50+ Masters Training and Racing Open Forum

Ghost of Igloi wrote:

Therapy Dan wrote:

Is that date pace or goal pace?

I would go more by feel, but keep track of overall time. Early season you could do it tempo and interval pace, then progress to interval and repetition pace. I would use former at then end of a strength building phase, and the later about four-six weeks out of the key race. It is hard, so you need a couple of recovery days. Any of the race prep stuff I would view the same. Use it judiciously.

Well that’s why I asked. You left it open ended which isn’t very helpful, to be honest. And suggesting that doing that at tempo pace is hard just leaves me scratching my head. You gave specific paces for the other parts of your recommended workouts, so leaving them out for this component seems odd.

Therapy Dan wrote:

Ghost of Igloi wrote:

I would go more by feel, but keep track of overall time. Early season you could do it tempo and interval pace, then progress to interval and repetition pace. I would use former at then end of a strength building phase, and the later about four-six weeks out of the key race. It is hard, so you need a couple of recovery days. Any of the race prep stuff I would view the same. Use it judiciously.

Well that’s why I asked. You left it open ended which isn’t very helpful, to be honest. And suggesting that doing that at tempo pace is hard just leaves me scratching my head. You gave specific paces for the other parts of your recommended workouts, so leaving them out for this component seems odd.

OK. Try running the workout taking splits. It is not only odd, but impossible. Much better to do by effort. The paces in the other workouts were suggestions based on his 5k times, and what I believe he should be able to handle. An 18:00 5k track time athlete, should be able to run a 5:15-5:20 mile.

Ghost of Igloi wrote:

Therapy Dan wrote:

Well that’s why I asked. You left it open ended which isn’t very helpful, to be honest. And suggesting that doing that at tempo pace is hard just leaves me scratching my head. You gave specific paces for the other parts of your recommended workouts, so leaving them out for this component seems odd.

OK. Try running the workout taking splits. It is not only odd, but impossible. Much better to do by effort. The paces in the other workouts were suggestions based on his 5k times, and what I believe he should be able to handle. An 18:00 5k track time athlete, should be able to run a 5:15-5:20 mile.

There’s nothing challenging about taking 150 m splits. We do it all the time.

Whatever, go scratch your head some more. It’s good therapy.

Ghost of Igloi wrote:

3 x 800m @ 2:45, 2:55, 2:45 / 400m easy

2,000m = 50m @ 5k pace + 150m @ 1500m pace alternate until finished (2 x 50m/150m per lap)

2 x ( 4 x 400m = 3 @ 82-83, 1 @ 79-80 / 200m easy) 400m between sets

I think you’re back, Igy — those 800s track pretty close to mine!

I understand the anxiety around test time but truly there’s nothing better you can do other than what you’re doing now. You know that but I thought I’d say it out loud.

KC Geezer,

I know my track, if I know anything at all.

Thanks, coming from you that means a lot. I had my scan yesterday, blood test and oncologist review this coming Wednesday. My docs are pretty cool. I could call them and get an advanced report. Why bother them? If something shows up there will be more testing. Besides there will most likely always be an option for me, that is not true for many of their patients.

I trust your training is going well. I had a good week myself that I will report on Sunday.

Thanks again for the shout out.

Igy

The wife and I are going out dancing tonight so tomorrow (Sunday) is a rest day. She is a Zumba enthusiast, makes me dance until 1:00 a.m.! OK so yeah it is fun too.

This week

M - 5.4 medium easy

T - 8.0 medium easy

W - 13.6 creek trail out 1:02.00, finish 1:58:07. Legs a bit heavy from last weeks long run & tempo run.

Th - 4 easy

F - 4 easy

S - 10K track workout, End of marathon simulation. 8:13 @ 1600, 24:14 @ 5K, finish 46:14. Not as fast as 10K workout last week, but I was not in Next% Vaporfly this time. 7.3 total with w/u & w/d.

