50+ Masters Training and Racing Open Forum

Solid HM Dave!

Decent 45 mile week here. Tapered down a bit to hopefully have some legs for yesterday's 5k. Not sure if it helped or not! All steady miles. Only workout efforts were 3 miles around 7:00 pace at the end of Mondays 8 miler and 4 x 45 sec strides on Thursday around 5:20 pace.

Kind of getting tired hilly courses in my races though. The first 1.5 was a gradual steady climb which left me a little haggered. When it came time to head back it felt like I didn't have any 'go' in my legs. Even though the last half was the same upgrade we just went up. Ended up 18:27 splitting 6:01, 6:02, 5:50, :33. Age grades 88.3%. So at least I'm improving but not as much as I'd like to see! My 48 year old training partner won the race so with no double-dipping, they gave me the Masters win. I found a nice, flat 5k in two weeks. It might be my last chance to get close to 18:00 yet this year so we'll see ...

And... Just gotta mention Dan Kings 4:59 at today's 5th Ave mile. Still killing it at 63 years old!

Have a good run,

Dave

I would add congrats to SoCal Cush for his 3rd place age group 4:52 at 5th avenue, and ask him about what's the story on Bob Morris, who got 2nd in the 70-74s with a 6:10? Will he be running Club XC? Old geezers want to know.

Decent week for me with 39 miles running and 3hrs of spinning (9x20min) on my stationery bike. I saw my orthopod on Monday and he showed me my x-rays and told me I could keep running and trying to manage my insertional Achilles damage or he could schedule surgery and detach it, clean it up, reattach it and I could expect 6-12 months rehab. I told him I would get back to him after Dec. 10th. So far, I can continue to run and race, but I need to minimize the high intensity stuff other than racing and try to get by on more volume, less intensity and more cross training. My Achilles won't get better without surgical repair, but I think I can maintain good race fitness through Club XC. I'll be 73 at Club XC, and then have two years for surgery, rehab, and followed by a year of serious training for the 75-79 age group. I hope that I can deal with my Achilles on my time preference rather than having it go totally bad when I am trying to prepare for a goal race.

It's an interesting emotional and intellectual process to realize that I am on the clock and rapidly counting down the years to the end of my racing career, which I have been passionate about for over 50 years. I still plan to enjoy the ride for as long as it lasts, and then figure out what's next for me to put my energy into.

Of course best wishes on that oldguy II. You are one tough talented cookie.

Greetings!

Congrats to Dave/dhaaga and Dave/RacerDB, quite impressive!
Best of luck to OGII with his long-term plans!

Yesterday, I went on a 2-week vacation having in mind a 5k race on Sep. 23. So, the previous week was quite light (also, caught a light cold and was afraid of pressing hard) hoping that this one would be hard before tapering.

This time I changed the climate myself: while 2 weeks ago temperature in my region dropped abruptly from nearly 90F to 50F and even less (low 40’s in the morning), flight 1k miles southward brought me (with my wife and one of three granddaughters) back into the summer with 86-88F. Moreover, have to run mostly in the sun here and it feels like a sauna. TV are forecasting a hurricane though in the coming days.

As for the previous training week:
Mon, Wed – off
Tue, Thu, Fri – easy/moderate 5 miles
Sat – 6 miles including a 5K broken tempo on a trail (2x2.5 km with 1:15 walk to measure HR 1 min after stop). 10:28 and 10:15. Considering that the pace on this trail is usually 10-12 sec/km slower than on a road with the same effort, it virtually results in somewhat faster than 20 min, which I am satisfied with as it did not seem very hard.
Sun – 4 miles easy.

I wish everybody a great week and happy and injury-free running!

I’m finding some encouraging beginner improvements:

25th June: could only run 1/4 mile

25th August: I did my first MAF test (130 heart rate) on a flat course.

mile 1: 14:12 min/mile

mile 2: 15:12

mile 3: 16:11

yeah I could brisk walk faster. Since then I’ve been running under mostly under a heart rate of 133 bpm and slowly increasing the weekly miles and adding some bike rides too. I’m probably doing 1% above MAF heart rate and only when my legs feel fresh to satisfy my craving to run fast.

These last 3-4 days, I’ve been finding that my legs feel stronger and ‘springier’ so I did a 2nd MAF test - 15th September (10F cooler than my 1st test but in the sun)

mile 1: 11:43

mile 2: 11:54

mile 3: 12:32

It would be brilliant if I could get into the 10s by year end but I know the easy improvements are past me.

