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Over 60's training (Part 2)
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Interesting start to Friday morning - it was -5C at 0600 and the car was covered in hard frost - as were the roads until I got to the A59 over the Pennines. A few moments of frisson.........
Yesterday was appalling but woke up this morning to a calm day with dawn breaking in a clear sky so the run was enjoyable weather wise.
Struggled a bit form the outset as the thought of going over 5 miles seemed to be dragging me down - must have LMF as well as my other deficiencies
Anyway 5.2 miles done in 50 mins exact (9:37m/m) which was ok. Briefly thought about going on a bit but then equally dismissed it!
Had an email offering 50% off Adidas footwear so plunged into buying a pair of Ultraboost so it looks like I am running for another year...............
I did a run myself this morning in similar cold sunny conditions. I decided to have a change so went to Thornley Woods, about 7 miles south. It's an enjoyable run down through the woods to an abandoned railway line, over a viaduct, round a small lake, and back up through the woods. Just under 4 miles. Some of the paths were a bit icy where the sun hadn't reached so care needed.
That made 22.6 miles for the week, my highest of the year so far and only the second over 20 miles. All runs were on hilly terrain so a bit of quality there, if not speed.
I did chicken out of doing a parkrun on Saturday though as the forecast was for a hard overnight frost and I didn't want to risk running hard in possible icy conditions in parts.
11 with my daughter on Saturday (so cold, but accomplished before TS's "appalling" weather arrived. 3.5 yesterday rounded off a 28 mile week. Nice and bright currently, so must head out soonish.
Dave
well done on teh weekly mileage - getting there.
I couldn't twig Thornley Woods so I had to look it up - on the Derwent walk. I should have guessed from the railway viaduct.
In a galaxy far, far away I used to run for marathon training the Derwent Walk from Swalwell up to Consett and then back down again, the latter being a lot easier. Ye gods, that was over 30 years ago!!
Dave
you did very well to get out before the weather changed although it was very cold before the freezing rain and other stuff!
I too grovelled into a 20 mile week - exactly 20!
4.10 miles this morning in 40 min exactly on legs which weren't quite as bad as I feared but not as good as I hoped
London again tomorrow...............
Graham - congrats on the new age group. 25.25 is a great time for M70-74!
Birch - great for you to see Eilish McColgan competing - neat pic! Welcome the 65+ age group. You have a great running family.
Torque Steer - glad the dogs and dog owners didn't upset you.
Alehouse - great time to aim for - hope it all holds together for you.
My right knee/leg/foot have still been giving me trouble so I haven't been able to run - mostly dog-walking and then there is the chance of getting smashed into by the dogs chasing each other when off lead.
I've had the last couple of days off with no walking - went to the doctor, asked for an MRI which she declined but booked me into the specialist who operated on my left knee.
I was tail end charlie at Cornwall Parkrun last Saturday morning - my 50th Parkrun. My first one was Bushy Park.
Christine, I'm just short of 50 parkruns myself. Definitely an achievement but small beer compared to a great number of people, at least round here, where 100 seems to be the minimum worth talking about. Hope your operation improves things for you.
Dave, another good run with your daughter.
Columba, I know you haven't been able to run as much recently but wondered if you were still in your club?
On Monday I ran my "long" route of 4.8 miles, almost entirely on grass on the Town Moor. With two steep hills on old spoil heaps, run in both directions, it's quite challenging but the views over Tyneside from the top of the hills are impressive. Trail shoes definitely needed this time of year.
Then after a rest day I did a bit of speed training (using the term loosely these days!). After a mile warm-up I ran two times one mile, with three minutes rest between. 7:40 and 7:49 so a slight improvement on last time.
keep up the "speedwork", Graham (I too realise its a relative term, these days)
TS - hope you survived London - any hashing this week?
hi, Columba - your "not much" is more than my zero for this week (lazy, yes, but also the fact that this isn't my favourite time of year, has led to demotivation)
still, I'm on 1645 miles for the year, so 55 in the remaining 11 days is the aim.
Dave
sorry to hear that your knees is still not behaving. I hope you get it sorted with your specialist appointment
Well done on your 50th
Graham
it a lovely trail particularly in autumn - but I do recall it was a bit tough going up!
your speed training looks pretty good. I had it in mind to do some mile reps shortly just to see what the times were but..................
Columba
"not much " might be just enough at this time of year!
Dave
if you just stick on the 1645 I will be precisely 1,000 miles behind you!
