50+ Masters Training and Racing Open Forum

Big kudos to Canada's Mark Pincard who drove 8 hrs to toe the line for the last time at Hayward Field as we know it. And damn did he have a good Meet on Stevenson's Magic Track! 2:15 and 4:42 at age 58! Says he'll be at Spokane and invites all of us to his Canada Nats in BC.

We'll... that Hayward 800 was ugly (for me). Just watched the film. I don't believe going out with Mark was dumb as we went through 400 in 67. I have run 2:17pt Indoors, and a 2:22 (800) & 1:38 (600) in two recent workouts. BUT I don't need a video to remind me how dead I was at 500m. 20/20 hindsight says I wish I would have chosen a 69, or even a 70, and then chased, even though it was cold and swirling out there. BUT lemme tell y'all that OR Twilight 400 wasted me mentally, physically, mechanically. Still I LOVED it and am already hungry to rejuvenate the aerobic tank I gained for 2017/2018 Cross-Country. At our age we need more tempo stuff - even for a 2-lapper race. Agreed fellow masters of foot-racing? Bring on a 12-week plan-for-Spokane to begin with some slower, easier, longer, running before re-starting more aerobic tank tempo, hills, core, and longer interval sessions.

Thanks for ALL your kudo-support good friends for life.

KP

KCgeezer wrote:

Matt Fitzgerald, in one of his books, suggests there may be a third factor beyond aging and attrition, though it's related to both -- namely that we have a lifetime reserve of "bounce" and that competitive runners eventually run out of it. That is, a fast younger racer might become less competitive in masters than their earlier times would suggest, because of the sheer beating her body has taken over the years.

Noakes had a similar hypothesis in his "Lore of Running." He had examples of people who lost speed, and some late bloomers who didn't compete in their younger years. Since I am relatively new to the sport, I don't have to worry about this possibility any time soon. But I wonder if doing more cross training as we age is a good idea.

M: off.

T: off.

W: 4 miles.

R: off.

F: 5 miles.

SA: off.

SU: 6.2 miles.

On "off" days, I did my 25-30 min walk to hit the target. I have a huge scratch on my left elbow from my fall during the marathon. So I won't be swimming until this heals. Sunday's 10k on track started with 5:53/km and ended with 4:50/km. Maybe I am recovering too well, meaning I didn't push myself hard enough during the race.

Joining the results brigade this week. Sunday was my birthday so I'm a bit tardy...

Sun - LR 8.1mi (too fast)

Mon - 5.6mi with strides

Tue - 16-20 reps at 400m (too fast, stopped after 10x)

Wed - 5.1mi with strides

Thu - 5.1mi

Fri - jogged the 5K course

Sat - waited to run the 5K

Sun - ran 5K in 18:14 (PR)

It was a charity run for melanoma, of which I'm also a survivor.

I'm reassessing how I train based on the feedback I've gotten off last week's blown workout plus some recent LR and tempo experiences. My bread and butter runs are the right pace, but I'm starting to see how I could be getting a whole lot more out of my other workouts with proper execution. So simple yet so complicated!

I've my first outdoor 1500 is 7 years this weekend, I'm also 51, but the target is sub 4:45, close to 4:40 optimistically.

5000m in August is the primary target, so this is just to score some points for the club, 800 the following day, I was always sh1t over 2 laps, but never trained for it.

12 week plan for spokane

Goal chase the leaders and try not to blow up finish the 1500 under 5 minutes

Basic speed do some sand dunes and pickups on treadmill at 12mph transition to track doing 100 to 300 reps full recovery

Base ok walking/hiking/biking with more miko miko running mixed in.

*LT do a bunch of 3 mile continuous runs starting at 6:40 working down to 6:15 over 10 weeks

Vo2Max cycle thru 3 minute hills with equal recovery , 3 minute x 4 equal recovery and 90 seconds x 6 at equal recovery shooting for max hr on the last one. Transition to the track off treadmill as calf muscles permit.

Race 2 times end of June and middle of July

Cut back to shorter faster stuff first week of July but keep the easy tempo in there with last one 9 days before goal race.

*Steady as she goes build up LT with easy 3 mile tempos did first on today at 6:40 pace 83percent MHR so this is on track

Forgot to put where I am at as of May 6th:

1 mile 5:47.05

80.46 percent AG

The 5:47 miles equates to a 5:21 1500.

