How's your training going?

I read what Simon has written and realize that I am not alone. The hard-to-grasp thing about this awkwardly slow BASE phase is that it tried and proven to work. I am reminded by one of my young sons who said to me," Dad, you just have to have childlike faith." That's exactly it! The innocence of a child who has limited life experiences has summed up what I hadn't figured out for myself over the last 44 years: Allow the teacher to teach and let the student learn and accept, without applying any previous predujices of how things should be done. Coaches of any kind would probably prefer to teach a 7-year old proper techniques vs. trying to correct a bad habit of an experienced athlete. Yet if we truly follow the professional advice of someone like Coach Bobby McGee and do it with childlike faith, we can achieve some amazing results. 45 weeks is nothing. The training commitment is nothing. But the willingness to subordinate what we belief to be best to someone else is everything!

As we enter our third week of Bobby's training program I must say I am feeling quite good....no very good. This change of pace is quite refreshing both physically and mentally. I'm using a heart monitor for the first time ever and I am logging my runs in terms of minutes and heart rate. However, I still can't resist converting this into miles. I've always said it's tough to teach an old dog new tricks. Well, this old dog is starting to feel like a fresh young pup with this new training program. I'm stretching.....which is something I knew was always good, but never spent the time incorporating it into my schedule. I'm supplementing my running with walks on certain days. This week we are starting to incorporate strides and DWU into our workouts, so I'll start working those fast twitch muscles a little bit once again. This program takes discipline and committment......but isn't that true about anything of quality.

32 miles this week.

Some of my runs would have turned into epic struggles in the days before I learnt to run by listening to my heart (rate). That's because the lovely light powdery snow I was running on a couple of weeks ago first turned to ice, then slush, then mud. Both my pairs of so-called "trail shoes -- my Nike Pegasus and my La Sportivas -- seem to have been designed specifically to pick up mud. It does not take long for it to feel as if I have a 5lb dumbbell attached to each leg.

Running under a specific heart rate, as instructed, this has meant I've just had to get used to being pathetic and walking every now and then. "Walk breaks" of a minute or so every 10-15 minutes of longer runs is something Bobby actually encourages, but I haven't really got used to it.

Yesterday's long run reminded me of my days as a bike rider, when I was in one of my phases where I was disenchanted with running. In England there were two strong traditions in cycling: one was the Sunday "club run" - a steady-paced all-day social ride punctuated by stops for breakfast, lunch and tea at bikie cafes; the other was that. come winter, everyone switched to their heaviest bikes, with mudguards, winter tyres and so on. Some riders would add saddlebags and/or panniers, which could be filled with bricks for some added resistance. (Rule number one: check your panniers after every stop, as the bricks had a way of being secretly "redistributed".)

So, I slogged through the mud grinning to myself at this running equivalent. If this keeps up I am going to be SO strong -- that is, if my hamstrings don't explode first.
If anyone's got a suggestion for shoes that don't pick up so much mud, I'd be glad to hear it.

Three weeks in and looking forward to our second Efficiency Test on Saturday, when we should see just how much fitter we've got.

With the third week of our training program now complete I feel I have now transitioned into Bobby's program. I think it took me these three weeks to mentally adapt to a whole new method of training. I now diligently incorporate the pre-run recruitment and facilitation exercises to wake up my muscles before I run and I even stretch after each run. My body can DEFINITELY feel the difference.

This 4th week is a "recovery" week with more rest incorporated for the body to rebuild. I've always known you need to cut-back at times to get stronger, but it has always been hard for me to accept this "less is more" theory. For 30 years I have always gone out and hit it hard 52 weeks a year, running seven days a week, 45 to 50 miles a week, and with some type of fartlek, tempo, or interval work each week. I never ran until I graduated from College and I have never had a coach so the discipline I am getting from Bobby's program may just bring out the potential in this 50 year old man.

I'm not sure what's on the agenda for weeks 5 & 6 but I'm ready to go.

27 miles this week.

I really must get out of the habit of looking at my weeks in terms of miles.