I got back just in time for the Hash on Tuesday - which was a Xmas lights run around the town stopping at several hostelries on the way for refreshment so good fun and not too much running
Wednesday and Thursday did my usual 4.1 mile run getting progressively slower and this morning despite getting ready to go out just couldn't face it - the fact that it was pouring down and black as pitch didn't help.
Ah well the days will start to get longer now......................
Graham - I know 50 parkruns isn't that great but the guy in charge of the Cornwall Park run was surprised that I'd only done 50 when my first one was so long ago! Good to see you still doing speedwork.
Birch - still haven't got the pension then! Guess it's 65 in England too.
Torque Steer - decided to see if I could run the whole way in today's Cornwall Parkrun - great that I was tail end charlie last week - I could only do better this week. Lots of dogs and kids where I am running now but managed to "run" all the way - wore some long compression socks to see if they might help. Ran 31.10 69.14% age grade. Can't complain when it's just off dog-walking.
your "just what we are able to do and get on with it" is very true!
It's the kids that one has to worry about - most of them are far too fast.
69+% AG off 31.10 - we want equality between the sexes
Absolutely pouring down this morning and it did not relent for one minute as did 5.2 miles in 50:25 (9:40m/m) .
It was raining so hard I kept my hood on the Gortex jacket up all the way - tights, top and socks went straight in the washer and my shoes are in the airing cupboard!
parkrun yesterday in bottoms, gloves, hat, long sleeved tops...and rain. Stomach a little tender from the evening before's reunion, so ran steadily and pleased with 24:35 on a slowish course. Got soaked again this morning whilst helping at a local 5k; managed to run 5k myself before, during and after, but with plenty of stops!
And Happy Christmas or Bah Humbug to you all!
pension age - changing, in a staged fashion, here - so I have to wait until July 2020, when I'll be 65 yrs, 11 mnth . . .
TS - good block Tue-Thu, you can be forgiven not heading out on Fri !
alehouse - nice parkrunning in sodden gear, and following the celebrations . . .
on topic of sodden gear - 14.5 this morn ; met my chum, who only had time for 5 miles, but I then manged to "trick" myself into a longer one, by running to "this", "that", and "the other" point. Rained (pretty heavily at times), the whole way.
btw, on Fri I ran 3 miles on a very stony track. Confirmed what I knew anyway, that my non-nimbleness, lack of agility, really makes it a waste of time attempting these surfaces now. Tripping over rocks etc - felt a real "namby-pamby". Have a mate, same age, who is from more of a fell background - I can plough through XC mud and edge him, but he can still "skip" it seems, along the rocky terrain, and leave me languishing . . .
Dave
I didn't keep a running diary when my foot was at its worst in the first half of the year but my mileage for 2018 will be 400 or thereabouts. No surprise no trees are being pulled up but hope for better things next year.
I wish everyone a Happy Christmas and New Year. Good running.
And Ray, if you're reading, I hope things are OK in Australia.
All the very best - especially to anyone tackling an Xmas and/or New Year event and even more especially to anyone doing a parkrun 'double'.
PS while I'm here I feel I ought to report that I was privileged on Saturday to run well behind a VW50-54 who clocked around 18 mins (96% AG). My goodness me.
Happy Christmas and New Year and please don't be a stranger on the thread.
that was a nice trick to pull
Tarmac is the only road to follow...................
Alehouse
well done on maintaining progress - age is just a number - if an increasingly large one!
Graham
another well done on your Gibside parkrun improvement - must be a toughie course not suited to flat track bullies like John
John
hi and good to hear from you.
Nice to see you are still following your usual disciplined training regime
Keep in touch - that is a New year resolution for you.
finished preparations for the invasion of the food snatchers, otherwise known as the family, tomorrow - ten of use should be lively
Best wishes to everyone and have a super Christmas
My son has got the running bug and being 31 immediately beat his dad in his first run and soon clocked under 20 mins. I just direct him to the AG % if he gets too cocky. Overshadowing any of his or my achievements, our grandson managed his first steps - on Xmas day. Happy running all!
Legs have felt very tired this week: probably all the standing in the kitchen over the festive period. They probably won't want to be forced into further action at Saturday's parkrun...and then another on New Year's Day.
Trust everyone had a decent Christmas.
3 posts in tree days - you are getting the habit!
Xmas day Parkrun - now that is serious
I had to laugh at your son passing so easily your efforts - I know all about that - and I have a grandson and g'daughter who could probably do the same thing!. Like you I refer them the AG records and say "read 'em and weep"
Good luck on Saturday - I fancy a few runners will turn up with the same thought!
There was an email through this morning from parkrun describing how they have achieved a "world charitable status" and that they could now accept donations to keep parkrun "free". Not sure how that will play out or whether it is the beginning of a process of monetising the whole thing.
