50 and over 5k and beyond

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Runs & Workouts Week Ending 3/31/13 (Read 10 times)

NH Runner


    Thursday

    3/28/2013

     

    7 miles on the highway today, with 3 in the middle @ tempo pace.  Splits were 9:13, 8:59, 8:32, 8:24, 8:24, 9:11 and 9:13.  They say tempo pace is the pace you feel you could hold for ten miles.   I was hoping for 8:30's and was slightly faster in miles 4 & 5, but I'd probably need someone chasing me with a whip to hold that pace for 10 miles... Joking   Happy as a clam with the run though, I felt pretty good the whole way.

     

    Nice run again Ray, you're making great progress.

     

    Chantilly... I think they say flat footed or mid-foot strike is what we're looking for.  I thought the same thing about the video, the doc looks flat footed to me too.

     

    Art... are you able to run outside during the summer?  My buddy in Miami does, but lately he's gravitated toward riding a bike more than running.

     

    adkkev & altair... nice runs.  I remember Irene, she made quite a mess here and in Vermont too.

    Chantilly75


      I tried to envision the runner in the video this AM, and get my heels up there higher at the back and take advantage of the "spring"  they were talking about.

      It felt harder,  could only keep it up for a couple of laps, but I could see that it would be more efficient than the shuffling I do now.

      I'm going to work on that and refer back to the video.

       

      6 miles.

      "dancing on the path and singing, now you got away,

      you can reach the goals you set from now on, every day"

      Sonata Arctica

       

       

       

       

       

      NH Runner


        Chantilly.... Far be it for me to tell an ultra runner how to run, but have you checked to see if you're driving with your hips like you should?  The easiest way to check is to run with your hands on top of your head, it takes your hands, arms and shoulders out of the equation.   Note what your hips are doing when you do, that's the feeling you're looking for, running with your core.

        rmcj001


          Chantilly - Visualizing is half the battle?  Good run!

           

          adkkev - We get the herons here too.  Sometime you just have to take a break and observe.

           

          Rich - Good run!  Sounds like the foot is much better!

           

          6 miles today, partially overcast and 72F, 51:26 (9:36, 8:49, 8:09, 8:16, 8:05, 8:30).  First 2 miles were into the wind, mile 3 with it and slightly downhill, mile 4 back into the wind and uphill, mile 5 with the wind, mile 6 cool down.  Tomorrow is an off day, Saturday 5K with younger brother.


          Ray

           

          adkkev


            9 miles on the rail trail this evening (pace was 11:05) ... got a late start so I ended up running in the "twilight" ... but my eyes were adjusted to the low light so it was fine.  Met a young couple running with their dog while their two young kids were bicycling ahead of them; nice to see a family out doing something like that!!

             

            Between the crows & the geese flying overhead throughout my run, it was pretty noisy.  And it sure didn't feel like it was 45 degrees either, I thought it was kinda chilly.  I won't complain (much) 'cause it's been around -30 for the past couple of days up in Fairbanks, AK, where my son lives.  Very unusual for them to have that kind of cold temperatures now.  December & January yes, but not when it's almost April.

            Altair5


            Runs in the rain

              Thursday did 3.87 miles at 10:36 pace. I tried to keep my form in mind but it is hard when you can't see yourself to know just what you are doing. Saw, about a mile from my house, what looked like a bald eagle yesterday, it flew across the road as I was driving! A large, dark bird with a bright white head.

              Long distance runner, what you standin' there for?
              Get up, get out, get out of the door!

              Chantilly75


                10 miles on the track. Lots of people there.

                I kinda watched the form of others, and noticed that the younger runners had their heels up high at the back, with a long stride, but the old ones (40+) did not bring their heels up much nor even lifted the knee very high, plus their stride was shorter.

                So is this because of age, because they are running slower, do we lose that bouncy springiness as we age?

                "dancing on the path and singing, now you got away,

                you can reach the goals you set from now on, every day"

                Sonata Arctica

                 

                 

                 

                 

                 

                adkkev


                   do we lose that bouncy springiness as we age?

                   

                  I'm not sure I ever had that "bouncy springiness".  Big grin

                   

                  But then I've only been running with any purpose in mind for the past 2 1/2 years so what do I know.

