50+ Masters Training and Racing Open Forum

Happy Father's Day to all the dads out there. Yesterday I raced on the track for the first time in 8 years in a 3k at our local masters T&F championships. I was satisfied with the time, but I did it with some bad pacing, going out too fast. I entered with a 12:40 based on my most recent 5k, and ran 12:41 (age grade 82.26%), which would have been the 3rd best US time in the age group last year. However, I went out in 6:28 (1:34, 1:38, 1:38, 1:38) for the first mile, and then faded to 6:51 mile pace for the last 3-1/2 laps. I think I could have been 5-10 seconds faster if I went out at about 6:40. Now I'll have a 5k time trial in 11 days, and then a July 4th 10k 6 days after that. I'm planning to do a couple of workouts of 400s and 800s at a target 5k pace of 6:45/mi to get a better feel for not stepping on the gas pedal so hard when the gun goes off.

Good running to all!

Easy week resting up for my first serious race of 2023. Calf held up fine, which was my main goal.

M 1:15 with a couple moderately fast uphills

Tu 1:10 + 30:00 x-t

W 50:00 with strides + 30:00 x-t

Th 30:00

F 20:00

Sa 50:00 with somewhat hilly 5k in 20:04 (44th OA, 3rd AG)

Su 1:10 + 1:00 x-t

30 seconds slower than last year in same race, but not too discouraging given I was farther along in '22 in recovery from Winter injury (e.g., had run a pretty good 10k late April). If I can stay healthy and train consistently, better times will follow.

Have a great week,

Dave

Orient , nice mix of quality.
Olde Farte Hang in there!
OGII Your 3k looks alot like what I did last year!Oh the pain! But your AGP was better
DH 10 seconds per mile slower in a cautious rust buster after long calf muscle rehab is pretty darn good. Glad the calf muscles are holding up.

Goal: Sub 6 minute time trial mile in early Sept 2023 after 67 birthday.
Plan: Run 2 times per week using Galpin's ideas on strength, endurance and recovery. So 2 runs per week. Monday focus is Endurance. Friday focus is strength. The other 5 days is easy cross training with occasional endurance efforts on the bike when I feel good.

So far so good. Really look forward to my runs!

Looking at my post I see way too much info. So next week I will just post a short summary without all the B.S.;)

Week 2 (June 12-18) of 12
Monday Endurance 36 minutes of running 16 minutes of endurance
5x2 minutes R 1 minute zone 1-2
5x2 minutes R 1 minutes zone 2-3
4x4 minutes R 4 minutes zone 3

Friday Strength 32 minutes of running 12 minutes of strength
5x2 minutes R 1 minute zone 1-2
5x2 minutes R 1 minutes zone 2-3
3x4 minutes R 3 minutes/HR<108
progression
90 seconds 6 percent grade at 6mph
45 seconds 8 percent grade at 6mph
45 seconds 8 percent grade at 7mph
60 seconds 8 percent grade at 8mph
(Zone 5 160-164 for 30 seconds on 3rd one)

Onward!

Call me a nerdy old runner but I do enjoy numbers.

Zones for Interval uphill runs on treadmill
zone 1 100-115 4 percent grade 4-5mph
zone 2 115-130 4 percent grade 5-6mph
zone 3 130-145 6 percent grade 5-7mph
zone 4 145-160 8 percent grade 6-8mph

zone 5 160-172 (~MaxHR) 8percent grade 8mph over 160 for up to 60 seconds.

Conversion treadmill grade/mph to zero grade => equivalent
6/6 => 7:53 7.59
8/6 => 7:18 8.2
8/7 => 6:19 9.5
8/8 => 5:29 10.9

*Conversion Calculator I use

Nice chart but as you get into the very steep inclines it is off by quite a bit IMO. Jack Daniels' incline chart is similar for inclines under 6% but varies quite a bit at greater inclines. If I can run at 5 mph at 15% for 1 hour, I'm in close to 1:18 ish half marathon shape. This chart puts me at 1:34.

Have you ran at 10+ inclines? Curious if it just me. Most my running/walking(80%) is at 10+and now JD's chart overstates the difficulty because I have improved at these inclines over the years.

Thanks for pointing the steep grades low speed issue. I agree.

Stay between 4-8 lately. Never have done a lot at more than10 percent grade.

The adjustability on the fly is a big plus for me. If I get tight tired or bored I can adjust the grade/mph ratios so same effort with various combos. 6/6 vs 4/7 vs 3/8 all work for endurance zone.

I am thinking about setting up a portable workout trailer , get the scenic coast experience while doing the mill;) Wonder how much a hot tub and ice bath wiegh? just kinda kidding.