Columba
that annual mileage is about a half of what I used to do quite regularly - so it's a case of doing what I can, not what I want................
Alehouse
I know that tired leg feeling after catering for the family. However it went off very well and everyone was well fed and watered/wined/beered.
Slipped out early on Boxing Day for a stolid 4.2 miles, the same yesterday and scraped only 3.2 this morning - all run at about the same plodding pace of around 9:45m/m.
Literally dozens of runners out this morning, mainly female, all going much faster than me.....................
Pantomime time this evening with all ten of the family going - it is always a traditional panto here with no C rated "celebrities" in the cast and it has been our family tradition for many years to go en mass. it's great fun and thoroughly entertaining for all ................. oh yes it is
Having not run since my last Parkrun - was happy with 30.12 age grade 71.36%.
Wore my long compression socks again - they seem to help - knee only sore once I finished. I now feel more unfit than anything else.
John Bateman - the young ones aren't interested in age-grading - it's only us old people that need it to keep us going!
Graham - nice work - looks like you still have to do one more then for your 50th T Shirt.
Xmas, Boxing day come and gone - thank goodness for that! Survived another year! So much eating and drinking!
14 this morn, leaves 11 to do over the next 2 days for a nice round 1700 for the year.
Dave
I ran the hilly Gibside parkrun again this morning. Nearly stayed in bed though when I woke up to hearing the wind howling outside. Luckily the course has a long wooded section with plenty of shelter so it was only the final few hundred yards into a strong headwind which were a problem. Might have made it sub-26 apart from that but 26:07 was still 15 seconds quicker than last week so no complaints.
I plan to do the quicker Rising Sun parkrun on New Years Day. Should be a good turn-out.
well you never hear anyone saying "next time I'll come back as a woman" do you
Pleased you survived the holiday period - a run is what is needed.
Dave
hope you make it! a 6 and 5 should be easily doable for you unless NYE starts early.
Graham
enjoy the NYD parkrun.
aaaaahh the good ol' days of turning out for the Morpeth to Newcastle road race on that day. It was always freezing with a brisk breeze coming in from the North Sea. Lovely hangover cure...........
My family decided that as I was daft enough to continue running at least I could be better equipped so they bought me a Garmin 235 with HRM for Christmas as my old Garmin was on its last legs - bit like me really.
I decided to give it a whirl this morning and at the same time do something I have not done all year - some mile intervals! (Graham's fault - he mentioned them!!)
Warmed up by running to my usual spot on the Stray - 1.2 miles at 10m/m pace. Checked my HR and it was bang on where I expected it to be at 112 bpm, waited until it dropped below 100 and then set off running by feel - which was knackered!!
managed 8:04 with an AvHR of 132 and a max of 152.
walked back to the start and then repeated
managed 8:15 with an AvHR of 136 and a max of 153
Tried a third but gave up after 1/4 mile - legs had gone
Shuffled off home feeling suitably disgruntled with self both for times and for giving up but the sheer fact is that when the pressure comes on my body cannot respond - the thyroid is just not producing enough to stimulate muscular reaction.
TS - unquenchable spirit! What was the Churchill's term - 'keep buggering on'? Totally agree with you and NZC about age graded times; youngsters seem to miss this column on parkruns!
Birch - I can only look on in admiration at that annual total mileage. And avoiding injuries?
Did a new parkrun (East Brighton) on 29th. Went looking for a 'best all time 60-64' placing (OK it's only been run 4 times and previous attempts were pretty slow) - returned with a 'last in category' on the day. There were only 2 of us and he was better than me! The course - which was described as basically a few laps around some football pitches - was much harder than expected: slippery, twists and turns and tiered with nasty little ramps. Just the sort of course that a flat-track bully like me usually avoids. Add to this the following self-inflicted wound: I don't use a Garmin but at least I usually take a watch with me, but not this time. So when I got to my 'sprint' on the final lap it was actually the penultimate lap and was a busted flush. Limped home in 23.50, a sub 70% AG.
Worse still various parts of my body told me that this wasn't a good experience. So am trying to recover to the extent I can post a decent time on New Years' Day when I return to my lovely flat tarmac 'home' course and an aspiration of sneaking under 22.
Happy New Year- which it already is for NZC as I write this.
TS - excellent effort with the reps - a shame you had to abandon the last one - I feel your frustration
John - that sounds a terrible course, so I'm sure you'll bag the 70% AG tomorrow . . .
finished the year with a 5 mile jaunt in my daughter's company today; 4 yesterday, so end the year on 1698 miles.
Dave