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Over 60's training (Part 2)
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So just 5.25k today with the second half much quicker than the first.
So, to answer your question, John, the university is Manchester, which put up with me from 1972 to 1976, captaining the Cross Country team in the last year. There is a strong past (and present) members network and I am responsible for keeping in touch with anyone over 56! We have several get togethers over the year: we host a relay, then party, Freshers' Champs and drinks, Christmas dinner/drinks, AGM...etc. Every 5 years we have a bigger dinner with speakers: we managed to squeeze in the 95th the weekend before lockdown. I came up with the name for our touring team: Alehouse Academicals, hence my forum name.
I ran for a local Manchester club but was very much a small fish in a big pond and despite being under 15 minutes for 5k on the track I barely squeezed in the club's top ten! May have been better being in a smaller club! Very often I was in the C team athough did on occasion run in the National League. Turned to team managing and coaching when only 26, although did continue to run but rarely race.
Currently 5 ft 6 and 10 stone 2 and three-quarters, having lost about five pounds so far this year and aiming to be south of 10 fairly soon. Weight loss is just from upping the running. Only aims are over 5k.
Similar times to yourself these days I think: last year at 65 I ran 21:52 for 76.7% age grading. Expected higher later in the year but fractured my back!
At 63 I got 77.7%...and then fractured my back...
I do run parkruns but in the 150 or so that I have done I haven't run one hard yet! Saturday mornings at 9 are for tempos at the hardest! Hopefully will get one proper race (or more) in as a 66 year old!
Today: did the 3Km time trial. Buffeted by a beastly, bully wind I utterly failed in my attempt to run it in 12.30 and managed a 12.52. Poor.
PS at uni (Essex, followed by Kent) I wasn't quite a physical wreck but I certainly wasn't near any sport teams. We got our exercise at Essex by marching at demos!
Don't think I have the edge on you at all at parkrun: my quicker times were in open races; parkruns on a Saturday are rarely under 23, never mind under 22! parkrun is not to be taken seriously, by me at least! I tend to meet up with friends and run round at a reasonable pace without pushing too hard. I usually start well down the field and gradually pass people as I pick up the pace km by km. And perhaps in a third of my parkruns I have paced someone.
I am seeing you in a new light......super model but I had noticed the half a mile increase well done.I always would say i don't get out of bed for less than 6 miles but these days any miles are good miles:-)
Nice miles:-)
Yesterday 6.17 miles which was slower over the hills than of late but Av Hr 136 which is pleasing to see.Still walking twice a day to make it up to 14 miles.
Miles makes smiles.
Progression
that's what the metric system does for you - rampant inflation
You definitely need to avoid the mid 70's AG - your back always goes - so jump straight to >80%
The average standards in the mid 80's were quite amazing - even if I was a little older and over the hill by then.
I did sometimes wonder what I would have done if I had gone into athletics instead of pursuing the glory of goal and try scoring (and the associated social life!!) but in the NE and elsewhere there were literally dozens of guys who could run the best (Foster, Forster, Spedding, McCleod etc) close so it was a crowded scene. Even Spedding, an Olympic bronze marathon medalist and FLM winner, struggled to get into Gateshead Harriers road team!!
John
that should frighten a few passers by - hanging from tree branches
That was a very good tempo effort over 3K and way beyond anything I am capable of nowadays particularly when you were wind affected.
Welshpoppy
.... and you should see my legs
Interesting that you are also walking a lot each day. In the old days (early 20th Cent) there was a body of thought that walking was a good training aid to running but it slowly slipped out of popularity.
You can indeed lay claim to the quote (Linda Evangelista) if you convert your runs into metric - imperial is too hard!
Felt a bit tired this morning (another bright, cold one with a light grass frost) and concentrated on form as I ran. As so often is the case it led to me moving slightly better and faster than yesterday and completed the 4.5 miles in 44:52 (9:52m/m) with an avHR 131 and a max of 142.
Just pushed the envelope a bit - or at least licked the sticky bit!
https://www.running2win.com/calculator/WeightAgeGradingCalculator.asp
if I feed in my info on weight (210 lbs) and age it converts my last 27:10 for a 5K into 18:12 and my better time of 22:20 into 15:53
I need this in all races
WP,
Plenty of cabbage before a run, I think not for me
TS,
I put my weight and data in and was quite impressed with myself, shame nobody else was. I strongly believe size has a big impact on running longevity. You and I are very rare animals, you especially!
