50+ Masters Training and Racing Open Forum

Hope your wife finds some good treatment MagicShoes. There are a lot of medications now. My wife has had MS for over 30 years, doing pretty well but can't do some of the things she likes, such as running. She did join me on the bike for 25K of my 30K run today.

Nice mile the other week rdb!

As mentioned after the 1500 m the other week, this is mile season here and there are races all over the place in July and August.

Ran a road mile on the 13th with some mixed results. I thought the course would be faster, but it had a slight net uphill, and at 5400' that's enough to kick you back a bit. 5:42.8, 3rd masters and I won $25 for the effort--which was considerable as I was dry-heaving and having some asthma issues after the race.

On Thursday I had a track mile in Boulder. I hated life and running (the mile) all day. This primarily happens with track races (mile and 5000 in particular), which is why I prefer the roads. Really negative head space, but figure it's just a defense mechanism. Or maybe I'm just crazy.

Once the gun went off I was fine, and simply switched to autopilot which is usually the case. Tucked into 3rd behind a middle school aged girl and a 40 yr old guy for first lap. She slowed up around the 3rd turn so guy took over. I felt pretty good drafting, but held back.
At 900 m I took over and never looked back, although did hear footsteps with two guys on my heels through the third lap. Closed well, and got a good negative split: approx. 81,85,80,80 for the 1/4 mile splits to finish in 5:26.9, best mile since 2019. 87.7% age grade (>90% if converted to sea level).

The 4X4 relay with 60+ age group teammates (team name: No Grabby Hammy) was a blast. We ran 4:33, and my split was about 68 (give or take 1).

64.7 miles this week with today's LR of 30K.

Greetings, fellow 50+ers! After a wonderful and mostly healthy year of running in 2021, this year has been quite tumultuous for me. After numerous fits and starts, I returned to my regular running schedule a week ago with high hopes despite this nagging knee thingy.

The good news is that I was able to run 4 of the last 8 days (14.5 running miles) which matches my normal routine, if not the actual mileage, when healthy. And my pace has somewhat surprisingly improved of late!

The bad news is that the knee has not improved. It has not prevented me from running, but the constant soreness has become annoying and led to a reduction in my mileage. And the post-run icing has cut into my normal weight-bearing exercise and stretching routine. I think it’s time to see the ortho.

My dream of getting in 1000 miles this year vanished long ago. Now my hope is just to enjoy some pain free miles before the end of the year. 🤞

Sun: 32’ CR

Mon: off

Tues: 38’ CR

Wed-Thu: off

Fri: 42’ CR; body wt ex + med ball routine

Sat: off

Sun: 43’ CR; swim

All the best!

M63, 5'11", 181 lbs

Greetings! Until a few months ago I had been posting regularly here for the past five-plus years. I still follow the thread, but with ongoing health issues, I've been a non-runner.

Because of chronic tendonitis, my intention was to switch to primarily bicycling, but Fate had other plans. I blacked out at the marathon finish line back in May. Since then, I've had to follow-up on the brain injury, multiple facial fractures and lacerations ... AND serious complications that may or may not be related to the brain trauma, or primarily due to
prostatitis and the earlier cancer diagnosis.

I was essentially bed-ridden for several weeks. Work remains difficult. Surgery is scheduled for Sept 22. There will be a six-week recovery after that, but hopefully will be cancer-free and finally untethered from a catheter and collection bag, ugh.

Meanwhile, unlike much of the USA, we have had near-perfect weather most of the summer -- cool nights and mornings, sunny but mild days. It would have been ideal for cycling. Oh well.

Congrats to all the fine racing I've seen reported all season! And best wishes to those facing health challenges for themselves and loved ones.

Run well!

Best wishes to you on your recovery, Allen.

Allen,

Great to hear from you. Sad that you are still fighting with your health issues, good to know that you see a light in the end of the tunnel. Hold on and best of luck!

Noob checking in and trying to commit to an ambitious (to me) goal. …a Sub 20 minute 5K (there I’ve said it).