Hi. NCAA and HS meets along with the French Open, the US Open are all done. Humidity and dew point are now the unwanted companions. Oh, and this summer I share the track with mean girls. great.
M last: 8M with 7(800/400) @ MP

T: 7.25M @ 10:38 pace

W: Amazon delivered humidity with dew point - 5.5M @ 11:40 pace

Th: 60:00 treadmill @ 10:30 pace

F: 7M @ 11:45 pace

Sat: 12M @ 10:10 pace with 2x4M tempo @ 9:15 pace and 9:05 pace - 4:00 recovery between - run included a local running group numbering over 100 thundering past me

Enjoy the week

Hi. NCAA and HS meets along with the French Open, the US Open are all done. Humidity and dew point are now the unwanted companions. Oh, and this summer I share the track with mean girls. great.
M last: 8M with 7(800/400) @ MP

T: 7.25M @ 10:38 pace

W: Amazon delivered humidity with dew point - 5.5M @ 11:40 pace

Th: 60:00 treadmill @ 10:30 pace

F: 7M @ 11:45 pace

Sat: 12M @ 10:10 pace with 2x4M tempo @ 9:15 pace and 9:05 pace - 4:00 recovery between - run included a local running group numbering over 100 thundering past me

Enjoy the week

Funny and go for it. Hard for me to take this all too seriously the last few years but still enjoy racing although being at the edge of nowhere it is a rarity. My treadmills travel with me on many trips. The tiny TM I can carry under one arm. At 10%+ incline the motor is not important. At 25% I can't run fast enough to not be thrown off the back with the power off.

Here only to say, "Hi" and to introduce myself, since I just turned 50. Did 10 miles at easy pace today. Planning on building my mileage and racing some 5Ks, then maybe a 10K and half in the Fall.

I hope everyone's training is going splendidly and you're crushing your goals.

USATF Masters Road mile results: Congrats to RacerDB,SCC and CM! Fast Times!

Goal: Sub 6 minute time trial mile in early Sept 2023 after 67 birthday.
Plan: Run 2 times per week using Galpin's ideas on strength, endurance and recovery. So 2 runs per week. Monday focus is Endurance. Friday focus is strength. The other 5 days is easy cross training with occasional endurance efforts on the bike when I feel good.
Week 3 (June 19-25) of 12
Tuesday Endurance 36 minutes of running 16 minutes of endurance RD 4
5x2 minutes R 1 minute zone 1-2
5x2 minutes R 1 minute zone 2-3
4x4 minutes R 4 minutes zone 3-4 130-152
Saturday Strength 32 minutes of running 12 minutes of strength
5x2 minutes R 1 minute zone 1-2
5x2 minutes R 1 minutes zone 2-3
3x4 minutes R 3 minutes/HR<108
progression
90 seconds 6 percent grade at 6mph
45 seconds 8 percent grade at 6mph
45 seconds 8 percent grade at 7mph
60 seconds 8 percent grade at 8mph
(Zone 5 160-165 total time 139 seconds )

So far so good Onward!

Welcome and happy birthday! Hope your Fall racing plans go well.

Even the concept of Fall felt remote this week, as Summer DC humidity arrived in force. I recognize the loggy, drained feeling i have even walking around most of the day. Should get used to it by.....September anyway.

M 45:00 + 1:00 x-t

tu 1:15 with 6 X 1:00 hills (3:00 jog)

W 1:00 with strides

Th 1:00 + 1:00 x-t

F 1:10

Sa 1:10 with 4 X 5:00 (2:00 jog) at 1-hour-race effort

Su 1:30

have a great week,

Dave

Greetings, fellow 50+ers and Happy Summer! Though the temps haven’t been bad, the humidity has been sky high here. Better than snow, I guess.

The good news is that the radiation treatments have been tolerated well so far and I was able to get in three runs totaling 14 miles of actual running for the most recent 8-day week. Though the right leg is still somewhat wonky and forcing me to run more slowly than usual (if that’s even possible), I am able to reach my goal volume without any other issues. Life is good!

A special thanks to those who have offered encouragement during this challenging time. Your kind words mean a lot and help me filter out the noise.

Sun-Mon: off

Tue: 56’ CR; body wt ex + med ball routine

Wed: off

Thu: 46’ running (3); 16 oz curls

Fri-Sat: off

Sun: 58’ CR; body wt ex + med ball routine

Best to most!