Weather vastly improved here, out in my shorts and tshirt this last couple of 7k'ers. Just gently cruises around the Beaver Pond. This weather is bringing out more people so more care needed but still not what you would call crowded.
I finished my experiment with the GPS settings on my garmin235. Recording a trackpoint every second or every 2 seconds in reality significantly improves the accuracy of the path plotted but doesn't make much difference to the measured total distance of a run. It does use a lot of memory and battery. It also slows down my training log and the watch. I will only use it when on a new route or where I want an accurate route.
I also compared both GPS only and GPS and Glonass. No difference in accuracy of course plotted even in the trees. Not worth the extra battery consumption for me. Glonass is another satellite system so using both gives you more satellites to chose from.
Finally order my replacement watch, the 245 with music and HRM Run. The exciting feature for me will be for me to be able to track my bike rides and strength training workouts, without messing up my running log with this other stuff.
Now I busy rewriting chunks of my training log to accommodate it.
Mick
I am interested in your Experiment as I checked my own settings and mine was recording every second so have changed that and switched to just satelite and not glonass as well.My battery was draining which I put down to GPSing my two walks as well as run.
What i have noticed with wrist HR if cold it is very low as yesterday both run and and walk hr very low yet on last walk mid day it had warmed up and it was back to normal......
Torque: I also imputted my data and my 26.55 for 5k race gave me 16.45 I so need to just once have a race result like that!
I will let you know if and when we race how if any it helps me I can not see me walking in winter but March -November if weather is kind.It can only be an aid in both shifting some weight and improving my running.
How do you feeling after licking the sticky bit of that envelope
I ran 6.17 miles and average HR 132 whr 72% I had to stop wearing Running dynamic strap as same problem as before it leaves big welts where the metal/plastic for the adjustment of strap on both sides.I will once it healed use twice a week on different route.
Miles makes smiles.
Progression
We are the last of the big beasts
Even at my marathon fittest many years ago I was just under 14 stone - a lot of it in fast twitch leg muscle that isn't too much use in long distance running!
Can't really shift it now - I don't overeat/drink but I stubbornly stay around 15 stone but of course mileage has been restricted as well
Good to hear your weather has improved. What is the Covid situation like around you? Are you in or near a hot spot? I read somewhere that Quebec/Montreal are worst affected in Canada?
A new Garmin to play with - cool!
Welshpoppy
we shall have to push for this form of grading
Walking certainly burns calories but at only half the rate of running so it's less bangs for your miles.
Good to see you were getting out of bed again
I did a little more licking of the envelope today.
Same route (Mick my Garmin measured the exact same distance despite tree cover for nearly all of it) of 4.55 miles in 44:46 (9:51m/m) with avHR131 and a max of 147 as I used some of those fast twitch remnants at the end to make sure it was the same overall pace as yesterday.
I allowed myself to run the downhill/flat section a bit too fast in mile 2 and it became a bit of a slog thereafter but it was the 6th day of continuous running and gives a 30 mile week so it is a big milestone for me.
rest day/extreme gardening tomorrow ....................
MLR of 8k yesterday but backed off today (5k). Next two days will be similar (week ends on a Sunday).
Enjoy the new watch, Mick!
16:45 is a fast 5k for a female at any age and weight, WP!
wow it looks so much further in Km's
Like you I measure a week Monday to Sunday but I cheated this time round as Saturday is always a "rest" day and I don't often put together so many back to back runs.
That will be my maximum mileage for a few weeks as I try and consolidate and not upset the thyroid levels.
Talking about being upset - I watched the film "The Darkest Hour" on catch up TV.
As a Churchill biopic and background history of the time it was okay until the director felt compelled to put in an extended scene of Churchill on a Tube talking to "cor blimey Cockneys" and then making his mind up of whether to go on with the war or not after hearing them.
Ye gods but it was crass....................
I actual burn decent calories for walking because hilly 4 miles I burn 415 calories yet if I ran that route I would burn maybe 375? no idea why.
