50+ Masters Training and Racing Open Forum

JamesD2 wrote:

Big Red, when I had Achilles trouble a few years ago (caused by running in PureFlows, ironically), the solution for me was to switch to shoes with higher drop. Those tend to be easier on my Achilles, though a little harder on my knees. Have done well recently with the Reebok Forever Floatride Energy, but that may be a bouncier shoe than you want if you like the PureFlows.

I started running in of the Brooks Pure shoes with zero drop (I forget which one) five years ago and that was what destroyed my right Achilles. July 5, 2015 to be exact. Knock on wood, it is very slowly getting better and it hasn't really limited me over the past 9 months or so, but I still have a huge lump on the back of my right heel and it always hurts a little. For me, the Brooks Pure shoes with zero drop and a rock-hard back of the heel were the worst possible shoes I could choose for my Achilles.

I'm currently running in a combination of the Saucony Kinvara (which, sadly, seem to keep getting stiffer in the heel counter with each iteration), Skechers GoRun, and Nike LunarTempo 2 (sadly discontinued). I haven't tried the Reebok Forever Floatride Energy--perhaps I will!

JamesD2, #LHRC and amkelley thanks for info on achilles/shoe issues and question. It's all helpful as I try to figure what trainers will give me the best chance of avoided worse problems with achilles!

Hoka Clifton for me. I also use racing flats for tempos and track work. My beliefs are keeping range of motion important to health generally, same for achilles. Repetitive motion that limits same probably a negative, especially as one gets older (which is a decade or more beyond 50).

Just like to add that Turbo 2 has been surprisingly good. I can go 'fast' and the usual slow pace and it adopts very well. Put in 12 yesterday and 11.7 today on the road. My legs felt good as it was gonna feel after those runs. The durability is the only thing I am concerned about with the shoes being the expensive side for the trainer.

Another weather challenged week plus some soreness. I spent a couple of hours last Sunday constructing a fire pit which required some bending from the waist while standing. It came out great and helps us survive this quarantine, but I did wake up Monday with some hammy soreness. I still did Monday’s scheduled run, but the soreness was still there so I decided to take a couple of days off and bumped Wednesday’s run to Thursday. The break helped a lot and the hammy felt fine on Thursday and Saturday. Given the forecast for Monday, I decided to do a b2b on Sunday though I cut back the volume a bit to be cautious. So I ended up with a total of 18+ actual running miles (no fluff) for the week. Will be reintroducing toe touches to the post run routine to help the hammies. Life is good.

Mon: 51’ CR; body wt ex

Tues: walk w/ the bride

Wed: off

Thu: 43’ CR; body wt ex + med ball routine

Fri: walk w/ the bride

Sat: 52’ CR; body wt ex + med ball routine

Sun: 43’ CR; body wt ex + med ball routine

Best to most.

“Best for most” your age to schedule such activities as a hard cross training session, with rest days to follow.

Still getting my "fluffy" training done. A few minor modifications but no dramas.

Mon. 63 min kayak session on the lake. Recent heavy rain has added at least 10% to the lake in 2 weeks.

Tue. A lazy pre work run in the forests near Bendigo.

10.5 hilly often sketchy single track trails. 66 mins.

Wed. 90 mins. mountain bike ride. Included a steady climb up Mt Ida.

Thu. Stopped at my isolated secret little waterhole. It was full. Double in area in a week.

I decided to have a short run first. 1.2 km warmup, 1.5 km hard running 6.10 then 1.2 km jog.

Then 40 mins pretty solid in the kayak.

Fri. Didn't have much daylight left when I got home from work (dsylight saving has just finished here). Did a quick spin on the roadie, 6.2 km in 13 mins. then jumped on the mountain bike and did a further 26 kms in 75 mins in the forest the last hour in the dark.

Sat. A lazy 10.3 kms up the back via Roo Hill, 320 metres elevation gain rough terrain 74 mins.

Sun. 40 mins kayak in little Hedleys Dam in the forest, 270 metres a lap. I threw in 6 x 1 min sprints.

7.85 km mountain bike ride 26 mins. I had a crack at the strava KOM on the climb to Viewing Rock. I had been pushed down to number 3 on the list. KOM is 8.08. My best 8.31 from 3 years ago. Just missed my best with 8.33. Pretty happy with that though.

