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Thu Aug 25, 2011 2:51 pm

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Master Masters Athlete
Joined: Fri Apr 23, 2010 6:18 pm
Posts: 60

I haven't posted much lately. I've been running off and on but I've had a problem with Morten's neuroma on my right foot. It's been quite painful so I took some time off. I've been coaching some friends (moslty half marathoners) on the side to pass the time The foot is better now but not 100%. But I can hopefully do some training now. I just turned 43 last Wednesday (8/17). I hope to get fit for the 2012 season. I thought I'd start this thread to track my training and racing and gets lots of tips from my fellow master's runners. :)

I jumped on the track last night and ran a 5K just to see how I would do. I've run just once in the past 5 weeks. I didn't intend to go that fast (just 2:10 for the first 400) but as I lossened up I felt better and better. I ran 24:53.

1st 1600- 8:14
2nd 1600- 8:00
3rd 1600- 7:45

Nothing to write home about for sure. On July 16th I ran a 23:32 5K. But I think I"ll get in shape pretty quickly with some consistent running.



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Fri Aug 26, 2011 10:52 am

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Journeyman Masters Athlete
Joined: Sat Sep 30, 2006 10:11 am
Posts: 26

Glad to hear that you are managing your Morton's Neuroma. Mine flared up about 15 years ago and I, too, had to stop running until I got it under control. I still have to pay close attention to avoid inflaming the nerve. Don't rush it. It may take awhile to find the right combination of "interventions" that will allow you to train comfortably.



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Sat Aug 27, 2011 5:00 pm

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Master Masters Athlete
Joined: Fri Apr 23, 2010 6:18 pm
Posts: 60

Thanks for the encouragement, Roger. I've tried everything (wider shoes, foot pads, cortisone shot, deep tissue massage). When I switched from a motion control to a stability shoe it seems relieve the pain as well.



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Sun Aug 28, 2011 4:55 pm

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Journeyman Masters Athlete
Joined: Sat Sep 30, 2006 10:11 am
Posts: 26

Like you, I found very few things that worked on reducing the burning pain of the neuroma. I was given the option of having the nerve cut, but never liked that idea. I have a very narrow foot, but now wear extra wide shoes exclusively (4Es or 5Es). Foot pads did no good....indeed, they had a tendency of creating more pressure to the top of my foot, which only irritated the neuroma. I do, however, wear 3/4 length Spenco arch cushions in my 4E New Balance shoes. I also asked my wife to knit a small circular ring that I wear every night on one of the toes next to the offending neuroma. This tends to separate the toes and thus takes the pressure off of the neuroma. Without it I would wake up regularly with the burning sensation and have to rub it out. It did not happen quickly, but over time, doing these two things have put it under control. I recognize that what worked for me may not work for you. I know how limiting this can be to training adequately. Good luck.



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Wed Sep 07, 2011 11:30 pm

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Master Masters Athlete
Joined: Fri Apr 23, 2010 6:18 pm
Posts: 60

Another 5K time trial today. Ran 22:58! :)

1st 1600- 7:25
2nd 1600- 7:19
3rd 1600- 7:24



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Sun Oct 09, 2011 4:01 pm

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Master Masters Athlete
Joined: Fri Apr 23, 2010 6:18 pm
Posts: 60

I had a good training month in September. I ran 77 miles of base work. Not huge mileage by any means but I wanted to start training consistently. Had 16 runs during the month plus weight training and spin classes twice a week. I pushed my long run to 8 miles. I want to bump up the miles in October to the 90-95 range.

I ran another 5K time trial yesterday and ran 21:50.65. It felt good to knock off 1:08 from the 5K time in one month. :)

1st 1600- 6:58.7
2nd 1600- 6:56.1
3rd 1600- 7:05.3

I pushed the second mile really hard and I kind of paid for it on laps 9 and 10. But, overall I felt good.

My weight is still about 195 lbs.



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Wed Oct 19, 2011 2:17 pm

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Junior Masters Athlete
Joined: Wed Oct 19, 2011 1:37 pm
Posts: 1

Wow---found this forum today and didn't realize their were so many like-minded souls out there! I was beginning to think these "return to track" fantasies that I've been having were the early stages of alzheimers.