Can I cut 22 seconds off ? This would be about a 6 percent AG increase to 86.36 percent.

Shirley I am closer than 22 seconds . Hey the clock don't lie and quit calling me Shirley.

Charlie,

More racing alone you can Chuck another 12 seconds. Hard race pace intervals like 3 x 800m @ 2:35, 2:50, 2:35 / 400m jog Sir Tanly gets you there.

Igy

Igy thanks for the feed back!

I recall improving from 4:24 to 4:13 off 5 races back when I was 43. My calf muscles seem to tolerate fast short stuff. I was really happy with not having any calf issues for that mile but I was pretty cautious. I am going to take a gradual cautious approach something I have never done.

Charlie,

You know yourself best and what you have been doing is working well. I look forward to following your progress.

Igy

results brigade; well a lot of stuff, but most importantly, at 58 I outrun all the young studs at the soccerfield

it felt

fantastic

SprintTriathlon wrote:

results brigade; well a lot of stuff, but most importantly, at 58 I outrun all the young studs at the soccerfield

it felt

fantastic

Wow...I envy you! I'm 57 and the heavyset soccer-moms even outrun me! ? And after shuffling through a 4 miler every other day it's ice bag city & pain med help. The life of an arthritic runner. ?

SprintTriathlon wrote:

results brigade; well a lot of stuff, but most importantly, at 58 I outrun all the young studs at the soccerfield

it felt

fantastic

This might be the single most important reason to be a masters runner.

First post on this thread. 51 yo American living in Thailand. Haven't had any recent races but last December ran the Thailand International Half Marathon in 1:15:49 and a marathon in 2:45:58. Both were hot (75*F at start time ) and hope to drop 5 minutes off the marathon if I get better weather.

Able to relate to so many of the posts on this thread. Constant battles with injuries, self doubt, and the elation of running a good race. Hope I can add value but at minimum, can learn from all the mature posters here.

My training is all over the place but the volume is consistent and this consistency is what keeps me healthy and meeting non stringent goals. Train about 10 hours a week, mostly on the treadmill at inclines 4-5%. Depending on feel, I mix in the elliptical, steep incline treadmill walking, and a few road runs.

Been healthy, minus the constant niggles, for 2 years :) Next race is a Marathon in Hat Yai, Thailand on May 27. Expect it to be 85 *F at start so would be happy with 3:00:00 but never raced in this extreme heat and might be slower. In August, I will be running another marathon in even hotter temps.

Good luck to all and hope to be able to contribute on this thread.

Ghost of Igloi wrote:

Charlie,

More racing alone you can Chuck another 12 seconds. Hard race pace intervals like 3 x 800m @ 2:35, 2:50, 2:35 / 400m jog Sir Tanly gets you there.

Igy

How did you arrive at those specific times?

Qurious wrote:

Ghost of Igloi wrote:

Charlie,

More racing alone you can Chuck another 12 seconds. Hard race pace intervals like 3 x 800m @ 2:35, 2:50, 2:35 / 400m jog Sir Tanly gets you there.

Igy

How did you arrive at those specific times?

Qurious,

Sorry, I missed your post. I arrived at the times primarily based on my experience as an athlete and coach.

Igy

BigMango wrote:

... last December ran the Thailand International Half Marathon in 1:15:49 and a marathon in 2:45:58. Both were hot (75*F at start time ) ...

That's some fine running there (in the heat at age 50-51!). Looking forward to following your training and racing.

Ghost of Igloi wrote:

Qurious wrote:

How did you arrive at those specific times?

Qurious,

Sorry, I missed your post. I arrived at the times primarily based on my experience as an athlete and coach.

Igy

So you’d focus on date pace rather than goal pace. Interesting.

Qurious wrote:

Ghost of Igloi wrote:

Qurious,

Sorry, I missed your post. I arrived at the times primarily based on my experience as an athlete and coach.

Igy

So you’d focus on date pace rather than goal pace. Interesting.

Qurious,

No, that is faster than goal pace for repetitions one and three and slightly slower repetition two. Goal pace would be 80 seconds per 400m.

Igy

Ghost of Igloi wrote:

Qurious wrote:

So you’d focus on date pace rather than goal pace. Interesting.

Qurious,

No, that is faster than goal pace for repetitions one and three and slightly slower repetition two. Goal pace would be 80 seconds per 400m.

Igy

Ok, but still not exactly race pace. So why the slower one in between?