TOTAL 42.3 Miles

Marathon in 15 days.

Will check in tomorrow, Happy running & stay healthy!

KCgeezer wrote:

Ghost of Igloi wrote:

3 x 800m @ 2:45, 2:55, 2:45 / 400m easy

2,000m = 50m @ 5k pace + 150m @ 1500m pace alternate until finished (2 x 50m/150m per lap)

2 x ( 4 x 400m = 3 @ 82-83, 1 @ 79-80 / 200m easy) 400m between sets

I think you’re back, Igy — those 800s track pretty close to mine!

I understand the anxiety around test time but truly there’s nothing better you can do other than what you’re doing now. You know that but I thought I’d say it out loud.

Agree with that being an impressive workout for you, Igy. You really are back!

Good luck with your tests.

D

65 wrote:

KCgeezer wrote:

I think you’re back, Igy — those 800s track pretty close to mine!

I understand the anxiety around test time but truly there’s nothing better you can do other than what you’re doing now. You know that but I thought I’d say it out loud.

Agree with that being an impressive workout for you, Igy. You really are back!

Good luck with your tests.

D

RB,

As Ricky Ricardo would say, “let me splain.” Those are paces recommended for a poster wanting to improve his 5:40 mile, with the capability to run an 18:00 5k. The summary was suggested training sessions. Sorry for the confusion. Though improving, those are times I will never see again.

Igy

Sorry addressed to D....

JimBos: “Question for the crew: Since returning to running/racing after a long layoff I'm finding that I am really struggling at specific distances and efforts. Specific example - a few weeks after running under 18 for 5k I raced a mile on the track and ran 5:40 - obviously the base fitness to run a faster mile is there but going out in 82 just completely gassed me, much more so than I expected. Anyone have suggestions for specific workouts to help me rebuild that specific fitness? Thanks“

Ghost of Igloi wrote:

3 x 800m @ 2:45, 2:55, 2:45 / 400m easy

2,000m = 50m @ 5k pace + 150m @ 1500m pace alternate until finished (2 x 50m/150m per lap)

2 x ( 4 x 400m = 3 @ 82-83, 1 @ 79-80 / 200m easy) 400m between sets

Here we are in mid-February- have been training regularly for the first time at age 57. Hoping to get into the 18 minute sector in some 5K's this year. PR from last year is 19:50 so we'll see. Some days it seems possible some days it seems rough.

Have kept a log here are the first six weeks will fill out the rest when time allows- feedback welcome.

12/9- medium/easy hills 40 minutes, 5 miles

12/10- 1.5 mile warm-up @ 10:15; 10X400 @ 97, 100, 96, 94, 95, 94, 94, 91, 91, 88; 2 mile cool down @ 17 min- 6 miles total

12/11- 42 minutes easy- hills- 5 miles;

12/12- 43 minutes easy hills- 5 miles 4X20 sec strides w/jog- 5 miles

12/13- Rest

12/14- 54 minutes easy- 7 miles

12/15- Rest

28 miles total in week

============

12/16- 40 minutes- 5 miles

12/17- 40 minutes- 1 mile easy warm-up- 2 mile tempo @ 13:50- 2 mile cool down w/4 strides- 5 miles

12/18- 1 mile easy, 1 mile@ 7:20, 1 mile @ 8:30, 1 mile @ 6:40, 2 miles easy- very cold today- 6 miles

12/19- 32 minutes easy- 4 miles- very cold again 10 degrees

12/20- 52 minutes easy- 6 miles

12/21- Rest

12/22- Rest

26 miles total

===========

12/23- 42 minutes- 5.2 miles w/hills

12/24- On track today- 1.5 miles @ 12:15 warm-up; 6X800 3:19; 3:15; 3:16; 3:15; 3:09; 3:13- 1.5 mile cool down @ 11:45- 5 miles total

12/25- XMAS- long run- 7 miles easy w/hills- exactly 60 minutes

12/26- 5 miles easy @ 45 minutes- running on snow

12/27- 5.2 miles- 42:45- easy run w/hills

12/28- 5.2 miles- 44 min.

