29 September 2009

Frank Mahony

G'Day Frank!

Frank left me this comment which I shall reply to below.


F Mahony has left a new comment on your post "3000m or 5000m?":

3000m or 5000m?

Answer: According to the McMillan Running Calculator: 3000m

3000m in 8.57 should result in 5000m in 15.36 so your recent 3000m best time is better than your 5000m

Of your runs when you were younger, your 5000m is the best performance.

I am impressed with your masters results!

You might be able to help me.

I am a runner with somewhat similar performances ( 7 seconds slower over 5000m) from my younger days.
Also returning after 17 years rest.
Born: 1961.
PB: 1500m 4:00.98 Age 29
PB: 3000m 8:39.96 Age 29
PB: 5000m 14:38.20 Age 29
PB: 10000m Track 31:07 Age 28
PB: 20km Road 64:30 Age 25
PB: 21.1km Road 68:31 Age 28
PB: 42.2km Road 2:36:44 Age 24

Retired at 30 due to pronation causing pain on outside lower legs.

Returned to exercise: swimming 2 years ago.
Returned to running 1 year ago.
Height: 185cm
Original running weight: 60-65kg
Current weight: 70kg (Down from 85kg 2 years ago)
Current performances:
Asgrove Flying 4km: 14:31
BRRC 5km road: 17:58
BRRC 7km road: 25:23

Current training: Swim 2km each morning - various sessions. Includes 1 hour Tri session each Thursday.
Evening: Cycle or run.
In younger days:
Run 120 km per week.
Currently per week:
Swim 14km
Cycle 100km
Run 30km

Mon night: 7.5km jog
Wed night: 4 x 800m track
Thur morning: 4 or 5km Tri run
Frid night: 4km medium or hard
Sat: 4km jog
Sun: Race: 5km or 3-5km run as part of Tri race.

Slowly trying to increase km, need to add a 15km run in there each week.

The question:

Can you share with us what trainng you have been doing to get the results you have achieved, including managing an aging body?

What would you see as an ideal weekly training schedule to achieve the results, assumming of course that someone has roughly similar ability?

I do note that your 5000m PB of 14:31.4 was at age 17, compared to mine at age 29. I suspect you might have a lot more natural talent than me, which is a compliment and an explanation of why you have been able to get down under 9min for 3000m.

Regards Frank Mahony

When I restarted serious running in 2004 I weighed 82kg! I ran a few 10K road races then decided it would be fun to to run the Glasshouse Mountains 50K's. The 50'Ks were not fun at all, I felt like death, my thighs cramped up and at one point I was on hands and knees literally crawling! Roger Gard who is about 60/65 came shuffling past (No offence meant) but I realised that my very limited training had been no where near what is required for Ultras. I raced two 50'ks and then stepped down to a 30k but I never really had the time to put in the hours of training that would be required so I returned to the track and went along to Queensland Masters. As I was 44 y.o. I thought I'd have one non serious season before giving it a real crack when I turned 45 - youngest in age group. So during that first season I improved from my debut 10m01 to 9m35 purely on the training benefit from competition together with daily steady runs 6k to 8k.
In 2006 I gave myself the goal of running Sub 9m (to break the Masters Record), I made a determined effort to increase my mileage and importantly started to run intervals twice a week. Typically I might run 5/6 X 1000m on a measured road course with up to 3mins recovery running close to 3min ave. When I was really picking things up I cut the recovery down to a minute and still managed close to 3mins ave. On the track I would try to do speed endurance sessions , 20 X 300m 100m jog recovery (Min) Ave 51s, or 20 X 200m 30secs recovery, but my staple diet was 400's and I built up to doing 20 X 400m 1min recovery Ave 72s. I got down to 62kg and last year ran a few months of twice a day sessions in order to have a real crack at 70mins for a Half. Alas the regime was too much for me and I have suffered over a year of injury! Knees, Achilles,Pelvic stress fracture, knee again! I'm perhaps not the best person to advise on managing the masters body! But I would say the key ingredients are to increase your mileage to a balanced maximum, do a long run, and do interval sessions, now I would add core exercise (Weights) and combine it with a daily stretching regime.
I am interested in what results you get from your cross training? .
I tried a (static) rowing machine and cycling during my current rehabilitation but it is just not the same!
Rowing is a great exercise but so boring on a machine.
On the bike I could never really raise my heart rate sufficiently to feel training benefit . Long distance on a road bike might be a future for me!