Ale: I double checked incase I inputted it wrong nope.
I measure Sunday to Saturday and think I am on for a good mileage and ....sssh I have run 7 days on the trot which is a miracle.
Today 6.17 miles today over the hills Av hr133 max 145.
I have to make my mind up to do a virtual 5k tomorrow but I think not I would not push myself as hard as a race.I may opt for a flatter route as Achilles is grumbling at me.
Miles makes smiles.
Progression
If anyone else wants some light reading let me know. Please don't share with anyone else though!
Saw this photo from a greyish Wednesday afternoon after the travel restrictions were eased. Dovestones Reservoir. I will let you draw your own conclusions.
Can't see a pic from way over here.
WP,
Virtual racing doesn't really do it for me. I find racing, for me, is about competition not participation. I need to see them or at least hear them to get inspired to find that little bit more. Protect that Achilles.
Changing your GPS settings will have a big impact on your battery and memory use. I have no confidence in the wrist HRM technology that why I have opted for the HRM Run strap. At my age I am want to be able reliably monitor what it is doing when I put myself under stress.
TS,
Well done on the mileage, just what you need with a little more for a half.
As you know I do not react well to belittling or talking down to the British working class. One of the main reasons I live where I do is because of the class prejudice I struggled with as a young man.
You do extremely well for a bigger person and I do not know any runner of your age and size who is still running.
The situation here is very different to that of the UK. Canadians generally are more relaxed and compliant. They are very spread out so no dense areas like London. Roads and pavements are just bigger to allow for snow clearing. Social distancing has worked well, lock down has worked well with very little rigid policing.
Nothing typifies it more than to look at Canadian teenagers. They are generally very polite and respective of their elders and most of them work. Contrast that with my experience in the London area recently, well I am sure you are familiar with it.
So generally thinks are very good and even the one hot spot in Montreal is minor compared with the UK.
Life is starting to return to normal as I noticed on my run today, the golfers are out and the parks are open.
I enjoyed a 10k around the neighbourhood today, nothing to write home about but still an enjoyable run in shorts and tshirt. With no races in the offing I am just cruising and delighting in still to be able to do my thing in the glare of a pandemic and old age.
Well my chest strap has arrived but no watch as of yet.
I am getting prepared and have written a new watch face for it using Garmin ConnectIQ.
It will say 245M when I sideload it on to the new watch. This is a picture of the watch simulator I have on my laptop. I added the battery status as there is nothing worse that starting a run and having the battery die.
It is very easy to do, you can hardly call it programming. If anyone would like a version of this with their own name and device just let me know and I will email you a file and walk you through how to load it on your watch, very very easy. Yes I know I need to get a life.
Mick
Just over 6k for me so with one day to go this week am on just over 40k. Will hopefully just nudge past last week's 43.4 during tomorrow's outing.
WP: let me know what you think about the Achilles "letter"!
I can see the photo on my own laptop but not on my phone or tablet. Hopefully below: let me know if you can't see it!
I see it but that is crazy even if it wasn't during lock down
Mick: I feel the same about virtual racing it is not the same it is about competing and feeling you can give than extra when needed with a runner either just ahead or behind you.
I did have an issue yesterday I had thought I had solved issue with strap taking chunks out of my skin I popped a material wrist tube over part that was the issue but although I had no problem 2 of my miles I only burned 35 calories so I think it must have moved over the sensor I will double check today.
I love the watch face and the battery % is very important........I will message you :-)
I was extremely tired yesterday and thought a rest day but no I ran 4.70 miles and the pace showed I was tired by 30 sec a mile.Finished my week on 42 miles the highest since before pandemic.
Miles makes smiles.
Progression
that is appalling - where was it?
we don't even have queues like that to get into the M&S foodhall car park!!
Hope your miles go well today
Mick
it's a pity your 235 has become unreliable for HR readings. How long have you had it? MIne's been going well and is better than the old chest strap unit (which also used to wear a hole in my chest!!)- unless it is consistently telling me lies! Experience tells me that the readings are where I would expect them to be.
Urban densities certainly help - and I suspect so does weather as you have experienced a longer wintery weather period than usual and we have had prolonged warmish dry spring.
