Over 60s training.

Hi JJ thanks for your input. Yes I will post my result on the Mature runners thread.

Where can I find a list for the year of pure Vets events. Is there on on this web site. If there is I have failed to find it! Or perhaps I am being particularly stupid. that is probably the most likley cenario!

C.
Click on EVENTS at the top of the page and do a search.
There's also a Vets national organisation (Veterans A.C.?) that runs a lot of events. Try an internet search for their website.
JJ

Hi Cecilia.........
Nice to see another name on this thread.
As JJ would concur theres something about being in our age group which gives us a different challenge on races.If one hasn't run competatively before or had a long lapse since any racing at all then all the more incentive to(as they say in U.S.)start over!
JJ has given me a boost with his over 60s advice so I am more determined to do better. I started last year with my first 10k at 57m.43s. Now I am 64 hoping to better that this coming year.
There must be loads of other over 60s out there who could contribute to this thread. Or are there???

Lincoln Imp.
Good morning. Ran the Tunbridge Wells 1/2m on Sunday in 1hr. 49. on a tough course which was sort of OK. I need more speed training but, to emphasise a point, my legs are still stiff this morning (Tues.) and will cope with only a steady run.
I wonder if the shortage of Over 60s is something to do with lack of access to technology?
How's the training going?
JJ

JJ
Good result for you on half-m. The only time I ever tried a half was in 1989 in a slow time of 2hr.1min. Prior to that however definately insufficient preparation as I had to hobble/walk the last 2 mile!
Stiff legs after 2 days is not really bad.....mine was stiff for weeks after that last 6m trail run! But then it was the muscle injury I brought on myself with my careless running.
Right now am slowly building up again.Next month will really go for it, more runs instead of too many gym sessions. Last night ran the local streets for first time in two years.
Aye....you are probably right about the over 60s not being acquainted with computer technology. Also not every reader has a subscription with RW to qualify for using forums.
BTW how do you cope with windy conditions. I find headwinds particularly offputting.
L.Imp.

I alter my diet.

Racing I slipstream other people.Especially ladies even though they're a bit small to give much shelter. Certainly takes the mind off the wind. All good sexist stuff.

I don't bother when training except for the long runs. These I try to organise so that I finish with a tail wind and, thus, on a positive note.
JJ

I have only just discovered this thread while playing around trying to get advice on a niggly knee. Nothing serious. I fell off a trailer load of bales some years ago and I think I suffer a bit of scar tissue problem. Anyway, I don't have time to read all the threads at the moment but am signing on as a 62 year old lady. I didn't start serious road running until I did the FLM when I was 57. Five years later I am still doing PBs at all distances. My 10M is 1.21 and my 10K is 48m. My best FLM is 4.25 but this year I am training on the sub 4 programme with a target of 4.15 and a dream of sub4. It may be a dream too far - but when you get to our age what else can you do but dream! I will be back to read this forum at my leisure. Thanks JJ for starting it.

Welcome. Nice to hear from you. Good times.
I only drop by from time to time but there is a mature runners thread under 'General' if you want to find me. Warning, its far from mature!
JJ

JJ beat me to it...I was going to say exactly the same first line! Anyway good to know we have a lady in our midst and a fast 60+ runner at that.Purrrrr.
LI.

Did my longest training run ever this morning-18+ miles in about 3 hours. FLM preparation. Full details are on the Mature Runners thread.
Hope everyone's weekend training/racing was as satisfying as mine.
JJ

LI
Smooth!
JJ

It was good too see another female over 60's runner on this tread. Your times Pussy give me great encouragement as you are the same age as myself. How many miles do you run a week?

I promised JJ I would post my time for the Daffodil Half at Castle Ashby yesterday. I had a good run, beautiful weather and scenery. It was an interesting course twists and turns and ups and downs, with a mile hill half way through and again at the end, not steep but it went on and on. I knocked 7 minutes off my previous time and came home in 1:54. so I was well pleased. it was a good day except when I lost my car before the start, which set up a bit of a panic with 5 minutes to go till the start!! But found it in the nick of time and sprinted (literally) down to the start about quarter of a mile away.

I am impressed with your long run JJ, how do you feel today. I guess you took it fairly steadily.