This is my weeks training leading up to 8m56.

19th Jan 2008 Raced an Open QA St.Lucia 3000m 2nd in 9m09.13
20th Jan 2008 20 X 400m 60sec rest Ave 72s (finished with a 66s)
21st Jan 2008 5.00am 11km Roo+Lake (local course) 44m30
22nd Jan 2008 5.00am 11km Roo+Lake 43m59
23rd Jan 2008 5.00am 11km Roo+Lake 44m24
24th Jan 2008 5.00pm 11kn Roo+Lake 40m23 (!)
25th Jan 2008 8.15pm 3000m Raced Open QA St.Lucia 3rd in 8m56.46

13th Feb 2007 6pm 3KM time trial on switchback road KM 9m21
14th Feb 2007 5.00am 11km Roo+Lake 45m17
15th Feb 2007 5.00am 11km Roo+Lake 45m30
16th Feb 2007 3KM Pat Carroll Challenge 4th didn't record time! Undulating course!
17th Feb 2007 20 X 200m 30sec rest
18th Feb 2007 5.00am 11KM Roo+Lake 41m31 ! (63kg after run)
19th Feb 2007 5.00am 11KM Roo+Lake 44m59
20th Feb 2007 Rest!!
21st Feb 2007 Race Qld Open State 5000m Champs St.Lucia 8th 15m29.6

I would often double up on the days I did my KM intervals or my track sessions. I rarely rested or eased down. If I felt good in training I'd go with it, it meant I was in good form and good results in training drove home the confidence in races.
Good Luck in your return to racing, I'd love to know your goals and I shall keep an eye out for your progress.

28 September 2009

Dave Is On the Road Again!

Well maybe not quite (on the road again) but in celebration of my 48th, I did get out this afternoon for the classic 6KM Roo !
Ran 27m27, felt good aerobically but not exactly pain free! It will be interesting to see how I pull up tomorrow.
Finished off with a weights session - I'm unsure how I will balance the weights and running, as I now feel somewhat addicted to doing weights!

A good day at the Zoo today with Max and Lily!
Terri, Bindi and Bob did the Croc show in the Crocoseium. Wes also helped out with "Graham" the Croc that once took a chunk out of his bum!

48 TODAY!

48 TODAY!

I am celebrating with my kids at Australia Zoo.
Might even try a run later today!!

21 September 2009

Dancing in the city! Marshal Hain

I really enjoyed the British version of Life on Mars and have been enjoying the spin off series Ashes to Ashes (on ABC Australia), tonight's show ended with this song in the background. I couldn't remember for the life of me who the band was and gave up after two minutes brain drain and checked it out on Google to find it on You Tube!

I have had a few "blasts from the past" recently, Freddie Hampton, Stevie Binns, Colin Pearson and Philippe Brown, so why not enjoy another?

Can you believe that a Clash/SexPistols/Motorhead/REOSpeedwagon/Journey/Foreigner/
Queen fan of the late 70's would also own up to reminiscing over this! ??

I got a weights bench at the weekend and have added bench press and leg extensions to my daily work out! My session lasts about 90mins! I reckon if I put the commitment and effort I've put into my weights over the last year I'd be up there with Pete Magill, Tony Young, Dr Jamie Harrison, Keith Bateman , John Jago, Brett Winter, Ron Peters,
Jesus Boreggo, Bruce Graham....... I should not have started writing this list!!!!!!




And by the way, aint it annoying how the hats these guys are wearing are back in as a fashion statement! It's so eighties!!!!!!






18 September 2009

3000m or 5000m?

I Still have residual pain in my blasted right knee!
It seems to be getting better as the days (weeks ) go by!
Of course the rest will further improve the chances of the pelvis being mended when (if ) I get going again!

So what is the problem?
Why don't I get it checked out by a Consultant? = I'm in denial mode!
I have a suspicion it could be another stress fracture!!!
I don't want believe that is the case so I'll just wait till I cant feel it and then run again.
If all is good = excellent!
If all is not good = I must have some career threatening condition! ?