Jumped on the roadie when I got home. A lively 8 kms in 16 mins with 7 x efforts, 6 of them at 34 to 38 kph and one a 400 metre hill at 30 kph.

Pulled on the running shoes and trotted through the forests for 7.4 kms in 43 mins.

A pleasing day (my wife was at work so I had nothing much to amuse myself).

Quite a good week.

Covid wise. Numbers continue to improve dramatically here. In Victoria (6.8 mil. population) we have had a big reduction in positive tests, just 3 yesterday, 13 the day before. Previous days of 24, 16, 21, 33, 20, 29. No deaths yesterday in the state. Nearly 1000 of our 1200 cases are listed as recovered. We have just recieved a large group via Uraguay of Antarctic cruise ship passengers so our numbers may spike a bit.

We have 2 patients with the virus in our hospital, the biggest regional hospital in the state. I believe only 4 cases in our area of 100,000 population.

Australia wide our confirmed cases have dropped from a high of over 500 per day down to 65 2 days ago and yesterday only 10 recorded so far. 59 people have died. I believe 15 to 20 of those deaths have been cruise ship passengers.

We have tested about 1.3% of our population so far. That would be equal to around 4 million tests in the USA.

Schools will be reopening this week but parents are encouraged to home school if possible.

Hopefully more business/ industry can get back online in the next few weeks.

I worry about the situation in the US. Lack of testing early on has left you well behind the eight ball. Early in March nearly all our positives were coming from the US. We were aware then that you were becoming the new hot spot. At that point both our countries had done the same amount of tests. You have 330 million we have 25 million WTF? We dramatically increased testing from around the 20th March and began a graduated shutdown.

Be safe out there.

I think many are still cavalier about Covid-19. There appears to be too much activity for the situation. Even if restrictions are lifted in our state, I plan to work from at home well into June.

Ghost of Igloi wrote:

“Best for most” your age to schedule such activities as a hard cross training session, with rest days to follow.

Thanks but I get plenty of cross training. But aerobic activity has long been considered the fountain of youth, so my primary focus is on legit mileage.

Ghost of Igloi wrote:

MikeL and KCGeezer,

Our washing machine broke a couple days ago. Ordered one from Best Buy and they could not install via CDC guidelines. Cancelled that order, Lowes could as an essential service. They will deliver Sunday. Having clean clothes, towels, etc. are part of staying healthy. My mask, “gringo bandito” style:

https://imgur.com/a/ANWW5ZV

Igy

OK, got it covered now.

https://imgur.com/a/p3VxftZ

Olde Farte wrote:

Ghost of Igloi wrote:

“Best for most” your age to schedule such activities as a hard cross training session, with rest days to follow.

Thanks but I get plenty of cross training. But aerobic activity has long been considered the fountain of youth, so my primary focus is on legit mileage.

“Best” to not get hurt again, or you’ll be sidelined to golfing and body weight exercises.

Ghost of Igloi wrote:

OK, got it covered now.

https://imgur.com/a/p3VxftZ

Hey...you would fit right in with this running group. ? Their leader is called the "swine-flu avenger."

In the mid-1980s I coached at Texas A&M-Kingsville. I had one athlete that swore by the PO2 Aerobic Exerciser. The concept was that it would replace high altitude training. The pack had a place for the addition of pellets that would be part of the process of replicating high altitude. The system had a Darth Vader sound to it as the athlete inhaled and exhaled. Found to not be valid and was merely restricting oxygen. Here is a link to it:

https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/vintage-po2-aerobic-exerciser-runners-130519466

As a M72 400/800 meter guy with no indoor or summer season to train for, I've gone into base training by doing some longer slow runs. It's tough because the weather here is still in the 50s and I don't like cold weather running.

Once the weather warms up into the low 70s, I'll be able to bike because I live near a very long, dead end road where the locals are courteous of cyclists.

My goal is to come through this in good health and with a good fitness base. Best of luck to everyone.

Ghost of Igloi wrote:

OK, got it covered now.

https://imgur.com/a/p3VxftZ

That may work, if you have the proper cartridge in there and it is not past it’s expiration date.

Actually I do have the proper cartridges, but not installed for this simulation. I’ll stick with the bandanna and latex gloves for my weekly store outing, and cross my fingers.

Those should be fine as the primary purpose of the face covering is to prevent YOU from spreading disease to others.

Yes, you mentioned that before. Perhaps the fingers crossed will help me.