It's low because I missed a day or so doing a pre-birthday trip to Steamboat Springs where, I am ashamed to say, due to total white-out conditions we opted for hot springs and shopping rather than for some slightly more aerobically valuable activities.

Right before setting out I spent the morning at our second session with Bobby. Warming up with Kyle we compared notes, again marvelling at the fact that we are now ending our runs still able to walk and talk.

My assessment showed a serious improvement in fitness despite the heart rate monitor on my Garmin going berserk every lap. As I turned into the home straight each lap, it would jump from 153/154 to 174 or more. I am beginning to thnk that while Garmin make darn good GPS speed/distance gizmos, maybe they;re not so great in the HR field.

Kyle had questions for Bobby...our illustrious leader answers them fully in the comment after this.

Q&A with coach Bobby McGee. Kyle had questions; Bobby, our sub-5 Miling coach, has the answers:

Kyle: It has become apparent to me that in order to get the maximum benefits out of the training program things need to be done "correctly". So,
that is why I want to clarify something on the training schedule.

On the Tuesday and Saturday AM sessions there is a time amount shown for
running + DWU (drills) + Strides + Stretch. Since you have listed things in that order, is the workout to be done in that order......Run + DWU + Strides + Stretch? Using my logic, I have been doing 5-7 minutes of easy running to warm up then doing DWU + Strides + Run + Stretch. It may seem like a silly question but I thought I should ask. I want to make sure I am doing the workout correctly.

Bobby: Definitely NOT a silly question! I see a gap in my communication with you all. Having done the workouts this way is fine, however from now on, Do the run first, working your way into it, then the DWU (when you are warm) and then the strides; you can jog 5:00 or so after the strides, before stretching.

Kyle: Secondly, my two efficiency tests produced basically identical results. A 10:21 and a 10:22. I'll give you my "amateur" analysis and you can tell me what you think.

Actually I thought my second test would be 15 to 30 seconds slower than the first test. The reason I thought this was because when I took the first test in November I had just recently finished my last race of the Fall and in my mind I was pretty fit. As a result I thought that by just doing base miles at under 70% of HR reserve my fitness level would temporarily decline. However, my test results were the same which made me feel pretty good.

My thought is that if I maintained the same level on base alone, then as time progresses with this training program I should see a noticeable improvement of what I thought was a good level of fitness in early November. I would be anxious to hear what you think.

Bobby: Very astute, Kyle. The fact is that it has been recently documented that when top athletes (cyclists in this anecdotal case study) are at their specific anaerobic and aerobic best, their VO2 Max is lower than when they are at their aerobic best (post BASE). Add to this the assumption that I make, that fitness is very, very specific – so at any one time a fitness test that is specific to one component will give a fair comparison under similar conditions.

Take from this that you are correct; you were “fit” when you started this process and this was reflected in your result. However, when you trained MORE specifically for endurance alone, you achieved the same result with less quality (or perhaps even less volume in your case). This can be an indication that your previous fitness might have been TOO general. Putting your conditioning together this “new” way will hopefully lead to a higher degree of specific conditioning, as it is designed to increase your capacity to absorb greater single training loads per session and over a period of time to be sufficient to bring about a “breakthrough” beyond your usual training response.

Factoring in the slight erosion brought on by aging (less than 1% per year) and that you are now training more specifically for a narrower band of events should most likely lead to this quantum improvement leap.

Finally, the concept of maintenance is a very subtle and still not really well researched concept with endurance events — most endurance greats have rather quirky individual recipes for success with a number of common denominators. To me the bottom line is that there are markers that indicate that we need less and less preparatory work if we have consistent uninterrupted (by injury or illness) periods of this work in our past. It takes around 75% of the work that it takes to get to a specific performance marker, to maintain that level. This level also exists for a finite period that varies from athlete to athlete. But, it is easier and easier to restore also, if it is not eroded by injury or illness. The factors involved change when races of over 15 miles come into play – here one can consider one’s fitness used up after a race.

Chances are that by breaking away from your specific schedule -- that has been habituated over time, you will better stimulate your system into making adaptations, whether this work turns out to be the same volume, frequency and intensity brought about by a different route/approach or not.

