Hi. Just started running this year at 64 yrs young because my Florida cousin (51 yrs old) started running last year and dropped 70 pounds in 7 months and now runs up to 20 miles weekly! That was incentive enough for me although I NEVER, EVER wanted to run and didn't run for bus, train, anything before. My outside walk covers 4 miles. Sometimes walk first and then jog back. Started c25k in late June. Got up to 7th week and decided to just do intervals for now. Doing my 1st 5k tomorrow in Atlantic City. Just want to cross the finish line but already planning on 2 more 5ks, one in Nov and one in Dec, weather permitting. I too found that I enjoy running. Get lots of support from my neighbors in the complex where I live who see me out walking and running around the courtyard and in parking lot. My goal is to drop 100 pounds. 20 pounds down already. I started with the Zen Labs c25k phone app on treadmill at the gym, then moved to the outdoors. Prefer outside run but treadmill beats a blank when weather is bad. Taking my time. Will probably do the c25k plan again soon. I like interval training, mixing walks with runs. Anytway, it's great to read what others in my age group are doing. Being heakthy is not just for the "youngsters".

Hi everyone!

It has been a long time since I last chatted with you all!

so busy and this is gonna be short too.

First, I missed you all!

Secondly, CONGRATS TONY ......... AND TO ALL WHO RAN THEIR FIRST FULL MARATHON!!!  Isn't it grand?!?  I am so happy for each of you!! 

Third, I have been running and training when I am in MN or AZ.  Work has me travelling alot and it's tiring.  But I registered for the Women's HM in Tempe, AZ Nov. 4th. I did register for the Duke city HM but my schedule changed the last minute and it didn't allow me to be in Albq. NM during that event, bummer!!

Training has me up to 10 miles with a 10 min. or less per mile so I have been maintaining it; I am running at least 3 times/week, no less than 6 miles.  I hope to finish within 2 hours which has been my norm. At 52 yrs young, that's still pretty damn good!    I am still planning on running my 3rd full marathon soon ............

Again, CONGRATS AND WAY TO GO!! to the "marathoners" 

Welcome Saundra to our every-growing group.  It's great to have more 60+ runners join us.  Congratulations on your weight-loss goal and good luck on your 5K today.  Please post a race report to share your experience with us.  Please post frequently and let us know how you are doing as the pounds fall away.  Also, add a picture if you want.

We are now at our son's house in Des Moines, ready for tomorrow's HM.  Weather is excellent, with tomorrow's temperature at the 8AM start expected to be upper 40s, rising quickly to the mid to upper-70s by the afternoon.  Total field for the 26.2, 13.1 and 5K will be 8,500.  The 5K starts 30 minutes after we start.  I will be running with the 2:20 pace group.  If everyone who signed up to run with her shows up, there will be about 17 or 18 in our group.  Running in a group at a controlled pace maximizes the chances of all of us finishing at or below goal time. First, we're not starting out too fast.  Second, socializing along the way makes the miles go by faster and more enjoyably.  My son will be faster, but he's half my age, so he had better be faster.

Our granddaughter is almost two months old and is, of course, beautiful.  I'll post a new picture after we get home.

Congratulations also from me to our first-time marathoners, half-marathoners, 5Kers and all other distances.  Age is a wonderful thing if you look at as no more than a number and a way to get discounts.  Why don't races give senior citizen discounts?

Marie- yes, it's official, I am a...MARATHONER.     Full report (and pics) to follow when the post official chip times.  I did beat the 5:45 goal by about 5 minutes, so the predictions were pretty good, Tony!  Thanks again to all for the great support!!

You know, I really miss the emails advising us of updates to this thread!   Life has been so busy (professionally and training-wise) that I just haven't thought about posting updates here.  This morning, it took me 30 minutes to find the thread again! 

I so wanted to meet Mary while in Columbus this weekend.  Trip planning got crazy, it was a long drive (7 hrs on Fri afternoon) and we didn't have a lot of free time while in Columbus.

So how was your run?  Wasn't the weather terrific?   I'm amazed at how well organized these events are.  I ran the Detroit half last year at this time (22,000 runners) and yesterday the Columbus half ( an estimated 18,000) and things seem to go so smoothly.

I have been working hard all summer to bring my pace up.  I've posted here a number of times on training with my heart rate monitor, and experimenting with the information from a number of resources passed on by participants in this thread.  I can report that my training has been very successful.