The film bit wasn't belittling anyone - it was just the concept that was so wrong - that in the middle of a huge crisis Churchill would randomly stop his car, get off and ride a Tube so that he could talk to a cross section of stereotypical locals. If you haven't seen the film, catch up on it and see if you agree.
Well my fame as a the heaviest aged runner out there must have spread as I got a letter from the NHS inviting me to take part in a Covid-19 sampling trial
I responded that I did and received a test kit on Saturday to carry out at home and the sample will be picked up by courier on Monday.
Welshpoppy
Nope - there is something definitely wrong with your calorie data as running certainly uses more calories than walking.
When I was post back op convalescing I walked a lot - up to 8 miles at around 4m/hr and would regularly clock up 65-70 calories/mile. Running gives me 140-155 unless I am really fit when it drops to 120-130.
Sometimes a rest is better than a tired run...................
Started off with stiff legs and again eased into my run to do the same 8 miles as last Sunday. Harder mentally over the first few miles to focus on the distance but made it in 80:50 (10:08m/m) with avHR127 and a max of 142 which was a slight improvement on last week.
10:35 118 129
09:36 123 131
09:59 128 131
10:35 128 133
10:15 130 135
09:52 130 134
10:24 130 137
09:38 134 142
all miles were slightly faster than last week despite me feeling worse so slightly encouraging.
What was more encouraging was a young family group which I passed early on and who thanked me for giving them social distance and whom I re-encountered at mile 7. They all gave me a round of applause and encouraging words as I passed them again which probably spurred me on to that faster mile 8!!
You have made me think and maybe why not losing weight if walking calories are off.I will wear strap on walks tomorrow and see what my walking calorie burn is!
I walked today 2.68 miles and have me 284 calories on a flatter route.
What a lovely family encouraging you to go faster and well done on another 8 miler.Is GNR still going ahead?
Good luck with Covid 19 trial your fame is spreading:-)
Today 5.5 miles on less hilly route watch had to be reset as buttons would not work and I had problem a few days ago after a software update.But seems okay today.
5.5 miles
Average HR 140 max 155
GCT 50:50
I burned 544 calories which is around 95 cals a mile
I think the HR data I am seeing is showing how inaccurate the wrist HR is.
Miles makes smiles.
Progression
45.5k for the week. May nudge over the 48.3k next week. Or not, depending on how things feel! A few random niggles have to be listened to!
How are you doing, Birch?
calories burned relate to intensity - and as Mick keeps reminding me - I have a lot of mass to move with every step which takes more energy to do. So I burn a lot more calories per mile than say a 9 or 10 stone person.
Pace isn't as important as it doesn't take much more effort to turn legs over quicker/ stride further - it's getting the mass moved that consumes most energy.
And don't forget that exercise may not reduce weight, it may put it on, as muscle weighs more than fat!!! ( so I keep telling myself
Not sure about GNR - the timing will be very tight and I am unsure about exposing myself to a crowd of 40,000 if there is still a problem.
You need to relate HR with pace as it naturally goes up with increased pace - and fatigue as well.
alehouse
well done on the weekly mileage, nice progression. Hope the niggles subside.
Awful - what are people thinking although there was a classic example on the news last night - a woman being interviewed on a crowded beach said "we didn't think there would be so many people here" not seeing that attitude was a part of the problem.
It was good to get my "proper" weekly mileage up to the +30 mark
Easyish 4.5 miles this morning in 45:57 (10:09m/m) with avHR 128 and a max of 144 (oh and 599 calories burned for WP)
Legs felt better than last week's effort after the longer run on Sunday and managed to raise the pace very slightly over the last half mile and felt better bio-mechanically than running slower - ran out of energy or course!!
https://healthyeater.com/calories-burned
as it has different levels of running intensity
My week always used to start on a Sunday with a long run to get the week off to a good start; for the last few years my long run has moved to a Monday to run with my M75 friend from round the corner. But not at the moment due to the present virus situation.
So, today being Monday was long run day: 11.2k, the longest run since April 2019! About 50 metres short of 7 miles. Wasn't the best of runs but it is in the bank. About 9:25 per mile/5:50 per km. Mainly off road, much of which is very hard underfoot at present and as it is uneven you have to keep your wits about you. Tracksters, thick long-sleeved thermal, gloves: train heavy, race light.