As you saw from the fears of some of the people who were at our initial start-up meeting, it is difficult to leave the shores of what we know as experienced runners, in order to move beyond our predictable, expected linear improvement, and take that risk at a never before thought of possibility.

There are no guarantees, but from what I have seen about you guys, you have taken that leap of faith and you are trusting that by having space now, you will fund the necessary will, when the training gets more specific, to logically pile on the work.

* Contact Bobby via his website at www.BobbyMcGee.com
If you want to join our Sub-5 Miling programme or start a group in your own locality and be coached long-distance, get in touch and we’ll tell you how.

Beardsley-style fartlek-shoveling, a session on the NordicTrack, one long run and a couple of easy short runs took my "miles" to 38 this week. Doing well to avoid Bobby's warning about the possibility of losing ground over the holiday period, except for the fact that I succumbed to this weird cold thing that has been going round.

It starts with a blocked ear or two, then a sore throat; it either then goes away or you get a full bunged-up cold with optional extras of stiff aching muscles in various parts of the body -- in my case the lower back.

I've followed this particular bug's progress round several friends and acquaintances, and I've seen the pattern repeated.

All it took for my immune system to get caught napping was a few days where I let my food get out of control and had, for me, massive amounts of sugar and wheat. Oh yeah, plus a couple of glasses of alcohol. Usually I can get away with a minor indulgence or three, but I guess the week of my first really long run for months, plus dealing with the extreme weather, was not the time to do it :) What I should have done was start pampering myself at the first sign -- the sore throat, and stopped training then.

As it was, I nearly kept going. Luckily, one of my birthday presents this year was Brad Kearns' book on Lance Armstrong: "How Lance Does It." I was snuffling on the sofa gearing mnyself up to go for a run when I got to this bit:

"A simple example for a highly motivated athlete is a sore throat. The most sensible and prosperous long-term decision is to cease exercise until symptoms of declining health have stabilized." Yeah right. But then this line got me: "It's a proven fact that not only can you not build fitness when suffering from even a minor illness, but you can actually get worse with further exercise."

Kearns makes the point that to be able to stop training when you are injured or ill takes uncommon intelligence and confidence -- and an appreciation of the long-term view.

My goal races are not until August, not January, so what's the point of straining now?

Well, with a little bit of creativity, a little bit of planning, and a little bit of luck I was able to complete weeks 5 & 6 of Bobby’s training program. The pre-Christmas blizzard and the post-Christmas storm certainly made training an event.

Things didn’t look good on Wednesday December 20th, when the blizzard literally blew in. Our training program required a 90 minute run on Wednesday. About noon I realized that a 90 minute run outside was out of the question and since I don’t own a treadmill the only alternative was get on a treadmill at the recreation center. By the time I spent almost 3 hours getting back home from work the recreation center had closed due to the blizzard. After spending about 2 hours shoveling my driveway to remove the first 12 inches of snow I didn’t want to waste a training day. I knew Friday called for a 60 minute hike so I decided to trade the Wednesday workout of a 90 minute run with the Friday 60 minute hike ( a hike in snow and wind that produced a 116 HR for the 60 minutes).

The next challenge was the Thursday workout that required a 45 minute run at 75% of heart rate reserve. I got up about 7am and called the recreation center. As expected they were closed. After going outside I quickly realized that even if they had been open there was no way I could have got out of my neighborhood to get there. After spending another 2+ hours shoveling an additional 12-15 inches of snow I took a walk up to the main roads and to my surprise the snow plows were doing a great job on Main Street. In fact, they had plowed down to asphalt in many sections and the other sections were packed powder that were well sanded. So I hustled back to the house got into my running gear and headed out for my run. Everyone was still digging out so there was basically no traffic. Just me and the snow plows. My run required a HR of 150 and I averaged 151 with a range of 148 to 154. So I was pleased.

