But lemme tell y'all it's pathetically minor - like 20 push-ups-20 sit-ups 10 push-ups, 10 10 leg liftsin all direction including bycycles with no band, 50 squats with no weights. I know, I know. Pathetic! BUT this is a restart from my masters banner years of 10-15 years ago.

Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays to y'all.

KP

Funny post Coyote. Hope all that activity didn’t make you stiff.

Rested the back end of week for a 2 mile road race yesterday. Snowed the night before and during the race. I wore Yaks Trax which gave me good traction but a clunky feel. Started at 7:00 pace but slowed to miles of 7:20 and 7:17 (GPS). I ran with the 60-64 AG winner until the last 400m when he gapped me by seven seconds. I had visions of sub-7:00s but wasn’t going to happen.

Monday: AM- 4 miles easy; PM- 2 miles easy/walk

Tuesday: BSU Indoor- 2 miles easy; 1,000m tempo @ 4:23 / 600m easy; 800m interval @ 3:16 / 600m easy; 600m repetition @ 2:16 / 600m easy ; 4 x 150m fast @ 29 / 250m walk; mile easy

Wednesday: AM- 4 miles easy; PM- 3 miles easy / walk

Thursday: Off

Friday: 2 miles easy

Saturday: 2 miles easy; 4 x strides; 2 miles 14:49 official, 14:37 GPS; 2 miles easy

Sunday: Off

Igy

Good stuff to end the year with. After last week's adventure run this was mostly a recovery week with a little bit of intensity the last couple of days. 39 miles total.

M- off, travel home

T- 7 walk

W-7 walk

Th- 7 walk

F- 5 on trails at 7:50/mi with son and d-in-law

S- 6 on trails at 7:52/mi with son and d-in-law

Su- 7 walk

If I do my planned runs for next week I should end up at about 1980 miles for the year, with 1,150 of that in the 2nd half of the year. 2016 was 1,580 miles. 2,500 is the ambitious goal for 2018, which will be the first year of a two year plan to be seriously fit when I turn 70. I have some mile, 5k and 10k goals in mind for when I turn 70, but I am keeping them to myself until I get a lot closer to that birthday, because, as my wife says, the goal of masters sports is to get slower slower than everybody else gets slower.

Merry Christmas to all!

Enjoyed reading this week's posts. It seems some of us, myself included, have too much spare time on our hands this time of the year! I will make an effort to summarize my year next week, and am looking forward to seeing the summaries of others.

I needed to take Monday off after last Sunday’s really solid 16-miler, but quickly got back into the groove and finished with almost 59 miles for the week in five days of running.

Mon: 90 min on bike trainer.

Tues: 11.1 miles at 9:00 pace, at or just below freezing but dry and calm.

Wed: 10.1 miles at 9:00 pace, upper 40s and raining fairly hard at times. Splashing through big puddles in the dark was not too much fun.

Thurs: 10.9 miles at 9:00 pace, dry and calm, at or just below freezing.

Fri: 10.9 miles at 8:53 pace wearing leg covering for the first time this winter, with temps in the upper 20s. Every year I have to remind myself that upper 20s isn’t cold if properly dressed.

Sat: My heel needed a day off from running but it was pretty cold for riding the bike. Hung out at home until it hit 40 degrees and then chugged through 32 miles, cold and slow.

Sun: 15.9 miles at 8:44/mile pace. Got home, showered, scarfed down half a breakfast, and immediately headed off to the gym for an upper body/core/leg workout, as the gym was closing at noon. I was one pooped puppy by the time I got home.

I feel things are going well and I’m contemplating entering a New Year’s Eve half-marathon. It requires 2 hours of driving each way so it’s a bit of a production, but I don’t have a lot of other obligations on New Year’s Eve.

Happy Winter Solstice to all!

Just did the standup uphill mtn bike workout again added a mile to the top. This just might be the missing ingredient.

Video of the top with my bike and a nice doggy

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1CkZ0GnNzW9LDEEb8dznra6fW1IDN1Z25

Summarizing my past year: In spring I decided to stop being an overweight out of shape wannabe who watched other runners and said, "I used to do that." It has been challenging and interesting but I have lost 10 lbs and have made huge progress on the shape and composition of my body. Clothes look better, I have more energy, and I've met a a few fun people who are making the transformation with me.

