Masters Running

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Monday 3/3 Master Boomer Runs (Read 629 times)

    We're back home after our cruise and, much as I'd like to, I don't think I will read the threads from the last week but take up from today's posts. I hope all had good runs and races last week and were able to stay healthy. roch, I was hoping to come back and find you were healthy or at least getting there. Hang in there. Dave, that was a neat Bible quote. Nice long runs for Peter and Sue. Our cruise was fun. I'm glad we did it. For those who have not been on a cruise, the tales of prodigious amounts of great food are not exagerations. Our group of nine was mostly relatives and a fun bunch to travel with. We had two stops. The first was at Grand Cayman Island. Ann and I went on a submarine ride which was neat. I can't imagine when we might get another such opportunity. I was a little disappointed with Georgetown (the port town). It was mostly the same kind of t-shirt and souvenier shops you'd find in any tourist trap town. Also, with five or six cruise ships in port, you could hardly walk down the streets or into the stores near the port. The second stop was at Cozumel. Ann and I took a ferry to the mainland then a bus ride inland to see the Mayan ruins at Tulum. That was really interesting and enjoyable. The shipboard experience was nice even though there were a lot of people (a little over 2000 passengers and almost 1000 crew members). It's nice to be pampered, catered to, and not have to do anything other than relax and do what you want. Of course, I needed to feed my running compulsions and will share that with you as most people I know wouldn't understand. Monday morning, before the cruise, I got in a 5 mile run in 70 degree temps and high humidity in FL. Tuesday morning, I ran 3 miles on the nice all weather track on the top deck of the ship (11 laps per mile). Wednesday, after the submarine ride, I walked out of the real touristy part of town and ran 3 miles around the edge of town in the hot and humid conditions. Thursday morning, I went up to the track but found it closed due to the rough seas and windy conditions. I wasn't surprised as the ship was "rocking and rolling" during the night. For plan B, I went to the onboard gym and did 2 miles on the TM. Because of the conditions, I held onto the TM with my hands the whole time. Later that day, after touring the Mayan ruins, I had about 25 minutes before the bus left so ran 2 miles around the parking lot and an access road to the concessions at the Mayan ruins. That was another hot and humid run. Friday, the conditions weren't too bad but the track was still closed so I did 5 miles on the TM (this time I ran normally without holding on with my hands). Saturday, I got up early enough to run 5 miles on the track. That was a particularly nice run. We were cruising up Tampa Bay in the dark. The sky was clear with lots of stars and there were lots of lights in the built up areas on both shores that I could observe as we glided past. When we got back to FL, we received word that my wife's mother had taken a turn for the worse. She's 94 and been in a bad way for several years. She's in a nursing home and hasn't known family members, with the possible exception of her husband, for several years. She hasn't been able to get up and about for several years and hasn't really had any quality of life. We all feel we lost her a while back and just have her deteriorating body left. It will be sad when she passes, but not a surprise. The best guess is that she may have anywhere from a day or two to a few weeks. This morning, it was back to the routine at home. The temperature was unseasonably warm, probably about 50 and with a pretty good wind. It's hard to believe it's 10-15 degrees warmer than at roch's 50 miles or so to the south. I got in 8 miles in enough under 1:16 for a 9:26 pace. A good day and good runs for all. TomS


    GreenMan

      Sounds like you had a good time Tom. Glad to have you back. Sorryto hear about your MIL rest day Sleepy jjj
      Iron Mt. Trail Runners blogsite .... JJJessee blogsite ....Spring is here. Go outside and play.
      btb1490