On Friday I got in the 90 minute run that had originally been scheduled for Wednesday. Saturday presented a new challenge. The training required a run followed by DWU and strides. I knew my only chance to get in the DWU and strides was to find a well plowed parking lot. The hard part was to find a parking lot without a lot of Christmas shopping traffic. Then it dawned on me that the parking lot at my Parish had probably been plowed in preparation for the Saturday evening Mass. I was right and was able to find a long dry section of 150+ meters that allowed me to do my strides.

I finished the week with a 90 minute Sunday run. The combination of the training and the 5 or so hours of shoveling had left me tired and very pleased that Monday was a day of rest. To my surprise I was not sore from all the events of the week. I attribute this to Bobby’s Stretching and Core Strengthening exercises that he implements as part of our overall training program.

I guess my parting thought is……Where there is a will there is a way. I wish all of you magical milers great success in your training and all the best for 2007. Simon, I hope you are feeling better. It sounds like you have the same virus I caught just before Thanksgiving.

Kyle, you are a star!

I'm impressed that you not only managed to keep going, but got the drills and strides in as well. The strides are really hard to do adequately when it gets cold.

I ended up "losing" a whole week -- or rather, investing a week in my future good health. That included two complete days of horizontal intervals: flat out in bed sleeping almost all the time. I've always been a world champion sleeper, but those two days and nights surprised me.

So yesterday I went out for my first run -- which means a total of 3.5 miles for the week! Considering the lack of activity, I was moving surprisingly well and even felt strong. I guess I have staved off total collapse by doing occasional "stair repeats" (that involves chasing the cats up and down three flights), as much stretching as I could manage, the odd bit of at-home Pilates and weights, and a couiple of unavoidable sessions of snow shovelling.

I'm still a bity bunged up and coughing, but on the way back. Now I've just got to remember not to go too mad this week and overdo it.

Fighting a post-viral emotional slump of the don't-wanna-not gonna-can't make me variety (it is said, and justly, that men revert to five-year-olds when they are ill -- I know I do)... nevertheless I got in a good week.

I've realised that even though I've been worried about the lack of volume (ie mileage) I am getting in due to the bad weather, I am putting in the hours on the legs and, actually, when I tot up the miles, I am getting to around 30 -- which was my average weekly mileage for a whole year last time I charted it.

Towards the middle of our last base-building week (I am reporting a bit late), I am feeling good again. I've introduced a weekly session of strength (weight) training, a bit earlier than Bobby has scheduled, but it felt the right time. Doing the "Barines" workout today -- the one that has at its core 15 sec at 3k pace, 30 secs jog; 30 sec at 10k pace, 90 seconds jog, repeat until sick -- I felt abnormally strong and fast. That despite coveroing myself up so that I looked more like a bank robber than a runner to face the 20 degree temperature, icy roads and falling snow.

Hope we all get through this weekend, with more snow on the way. I nearly went to find a nice warm treadmill today, but thought I would get more out of doing the workout outdoors. It certainly makes you psychologically tougher, and I seemed to be able to hit good speeds.

I slathered my legs and Achilles with extra-hot capsicum embrocation and wore many, many layers. But I think what made the most difference was walking, jogging and doing the dynamic warm-up exercises indoors, and only going out to do the business end of the session when I was well toasty.

Posted on behalf of Kyle
KYLE SAYS

Well, what else can the weather gods deliver? I remember after my 1:45 run last Sunday I was thinking that even though the training has been tough due to the snow accumulation, at least it has not been windy and real cold. Little did I know that Monday would bring winds that would practically lift you off the ground or move you backwards when you were running. Now, we are going to have 4 to 5 days where the daytime high temperature is not expected to exceed the single digits.

Since I had to run early this morning I finally had to retreat to a treadmill at the recreation center. I draw the line when it is below 0 degrees. So I got a good 60 minute treadmill run complete and did the DWU’s in the gym. I had to bag the strides. As an alternative to the 16x100’s with 15 second rest I did 10 repeats of 30 seconds at 5:30 pace, 30 seconds at 7:15 pace on the treadmill. Until today, I had been successful in finding dry areas to get the strides in. However, today it was way too cold for strides outside. Fortunately, I was able to get the Barines workout in on Thursday before it got real cold, so that’s positive.