I am going to jump into some local meets in 2018 to see what this sprinting thing is all about. Plus I'll continue to read this weekly thread to know there are others who are also making the journey.

Greetings from snowy Chicago! We're visiting family before heading up to the frigid UP where I'll be running on a TM rather than on our icy road. I'm counting my Christmas blessings and grateful that despite a challenging year, I'm still able and motivated to keep working to be the best runner I can be - whatever that is at this point.

This week ( 4 1/2 months post-break) I was able to extend my runs and run 3 days in a row without my ankle swelling up. That's real progress. I'm trying to be back racing for Tallahassee XC in early Feb. so I don't have much time to get into some kind of shape. My endurance seems to be pretty good but I still need to get stronger and I'm not allowed to do any speed work or even strides yet. Here's my week:

Mon: 4mi @ 9:07 + 40 min biking

Tue: 4mi @ 9:07 + strength/flex work

Wed: 4mi @ 9:25 + strength/flex work

Thu: 60 min biking @ 18.2mph

Fri: 4mi @ 9:24 + 55 min biking

Sat: 5mi @9:10 + strength/flex work

Sun: 5mi @ 9:20 + 60 min biking

Totals: 24mi running, 3:35 hrs biking, 2:15 strength/flex work

Unlike many of you, there are no marathons in my future. My plan for the spring is to mix road races from the 5k to 10k with sprint triathlons. I'll be 65 for tri's this year beginning Jan. 1 but will be at the top of my AG for road races. I figure doing well in the tri's will help cheer me up from the slow times I'll have in the road races. I like the challenge of trying new things so doing open water tri's will be a new experience for me.

Thanks to all of you for keeping me entertained when I wasn't contributing to the thread and to our leader, LucKY2, for being there for us each week. I'm sending you all best wishes for a Happy Holiday and a healthy 2018!

A bit of a thaw early in the week allowed the golf course to reopen and got it one cold round. That may be the last for the year as the temps are now threatening single digits. At least I can still jog!

Sun: 44’ jog (had to cut it short to leave for a family Christmas party)

Mon: off

Tues: 55’ jog, body wt ex

Wed: golf (walk 18), 91

Thu: 54’ jog, body wt ex

Fri: off

Sat: off (weather)

Sun: 54’ jog, body wt ex

Merry Christmas to all celebrating.

M: off.

T; 7 miles.

W: 7 miles.

R; off.

F; 7 miles.

SA: 7 miles.

SU: 10 miles. (last mile @ 7:31)

I am back to five days of running. More more week of recovery, and on to the next training block for the April marathon.

Happy holidays to everyone.

As I was away on a 'dogcation' most of the week, did not get much in the way of miles...just 31 :(

BUT my knucklehead 'streak' remains in tact...390 consecutive days at an average of just this side of 6 miles a day...while nearing age 62

Frankly, the age thing does not really matter as much as how much wear and tear one has on the body.

At 108,000 plus miles, my body has the wear of an 85 year old...but I'd not change a thing...not even one single iota...nada.

Heading into the holidays, am scripting out a set of fresh 'goals' for 2018 ...but MOSTLY just grateful to still be in motion

...also, SO deeply appreciative of this always inspiring 'keeping your crap honest' weekly thread. Thank you all tremendously for your ongoing perspectives.

Warmest of holiday wishes.

Your pal,

MF

Mon. 32 min. kayak. 8 km easy run over hilly trails with a brisk km walk before and after.

Tue. 13 km hike with 3 and 4 km runs along the way. 27 min mtn bike ride.

Wed. Stopped for a slow 2.5 km shuffle on the way home from night shift (9am).

1 h 20 m mtb ride then 7.6 km hike with a hilly 2.5 km run. Wore weighted vest during the hiking.

Thu. 49 min kayak. 2 hour / 11km very rugged hiking with 385 m elevation gain. Threw in 4 x 250 m. uphill reps and a 1.5 km easy run near the end.