Here is my history:

Teens: used to enjoy running (short distances)

18 years: 6’ 145lbs at my fittest but got a back injury that plagued me for 2 years before I went for surgery. I got lazy the next 17 years.

35 years: ‘suddenly’ 200lbs so I decided to lose weight (mainly running) and got down to 160lbs. I was very injury prone tearing my calf muscles every 2-3 months or so. I fell off the bandwagon after 1-2 years - I blame work, but honestly I just didn’t prioritize my health.

I’m now 53:

I’ve decided to be the best version of myself. My goals are ultimately to get lean and fitter

weight goal- started at 188 lbs with a goal around 150+lbs mainly with a goal to be lean again.

fitness goal- I could only run (jog) 1/4 of a mile 2 months ago. Ultimately I’m shooting for a 30min 5K, then 25, then 22 then perhaps 20 a couple to 3 years from now.

My nutrition is much better as is my patience and focus on recovery so I’m hoping to inch my way steadily to my goals.

I’m now 2 months in:

- 171 lbs (down 16 lbs)

- I am running a slow 3-4 miles 5-6 times a week at about 12-13 min/mile pace.

- it was a cool 75F and did an impromptu mile at 10min pace yesterday for the first time in probably 17 years and it felt great.

I’m currently training by feel as I’m on a relatively aggressive weight loss trajectory and don’t want to introduce too much exercise stress right now.

Next stop…. 30min 5K!

Any advice or encouragement from the masters much appreciated…… The last time I had any formal training, it was the old school of doing bouncing/static stretches before you run.

A good place to start would be get a copy of Daniels Running Formula, any edition. From there you can learn the basics of energy systems, and have a framework for designing a training plan tailored to your current and future fitness.

Have fun.

Congrats on your new journey to fitness. Fellow 50+ runner here. If you haven't heard of parkrun (weekly free 5ks) they are a fun and supportive environment and a good way to track your progress towards that sub 20 goal. If you are in US there are 55 or so events so maybe there is one near you. They are in 20 or so countries also I think.

parkrun.us

Link:www.parkrun.us/

Usually pretty casual and small events with nice folks, many of them are older runners trying to get back/stay in shape.

CM: Thanks! Right back at ya! Solid Mile at altitude. And relay split! I'd take a 68 any day.

Allen1959: Good to hear from you. Keep up the good fight.

OldishDude: Best advice I have would would be to just keep on showing up, everyday. Do something, walk, run, bike. It all counts.

Things are still going well here. No real workouts last week but I had several runs that ended up in my tempo zone of around 6:45-7:00 pace. Hit a rare 60.5 miles last week. I always shoot for 60 but I don't get there very often. I had a hot tiresome day today at work, so I'm getting ready to hit the treadmill for a set of maybe 6x400. Just don't want to go back in the sun. I've got a 5k on Saturday so I don't want to get too crazy with the pace. My CV pace is around 6:00 so I'll just lock it in and get 'em done. Hope they feel comfortable!

That's it from here. Have a good run!

Dave

Just run, baby!

Ghost of Igloi: I will keep Jack Daniels in mind.

Good for you: there is actually a park run near where I live and will use that for my milestone attempts.

Racerdb: I am trying hard to show up. I can say that I already do an hour+ most days with the pups. It’s probably a good idea to dust the cob webs off the bike and hit the trails if I find the running stress a little too much.

C.obvious: lol … the mind is willing…. The body…. Hopefully is as willing/able

I’ve spent the last few hours on and off skimming through the last 1000 pages. wow!

Great to hear from you Allen.

I have been looking out for a post from you. Hopefully you will be back free from your health issues post op. My buddy continued his streak of having run every one of our big city marathon going (since 1978). Had prostate surgery the following week (late last year) and has since run more marathons.

I am currently also "tethered" to an IDC. I went into retention on the 2.30 am 3000km flight home from Western Australia. We didn't make it home from the airport, pulling into the small country hospital 40 kms out. I was seen in less than 10 minutes and catheterised immediately. Pain/discomfort level dropping from 9.999 out of 10 to near zero within moments.