With the end of Week 8 of training approaching I have done some things I thought I would never do. As a result, I think I have taken some positive steps in the 45 week program to maximizing my mile potential. The “Base” phase of the training has taken me to a place I’ve never been before. My definition of incorporating a long run into my training had been an 80 to 85 minute run once every two weeks. Until starting this program I had “never” ran more than 88 minutes in a single run. Now look where I’ve come. Last week I completed both a 90 minute and a 1:45 minute run and this week I have completed a 90 run with a 2 hour run scheduled for Sunday.

I feel that Bobby’s core exercises and DWU’s have had a significant impact on the overall strength of my core and in my general coordination. The Karaokes now seem comfortable, whereas when I started I probably looked like a newborn giraffe trying to take their first steps. I think one of my most noticeable changes has been an increase in my flexibility. There was definitely room for improvement and faithfully performing Bobby’s stretches outlined in his book, Running Sports Essentials, has allowed this to happen.

Magical milers, keep healthy and warm.

Final week of our eight-week base phase completed, and it has been a phase like no other I have ever experienced in my life: running to a set heart rate ceiling, getting plenty of rest for a change -- and having to deal with ludicrous amounts of snow and ice.

Having just got an update from world record masters miler Nolan Shaheed that he is up to his usual 12 miles a day, six days a week at this stage of the year, I'm a little worried that I haven't been getting anywhere near decent mileage. The conditions underfoot have just made things too slow. On the other hand, Nolan's out in warm California and at sea level, and I know some people who've spent the last three weeks on treadmills, without running outdoors at all. I'm going to trust that keeping it going outdoors in all weathers and on very varied terrain has done wonders for my strength and balance, and has also given me some good core/stabililty work, not to mention a dollop of psychological toughness that will come in handy later in the year.

During the two-hour run with tea breaks yesterday I remembered something Arthur Lydiard used to say about getting out there for long endurance runs -- a tactic that is increasingly being questioned these days. Arthur said that one of the reasons for doing it was to generate a body and mind that is tireless. After a while you feel like you can keep running all day.

I've begun to get glimmers of that. At the same time, the shorter runs and the sequences of strides are keeping some zip in my legs. So I'm really looking forward to this easier week and the next assessment on Saturday to see where I'm at before we shift into our general endurance and strenghening phase.

Unlike Kyle, I can't say I'm noticing a lot more flexibility, but something is definitely happening to my body. I've exchanged two core exercise workouts for Pilates. I started with one-on-one training with Richard Rossiter back in September when I was rehabbing from injury. So while I'm not sure about the flexibility, I'm sure I'm stronger...how it's turning up is that I seem to have more power available. I guess this is because I am stronger in the core, I can keep the whole powerhouse stable, instead of losing energy and effort trying to keep my balance and stay upright :)

It seems like a long haul to August and the Pearl Street Mile. But I'm so glad I am not running in the US cross-country championship in February -- that's just too soon!

Today I added a new challenge to running outside in this winter wonderland that has for some reason decided to reside in Colorado for way too long. I began my a.m. run this morning at 0600. The obstacle was to run in the darkness of the morning while trying to avoid the invisible and insidious black ice that was lurking and trying to attack its next victim. I’m happy to say I survived the 45 minute run. Actually it was quite nice. The temperature was a balmy 22 Fahrenheit with no wind.

I’ll definitely agree with Simon that running outside the last several weeks has contributed to developing some noticeable leg strength and overall toughness. The snow, the slush, the ice…how can you not build lower body strength? While traveling last week I defaulted to a treadmill for a workout. Oh my goodness…..what a difference …..training on a treadmill is definitely for the light hearted ( I don’t mean to offend anyone)…but running outside in our weather conditions versus the treadmill is like riding a bull versus drinking a cup of tea.

Keep on riding the bull all you Magical Milers.

Down to earth with a gentle bump after my ecstatic 5-mile time trial...