I am now convinced that a runner needs to practice hill running and speed intervals, that a runner needs to do a weekly run at near race pace, but ALSO needs to run a long run each week at a very slow pace, keeping your heart rate at 75 to 85% of your maximum heart rate.  You'll need to do some research to learn your max heart rate - there are a number of methods for calculating it, and I unscientifically chose one that seemed to suit me.

After training four months this way, I learned that running slow on your long weekly runs does NOT slow you down, IT SPEEDS YOU UP!

I set my personal record for the half-marathon last year in Detroit at 2:09:52.

This year I wanted to finish in under 2 hours.  Recent shorter races and practice runs showed I could maintain the required pace for a 5 km or 10 km distance, but only the actual event could prove whether I could keep it up for 13.1 miles.  I would have been happy getting in under  2:05, but I REALLY wanted to beat 2:00!

After this training regimen this year, in Columbus yesterday, I ran the half in 1:59:12. 

We had a few car pools down there - a total of about 15 of us.  Two ran the full and qualified for Boston, including one guy (53 yrs old) who ran a 3:27 in his second marathon!  Another friend ran his first full in 3:54 - 57 years old, a man that weighed over 300 lbs just two years ago!

Those of you reading this thread who think you're too old to put up numbers like that better think again!  I read a story about a fellow who has been running marathons for 40 years, and ran the Montreal marathon this year in about 4 hours, AT 80 YEARS OLD!

Looking forward to hearing about your recent accomplishments...

CONGRATULATIONS DAN, THE MARATHON MAN! 

Well done, and what a beautiful day you were blessed with. Surely it was a day of many emotions!  It had to be extra special to have your mother-in-law, daughter and wife there for loving support and encouragement.  Looking forward to reading your race report, but until then, enjoy some well-earned rest and recovery and when you strap on the Honky Tonk belt buckle I'm sure you will be reminded of the dear ones you ran to honor.

You ran strong, friend!

Marathon Dan!!!! you did it!! Awesome job! I know it was an emotional experience for you and I look forward to pics and the rr.

Tony, tks for the encouragement! I realize that this is as much mental as physical and both have to be adequately trained.

Rob, glad to see you back and a big contrats on you breaking the 2:00 mark. Awesome time. Yes, you are right on w/ us needing to do hills and speed training along w/ the long slow runs. I'm hoping that after I finish Goofy, I can concentrate more on hill training (although I run routes w/ lots of hills anyhow, but the hill repeats are different) and speed work so I can improve my 10K time. The examples of runners w/ some ahhhmmm .....maturity..... is truly inspiring.

justamanic.....welcome!!! Glad to have you aboard out little group of mighty masters. I could have written your post re all of the injuries as I have had my fair share. Our older bodies take longer to heal and are quicker to injure if we don't watch it. Several of us on this thread are followers of Jeff Galloway. While I still don't run injury free, it is almost always when I step away from his recommendations and try to do too much too soon that I get in trouble. Check out his website  jeffgalloway.com  plenty of free info or  Kevin on The Extra Mile podcast did a couple of great series of interviews w/ Jeff. The one on the Galloway Experiment is a series of 9 or 10 45 minute or so podcasts is great for beginning info for marathon training, Kevin followed that series up w/ another Galloway series of podcasts. I highly recommend listening to them.

Sue, congratulations to your group for a fantastic job of completing the maraton and for the fund raising. $400,000 is a LOT of money for a good cause.

Debra, hope your running is going well. It is always good to see your posts.

Mary Kay....hope all is ok.

I got in a little over 4 miles today. Beautiful fall weather. Now I'm off to my walking group. Take care all and happy running.

Mary Kay, congrats on your last HM! You did fantastic beating that midget in the brain and was richly rewarded. I know you are proud of yourself.....as you should be!! I'm proud of you too!

justamaniac....really enjoyed reading your blog.  Re Newtons. I've had the same situation w/ ankle when running long distances while wearing the Gravities. I supinate and think that the lack of a build up on the outside of the shoe contributes to the stretching and subsequent pain.  I also have a pair of Newton Lady Isaacs that have the outside build up level to the lugs. I'm using then for the longer runs and the Gravities for the shorter ones. It seems to be working. You might want to ck it out. Of course the Isaacs are their more traditional shoe, so also a bit heavier and less flexible.