TS - yes, had exactly the same thoughts re the woman on TV - a 90 min drive to the beach, then she was annoyed that "too many" others were there !!
Dave
I struggled with exactly the same thoughts for many months - how could I possibly be running so badly/slowly/fatigued etc? - all so different from what both my mind and body could recall. It was sometimes a real effort to get out the door, and sometimes I didn't even manage that with a nice bit of displacement activity.
Even now, when hopefully I am on a bit of an upward curve, it can still be an effort, but I have sort of cleansed myself of the former runner and I am just grateful that I can still get out and do something. Getting to feel pleased about running 10 m/m is a new sensation
Further update on my glucosamine supplement taking as I am half way through the next round of doses.
It does appear to have had some beneficial effect as my hands, hips and ankles are a lot better. Knees are still stiffish but I can manage petty well once I get going. Of course it may just be warmer weather assisting, but considering I was fairly negative about it in the first place, I do feel it has been beneficial.
Glad you saw that on TV - now if only everyone else stayed at home I would be able to go anywhere I wanted!!
I am sorry to hear that it is still a struggle. I cannot recall how old you are but I think the expression you used ' Still struggling to come to terms ' just about sums it up.
Both TS and I can attest to the adjustments that we have made both physical and mental to our dwindling powers. I think we can both say it is worth the battle and you do adjust and I know I look forward to my run, if I can still call it that.
Hang in there it is worth it.
Alehouse,
No long pants for me, the warm weather is here to stay.
My new toy, or I should say essential piece of kit, has arrived. Garmin have made this watch way overly complicated, joy, I will be busy playing with it for the foreseeable future, or at least until I have probed all its secrets.
Installed my own design of watch face without any trouble, now to get my software to extract all of these new bits and bytes.
Very enjoyable 7k around the Beaver Pond etc, weather gorgeous and feeling good.
Even threw in a couple of pickups.
Mick
Thanks for calorie link:-)
Well done on run and thanks for calorie burn:-)
I take glucosamine and will not stop no idea if it is placebo or not but no issues with my knee's.
Dave:
Good to see you and really sorry to hear your struggles all I can say is keep trying.We miss you so keep posting.
Mick:
New watch has arrived oh boy you are going to be kept busy.Has it had it's first outing yet?
I did not run yesterday too fatigued so I am hoping I can start again today even if 2 miles!
Miles makes smiles.
Progression
now don't get so obsessed with the new bit of kit that you forget to run
Do you see any beavers around on your run?
Welshpoppy
Happy to oblige
Much warmer and more humid this morning - yes I am getting my excuses in early!
4.5 miles in 46:57 (10:25m/m) with avHR123 and a max of 136 s my run turned into a recovery run from yesterday's recovery run
I had to have a 1 min walk at 3+ miles as my quads hurt too much to run down the fairly steep hill there but uphill was ok at my steady plod speed.
That is a great calorie burn for 8 miles, 8 miles I would burn around 720.I like running 11 miles not that I have in ages as it gives me over 1000 calories -yum yum. I would need 11 miles for weight loss every other day!Ah well I maybe fat but I can run:-)
I wonder why the quads were trashed was it the gardening? I only get that in hard down hill races.
I am happy to report 2.3 miles but that was the length I could run, as legs felt heavy and slow and breathing was hard work.For that I burned 225 calories...yikes I eat like a pauper today.
Miles makes smiles.
Progression
And yes, we all have runs like today, TS! One of the coaches at the club used to say that when relatively unfit expect two out of three runs to be "bad"; when fitter expect two out of three runs to be "good". And I think he was about right: you can't expect to be on top of the game everyday! And hope Birch is reading!
Sorry to hear that things aren't great, Birch. Patience! I have just looked through my diary and in late Feb/early march my long run was around 6k; now 6k is close to a recovery run. My medium long run was 4k! Little steps! Progressive consistent consistency etc! Don't rush things! Take the positives: you can get out...lots of people our age can't! Keep smiling!
So, 6k recovery run plus stretches this morning, in deference to yesterday's longer effort. Nice comfortable pace: the consistency has also meant that over the last 10 weeks the pace for the same effort seems to have improved.