50+ Masters Training and Racing Open Forum

At the health food/supplement store I regularly shop at they sale CBD. However, it's very expensive and I haven't look at the research yet.

I have chronic pain (OA & tendon pathology from acute ruptures) and experience a lot of running-related inflammation. So, I've used glucosamine sulfate & Acetaminophen the last several years to help with the pain and prevent further joint destruction.

And for those that use glucosamine this study just came out that is very interesting:

http://www.ergo-log.com/glucosamine-protects-against-deadly-heart-attacks.html

syracuse wrote:

Hey, all. Given the relative quiet on the thread, I thought this might be a good time to pose another question. Hopefully we can get a thoughtful and mature discussion going.

So it’s no secret that as we age, we tend to have more achiness, stiffness, and soreness. Participants in this thread, I would think, are more likely to experience such discomfort given the athletically active lifestyles of many here.

The question is does marijuana/CBD play a role in your recovery and , if so, how? Now that these substances have been legalized or decriminalized in many places, their availability has increased. There are many stories of people, especially senior citizens, reaping benefits from their use. I think it would benefit us all to get some firsthand accounts and learn the pros and cons observed by thread participants. Thanks in advance.

If the CBD oil, DMSO or NSAIDs are used frequently to mask pain I would assume that is not a good thing longer term. I am skeptical that marijuana or it’s derivatives adds anything of value to distance running recovery. I would think inhaling the smoke from a joint would be pretty far down on the list of things that would benefit a distance runner.

Cavorty wrote:

I'm hoping that what I'm doing is still aerobic rather than V02 max - going by HR it is, so since I can't really run a lot of speedwork at the moment, I hoping I can gradually work my way down there.

Good luck with the quest for low 19s and with a bit of luck perhaps we'll both get there this year.

Yeah, after posting, I realized that at your fitness level, your 1000m repeats were more like LT or CV pace. For now, that's VO2max-pace for me.

I'm still dealing with tendinitis, tendon calcification and a patellar bone spur (probably both knees, only had X-ray on the right). Surgery is the only cure for the spur -- would require severing and reattaching the tendon. Not gonna do that. I'll rely on ibuprofen to get through this training cycle.

amkelley-- I keep saying this, but your training volume, at age 60+, is just astounding. I was hoping for similar resilience this year, aiming for 60 mpw, but broke down after a couple weeks of 55.

OGII -- 52 hilly miles is an impressive base week, too!

dhagga -- Nice 5K. Congrats!

KCgeezer -- 18:03 ... wow! Gotta find a track race now ...

Not done -- Enviable streak of 50+ mile weeks. Good luck in upcoming 1-milers.

Igy -- Great to see your race results and continued progress. And cool you met up with Charlie!

In my attic the other day, I came across a box of old results and memorabilia. High school, college, 80s, 90s. A few of the stats I found interesting:

1982 Heritage Trail Marathon (Troy, NY) -- $4.00 entry fee, $5 same-day registration. Ha!

1982 Skylon Marathon (Buffalo to Niagara Falls, Ont.) -- 18 mph NW winds with 38 mph gusts. Headwind the entire way!

1983 Rochester (NY) Marathon -- A ridiculously hilly course, and "official" weather conditions printed on finisher certificate: "90°F, 80% humidity." Yikes. Definitely payback for the perfect weather in Boston earlier that year ...

I certainly don’t think it’s any worse than aspirin or ibuprofen. Also, there are plenty of ways to partake without smoking.

Allen1959 wrote:

1983 Rochester (NY) Marathon -- A ridiculously hilly course, and "official" weather conditions printed on finisher certificate: "90°F, 80% humidity." Yikes. Definitely payback for the perfect weather in Boston earlier that year ...

That brings back memories. I ran the Rochester marathon exactly once, in October 1990 at age 32. Obviously a different course--not at all hilly as I recall, and the weather was fine. This was at a time when I was improving very quickly and had no idea what I could do. There were only about 100 people in the race, perhaps 20 women, and I quickly found myself in second place, well behind and out of sight of a well-known local runner. I was happily running my own race when I suddenly saw the leader pulled over on the side of the course at the 20-mile mark, cheering me on. It turns out she was using the race as a tune-up for New York and had planned to drop out after 20 miles all along (but what discipline to do so when leading!). Now leading the race, I ran with great joy up to about 24 miles, when I reached a complicated multi-way intersection that the course had already passed through a couple of times. A volunteer waved me in one direction but I wasn't sure that was the right way, and after about a quarter-mile I was sure I was headed out on a loop I'd already done and not heading in toward the finish. I turned around, sprinted back to the intersection, got the right directions, and headed toward the finish with great consternation, but was quickly reassured by the spectators that I was still the lead woman. I ended up winning officially in 3:08, which was fine with me--it was a big PR even with the added distance, and I wouldn't have broken 3 hours anyway.

In October a year later I ran my Trials qualifier marathon at Twin Cities. I never did enter the Rochester Marathon again, despite it being my home town for 12 years.

I guess if you feel it adds something to your life. Alcoholics, prescription drug users and dopers are all about the same to me.

amkelley wrote:

Now leading the race, I ran with great joy up to about 24 miles, when I reached a complicated multi-way intersection that the course had already passed through a couple of times. A volunteer waved me in one direction but I wasn't sure that was the right way, and after about a quarter-mile I was sure I was headed out on a loop I'd already done and not heading in toward the finish. I turned around, sprinted back to the intersection, got the right directions, and headed toward the finish with great consternation ...