        Happy Monday gang! Is there such a thing as a happy Monday? Wink from yesterday... wildchild- I watch too many home improvement shows, you know the kind where people do stuff to their houses that you can only dream about? It's become quite popular for dog owners to include a little shower in their mud rooms specifically for their dogs. A garden hose works just as well. evryday- what a wild run that was! Good thing you didn't have a 20 miler on your schedule. Teresa- it was a windy day in a lot of places yesterday. Good luck with your mileage goal this week! fbgrrl- thank you for the good luck! Smile Sounds like spring has sprung by you. People were flocking outdoors. I am so with you on the kids wearing helmets thing. It's a law here. And parents should set a good example for their kids by wearing one too. Does your trail have a sign with some rules posted on it? enke- great job with your run yesterday! I'm glad you perservered. What training program are you using that includes chasing horses? Wink That was a funny Gu story! You were brave to try it. fussyrunner- Congrats on your race yesterday! You did well, especially given the circumstances! Kudos to you for speaking up about the results. Most people would not know that about overall runners getting excluded from the age group awards. Mariposai- feel better soon! Tammy- congrats on the 1st ice bath! Once you get past the 10 minute barrier and go completely numb, it actually feels relaxing. Wear a sweatshirt, get a space heater and point it at you, and drink a hot cup of tea while soaking. Good stuff. JJJ- loved your post! Awesome run! Great crosstraining too! How did you carry 60 gallons of water out of there though? Twocat- well done in your race! That's an excellent time, especially with all the uphills. Nice of you to let your training partner beat you! Smile deez4boyz- sounded like a fun run with your group yesterday. PJH- very well done in your race! I'm glad you are feeling good. Knock wood. With 7 weeks to go before Boston, there is still time to get some good training in. Just keep a close eye on how the body handles the buildup and cut back when you need to. Get to that starting line healthy! And congrats on grandchild #4 on the way! Yep, life is good. from today... Holly- as others have said, just keep at it. But... if you really think something is up, perhaps a trip to the doctor may be in order? Anemia comes to mind. As far as a stepback week goes, I like to use 75% of my average weekly miles up to that point as the mileage for my stepback week. I really still think you are just not giving your body that break it needs to rebound and adapt. I'll shut up now. Twocat- perhaps post Boston would be a better time to try losing that weight. 6 pounds in one month seems like a lot during marathon training. Please be careful. PeterNC- Can you survive the next two weeks? Smile rochrunner- what were you feeling in your leg? Can you describe it? Sometimes when first starting up again, it just needs to relearn what to do. Hang in there! SueT- holy cow, 15 miles on the track? Way to get it done! I can see you leaning into the wind on one stretch, then rocketing down the other side with the wind at your back.... again and again and again... I loved the sound of your hikes. Dave- You're off to a great start Dave. Keep it going! Tramps- just puttin' in the miles. Nice. perch- can't wait for the relay report. CNY- Good advice from you as always. Are you focusing? Wink TomS- nice vacation! A submarine ride? Cool! Did you get a good tourguide in Tulum? There is so much to learn there. I'll bet you're happy to be back running on solid and unswaying ground again. Best wishes and prayers to your MIL, your wife and you as you deal with her illness. JJJ- you earned your rest after your day yesterday! Had a very nice hike late yesterday with the dog. A great way to shake out the legs after a long run. Heading out for a lunchtime recovery run in the trails in a bit. Looking forward to a stepback week this week. Make it a good day everyone. Smile
          crosstraining day for me - went to a different gym than my regular and took a class from an instructor who used to teach at the gym i go to back when it had classes - this class was AWESOME!! 45 minutes spinning 45 minutes cardio bootcamp it was so intense - i'm sure my muscles will be feeling it later - in fact i'm going to soak in a warm tub with epsom salts and take a nap so my legs aren't screaming at me all night at work tonight!! tselbs - welcome back - sorry to hear about your MIL..........one of my aunts passed away suddenly so for the second week in a row i'll be at wakes and funerals - i hope the old saying of everything comes in 3's doesn't hold true in this case.