At work today I was making idle chit chat with a guy who said "I hear your a runner?"
my reply was
"well I was!, but I've been injured for a year"
- my response somewhat surprised me - perhaps sub consciously this lay off really has had me asking questions about my running career!!

So I thought I would write about something more positive and it is that age old question what is your best event?
For me it is a toss up between the 3 and the 5000m. As a kid when I first stepped up from 3 to 5000m I remember what a significant impact those extra 5 laps appeared to have!
I run 5000m just like I run 3000m, flat out, hard as I can all the way!
So, 5000m is a killer!! = More Pain!

At age 17, I set my PB's 3000m 8m23 and 5000m 14m31 .

My Masters Career kicked off in 2005 and here is every track performance since:

Date

3000m

Place

Cat Place

Race/Championship

29.10.05

10m01

2nd

M44 1st

QMA SAF Nathan

26.11.05

9m58

2nd

M44 1st

QMA SAF Nathan

17.12.05

9m50

3rd

M44 1st

QMA SAF Nathan

14.01.06

9m49

1st

M44 1st

QMA SAF Nathan

11.03.06

9m46

3rd

M44 1st

QMA SAF Nathan

2.04.06

9m35

4th

M44 2nd

QMA State Champs

SAF Nathan

16.09.06

9m12.4

1st

M44 1st

QMA SAF Nathan

14.10.06

9m09.0

1st

M45 1st

QMA SAF Nathan

11.11.06

8m59.44

3rd

M45 1st

QMA SAF Nathan

2.12.06

9m09.6

1st

M45 1st

QMA SAF Nathan

16.12.06

9m17.99

1st

M45 1st

QMA SAF Nathan

13.01.07

9m14.2

3rd

M45 1st

QMA SAF Nathan

10.02.07

9m06.4

2nd

M45 1st

QMA SAF Nathan

2.03.07

9m02.58

1st

M45 1st

QA St. Lucia

4.03.07

9m08.36

2nd

M45 1st

SEQ Champs Sippy

Downs

18.03.07

9m06.26

3rd

M45 1st

QMA State Champs

SAF Nathan

30.11.07

9m22.54

8th

M46 1st

QA St. Lucia

15.12.07

9m15.01

2nd

M46 1st

QA SAF Nathan

19.01.08

9m09.13

2nd

M46 1st

QA SAF Nathan

25.01.08

8m56.46

3rd

M46 1st

QA St. Lucia

9.03.08

9m26.66

1st

M46 1st

QMA State Champs

SAF Nathan

Date

5000m

Race

Cat Place

Race/Championship

19.11.05

17m22

2nd

M44 1st

QMA SAF Nathan

11.02.06

17m37

1st

M44 1st

QMA SAF Nathan

27.02.06

17m03

5th

M44 2nd

QMA State Champs

SAF Nathan

23.09.06

15m58

1st

M44 1st

QMA SAF Nathan

4.11.06

15m38.61

2nd

M45 1st

Pan Pacific Champs

Gold Coast

21.02.06

15m29.6

8th

M45 1st

QA Open Champs

26.02.06

15m48.2

3rd

M45 1st

QMA State Champs

SAF Nathan

8.04.07

15m46.38

1st

M45 1st

AMA National Champs

Hobart

8.06.07

15m41.6

8th

M45 1st

Mauncell Distance Classic

St. Lucia

8.12.07

16m07.71

1st

M46 1st

QMA SAF Nathan

21.12.07

15m53.07

3rd

M46 1st

QA Gold Coast

6.02.08

15m42.82

12th

M46 1st

QA Open Champs St Lucia

23.02.08

15m58.51

1st

M46 1st

QMA State Champs SAF Nathan

23.03.08

15m58.31

1st

M46 1st

AMA National Champs Sydney

30.05.08

15m41.44

9th

M46 1st

Mauncell Distance Classic St. Lucia

So, am (was) I a better 3k of 5k runner?

13 September 2009

James Espir 1st Sub 4 Mile 14th Sept 1979


I asked James Espir to tell the storey of his first Sub 4 Min Mile on its 30th anniversary 14th Sept 1979.