I just got my blood work back today. On Bobby's recommendation, I consulted a doc who is an oncologist and haemotologist and looks after elite runners (and cancer survivors)... so she does know what she is talking about...and she is a runner herself, which helps).

She went through the results with me today describing them variously as "excellent", "outstanding", "best I've ever seen" and even "phenomenal", while muttering about lucky genetics and acknowleding attention and commitment to nutrition and supplementation. So I guess I am basically OK, so there go most of my excuses.
Damn, if I am genetically-gifted, however slightly, how come I'm not a world champion? Hahahahahaha

Some values, showing control of inflammation, hydration levels, electrolytes and so on she actually described as "perfect". My testosterone, DHEA, adrenal function, kidneys and so on are all those of a much younger man (I hope he never wants them back).

Interestingly, the hydration level seen in the blood test is a great calibration for my Tanita body scale thing...showing that the 57/58% hydration I consistently score is right on.

We did a sed rate to give an indication whether I was over the virus thing. It was 4, the lowest she has ever seen. (Herbal anti-inflammatories work).

BUT... the serum ferritin (measure of iron stores), which was low two months ago, has actually gone DOWN even lower... so that is the major thing for me to work on. On the basis of that she jabbed me in the butt with 100mg of iron :)

Dr M's theory -- and it's a good one -- is that since moving to Boulder two years ago, I've asked my body to make two major adaptations. First - altitude. Second -- training like a 30-year-old. As a resuilt I've packed in a lot more red blood cells and they are healthy and well-oxygenated. But that has put cyclical strains on my iron stores; what iron I am getting in my diet simply can't always keep up with demand. So "periodically" I get these dips in form, where my body is replenishing.

Yes, "periodically", because the mechanism gives me a tad more appreciation for what women go through every month.

So any breakthrough stuff anybody knows about iron supplementation, please sling my way.

One thing: do NOT Tell me to stop drinking tea. I will not listen.

Well, I'm continuing to run like a slug, although I do feel "better in myself", as nurses tell relatives of road traffic aciident victims, as I think the iron is kicking in, and this is the first week for a while in which I have got anywhere near the schedule.

The highlight of my week was doing the 3x12:00 barefoot on grass round the soccer pitch (which was littered with goose crap, but that's another story (to be read here: http://www.yourrunning.com/blog-barefoot_through_the_goose_c_p )

It was windy, but half the "course" was wind-assisted, and I found it difficult to get my HR high enough except when hitting the little hill right at the end of each lap/rep, when it would push up to around 170. It was mostly at the mark (153/4/5) at which we run our controlled tests. I don't know whether this is because my legs/head were a bit tired, or whether I am just not pushing myself hard enough. I AM finding it challenging doing this training on my own. Paces: 6:46. 6:46, 6:54.

I've been feeling I need more recovery time. I had a conversation with Marci that revisited some of the discussions we've been having here about quality versus quantity (http://www.yourrunning.com/blog-my_running_brain_is_being_rewired_normal... ), if there's a choice between going for an easy run or spending the time doing some other form of active rest combined with the sofa, cups of tea and/or a nap... then the least active options wins. Similarly, I am not doing any long easy runs. I'm finding them too debilitating, plus I can't see ANY good reason for doing them. A la Coe, I do not want to spend time converting whatever fast twitch muscle I've got to slow twitch; and as fas as I can see the capillary/mitochondrial/running economy benefits are more efficiently addressed by shorter, faster-paced running.

I DID do a "longer" run on Sunday, but cut it back to 1:15 -- actually probably more like an hour of worthwhile training before I ran out of fuel. (Food timing cock-up), and did it at varied pace with an eye to sustained "speed" (which was so pathetic that I will not embarrass myself by revealing splits), but I would rather try to stay fresh for shorter faster runs (say, like Coe, having a max long run of 10 miles) and use the energy to keep them higher in quality. I've asked Bobby for his thoughts on this.

This also means that some of the scheduled serious plodding I am running as more of a fartlek session, with "fast" 200 and 400 surges thrown in with easy slow running and jogging to recover.

