Over 60's training

39 watchers

OO61 Dec 2024 10:47pm, 22 Dec 2024 626 posts	0 OO61 Sounds nice easyrider- enjoy the festive family time. I'll be in Cumbria for new year Canute 👍 16 windy miles here
NZD Dec 2024 12:39am, 23 Dec 2024 252 posts	0 NZD Thanks everyone for the comments. Still disappointing, over one and a half minutes slower than my parkrun time last week on and undulating course with a few steep inclines! Pace profile below probably says it all. Main reason for entering was to aim for a PB on a flat track. Shortly before the race, I asked a couple of club members whether I should stick to my target pace (sub-24) or aim to stay close behind the second slowest runner entered (M58), which would be a bit faster but help take some punch out of the headwind. Another member commented "It would be better to cut back on expectations. It's hot out there". Didn't feel that hot and since the reason for entering was to aim for a PB, decided to target ~4:45/km pace (M58 didn't show up anyway). Big mistake, should have taken heed of the advice! Managed comfortably enough over the first km but then started struggling and sometime around 1.8 km realised it was either slow down a lot further or pull out. Had fantastic support from club members. Other than YT, the oldest finisher in my race was 51. An M61 was running second to last, quite a bit in front of me but pulled out before the end. Two other 'oldies' (M58 & 62) didn't show up. Better at reading conditions than me? Not certain if it is usual or not but runners pulled out of almost all the 5000m races. Even the elite races late evening when it was a lot cooler. FWIW, the men's elite race was won by Julian Oakley, NZ national 5000m champion for the last 3 years. Not really the type of event I should have been in but I had been assured there would be others with 24m - 25m times in the Open grade race (and there were last year). It was also advertised as being for runners from social to elite. None other than me this year though :(. Meant running the whole race alone, with no break from the headwind parts.
NZD Dec 2024 1:21am, 23 Dec 2024 253 posts	0 NZD Great progress @EarlyRiser and impressive the way you are sticking to plan. Enjoy your Christmas at home with the family. Will be same here. @Torque Steer hope your knee is still OK after the faster segment a day or two ago @Welshpoppy good to see managed a good 8 mile effort despite the weather. @OO61 also solid miles despite the weather. @Canute, hope you did get out in the sunny weather while it was there. Doesn't look too bad in your area over Xmas. Overdue switch back to longer runs for me in prep for HM in four weeks, 13.3 km at 6:00/km. Legs a bit still first few kms, then stiffened even more after 8km. Not surprising given shorter run focus the last few weeks. Need to fully re-focus now though.
OO61 Dec 2024 5:02pm, 23 Dec 2024 630 posts	0 OO61 The track is very lonely when things go wrong NZD. You are likely to face many monotonous laps getting lapped by others. I think that's why some drop out. Plus you don't have far to walk off the track. I've never matched my road or parkrun times on the track. Partly all those bends but also simple stats. I've done nearly 500 parkruns so a few are bound to go spectacularly well. I've love a handful of 5000 track races. Enjoy the refocus.
OO61 Dec 2024 5:07pm, 23 Dec 2024 631 posts	0 OO61 love=done 🤭
alehouse Dec 2024 5:59pm, 23 Dec 2024 565 posts	0 alehouse What everyone else has said, @NZD! Will you be down my way at all over the festive break, @OO61? Long run today...in the context of it being the longest run since February. 31 minutes and couldn't have done much more. Exactly three miles, or 4.8k. Set off slowly and picked it up naturally (Fletcher Moss parkrun in reverse, in part); second mile was around 10:03 but then faded and it was a struggle to put one foot in front of the other. Unfit! A little consistent consistency in the new year will help, I'm sure. Wordle in five, with six yesterday and four on Saturday.
OO61 Dec 2024 11:11pm, 23 Dec 2024 632 posts	0 OO61 I'll be there from the 6th Jan Alehouse. Not sure if we will be there long enough for a parkrun. My daughter is selling up and moving North so I'm DIY dad prepping the house for sale. I see a new year's resolution coming 😉
NZD Dec 2024 1:31am, 24 Dec 2024 254 posts	0 NZD Interesting comments @OO61. Does provide some. Thanks. Very positive progress @alehouse. Looking good for next year. Best of Christmas wishes to everyone.
Torque Steer Dec 2024 9:06am, 24 Dec 2024 194 posts	0 Torque Steer @NZD as @OO61 says the track is a lonely place - great when running well or even just knocking out timed intervals over specific distances but, what is effectively a long run solo time trial, not so good when the wheels start to come off. There is also something very disheartening about knowing the the wind will blow into ones face every 200m as one can see from your pace profile!! On to HM :-)!! @alehouse great news about your extended run - over 30 min is a significant milestone. On to the new year and more progress! @OO61 is he going to be near you after the move? Could be more house renovations on the table! @EarlyRiser enjoy your Spanish Xmas with the family in the sun - mind it is getting up to 14C here today so not far behind! @Welshpoppy hope you will enjoy the warmer climes as well Well Sunday's run finished me off - a combination of high wind, sleet, rain and light snow freezing on contact with the ground left it icy and slippery and my legs/knee couldn't cope so bailed out after 4.6 miles and I can still feel them. I will resume on Boxing Day - a very long (as in years!) traditional excursion though probably not the 10-15 miles of history:-) Haven't even had the heart to try out the new methods of torture devised for me, sticking with the old ones for now. Wordle in 3, 5, 6 and 3 today Merry Christmas everyone - hope you all have a super holiday period and the roads are kind
Torque Steer Dec 2024 9:12am, 24 Dec 2024 195 posts	0 Torque Steer from the days when to used to get snow - an old photo of mine!