I had the catheter in for 9 days having it removed on the Monday back at work Tuesday. Very early hours Wednesday morning woke up shaking. Headed across to our little 6 bed hospital at 4am. Temperature of 41 deg C. IV antis and a few nights as inpatient. On Friday I was sent for an ultrasound in our regional capital. By then had gone back into retention, 800 plus mls in the bladder. The radiologist wouldn't let me travel so I got sent across to ED. I was catheterised within 10 mins of arrival and admitted. After consults the following morning with Med consultant and our Urology consultant was discharged home on antis and a prostate med. Follow up yesterday and trial of void in clinic next week. Ultrasound in 6 weeks. Any surgery dependent on those. I have previously had 2 biopies and MRI clearing me of cancer. Current thinking being my benign enlargement has increased in size.

I managed short runs and rides on the previous Monday and Tuesday before the infection and subsequent events. I have just been doing an hour of brisk walking the last 3 days. I might take myself out in the kayak today if the weather is OK.

Hopefully I will be back running soon as I am hoping to do my annual 4 Peaks mou tain race first week of November.

Cheers.

Best wishes on speedy recovery.

What's your 5k PR? I ask because to run a sub 20min 5k at 53, I'm guessing your pb should be in the 15-17min range. In other words, your pb can't be 20min from 25 years ago.

I’ve been occasionally following this thread on which I used
to be a regular before my running wheels came completely off about a year and a
half ago (I am now 64). Compared to what
some of you are battling, my troubles seem minor. A brief summary:
In mid-March of 2020 I was running 70 mpw training for a
marathon when I was suddenly hit with severe pain and stiffness in my
shoulders, hips, neck, and back. After
several diagnoses and a year on prednisone, which relieved the symptoms but
isn’t something one should take long-term, I was finally diagnosed with
rheumatoid arthritis. I was able to run
for a while but it got progressively more painful until in early 2021 I pulled
a hip muscle severely and had to quit running.
I switched to walking, but tripped and broke my shoulder and was out of
commission for about 6 weeks, and my hip still wouldn’t tolerate running after
the shoulder healed. Then, in June 2021
I suddenly developed a “lack of coordination” in my left leg that was
eventually diagnosed as runner’s dystonia.
For many months I could hardly even walk and looked like a stroke victim
when I tried. In January 2022 I was
hospitalized with a severe breast infection that required surgical drainage and
a ton of antibiotics, but was not cancer.
About February I decided to force myself to walk more as rest wasn’t
helping. At first I could barely limp one
mile in half an hour but walking began to improve slowly but steadily, and now
I can walk (somewhat awkwardly) 6-7 miles at 14-15 min/mile pace. I’ve also managed a number of hiking and
backpacking trips over rugged terrain this summer and while my stride is not
right, the dystonia isn’t a major limiting factor. And through all of it I could ride a bike
just fine. I still can’t run, now
because my hip won’t tolerate it, but I’m starting to come to peace with being
a walker, hiker, and cyclist.
Best wishes to everyone: those who are dealing with serious
health challenges, those who are hanging in there, and those who are performing
really well. I still have hopes of
re-joining the running crowd at some point.

Good to hear from you Amkelly.

Question for masters: I am 63, run low mileage (< 20 mpw), but like to do intervals on the track. My 5K times aren't nearly what they were years ago, but I've managed to break 30 again and I think I can break 29 before the 'season' is over. I know, it's slow, but for 63 it isn't bad. I have three races left this year, last one in November.

Anyway, my question is about what to do during the winter months when there are no races planned. Base work, of course... I want to be 20+ mpw consistently. But do you do any speedwork at all? Are strides enough? I'm a little concerned that, at my age, if I get too far away from speed for a few months, it will be harder to get it back. I also realize that I can't just head to the track every week all winter.

I would consider one day a week 2-3 miles volume of tempo runs of 500m-1,000m with 1-2 minutes rest recovery. Also, a second day of 1 mile volume of repetitions of 100m-400m with 1/2 the distance recovery.

Igy