          denise

          evanflein


            Back at work... Dead -10 out there this morning. What an amazing difference a few hours on a plane can make!! As Ilene posted in Tim's thread, we had an awesome relay... took first in the mixed masters division, 23:27 something for a time. What a blast. It'll take me a week to catch up on sleep... Steve is right though, not only three 10k races, but throw in hills, incredible semi-truck traffic (not sure if everyone dealt with that, but I had two legs with lots of trucks...), and that last run for me was pretty warm... But it's amazing what you can do when you tell yourself you have to push through because others are counting on you. I don't think I've ever run so many consecutive sub-7:30 minute miles in my life... Sunday I got up early and got in a nice easy slow 14.25 miles before it got too warm. I don't usually take water with me on a run, but I sure did this time. Stopped to check out some birds (saw my first hummingbirds yesterday, what a treat!) and read signs in a habitat area. Nice multi-use trails in Eldorado Park, but lots of concrete. I wanted to run the canals but didn't want to get lost... Amazingly enough, I was on the same aircraft all the way home, just changed flight numbers in Seattle. Even more amazing, Alaska Airlines managed to lose my luggage. Apparently it got taken off in Seattle (why...?) and didn't get re-loaded before we left. That was fun to find out at 10:30 last night... Oh, and I've never just been so in awe of watching someone run as I was watching mcsolar hammer it on that relay. Oh. My. God. was that fun to see! Thanks, mc, it was a wonderful weekend!!! It was a fun group, and we've got to pow-wow a bit to figure out how do to a report that does this event justice...
              Tom - good to have you back safe and sound. Thanks for sharing the deatils of your cruise. I've never been on one, but your description makes me think I might want sign up someday. Nice to know there are some opportunities for running. So sorry to hear about your MIL. Give your wife a hug for me. btb - your description of my track experience is totally on the mark. Some of laps I felt like I was almost running in place. Then I'd hit the curve and fly down the other side. I agree that a hike with the dog is great after a long run. At first questioned my sanity, but I felt so good after the walk.

              Sue Running is a mental sport...and we're all insane! Anonymous

              PJH


                Roch - wishing you a speedy recovery. I missed the posting of your original injury, but sounds like a tough one. Erika - nice racing! Congrats on the "win". Can't wait to see MC's splits ...I can only imagine! Holly - hang in there. You're putting in some great mileage. You'll do very well! Recovery run today - 7.1 miles in 70 mins ...ave pace 9:56; hr @ 139. PJ
                  Six, sunny miles at 1:30 PM and 45F......lots of snow meltage and bird twittering as I ran along one of my favorite routes. I ran without a watch and felt fine---just the thing after four hours on the phone. Smile Welcome back to all the relay racers and CONGRATULATIONS! First in your division is awesome---I am not surprised, but no less excited for all of you. CNY
                    I hate when I miss making it on Bob's post, maybe tomorrow. 62 glorious degrees allowing this western NYer to run in shorts and a sleeveless shirt today. 5 easy miles in 40:15. Twocat I have dropped about 15 pounds since December and it has definitely helped make me faster.
                    Henrun


                      Good to hear about the relay runners. Tom, we went on a running cruise last winter (in company with that running goddess Ilene). We enjoyed the running part but, not as much the cruise. It was my 2nd cruise (my 1st was the inland passage to Alaska-I thoroughly enjoyed that one). Felt that we didn't see much of the ports other than the tourist traps. This morning, with a touch of spring, I went for a 5.5 mile run along the Charles while Marj walked, still nursing her knee. Found that runners are a bit confused by the weather. A number were in shorts and some were way overdressed for low 40's and wind. March in New England is a state of hope for warmth and annoyance with the remains of winter (unless you're a gung-ho skier-which I used to be).
                      btb1490