This week's "Portsea" for some reason I ran at 9pm one night on roads... instead of it taking 11 miles and nearly two hours, it was 7.5 miles and well under an hour. Felt good.

Circuits: as before, I am incorporating these into my stair-repeats-with-the-cats sessions and am covering some of the same ground in 2x Pilates sessions a week (all on machines).

Comparisons with last year: this week last year I was doing 2-mile repeats at 11:55/12:15, 400s at 1:30 and a hilly 13m "easy" run in 1:55, so I am feeling way off the mark and not liking it, while the Capt. Sensible part of my brain reminds me that I am targeting a ONE mile race in AUGUST and there is plenty of time.

My goal is to break 5 minutes for the mile. That's probably a year away.

My training is going well. I am just doing easy runs with stretching and strides after each one. I have one day of interval-type work on a soccer pitch. I say interval type because they are really more like strides. One day a week is a rest day.
The advantage I have is that I never really stopped running just competing. But I am definitely taking it easy anyway. And I am definitely doing far more stretching than I have ever done in the past.

I did a lot of roadracing in university and I think it killed my speed. So, once I have laid a good base, I am going to focus more on intervals. Don't know if that's possible at 54, so I need to do more research.

Any advice anyone?

Hey Canadian...

Good luck with your quest! The trick (as far as I can see it) is to keep the zip in your legs while you do your training: you will need that for a fast mile. Doing strides after each run is a great way of doing that.

Bobby has told us that flexibility is much more important for us milers than for other crazies, so you're right on with that, as well.

The right type of intervals at the right time, along with the right speed of reps, also at the right time, are pretty crucial. Unless you're one of those genetic freaks, getting under 5 minutes over 50 years old requires a particular mind set and a lot of focus. It would probably help you if you picked a date and a goal race and work back from there, then you'll be able to work out what you need to do.

Just to chime in.

Based on a recent Indoor meet, I have found that my strength and overall endurance in the 1500, 3000 and 800 meters has increased immensely, oh and yes speed to boot.

I wish I could have spaced them out, but all were run within 35 minutes.

Sheer joy to finish a 3000-meter race and line up for an 800 meter, 3 1/2 minutes later.

The times I ran were better than last year.

The unfortunate part about competing in a state championship for Master’s is the pursuit of points. Too many races, too little time.

And basically without any speed work.

Bobby McGee has helped me immeasurably.

One of the hardest workouts we've ever done gave us a taste of the pain to come... or maybe not, as we seem to be operating on the principle that the sense of effort remains the same, but we run faster and faster as the months tick by.

I hope that's true, as I'm not sure I can go much harder than this "muscle endurance" workout of 5 x 300 with 30 seconds rest, followed by 8 x 200m with a 100m jog "rests". I was literally on my knees at the end.

Ky;e, as usual, demonstrated his ability to crank out each rep with no thought of the ones to come. Me, I have a finely-developed sense of "self care", and seem to automatically hold something back so I can finish them all in roughly the same degree of just-about-manageable distress.

We are bolstered by the thought that there can't be too many old geezers putting themselves through this.

While we were warming up, then prancing around doing dynamics, another runner was doing a workout. Bare-chested, bronzed and sporting some flamboyant tatoos, he was king of the track for a while... and probably looking with some scorn at us old gits doing our weird calisthenics. What I noticed about him was how metronomic his laps were. There was no adjustment for wind down one straight; he just kept ticking over at the same speed. It felt SO good to get out there and "blast" a 300. He may well have finished his workout just after we started to get serious, but a part of me thinks he left the track so as not to get shown up by the old guys :)

I'm reading a book on the late Derek Turnbull, the New Zealander dubbed "The Fastest Old Man in the World", who in 1992 ran a 2:42 marathon and a 4:56 mile aged 65 (both world records). Derek ran faster as an "old man" than he did as a distinctly average young club runner and, having got serious about bis running late in life, enjoyed a near 30-year spell of world titles and world records. He regularly embarrassed runners up to 40 years younger!

As we begin to see our training paces fall and our track times improve, I'm wondering just where it will end. Derek's story is so inspiring because it shows that many of the constraints we put on ourselves are artificial. It may be true that our limitations are set by our own minds. And for no good reason.