Fri. 1 h 12 m mtn bike. 4 km walk into work and a 3 km run on oval in 14 min.

10.30 pm. 4 km walk into run 28 min.

Sat. 3 km hike into 10 km hilly run.

Sun. 8 km hike with 3 km jogging.

Nice easy week just ticking along quietly.

null - View on Imgur: https://m.imgur.com/a/s9WWO

Ran eight miles along Boise River, the above photo from Eagle/Garden City foot bridge. Fresh snow on this White Christmas Day.

Merry Christmas.

Igy

I thought only millennials ran with their phones.

Started today, that is my New Year’s revolution, try to be a hipster. Just this morning, after my run, I bought Grande Chi Latte at Starbucks. Afternoon created a Facebook page, look for Igy. Dinner some sushi. This evening it is an investment in BitCoin. Next year I plan to vacation on six continents. More photos to come, to share my coolness of course.

Thanks for noticing me, as Eore says.

Igy

After 12 years of posting to the LR forum and rarely posting here, I think I will start to visit this place more. At 59, I'm at the age where the phrase, "It's not a bug, it's a feature," vis a vis aches and pains, is suddenly feeling weirdly relevent.

Yesterday was the first 14-miler--my long run baseline--since April. 13 the week before and 12 the week before that. Always move into the good stuff slowly is my motto, now.

M: 4 @ 10:35 plus some strides

Tu: 5 @ 9:39, mild progression towards end

W: 8.2 @ 9:37. Hill workout. 4 x 60 sec steep hills, plus 4 x .25 @ 7:30-7:50

Th: 3 @ 10:31 v. easy on hilly roads near my houjse

F: 8.5 w/3 tempo @ 8:02 (168; 89% of max). Felt smooth but want MORE, dammit. Hills are working their way in

Sa: 3 @ 10:32, v. easy

Su: 14 @ 9:02 . Longest run in 8 months. Knees hurt on downhills. Wasn't inspired to hammer towards end, just hold high aerobic pace.

46 for the week.

In early July I completely f--ked my back for the second time in 15 months. Disc bulge/herniation. Didn't run a step for 7 weeks. I was using a cane, hobbling, bent over like an old person, for the first week. Lots of walking after day 30. I hoped that one day I would be able to run again.

And I am. So it's all good, despite the knees.

Don't lift and twist! Discs hate that. :)

returntoglory wrote:

At our advanced age, I think diet plays a huge role in making getting faster easier as far as losing weight and reducing cholesterol. I watched "Forks over Knives" on Netflix and found it to be very interesting. I am going to adjust my diet to try and eat a plant-based diet as much as possible, even if it means reducing portions of all meats consumed. Hopefully, by doing this it will translate to improved racing times and reduced injuries.

Yes! I spent a long weekend teaching at an organic farm (Shared Harvest Farm) in Ontario back in June, and the farmer was a big fan of that movie. I decided that I was going to learn five new recipes, plant-based, delicious, that I could make for myself, as a way of incrementally shifting my diet in that direction.

One week later I hurt my back and couldn't run for 7 weeks. But I ate mostly vegetarian, and I didn't gain a pound. So yes: start there. I don't know if the less-inflammation thing is true, but the rest is true.

Very impressive recovery from the back injury! What was the rehab? (I take it no surgery?). How do you deal with, or what do you take for any pain issues? Curious about your knees: any OA or degenerative changes?

This old cat has chronic back pain (no official diagnosis of anything yet) and one very bad wheel (ruptured PTT & OA ...the rupture compliments of trying to outkick a fellow age-grouper on an uphill finish in a 5k last year ?).

But if I could run half your mileage & training program, I could change my user name to something like "Content Old Runner" or "Happy Old Runner." ?

Ghost of Igloi wrote:

null - View on Imgur:

https://m.imgur.com/a/s9WWO

I’m glad that dusting didn’t keep you from getting outside. Here we had 50 mph gusts with up to an additional 3 ft of snow expected in the next couple of days accompanied by wind chills to -25F. The snowfall is not usually an issue, but if I can’t work around those windchills I’ll have to run indoors. Yuck. Maybe I’ll head to Boise for their above freezing temps and no wind.