My story---daughter is a pretty good CC runner (sophomore HS) and thought I better start walking the talk if I was going to have any credibility with her.

A year ago today (5'8") i had ballooned to 182. I wanted to drop weight before I started to run again. First goal get down below 160. Cut out the snacking and focused primarily on weights/calesthenics/elliptical and eventually spinning. By the end of December of 2011 I was down to 165. By end of January was down to 160. (Today I'm down to 138 lbs.) Started with the couch to 5k program. Ran first 5k since college (was HS track/cc guy and some in college---more later) April 1st and ran 23:52. Ran a 22:30 July 4. Had a setback 2 weeks later (doing too much too soon) and had to walk part of the race, hence a 24:40. Got back in the swing of things 2 weeks ago and managed a 21:41. I wanted to get below 20 but the injury (hip flexor) set me back.

I'm more of a track guy than a CC/road runner guy and I got to thinking about track again and stumbled on the masters t&f site and this forum. I want to start training for masters t&f events, but like many of you (I'm 54) worry about injuries. I ran a 65 at the track last month, but I paid for it --- had to take a week off---so I'm concerned about going too fast too soon.

I think I want to focus on 800 meters (best in college was 1:55--a lazy runner who didn't put in the time or the miles) but I'm thinking I should focus on smaller events (200 and 400) to get used to the idea of going fast again and building up my base miles before I start with the 800 or the mile. I'm only running 4 days a week ---3 to 4 miles max. Other days I cycle/walk. Doing core-related activity and yoga 7 days a week.

I've been reading the Daniels book and am going to start with that but would appreciate any advice on how to proceed.

At this point, I don't have a goal or objective, because honestly I don't know what I can do? I'd like to say I could do a 2:20 - 2:30 and a 5:00 to 5:20 but it is only guesswork at this point.

Glad I found this site.



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Sat Nov 12, 2011 3:13 pm

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Master Masters Athlete
Joined: Fri Apr 23, 2010 6:18 pm
Posts: 60

Time for another update. Over the past month I did some longer 8-10 mile runs. I'm still building my base though December before I start doing some interval work. My weight is down to about 191 lbs.

Today I ran my monthly 5K time trial and ran 21:05.4, a 45 second improvement over October's run. I ran the first lap way too fast (1:36). The last 5 laps were really hard but I pushed as hard as I could. :)

1st 1600- 6:38.0
2nd 1600- 6:47.5
3rd 1600- 6:49.5

I'm continuing to increase my mileage slowly. Right now I average about 20 mpw. I hope to push that to 25 mpw this month.



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Mon Nov 14, 2011 2:09 pm

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Senior Masters Athlete
Joined: Mon Nov 14, 2011 1:18 pm
Posts: 19
Location: Orange County, California

Keep up the good work.

I am a 50 year-old runner, having run my first race when I was 9 years old... yep, 41 years ago. I ran my first race in about 15 years last month - a 23:00 5K on a hilly course. I was a bit disappointed because leading up to the race, I was conistently running low 21:00's 3 mile time trials, and was hoping to run under 22:00 for a 5K (3.1 miles). We, the other competitors and I, later learned that the volunteer at the turnaround point of the course, was at the wrong location, and we actually ran .1 miles (about 176 yards) too far, so the course was actually 3.2 miles. So, I didn't feel so bad. I placed second in the 50-54 age group.

Oh, and just a point of clarification, you say you are timing yourself for 5K, but isn't it really 4800 meters? Not a big deal, I still think you are doing great.

I started to get serious again about running in January 2009, and meticulously logged my times and distances. Aside from bouts with the occasional cold and flu, and skipping days due to cold/rainy weather, I have been pretty consistent about my training. In the late spring and summer months, I mix in bike riding.

In January, 2009, I ran a 17:49 2-mile at a public park. About a year later, I lowered this mark to 15:38. When I was consistently running low 16:00s, I figured it was time to step it up. My work outs were basically just running the same course, running against the clock, trying to beat my previous time. On weekends, I would take it easy, and jog a couple of miles.

Starting in early 2010, I increased the course to 2-1/2 miles, with an initial clocking of 21:10. I think that extra half mile worked on me mentally, and I wasn't willing to push too hard. Within a year, I dropped the time to 17:17. On weekends, I began to mix in small interval workouts on the track. Nothing too serious. Maybe 4 to 6 200-meter strides in the mid-40 second time range. Sometimes I would throw in a 90-second 400 meter, or a 60-second 300 meter.