Do you all sleep well after a long run or a race. For me it is just the time I need to sleep well but in fact I do not, which leaves me feeling pretty rough the next day.

I am going to change my name after this from Cecilia Morrison to Ceal, because I realize everyone else has a nickname. I will change it if I am able to work out how to!!

Ceal
You're too good by half. That's a v.good effort. How do you lose a car? Did you drop it in the mud?
I always sleep well after a long run provided there is time to relax. In any case, I do almost all my training in the early a.m.
Muscles just slightly tight today so that's encouraging.
Again, well done.
JJ

Welcome lady...you have our ceal of approval!
JJ....this thread is a bit hit and miss,ain't it. Seems that thee and me keep coming back occasionally. Did a 4 mile run tonight with a couple of guys from our gym.Found the one mile hill climb rather testing but this sort of thing I guess should tend to help me being basically a 10k fan. Can't say the marathon is really for me......the thought of spending hours on long practice runs is daunting to say the least! Maybe feel different about it next year when drawing state pension.

Hi lincoln imp I note your comments to JJ about not liking the thought of running a marathon or doing the training. I think that as one gets fitter the idea is not so horrendous. The more one runs and one is able to add distance comfortable a bit at a time the more able mentally one is able to look at longer distances as a friend. You may said who wants a friend like that ! I have never wanted to run a marathon, I have such respect for JJ and those who do run them. However, after the half on sunday, I felt so comfortable (except for the last mile hill) that a seed entered my head that I just might one day do a marathon. I know it is twice as far but I felt that perhaps, (mistakenly maybe) that if I ran a marathon at a minute a mile slower then it would be oK. I think that a 10k can be quite hard as one has to up the pace right from the start of the race. One cannot afford to spend 3 miles warming up!

I was thinking of you today JJ, it is tuesday today, and I remember that your legs were still stiff this time last week. Well mine are more stiff today than they were yesterday! But I am off to Pilates where hopefull the exercises and the stretching will help.

Re the imps remarks about there only being 3 or 4 of us on this site, there must be so many others out there that could join us. However, it was not until JJ told me where to find this thread. (I was on another thread at the time), that I found you both. Great comfort! But I do not think that the over 60's is very easy to find. I looked the other day for it, without a message from RWorld to get there straight away, and I couldn't find it at all. But maybe a senior moment prevented me from finding it. Me thinks that sometimes the legs work better then the brain!

Hey, I have just got my results of the half on sunday at Castle Ashby off the computor and I have run it a minute faster than I thought. 1:53, defintately time for celebration!

Ceal. Even more well done! Did 7 miles this morning quite comfortably, with 3 fast bits of about 4 mins each. Stopped to talk to some tiny lambs which was nice. Still averaged just under 9 minute miling.
You start considering a marathon. It actually earns you a lot of respect. I have the view that all races are tough if you do them properly. You just spread the effort differently the further the distance.
Enjoy the Pilates. Stretching (gentle, and with warmed up muscles!) = good!

I'll talk more about oldies and marathons later. At the moment I must wuk!
JJ

I have never joined but I keep reading as it is one of my favourite threads. Keep them coming!

Hi Spud. I recognise you from somewhere. Join in.

Lincoln ImpCeal
I'd been running for about 3 years when I decided I'd do the FLM as a 60th birthday celebration just to prove to the younger element in the family that I was not yet ready to curl my toes up. Having that 'big' birthday was a huge hook to get sponsorship. No pressies - just sponsor me! People gave over £5k for the local Hospice which was the best present I could have had.
Plus I did 4hrs. 11mins which was my personal present.

Now LI. You may wish to consider whether something similar might work for you. Gives you something to look forward to and prepare for. It doesn't a have to be the FLM, there's plenty of others if you want to time it accurately.

Ceal. Your message is that I did 4hrs. 11 off a 48min. 10k and a 1-48 1/2m. You are down to 1-53 already so you can see the sort of marathon time you could be looking at even now (4-30'ish?). Go for it next year.
JJ

A couple of other points. I trained only on alternate days for that first FLM so you don't have to flog yourself to death. I now train rather more but I always take two days off each week.
Rest and recovery is vital at our age. Besides which, there are other things to do in life.
JJ