Keep up the progress Charlie. Like dhaaga I am now in the June sufferfest weather wise. Then, there are July and August and rationalizations.
M: 11M-1.5M w/u; 5km in 25:57 (I own it); 6.4M focused c/d @ 10:00 pace

T: 7M @ 11:45 pace - heat exhaustion sucks so I held back

W: 7M @ 11:59 pace - see Tuesday

Th: 8M-2M w/u; 21(:45@7:45 pace/1:15@11:45 pace) for 4.25M@9:45 pace; 2M c/d

F: 4.5M@12:30 pace - high dew point is a permanent fixture for the summer

Sat: 19M@10:22 pace; middle 17M@10:02 pace w/17(.25@MP/.75@MP+:45 - nice before dawn, gradually turning awful

Enjoy the week

Greetings!

Olde Farte, great to know you are doing such a terrific work under the radiation treatments!

My week was easier than 2-3 previous ones as I felt some fatigue and decided to relax a little bit to avoid injuries.

Mon – off
Tue – 1:03 on elliptical, easy
Wed – 7 miles run incl. a 5 km tempo on a trail
Thu – off
Fri – 1:05 on elliptical, incl. a 30 min progressive with final 10 min at LT pace by feel
Sat – interval session on a trail. 5x4:41 on average (corresponds to the 3:51/km pace on a road in “slow” Saucony Triumph 19 trainers). Ran intentionally 3 sec/km slower than a week ago and it (surprisingly) felt considerably easier.
Sun – 1:03 mix of elliptical and run (the latter was 4 miles incl. a 1500/5:49 fast segment).

Happy and injury-free training to all!

Greetings, fellow 50+ers! Happy Independence Day week! 🇺🇸

This was a “good news” and “bad news” week. The good is that I was able to run 4 days for a total of almost 16 actual running miles. That’s the most for me in several weeks and helped get my June total to 52+ miles. The bad is that the expected fatigue from radiation treatments started to rear its ugly head and I had to interrupt two runs with walking breaks. I reduced my daily volume goal, but suspect I may have to do so yet again. It’s important that I continue to exercise, so the hope is that I can get in a “run” at least 3 times each week. As usual…🤞

Sun: 58’ CR; body wt ex + med ball routine

Mon: off

Tue: 42’ running (2); body wt ex + med ball routine

Wed: off

Thu: 39’ running (2); 16 oz curls

Fri: off

Sat: 38’ running (2); swim

Thanks again for all of the good wishes. All the best!

keep up the good work. I'm no M.D., but I would think that exercising consistently as you are able, even if the effects of the treatment requiring scaling back, would be helpful.

Another ok humid week here, and another round of wildfire smoke -- a baseball game my daughter and I were going to attend got "smoked out" -- first time I've had that experience, though we did get to go later in the week

M 50:00 + 1:00 x-t

Tu 1:15 with 4 X 4:00 (3:00 jog) at 5k effort

W 1:30

Th 1:10

F 1:00 with 4 X 90 seconds (5:00 jog) hills

Sa 1:45

Su 1:05 with strides

Looking forward to age-handicapped 4-mile on the 4th -- staggered start times mean you're chasing the (even) older and being chased by the younger.

Have a great week,

Dave

Greetings!

Olde Farte, my respect for your efforts under such uneasy circumstances.

Dhaaga, my sympathy for hard environmental conditions in your area. Thought that the situation with wildfires in Canada was improving….

Here, less than 3 months are left to the local national masters 10K road, which I plan to
participate at. As I will compete in the 65-69 AG in the fall, the chances are higher to get closer to the top of the list. There are two guys in that AG (66 and 67 y.o.) that ran in low 37’s, and this level is unreachable for me. Also, there is a handful of fast guys born 1958 (like me), two of which ran under 37 and the rest between 37 to 38. The question is how many of them will turn 65 by September.

Anyway, it is time to start some 10K-specific training. As usual, June and July are down months for me after the spring peaking, so I do not press hard as yet to avoid injuries that might ruin everything. Trying to stay within the classical framework: one interval session, one tempo and one fartlek or LR per week.

So, this week seems to be a typical one:
Mon – elliptical 55 min, easy/moderate 75/25
Tue – long interval session on road, 2x3 km. First loop (by km): 3:54, 3:56, 3:55 - subtotal 11:45. HR 144/108 (immediately after / 1 min later). After 4+ min of jogging, the second loop (the same): 3:50, 3:51, 3:49 - subtotal 11:30. HR 150/120. 8 miles in total incl. w/u and c/d.
Wed – off
Thu – 1:05 elliptical, easy/moderate 80/20
Fri – A.M. a 7 km tempo on a trail at the HM effort by feel (and by HR), 7 miles totally incl. w/u and c/d. P.M – 48 min elliptical, easy
Sat – 55 min elliptical, progressive from easy through sub-LT.
Sun – 1:04 run on a trail, easy. Planned to have a 1:20 LR but had to cut the course because of a pain in the knee.

Happy and injury-free running to all!