Once I was consistently running in the 17 minute range for 2-1/2 miles, I upped it up to 3 miles in June of this year. My first 3-mile was 24:56, but I dropped it down to 21:21 in late September, a few days before that fateful 23:00 5K. About 2 days per week, I am run 4x400 meter intervals (2 minute cycle, running high 80 seconds, which gives me about 30 seconds rest). I usually warm-up with an 800 meter jog, lots of stretching, and after the intervals, run a mile at a moderate pace. I think it is helping me. I ran a 20:28 3-mile, last week (6:43, 6:52, 6:53 mile splits). I wasn't pushing real hard, just trying to run at an even, moderately-fast pace.

Lately, I am mixing in 35 minute runs on the weekends, and timed 4 miles one day during the week. My first 4-mile was three weeks ago, with a time of 31:56. Last week, I ran the four miles in 30:48. I now look back laughingly, but fondly, at that fateful gray day in January 2009, when I ran those 2 miles in 17:49. I still have a ways to go. I ultimately want to run a sub-18:00 5k by March, 2012.

Well, it is time to take my lunch break and go for the workout. I plan to do some 400 meter intervals. Thanks for reading, and thanks for sharing.



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Tue Nov 15, 2011 1:23 am

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Master Masters Athlete
Joined: Fri Apr 23, 2010 6:18 pm
Posts: 60

Great job IMBer! You are showing steady improvement. I'm sure you will get faster and faster. Just for clarification. A friend times me on the track. I am running the full 5K (12.5 laps) on the track. I'm merely posting my "mile splits" which are really 1600m splits. I'm hoping to break 19 minutes for 5K just off of base work before I start interval training early in 2012.



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Wed Nov 16, 2011 12:16 pm

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Senior Masters Athlete
Joined: Mon Nov 14, 2011 1:18 pm
Posts: 19
Location: Orange County, California

Runner wrote:
Great job IMBer! You are showing steady improvement. I'm sure you will get faster and faster. Just for clarification. A friend times me on the track. I am running the full 5K (12.5 laps) on the track. I'm merely posting my "mile splits" which are really 1600m splits. I'm hoping to break 19 minutes for 5K just off of base work before I start interval training early in 2012.


Yep, steady as she goes.

I ran 4x400 intervals a couple of days ago, but instead of 2 minute cycle, did a 400 jog between. My times were 1:21, 1:26, 1:32, 1:20. The following day, I ran a timed 3-mile, 21:06 (6:45, 7:20, 7:01). I wasn't too thrilled with the time, especially that middle mile. I might have been feeling a bit fatigued from the 4x400 intervals the day before.

I have heard recommendations of taking a day off from running one day per week, or alternating hard workouts and easy workouts each day. I might try that approach and see if it makes a difference.

I am from the old school, where everyday is a hard workout, and the only time we took it easy was the day before a race, but we still ran that day before.



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Thu Nov 24, 2011 11:58 am

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Master Masters Athlete
Joined: Fri Apr 23, 2010 6:18 pm
Posts: 60

A quick update. I ran the Silicon Valley 10K Turkey Trot this morning. I was happy with my 44:20 time (7:08/mile). I felt strong the entire run. :)



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Fri Nov 25, 2011 5:01 pm

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Master Masters Athlete
Joined: Fri Apr 23, 2010 6:18 pm
Posts: 60

Holy cow, the overall 3rd place men's finisher is a 47 year old named Casey Strange. He ran 31:06! :shock: Dang!



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Mon Nov 28, 2011 6:55 pm

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Master Masters Athlete
Joined: Fri Apr 23, 2010 6:18 pm
Posts: 60

After my 10 mile run yesterday morning I stepped on the scale and it read 190.2 lbs. I haven't been that light in at least 10 years. :)



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Tue Nov 29, 2011 7:25 pm

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Master Masters Athlete
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Joined: Sun Oct 15, 2006 6:03 am
Posts: 113
Location: In the sticks, Western PA

A 44 minute 10k at 190+ is very impressive. Keep up the good work!!



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