                        deez4boyz- that sounded INTENSE! My legs would be shaking for hours after something like that. How do those epsom salt baths work for you, I've always been meaning to try them. evanflein- welcome back! I think! -10 and back to work, so maybe not. I agree with you about pushing yourself beyond what you think you can when a team is counting on you. I can't believe you got up Sunday and ran 14+ miles after all you already did! Very cool about the hummingbird, they are hard to spot! Sorry about the luggage, any luck getting it back yet? Rest up! PJH- Nice run, right after your race no less. Your comeback has been impressive. CNY- A very nice bit of running to start your week. Just what you needed after an awesome weekend of running. Craneium- I got ya covered! If I didn't get you today, I would've picked you up tomorrow! Geez, you were warmer than we were today! I'll bet it felt great to be in shorts again! Henry- how nice to have those routes along the Charles at your disposal. Nice run! Send my best to Marj and her knee. After yesterday's run that was all about intensity and focusing, today was just the opposite. The goal was to unfocus and detatch as much as possible, and to relax and enjoy everything around me. Went to my favorite trails and did 5 wonderful, Garmin-less miles. Not wearing a Garmin forces you to look at what is going on around you instead of at your wrist the entire time! Bright blue skies, blue water with some snow still on the beaches, the trails are the perfect blend of dirt, sand and pine needles making it soft, yet firm. Lots of swans and egrets and of course seagulls. Just the sound of the wind whooshing through the trees. Not a soul in sight the entire time. Couldn't think of a better way to recharge the batteries.
                          hiya, day off as I ran a race yesterday. No RR beyond this: I am still taking it a bit easy on the ankle and walked 30 seconds after each mile. Wanted to go south and get some spring, which was wonderful; I saw daffodils in bloom, flowering trees, and all kinds of greenry. More importantly, in the midst of all the fun and excitement of a race, there was sadness. Once again, a young and fit man died on the course. Unlike Ryan Shay, Adam Nichol finished his race, the Little Rock Marathon, in just over 3 hours and then collapsed just after crossing the finish line. He was 27, and from Madison, Wisconsin. The med tent was just feet away and he received immediate attention, but could not be revived. Another reminder to enjoy today and that we are not in control, at least, not of the big things. Some of the media asked one of the RDs about the race festivities going on while the medics were involved with their life-saving attempts. It appeared from what I could make out from reports and after the fact info [I of course was still miles from the finish at 3:02] that the RDs and related staff did a good job of keeping runners moving across the line and out of the way of the medics, keeping the announcer calling out finishers and proceeding with the race. To do otherwise would have impeded the life-saving attempts that were being made. I also didn't think it was wrong to continue the race. If someone wants to name a race after me after I die for some reason, that'd be an honor, but I'd never want a race stopped on my account. So, if it isn't too presumptious of me, as I did not know Adam Nichol, I'd like to suggest if you read this you savor something about your day you might otherwise have ignored as a bit of remembrance for this fallen runner. Sincerely, A
                          Masters 2000 miles
                            Aamos----Thanks for the post and the profound reminder of the precious nature of each breath we take. One of my college buddies was volunteering there and called to tell me about this tragedy. I too would want the race to go on----no pausing, no delay----on to the finish. I'll run some miles for this young man and include his loved ones in my thoughts. CNY
                            wildchild


                            Carolyn

                              Aamos, so sad to hear about the runner who died. Did they determine the cause? Tom, glad you enjoyed the cruise. We've been in a few towns where several large cruise ships were docked, and it was such a zoo - I never really have had any interest in a cruise. But my parents have been on quite a few, and love them. Erika - great job on the relay! Sorry AA lost your luggage - seems weird since you stayed on the same plane! We weren't too impressed with AA when we flew to Alaska last summer - we missed two connections because of delays. Oh, and hummingbirds are cool. We have loads of them in Colorado in the summer - they dive bomb each other to get spaces at our hummingbird feeder! Bob and CNYrunner, glad you enjoyed the Garmin-less miles! I don't own one, so all my miles are run by feel, and timed by the clock in the kitchen or in my car. I've been considering getting a Garmin, though, not just because of peer pressure, but because I think it'll help get my training to the next level. I ran a sproinky 6.05 miles at lunch, at what felt like a faster pace than usual - sort of tempo-ish. But when I got back to work, the clock said it took 62 minutes. The run did include a couple of good hills, but I pushed the pace on the uphills, and flew down the downhills. And I had to wait for a couple of traffic lights. Oh, well, feeling sproinky is more important than what the clock says anyway. Good runs or rests to all. Enjoy the gift! Carolyn

                              I hammered down the trail, passing rocks and trees like they were standing still.

                              Mariposai


                                Erika, thanks for giving us a hint or a taste of how the weekend went for you all. I imagine it was a sight to see each one of you run your legs...after all you had a great group of elite runners there. Congrats on your sub 7:30 miles. You are awesome girl. Rest day for me today...the crud arrived to our house and found me first.... Angry tselbs, glad to hear that you had a great time in your cruise, I sure enjoyed reading how you fit in your runs while on the cruise. We runners are creative souls, aren't we? Tammy and enkie, great job on your LR yesterday. Way to persevere ladies.

                                "Champions are everywhereall you need is to train them properly..." ~Arthur Lydiard

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