Come now Simon, 5 shots of LT Buildup and an 8 shot chaser, washed down by some Guinness.
Okay maybe not the Guinness.
But the sheer excitation of getting it on the track.
Interval by Interval, sinew upon sinew.
It is all a buildup to that magic moment, when that All American sub-5 mile mark lies bleeding in a F.A.T. Timing that reads less than 5.
Sort of like the “I beat Lance” bravado of the NYC Marathon runner’s mantra crescendo.
The fact of the matter is this, chasing and seizing the dream.
Seize control, seize the moment.

It only gets better..................

You're right, you're right...

this is a "Bones heal, chicks dig scars, but glory is forever" moment, right?

Actually...No it's not....But let's move on....

Saturday……

Actually, I'm training on a 400 meter track that on this day there are three different high schools doing interval training, relay baton botching (whoops I mean exchanges); coaches having assistants log the times, coaches yapping the inevitable, “be tough” “pick it up”.

I cringe or maybe I should just laugh at that, because the coach seems convinced that their athletes need to be tougher. As if by clicking their heels, stride rate will increase, gaps will close, core will connect, and victory is mine.

Oh and by the way can ya run the 800, 1500, 3200, mile relay and distance medley cause the team needs the points.........Don't worry you won't burn out, get injured, quit and take up finance, get that lose that get that college scholarship, oh heck be a walk on.

First off most of the athletes were in no condition to do this. Most were BSing, listening to Ipods, and some were challenging their coaches about the quantity of the workout, sprinters mostly. The distance dudes and chicks were taking their 1200’s in EZ stride. EZ pace being the buzz word, guess No Quarters today.

An enlightened few were talking about just trying out to get some Title IX action, at least the girls were. Amazing how acutely aware they were of these scholarship issues. But I digress.

An Athlete is not always born with courage, they must learn it. Hopefully coaches will be training their charges in a discipline challenging their runners to be tough, but in a functional way that teaches toughness as a skill.

This edges me toward the sub-5. Although we know from experience and logically that the pain of a mile race will not do irreversible harm to our lungs and lactic burning legs, still a simple human reaction is to withdraw from it, slow the pace, or wanker till the eyes of the finish line are upon us till we burst the line and finish.

It is this natural occurrence in a racing scenario that we must challenge ourselves at this signal to learn to push and not back off.

Which meanders me into the 200’s and that lane 6 is safe from flying batons, puking and errant lane wandering runners, did I mention the soccer games non stop on the football field which is surrounded by the mondo track. Hang on, dodged another errant soccer ball, where is that damn button on my watch, ahhh there it is.

Ya learn to run in both directions on the track, 1 200 up, 1 200 back, repeat till done, down memory lane 6.

Ah yes the soccer mom’s with their nannies, sometimes you can only associate so much, a disassociate here and there, at least during the interval itself, your mind can turn water into wine.

I’ll settle for running a 30 or less 200 time after time.

Had a bit of a breakthrough yesterday. Hills (of which there are plenty around here; long and moderately steep, or short and viciously steep) started to feel easier. I was able to stride up the longer ones with less effort.

Snap!

http://www.yourrunning.com/blog-where_did_the_hills_go

Got any idea what you would do for a mile right now?

I don't have any idea as to what I could run for a mile.

I have a plan though: I will do a time trial of some sort at the end of may; probably a 1200 m or maybe the full mile. Then at least I will have a "marker" on which to build goal and date paces.

As Simon says please get your base phase done. Move on from there. Look for a long-term approach. Heck I’d love to run a mile in less than 5 minutes right now, but I’m working toward the September 29th 2007 Continental Airlines Fifth Avenue Mile. In my age group 4:33 will probably win, but to place and show 4:45 to 4:55 will put you close to the award ceremony.

That aside, set you goals accordingly. Running can if you choose be a long-term endeavor. Above all make sure you have the right equipment, The right attitude, and the time to devote yourself, to your family, or significant others if you have any.