What a nightmare! Literally ... I have a recurring dream where I am leading and suddenly have no idea which direction to go! Fortunately, you trusted your instincts, and got the win.

The old Labor Day marathon started downtown, went out East Ave to Pittsford, then up a big climb to Perinton and a series of significant rolling hills, then on to Fairport, East Rochester, past St John Fisher College, and finally East Ave back to downtown.

It wasn't until I plotted the course profile (a tedious manual process in those days), that I saw the final six miles were a long gradual climb. In hindsight, maybe better not to know!

The 1972 Drake Relays Marathon was my second race at that distance. Somewhere around 20 miles four of us were misdirected. Ron Daws (1968 Olympian) and another runner were ahead of me at the time we took a wrong turn; I back tracked about a half mile or so. At the finish they never passed me but were ahead in the results. I protested and it turned out they caught a ride back on to the course. They were not too happy about the disqualification.

Allen1959 wrote:

What a nightmare! Literally ... I have a recurring dream where I am leading and suddenly have no idea which direction to go! Fortunately, you trusted your instincts, and got the win.

Me too. At least once a month I have that nightmare, except that usually I'm not leading the race.

That Rochester Marathon was one of only two times in my life when I made a significant wrong turn in a race. The other time was much worse--in a trail race in the middle of a forest, I somehow got off course and spent about 10-15 minutes wandering around trying to find my way out. I had been leading the women when I got lost, but was nowhere near the lead when I finally got back on course. I ran across the finish line, kept on running straight to my car, got in and drove home in frustration.

Ghost of Igloi wrote:

I guess if you feel it adds something to your life. Alcoholics, prescription drug users and dopers are all about the same to me.

Have you never had an alcoholic drink or taken a prescription drug?

Igy -- So 1972 Drake Relays Marathon Champion! Way cool! Re: drug/alcohol use and addictions, I was very intolerant of others' weaknesses for most of my life. But after close-to-home experiences in recent years, I've mellowed and become much less judgmental.

amkelley -- I took a wrong turn in a road/trail race many years ago. My mind was rather fuddled, probably heat exhaustion ... I was confused and hallucinating. I eventually found my way to the finish, covered with mud up to my waist. Dead last and more than a little embarrassed. I don't blame you for skipping the awards ceremony!

How many times a week do you smoke dope?

allen1959

No I was not the Drake Relays Champion. The winner was Lucien Rosa, Olympian from Sri Lanka. I was third or fourth. Rosa and the other guy who missed the turn finished ahead of me. Perhaps one other; can’t remember. The controversy made the newspapers.

I am trying not to be judgmental on the marijuana thing. I just don’t believe that there is anything that enhances your ability to run, and I feel it is more likely to be detrimental, physically and psychologically. I avoided all prescribed narcotics during my treatment, preferring a bag of ice.

Igy

Igy -- Ah! Understood. Third or fourth ain't bad! As for medications and supplements, I take a multivitamin only. I was taking fish oil and saw palmetto (for prostate) until I ran out. Ibuprofen three times a week starting tomorrow ... hate do do it, but just for a few weeks, I hope. Two beers and one glass of wine per week. I won't mix the ibuprofen and the alcohol, so the beer may be on hold for a while. :)

allen1959,

I drink more than you, but try to average under one a night. Interestingly follicular lymphoma is statistically less likely in moderate drinkers and people with higher concentration of Vitamin D. My neighbor’s four brothers were regular pot smokers for decades, two have died of cancer in the past year, one lung cancer. I smoked marijuana twice in my 20s; never was my thing. Some acquaintances were regulars, like alcoholism governed their lives. I was raised by parents that were very much against any type of drug, prescription or otherwise; so perhaps ingrained biases.

Igy

For what it's worth, I use no recreational drugs and never did even as a kid, and I never developed a taste for alcohol. The only alcohol I can even tolerate is red wine, which I occasionally drink in very small quantities when convenient for social reasons. My impression from what I've read is the marijuana is pretty benign as mind-altering drugs go, but it is still a mind-altering drug and I would not use it without some really good evidence for beneficial effects. It can't possibly be good for all the things people are claiming, and whether it is good for any of them I just don't know.

In general I use far fewer drugs than most people. I do take antibiotics once in a while if I come down with a chronic bacterial bronchitis that I can't shake. I also take over the counter cough syrup to help me sleep when I have a bad cold. I take almost no pain medications, ibuprofen once in a blue moon for a very short time, and I absolutely do not run when taking any pain meds. In general I think that medical professionals are way too quick to prescribe narcotics for pain that is short-term and not severe. However, I'm happy to know that narcotics exist if and when I ever have pain for which they are needed!

Ghost of Igloi wrote:

How many times a week do you smoke dope?

Zero.

How many times each week do you have an alcoholic drink or take a prescription drug?

amkelley wrote:

For what it's worth, I use no recreational drugs and never did even as a kid, and I never developed a taste for alcohol. The only alcohol I can even tolerate is red wine, which I occasionally drink in very small quantities when convenient for social reasons. My impression from what I've read is the marijuana is pretty benign as mind-altering drugs go, but it is still a mind-altering drug and I would not use it without some really good evidence for beneficial effects. It can't possibly be good for all the things people are claiming, and whether it is good for any of them I just don't know.

You’ve hit the nail on the head: there have been very few, if any, legitimate studies on the medical effects of marijuana. The blame lies with the US government and their very restrictive classification for it. It seems everyone agrees that it is improperly classified, so there is hope that a new classification will open the door to allow these much needed studies.

Meanwhile, physicians continue to prescribe it (where medically legal).