Recovery/diet: I’m still currently intermittent fasting 20:4 5x a week and losing 1.5 lbs -2 lbs weekly and will keep at that till my belly fat is down. I’ve had the privilege of finding time for a short nap after a run/breakfast which really seems to help recovery. 80-90% of my runs are in a fasted state (just before I break my 20 hour fast).

typical week: I start every day with a 1-2 hour walk with the wife and dogs followed by:

Mon: 45-50 min run at MAF heart rate

Tue: 45-50 min run at MAF

Wed: 45-50 min bike at MAF then 30-45 min run if my legs feel fresh

Thu: 45-50 min run at MAF

Fri: 45-50 min bike at MAF

Sat: 75-90 min run at MAF. I am finding that (probably because I’m running fasted) that once I get past an hour, my pace really drops off and energy levels drop drastically.

Sunday: off

Nice work. You can get the 10:00/mile by year end. In the bag if you keep consistent.

Thank you!! I’m cautiously optimistic!

1). If I don’t get injured.

2). It’s will be cooler / better running temperatures

3). I should be close/at my target weight so my calories and nutrition will be infinitely better. Right now it’s a balancing act due to the deficit.

Greetings!

Final hard week for me before a 5K race on next Fri. (Sep. 23).

Mon – 7.5 miles, hilly course, 2 miles altogether hard (was testing a course that found near the resort we stay at)

Tue – 7.5 miles incl. intervals: 2 times 2x3:40 (1:15 rest) uphill hard with 8+ min going back down.

Wed – 5 miles easy

Thu – 6 miles easy/moderate

Fri – 6 miles incl. 2x2.12 km time trial on a flat road with 2 min rest. Exactly 1 week before the 5K race decided to check how does it feel now at the race pace. Put on race shoes (Asics MetaSpeed), found two landmarks along a highway and ran on a shoulder. Recalculating to the 2 km segments, the time was 7:43 and 7:37. Honestly, I expected under 7:35 both times. Think that a hard training week slowed me down and tapering will help
run faster. And, of course, “race magic”.

Sat – 5 miles easy

Sun – 8 miles easy/moderate. A very hilly course, temperature about 90F. Moderate was about 8 and then 10 min uphill at HR of 80-83% of max. Just can’t run uphill easy, my “instinct” pushes me.

Subtotal 45 miles for this week with a good portion of fast miles. More than 50% increase vs. my season average of 28 mpw. It shows to me once again how much impact does lifestyle make. Being at a sea health resort all this week, I recover way way quicker than at home and full time work. Also special procedures like daily presstherapy (a compression suit), massage every second day and others do help legs feel not dead and ready to run on the next day.

Happy and injury-free running to all!

way to go! keep up the good work. I bet those long walks are a key as well. Period of rapid improvement, either when you start running or when you're coming back after downtime, is great fun.

easy reverse taper week for me after half-marathon last sunday. 1:00 with drills and strides today. Volunteered at an x-c race yesterday and swatted ineffectually at a personal-best several thousand gnats.

Have a great week,

Dave

Mon: weight lifting

Tue: 7 miles. Strides

Wed: 3 miles. Weight lifting

Thurs: 7 miles

Fri: 3 miles. 1 mile hard.

sat: 6 miles

sun: 7 miles. May run 2 later

Tried to run long this morning knee locked up near mile 7. I have a gastro doctors appointment and I feel guilty about it. There may be something going on or maybe not. I just don’t want to waste taxpayer money. I decided to pay for my own ultra sound and they did find something but it doesn’t sound too bad. I had some of my colon removed in 2013 so maybe I do have a legitimate reason. I paid for my own prostate cancer treatment ( 17,500 dollars)and the insurance company STILL raised heck I remember, because afterwards I had to go to the ER twice because of complications. ( before Medicare) I have a follow up cancer appointment on October 6th so I beg your pardon fellow taxpayers, I’m letting Medicare and my supplement take care of the next two ha.

keep hammerin

Hi all,

still time restricted. Made it to 5 runs last week, incl. 3 miles tempo in 6:45 mpm.