12/29- Rest

Ran most miles ever in a week

32.6 miles total

=============

12/30- On Track- Tempo Run- 1.5 mile warm-up @ 12:30- 3 mile tempo @ 7:18: 6:58; 6:58; 1 mile cool down @ 12:50- 6 miles total

12/31- 52 minutes easy w/hills- 6 miles

1/1- 40 minutes- 5 miles

1/2- 32 minutes 4 miles

1/3- 40 minutes- 5 miles doing 4X 1/4 mile intervals (95; 92; 89; 88) towards end of run w/jog rest

1/4- Easy run 7 miles- 63 minutes

1/5- Rest

33 miles- about a half mile more than last week- for me that's significant

=========

1/6- 5.5 miles 42:20 medium/easy

1/7- 6 miles progression- very slow first three under 7:30 for last two and under 7 for last mile- 48 minutes

1/8- 4.5 miles 39 minutes- cold and miserable

1/9- 6 miles- 47 minutes- last two miles at 7:15 for no real reason

1/10- Easy Run- 5 miles @ 40 minutes- first 2.5 @ 20:10; second 2.5 @ 17:20

1/11- 5 miles @ 37:30

1/12- Rest

32 miles in total

=============

1/13- 5 miles @ 38 minutes- 13:50 last two miles

1/14- 5 miles @ 38 minutes- 13:30 last two miles

1/15- 5 miles @ 42 minutes w/hills

1/16- Indoor Track 12 X 200- 1.5 mile warm-up @ 12 minutes- jog recoveries in-between each 200

47; 47; 46; 46; 46; 44; 42; 42; 40; 38; 37; 40- 1 mile cool down @ 8 minutes- 5 miles total

1/17- 4 miles easy @ 34 minutes- temperature of 0 degrees

1/18-- 4 miles w/hills easy @ 36 minutes- 0 degrees again- frozen face

1/19- rest

28 miles total

============

Allen 53, nice progression of work outs. You are certainly on track to improve a lot on that 19:50. Do you have a series of races mapped out?

I had a great week the first week of February and ended it in a 3,000 meters indoor race that was very fast for me. I didn't know I would do that well.

About the 3,000; the first 1,000 felt fast but it was really slow so I took off so hard it was like a long and hard 2,000m "kick" to get that fast 3,000. And it hurt, too.

Then this past week has been bad. There has just been too much going on both bad and good and I've only trained 26 miles of my 40 miles a week goal as a mostly 5K and shorter runner.

I've run good times at 800, 2000, and 3,000 this indoors. I didn't race today so I missed my 1,500.

I would like to race a couple of XC races soon. I'm not planning too far ahead. I'm taking it mostly day by day.

Good luck runners and races.

Big Red wrote:

Allen 53, nice progression of work outs. You are certainly on track to improve a lot on that 19:50. Do you have a series of races mapped out?

I'm going to run a 4 mile race and then a 10K in the next month mostly for the training aspects. I've never run more than a 5K so will be interested to see how it goes.

I do have a bunch of 5K's mapped out for May thru September- planning to run 6 races at this point- I like the races so might add one or two more if the body is up for it.

Ghost - thank you very much, good stuff!

Another 30 mile week in the books with minimal knee pain. Dealing more with residual tightness and some swelling behind the knee. Still working on regaining the full range of motion in the right leg. Positive thoughts!

Big Red, 3:40 sounds like a very conservative goal for a 1:36 half-marathoner. I would think you could go under 3:30. But given your brief history with the marathon, being conservative is probably smart. If this race goes well and you knock out a big PR, you can always get more aggressive next time.

SCgal, welcome back and I hope you continue to heal well. Runlebec, welcome back too and it sounds like you’re already well healed—nice 5k!

