50+ Masters Training and Racing Open Forum

M-65, been a hanger-on with this thread since it began.

Just tipped over 3000 miles on the year, 2nd year in a row of just getting over 3K.

Official bests 5:21 mile, 18:24 5K, 39:15 10K, 1:01 10 mile, 1:24 half marathon, and 3:05 marathon.

Happy New Years everyone!

55, M, Taipei, Taiwan

Hi everybody.

2nd week post-marathon and I did about 40km of running this week. Mostly easy stuff with a little LT and I just came back from doing 6 x 200 repetitions on a 200 meter track.

Probably because I did not "leave it all out there" during the marathon, I feel frisky now and excited about doing shorter stuff. I have a 10k scheduled for April 21. Finished AG 8th at this race last year. This year's goal is AG top 5 and/or beat this guy who lives near me. He came in 4th AG last year. So, my goals are (I think) attainable, engaging, and challenging.

The plan is one LT workout per week and one interval/repetition workout per week and easy on other days. My recent marathon training peaked at 100k per week, but I'll probably just hover in the 60-70km range for this race.

Happy New Year to everyone.

I have not posted much this year as I’ve spent the entire year dealing with posterior tibial tendonitis and a hip flexor strain. The tibialis injury has been really tough and I THINK I’m finally pulling out of it this month running a few miles every other day. I turn 65 in a few weeks and my New Year’s resolution is to actually complete an entire year without an injury. Here’s to a healthy and happy 2024 to everyone!

Happy, peaceful and prosperous New Year to all! And of course, injury-free training and running!

I have turned M65 this year too, but my SBs were "post-60 PRs" for 5K, 10K and HM, so the year was good (except for the injury I got during the 10K road national).

Did not run from late October because of the weather but did not bad with XC skiing and elliptical. Arrived in Egypt yesterday for a week and my hunger for running pushed me on the road immediately (sun, 78F, dry, slight wind - perfect). Luckily, muscle memory works so far and was able to complete a good 8.5 km tempo today @ 7:12 min/mi on average on a hilly road staying below LT HR (it was 138 bpm on average).

Have a nice New Year party!

congrats on a great year. I had a bad year, lowlighted by DNS's in spring and fall goal marathons, but a good final week:

M 1:05 w/ 2 X 10:00 (2:00 jog) at half-marathon pace [average 6:48/mile measured parts)

Tu 1:15 + 1:00 x-t

W 1:30

Th 1:15 w/ 6 X 3:00 (2:00 jog) at 5k pace (average 1:35/400)

F 1:10

Sa 55 w/drills & strides + 1:00 x-t

Su 2:00 with 15:00 at marathon pace (thru 2 miles rolling bike path in 14:49)

happy new year. Wishing all good health in 2024,

Dave

A happy and healthy New Year to all! I had one of my better recent years this year. I totaled 2050 miles for the year. I had the fastest 3k (12:41) and 2nd fastest road 10k (42:41) reported in the US for the 70-74 age group. I turned 74 early this month and will be running in a new age group next year. I have some ambitious goals for the 75-79 age group, and am looking forward to starting 2024 injury free and finally over the virus that slowed me down at Club XC.

Good running to all!

Wish you all a Happy Successful New Year 2024 ! I got a slight fever last evening but feel better now. Let 2024 begin! My big goal to run a fast 5000m at the Masters World Champs in my native Gothenburg,Sweden in August.

One week with the running PT and balance/running are improving. Down stairs remains a challenge. Focusing on keeping my left leg from glinting into my right is exhausting, but worthwhile.
M: off

T: 8.5M w/32:00 tempo @ 85% HR

W: 8.3M @ 10:13 pace w/five .5-.62 surges

Th: 8M: 10(300/100) @ 7:40 pace

F: off

Sat: 11M @ 10:03 pace - :40/mile faster than 8 weeks prior

enjoy the week and happy new year

happy new year

grass 2km 6x100m 2m rest 17.05, 17.1, 16.54, 17.12, 16.66, 15.28
stepups 50cm 3x6e/2x5kg, walk lunges 3x10e/2x6kg, 4x20m sled (25kg), hypers 3x15, seated single calfs 3x15e, standing single calfs 3x10e

Greetings, fellow 50+ers and Happy 2024!

For me, 2023 was a challenging year with health challenges that made running difficult at times. But with the help of family and friends - including those here - I was able to get in 573 miles of actual running for the year. That number includes 60+ miles for December. Not too shabby for an old cancer patient with spondylolisthesis.

Naturally, after a great few months of running following my summer radiation treatments, I'm on the injured list again. I had some issues with my left quad over the last two weeks that I was able to run through, but it finally caught up with me during yesterday's run and I had to cut things short. I'm hoping a couple of days off will help and that I can get my first run of 2024 done before the end of the week. Here's hoping!

Data from the last two weeks:
12/17: 57' CR; body wt ex + med ball routine
12/19: 49' CR; body wt ex + free wts
12/21: 48' running (3); 16 oz curls
12/24: 45' CR
12/26: 49' CR
12/29: 47' CR; body wt ex
12/31: 9' CR; ouch

All the best in 2024!