                  Altair5


                  Runs in the rain

                    My long run today: 13.14 miles! Finally getting up to real long millage with this run of slightly over a half marathon distance. Beautiful day, about 50 degrees, partly cloudy with the sky full of puffy clouds. The sun came out sometimes and made it feel warm. About 3/4 through my run a dark cloud passed overhead and there were a few drops of wet snow. Had some nice distant views of the valley. Good bird sighting, I heard the peeping of a killdeer and saw it in field as I was running by. A killdeer is kind of a plover with two black stripes on it's neck. Also on different farms I ran by Isaw a pretty herd of black and white cows, a donkey, and some black chickens . Tried to keep a steady pace, only slowed to a shuffle on one very steep hill. Finished in 2 hours 33 minutes, a 11:39 pace.

                     

                    Chantilly75 - The main thing I have heard is that there is a loss of cardio vascular fitness as we age and that is the reason we slow down. I have also heard that in a study of how people run it was found the older person would take thier steps at the same rate they did when younger, but  the stride would be shorter. My own experience is that it seems harder to take the longer strides and to lift up the knee high. It is easier to fall into a shuffle. I guess there is also a loss of "springyness". but have not really seen any study of it. I live in a college town and only see a handful of runners my age, but many young runners. They run fast and don't seem bothered by hills. Often they run in groups and don't seem out of breath as they talk to each other during the run. However I rarely see other runners once I am more than a few miles out of the village so I guess not many are doing real long runs.

                    Long distance runner, what you standin' there for?
                    Get up, get out, get out of the door!

                    rmcj001


                      adkkev - When we're young we don't know how good we have it.   Saw the local blue heron today, lots of turtles on the lake sunning themselves and an egret or heron.

                       

                      Altair - Love to see birds of prey.  The last few years have brought an influx of crows and they love to chase the red-tailed hawks, every now and then we get a young hawk who chases them back!  Definitely fun to watch.

                       

                      Chantilly - 10 miles on the track!  You go girl!  I definitely don't have the "springiness" that I used to.  It takes a fair amount of strength to get the back leg kick pulled in tighter and we lose strength as we get older.  It's all part of that creeping feebleness thing Sad

                       

                      4 mile walk today in 1:01:20, 75F and mostly clear.  5k race tomorrow with brother and son in hometown - hope the weather holds!


                      Ray

                       

                      NH Runner


                        3/29/2013

                         

                        Didn't run today, but did manage a session of X training.   2 sets of 12 reps, push-ups, sit-ups, 6 different resistance band exercises & planks.

                         

                        Nice runs all and good luck in the 5K tomorrow Ray.

                         

                        Another reason we slow down as we age is a slower max heartrate, we just don't have the same engine under the hood.  I've seen older runners with a springy step and younger runners shuffling, but I'm sure there's something to aging and losing that spring to our step.  I'm with Ray, I think it takes a lot of leg strength to be light on your feet as a runner.

                        adkkev


                          5+ miles on the nature trail this evening ... some spots still a little soft but overall the trail is in pretty decent shape.  No wildlife except for some Canadian Geese swimming in the old Erie Canal.

                          NH Runner


                            Saturday

                            3/30/2013

                             

                            Warmed for a mile, then ran 14 X  30 second sprints with a 30 second break between each, 1 mile cool down.  Instead of the treadmill, I ran to the high school's outdoor track for this workout.   There were half a dozen walkers when I got there and most stayed on the inside lane and ignored the signs not to.  Rather than confront anyone, I ran the workout as best I could.

                             

                            The worst offenders were an older couple with a dog on a long leash.  They walked the middle to outside lanes while the dog and his leash took up the rest of the inside lanes... lol   There's an isolated section of road not far from here that'll be perfect for running this workout in the future, today was just too frustrating.

                             

                            One thing I noticed, there's a big difference running this workout outside versus the treadmill, with outside being much tougher...

                            Altair5


                            Runs in the rain

                              Legs are a bit sore from the long run yesterday, but I did 4.15 miles. I took it easy and did not try for any speed. If I do a 6 mile run tommorow it would bring me up to over 40 miles for the week!  Cool

                              Long distance runner, what you standin' there for?
                              Get up, get out, get out of the door!

                              Altair5


                              Runs in the rain

                                Happy Easter everyone! I did a 6.19 mile run this morning, It was overcast, but 50 degrees. This brings my weekly total to 40.7 miles according to my Runningahead training calendar. Note that the calendar rounds millage to the nearest 10th while the Google maps give millage to the 100ths.This is a big increase in my weekly millage, my weekly totals this month were 19.9, 27.2, 17.4, and now this week 40.7 . I attribute the increased millage to having done six runs this week, sometimes I only do four or five, and my short runs were a good 4 to 7 miles long with a long run of 13. I will do a rest day tommorow and have an easy week to recover.

                                Long distance runner, what you standin' there for?
                                Get up, get out, get out of the door!

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