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I often hear that masters athletes need more easy and/or rest days in their training.

In a week, I currently have 3 hard days, 3 easy days, and a rest day.

Other recommendations?

Hey Johnny, how old are you? I'm in my late 40s. 3 hard days are all I can take. I used to lift 3x a week and have 1 rest day, but this year I have to change that to 2 lift days and 2 rest days. I need more rest. Funny thing is...more rest is making me faster! What's up with that?

Age 69. Train one day. Rest the next.

Liz and Anthony- thanks for the feedback. Much appreciated.

I'm only 31 and realize that that may lead several of you to say "what are you talking about, you're not a master!"

However, I trained hard last year from March thru October for road/trail races and it was the first time in my running career I had a long-lasting injury (hip flexor) so knew I did something wrong. I was dumb with my training and it made me realize I'm not 18 anymore.

So, I'm wanting to be smarter with training and want to be able to do this and be healthy the rest of my life. I'm slender and have never been one to handle high mileage all that well.

So far, the 3 easy days, 3 hard days, one rest day (I occasionally take an extra rest day) has gone well for me. I also lift twice a week now and find that to be better as well. No injuries, have run times I'm happy with, and feeling good.

I want to make it to August and run really well in Spokane and just curious what others do since I'm a newbie to trying to do this track thing as a (sub)master. The last time I ran track competitively was 7 years ago and things just aren't working quite the same anymore!

A lot of you obviously know a lot about training when you're a wee bit older. Although I ran in high school and college and coached high school track and cross country for 8 years, am realizing it's just not the same!

Age 31, well that is very young! In that case you can indeed do 3 quality workouts a week, but still has to do at least two of them exactly the same way. I am 58 now and unfortunate recovery of a hard workout lasts around half a week, so two quality workouts is around the limit. So I have to do one jump training (I am a high jumper) with many jumps with a short run-up at lower height, and technique as main aim, the other one less jumps but height as accent. The rest of the week is good for other disciplines, running, core stability and what have you.
And the more workouts you do in a week, the more it is needed to have some relative easy weeks in between heavier ones. To prevent achilles tendon injuries, to mention just one thing.

I'm 44, run the 400 and the 800, and have found that there is no way I can train like I did in college. Things I do differently now include not running any junk miles for "recovery" since I've found that those easy slower paced distance runs leave me feeling bad the next day instead of recovered. So for an "easy" day, I might do extensive tempo on the grass, or simply take the day off. I never run on hard surfaces like roads anymore, always a soft trail or grass, or the track. I can run 2-3 quality workouts a week (right now, a hill workout, a tempo or VO2 max workout, and a speed workout) and a "long" run of about 5 miles. Soon I will be on the track one more day a week, dropping the hill workout. I coach a youth team also and my 5th workout of the week is usually running with them, usually intervals that are a very easy pace for me so I consider that a recovery type day. I spend less time weight training and more time doing exercises for my core and to keep my body aligned and flexible. For an 800 meter runner, my weekly mileage is ridiculously low (15-17 miles a week) but it seems to be working.

Joan

I'm 50, and a 400/800 guy, although I'll throw in an odd fun 5k just to get the tee shirt.

Typically, I'll run 3 days a week - two interval days, and one longer day. All running is on grass of the track. In the "off days", I'll do swimming kayaking, biking, an ab circuit, and weights. The trickiest bit is timing the lower body lifts, as I like to get a minimum of 2 days after a lower lift before getting to a fast running workout.

Also - I could just jump into a 3 day/week cycle - it took several months to get there.

You've got to listen you your body and give it the rest it needs, when it needs it. There's no magic formula that works for everybody.

Agreed. With that said, I'd been doing three quality days a week and two lift days a week but as my "quality" days get faster I've noticed that I'm sometimes too tired and one of my quality days turns into a mediocre day. As such, I've gone to two quality days a week and two lifting days a week. My 2 cents.

One way to squeeze your weights sessions in with three track sessions per week is to do your weights sometime later in the evening after your track session. If you follow this with a rest day then you will be firing again in time for your next track session.

Pat,
I wish I had the time. Working 70 to 80 hrs a week and trying to be around the house and kids and wife make training a challenge! Perhaps someday I'll be able to train more.

I hear that BMo!! Good luck with your season. In my opinion, it is better to be undertrained than overtrained. If you had trained hard in the past, sometimes you can "find it" for the big meet even if your current training isn't great.

AGE 42... ...6 days a week in the weight room..3 hard days on track..lots of speed drills...one day a week short uphill runs/sprints

Age 44
2 days hurdling work out, 2 days running work out, 1 day weights, 1 day some distance and weights, 1 day rest.... depending on how I feel I may take a day off here or there.

I tell you who would be a great person to answer this question. Bill Colins. I entered the masters divison five years ago and he poped open my eyes. I would love to here his thoughts.