I opened the New Year with a 1.1 mile jog (whoopee!) followed by a 32 mile bike ride under cold, gray skies. I know, folks in much of the country would kill for 50 degrees on Jan. 1.

For the year, my log says I ambulated a total of 1265 miles; however, at least 95% of that was fast walking, not running or even jogging. I didn't bother adding up my cycling and swimming mileages, which were both significant. Hoping to do better with the running this year.

Happy New Year to all!

am - that is some bike ride! Nice way to start the year.

The wife and I were out dancing until midnight last night -- the good news is we spilt but one glass of red wine, no more.

This morning I ran my club's New Year's 5K as a workout, running exactly 23:00.00 -- a good run, maybe 85% effort as I prepare for a March marathon.

The guy right in front of me ran high 22's. He'd worked it hard, I asked him his age, he says 75. Not too shabby pal, thinks I, at the tender young age of 66...

The week ending yesterday I clocked 37+ miles, mostly just over 9:00 pace, with a long run of 11+ miles.

Wishing a happy, healthy & productive 2024 to my fellow 50+ runners.

Happy New Year to all thread contributors! I continue to draw inspiration from your words and actions. Keep up the good work in 2024.

Early 2023 started off as not one of my best years for running, but ended up not too bad. Started the year with no running because of a heart attack in December of 2022. At that time they found I had an aortic root aneurysm. In February I had open heart surgery to fix that, along with a new aortic valve. March I ran a total of 2.4 miles for the month, but lots of walking. I gradually worked my way back, doing a little more but not pushing it too much. December was 205 miles, and 1029 for the year, along with some weight lifting and other cross training. I just finished the year with my first race as a 70 year old. The main topic with the other old guys and women before and after the race was all of our health problems. I'm signed up for 2 marathons, with the first one in February. I feel like I should be able to get under 4 hours again, we will see how much longer I can do that. Plan B is 4:20 for a BQ. Hope everyone here has a good and healthy New Year.

Looks like the troll is still hanging around and downvoting everyone. I thought we were rid of him. Hopefully he’ll crawl back into his sad little hole and let this thread continue to thrive as it has without him.

It is some time since I last posted here. Happy New Year to all.

After a good start, 2023 rather fell apart for me. Nothing serious, unlike some of the brave souls I see posting here, but a back, strain, countless minor virus infections, bronchitis, and a fall. I must have missed about half the last part of the year. I suspect the viruses were due to being rather sheltered for the last few years and hopefully I have got the better of them. The fall was my own fault - I tripped over my own foot and ended up with an arm bruised and swollen from top to bottom. As I said, nothing like some of the folks here.

So what did I make of 2023 as an M72:

4x800m indoor relay - 10:46 - WR

800m - 2:38

1500m - 5:13

Mile - 5:52

3000m - 11:13

5000m - 21:07

5k (parkrun) - 20:04

10k - 42:19

I also completed my 250th parkrun.

I am beginning to make my way back after the fall and another of those viral infections, so last week was 2 parkruns around a very muddy course.

I will try to post more updates on rebuilding fitness and pace. For the present I am aiming for 3 or 4 runs weekly, progressing back towards 50mpw as the weeks and months go by. I will be concentrating on running for my club in XC and on the track together with some road races as I get fitter.

Best to all.

Greetings!

Very encouraging and motivating posts from world class runners – Coyote Montane, Across the pond, Old Guy II and others! Your results, gentlemen, show us what consistency and mileage can provide along with tremendous experience, wise training strategy and structure.

Though I turned M65 in summer, I tried to improve my level of consistency in the year 2023 and was rather successful, but being very injury prone, was not able to reach decent mileage numbers. Logged 306 hours total for the year, but only 96 of which was running outdoors. Adding 23 hrs on a treadmill results in 119 and assuming (optimistically) the average pace to be 5 min/km, it gives some 1400+ km or some 875 miles only. All the rest was cross-training.

5K SB was not bad - 18:28, but low mileage made it not possible to be even close to the same level of AG% at HM – 1:27:20 only.

Nevertheless, I hope that “my numbers” may, in turn, encourage those who, for whatever reason, cannot run much but are able to cross-train.

Once again, Happy New Year to all!

I completely agree about the motivational posts.

I had a good week this week, just about 60km with 2 workouts.

1. 20 minute classic lactate threshold run

2. 4 x 400 at Vdot 44 "I" pace: 104 seconds

Actually, I set out to do the 400s at that pace but I felt comfortable with the 1st one at 96 seconds. I slowed down for the second at 100 seconds, then the last 2 at 97 and 95 seconds. My HRmax for those last 2 was just around 90 - 92% of my maximum, so I'm in the neighborhood. But those were not even a handful of 400s. I plan to do 600s next week, and I'll be happy to slow down to the proper pace, I imagine. My idea is to run the April 10k at Vdot 46 (sub 45 minutes), and my braindead recent marathon was Vdot 43. So, I'm at least close to where I'm supposed to be. I plan to progress to a workout of "4 x 2000 at 10k goal pace" two weeks out. (Unless someone thinks that might be over the top... opinions?)

I'm a fast-twitch guy, so it's always nice to do some 400s.

Do good work, y'all.