CM, watch that ice!

Mopac, I continue to be amazed and impressed at your multisport activities, particularly in crazy weather of one sort or another.

Dhaaga, the marathon in Galway sounds like fun but probably right not to take it too seriously.

RF reader, sounds like you’re ramping up to that half-marathon and marathon nicely.

I spent most of the week feeling good about my half-marathon last Saturday. It was the second-fastest of my past 11 HMs and I felt I paced myself very well and competed well. But it did take quite a lot out of me, and I felt rather tired all week. So my goals for this weekend’s long run were fairly modest.

Mon: 10.4 miles

Tues: 11.1 miles

Weds: 10.5 miles

Thurs: 10.5 miles

Fri: 10.1 miles

Sat: 22.1 miles in 3:24 (9:14/mile avg pace). Absolutely nothing went wrong and I felt strong until the end, probably better than I’ve felt in any 20+ miler over the past few years. It wasn’t fast but I wasn’t trying to be fast—I just wanted to run for a long time without falling apart.

Sun: 6.5 miles easy

81 miles for the week. I’m currently planning to run an 8K next weekend, so next week will be another down week. Then at least one more 20+ miler, probably two weeks from now.

Good running and racing to all!

Good morning. We woke up to a light rain this morning. In the Treasure Valley mid-February typically comes with more favorable training weather. Time to lighten the gym bag of Yax Trax and that extra pair of gloves and knit hat. That is not to say it won’t get cold gain, but you shift to lighter gear, and run your sustained effort in shorts, long sleeve top, with gloves.

Last week was a training milestone; nothing impressive on an age graded scale, but a significant measure of improved fitness. I ran a training effort 5,000 meters on the track that was ten seconds faster than my Portland Masters Track Meet race last June. At the time that race seemed Herculean effort, that left me stumbling at times the last couple of laps. Wednesday by contrast was comfortably hard. Our running group felt the same. The strength work this winter is paying benefits in kind with improved fitness.

Monday: AM- 2 miles easy; 3 x ( 600m repetition pace @ 3:02, 2:51, 2:46 / 200m easy; 1,000m interval pace @ 5:11, 5:02, 5:00 / 400m easy; mile easy; PM: 3 mile walk

Tuesday: 2 miles easy/walk

Wednesday: 2 miles easy; 5,000m continuous run > 1,000m interval pace + 3,000m tempo pace + 1,000m interval pace @ 5:00 + 15:46 + 5:12 = 25:58; mile easy

Thursday: 2 miles easy/walk; core; 3 sets free weights

Friday: AM- 40:00 spin; PM- 3 mile walk

Saturday: 7.25 miles in foothills with 800 feet elevation climb

Sunday: off

Have a good week.

Igy

*Week 452*

Greetings, 50+ers!

Hoping it would go better this week, but had a bit of arthritic flare-up in my toes and it made it painful to walk/run, so it ended up being mostly just walking this week (and not as far), except Tuesday I still did my hill repeats, albeit somewhat foreshortened as I had a 6:00 engagement to attend and couldn't start the reps earlier. Only 16+ miles to show for it:

Sun: 3.6 miles Walk (54 min.)

Mon: off

Tue: 3.0 miles of Run/Walk with hill repeats (35 min.)

Wed: off

Thur: 3.4 mile Walk (50 min.)

Fri: 3.0 mile Walk (53 min)

Sat: 3.3 miles Walk (48 min)

Not sure when to use NSAIDs and when to let it go; Saturday, I took some naproxen prior to running and that seemed to keep the pain down a bit and I was able to keep the walking pace under 15/mi. Haven't really learned how to properly handle the arthritis yet.

Props KP on the nice results in your track races! Also, props to y'all! Some really impressive bits of training scattered throughout the thread! Good luck on the taper and marathon races for those racing in the next few weeks.

That's all from here.

All the Best![/quote]