This week was better:

Mo 7 miles easy

Tu 30 min jumps and drills uphill, 6x60m uphill

We 3 miles tempo in 6:46 mpm

Th 7 miles recovery

Fr off

Sa 7.5 miles comfortably hard in the hills

Su 1:20 h recovery

Pleased with my Saturday run. Ran this round below 60 min (actual time 59 min flat) first time after seven years. Wish you all a healthy and peaceful week, BR

Another roller coaster training and racing week for me. The week started off normally for me. Monday I felt a bit tired and did a long low intensity effort of 20 minutes spinning on my bike, walk 2 miles, 20 minutes spinning on my bike, walk 2 miles. Tuesday was 4 miles of 400 walk/ 400 easy run x 8. Wednesday morning I started my usual very gentle pre-run stretching and half way through reached down for my foam roller, and when I tried to straighten up had a painful pinched nerve in my lower back. I tried a little more stretching to see if it was transient and it got no better. I started taking Aleve then. Mid-day I tried to go out and walk a little to loosen up, but could not even stand up straight to walk. Thursday I spent most of the day flat on my back and felt a little better. Friday I could stand up straight again and could walk but not run. I decided Saturday morning to go to my 5k XC race, try to warm up and make a decision on racing after warm up. Warm up went fine, so I lined up to race. I went out very conservatively (about 7:25 first mile) and felt fine. I ran 7:17/mi pace for the race and got 2nd in the 70-74s. Everything felt fine during warm down and after other than a little tightness in my back. I was very pleased and relieved with that result. I think I would have been about 15-20 sec/mi faster if I had been at 100%. This morning's easy 6 miles was fine with still a little tightness in my back.

Now I have two weeks to sort out my back issue and keep training until the next 5k XC race. Masters training and racing is endlessly exciting and unpredictable.

Good running to all!

Greetings, fellow 50+ers! I hope you are all enjoying this last week of summer.

The “new normal” plan continued this week with a slight increase in volume to 14+ miles of actual running. The knee is still sore, but I have been able to run through it. I have avoided any “speed” work hoping not to aggravate the knee further. I’m hoping to get in a couple of good runs this week before we travel to the grandkids for a visit of several days. I am debating whether or not to use that visit as a brief respite to give the knee an extended rest. I guess I’ll see how I feel later this week.

Sun: off

Mon: 53’ CR; body wt ex + med ball routine

Tue-Wed: off

Thu: 42’ running (2); 16 oz curls

Fri: off

Sat: 53’ CR; body wt ex + med ball routine

All the best!

What a difference a week makes; just 168 little hours:

M: 65:00 treadmill @ 13:31 pace

T: 75:00 treadmill @ 13:07 pace

W: 1:45 treadmill @ 12:47 pace

Th: 7M @ 10:39 pace w/tempo surges of .85/1.2/.85

F: 60:00 treadmill @ 11:58 pace

S: 16M @ 9:58 pace - last 8M @ 9:00 pace - easy and relaxed

Enjoy the week

I'll be turning 50 and joining this thread in 9 months. Do the 50+ Masters Training gurus have any sage advice for a 49, about to turn 50-year-old, runner about to join your ranks?

Just run, baby!

Don’t party too hard when you celebrate turning 50. ;P

Previous week a bit messed up, tapering somewhat for a 5k that was cancelled due to smoke.

Back on course again this week

Mon - 4 miles at 7:57

Tue - 4 miles at 7:55 - work situation caused swap between today and Wednesday

Wed - 6.7 miles at 7:29 per mile including 6x4 min fast with 4 min steady recovery

Thur - 3 miles at 8:00 per mile

Fri - 7.3 miles at 7:28 per mile including 3x10 min fast with 5 min steady recovery

Sat - 3 miles at 8:10 per mile

Sun - 4x800m with 200m jog/walk in 2:15 - 3:01, 3:04, 3:03; 2:57. Better session than I did prior to the Hayward Classic back in May. Was going to do off 2 min recovery, but ran the first one too quickly, so added 15 sec to make sure I could get through the session.

;

Seems the thread is fading a bit. I need to do a better job posting to do my part to keep it alive!

First and foremost... Still running at 100% physically healthy! I took a day off last week and went for a 1:15 ride instead. But still managed my goal of 50 running miles. Didn't get a long run in but ran three solid 8 milers. All three finished up the last few miles close to my tempo zone. I feel like I'm getting in pretty good shape!

I decided to not race this coming weekend. Instead I'll run a local 5 miler on Oct 2. Then I'm not sure since our October is full with other non-running family stuff. Maybe I'll run either a 10k or HM on Oct 29, then a Thanksgiving 5k. But I'm kinda thinking I didn't take full advantage of my fitness this racing season...

And lastly, a shoutout to CM for his 12k Champs run!

Have a good run,

Dave