Dave requested that I recount the story of my first sub 4 min mile, so here goes. I was only 20 (My 21st birthday was 17th Oct 1979 and I did this race on 14th September ), and 1979 had started very well.It was the first year I was training for the 5000m. After a good injury-free winter of very heavy mileage, I ran a solo time trial over 3/4 mile in April in 2mins 55.0sec( timed by my father) in Geneva at Passover. However I contracted Glandular Fever in May which meant that I had to stop all exercise.
In fact the only thing I did that Summer was walk every afternoon with my mother over Stanmore Common.I started training again at the beginning of August and because of my apparent lack of fitness, Harry Wilson suggested I had a crack at the shorter distances for the remainder of the season.On Three weeks training, ran 3.43.59 for the SCAAA 1500m title.. A pb of about 10 seconds. My next race was at Gateshead where on the basis of my Southern title I was invited to race a mile. I tripped on the curb with 150m to go,but things were looking good for a sub 4 clocking.
The following Friday night was the Coca Cola meeting at Crystal Palace. The final international event of the European circuit.
It was billed as a WR attempt by Steve Ovett,and all the greatest milers of the day were in this overcrowded race. When the gun went it was like a sprint. They went off so fast I just could go with them. I ran the first lap almost at the back in 58 ish the leaders(Graham Williamson) went through in about 55 seconds.And so it continued, I just ran as fast as I could but was still trailing near the back, and at 3/4m (3 mins exactly for me) I was about 10th.All around the last lap I was overtaking the best runners in the world as they paid for going with the ridiculous pace. I finished 4th behind Ovett 3:55.5 Cram, and a Dane called Sorrenson. I had cracked it with 3.57.91.....I was so elated I hardly slept that night, and the following day I went back to Geneva to stay with my Grandparents, and have a rest before the pre-Olympic training would start in earnest.
I ran under 4 mins six times during the next 2 yrs and in 1981 ran my pb 3.56.7 front running the Emsley Carr Mile in a windy Cwmbran to get overtaken in the home straight by Geoff Smith.
This convinced me that I didn't have the basic speed(1min 48.8 seconds for 800m) to progress at 1500/mile and I would be best suited to 5000m.( I had run 5 miles on the road in 23 mins 20 seconds)
My athletic career was ruined by injury and the need to have a full time job to support a young family.
(Laura was born 1982 and Robert in 1985) However thanks to Alf I again ran internationally indoors in 1984 after coming 2nd in the AAA 1500m. It was also thanks to Alf I retained my Maccabiah 1500m title on 7 weeks training after knee surgery in 1985. Alf used each week like one month of the year so the first 2 weeks were winter the next 2 spring then 3 weeks of Summer ! This was the last 1500m I raced until I was a veteran.
30 yrs on I can only hobble !
Sent from my BlackBerry® Smartphone supplied by Swisscom

James (now 50yo) has been trying to run Masters over the last few years but has been thwarted by continual knee injury! However, this week he ran for 32m20secs pain free, the start of a new chapter.............?
Photo is James and son Robert (London May 2009)

James is an Old Harrovian - he went to the famous Harrow Public School, so he talks with a very posh accent, that said ,what actually comes out of his mouth can barely be repeated on this polite forum!
He used to turn up for our 9 mile CC runs around Parliament Hill in an Aston Martin Vanquish convertible - simply the best car around at the time.
We'd get caked in mud on our runs and of course James had the sense to come with towells for his seat and a change of clothing before getting back into his dream machine!


Power Of 10 Stats on James say;
It would be wrong to let you have the impression James best over 5000m was a 18m08 run as a Master at Bushy Park ! in fact James ran 5000m in 13m50 to win a Maccabiah Gold in the early 1980's.

Best known performances
EventPB1977198019811982200420052007
15003:38.23:38.24:40.37
Mile3:56.73:56.7
30007:51.928:07.07:51.92
5K18:0918:09
5M23:5023:5027:47
Mar2:47:032:47:03


UK Rankings
EventAGYearRank
1500U23AT15
1500ALLAT47
MileALLAT54
3000U20AT26
3000U23AT14
3000ALLAT74
5KV452007238
5MV45200436
5MALL2004742
MarV45200428
MarALL2004370

2007 V45 Shaftesbury Barnet
EventPerfPosVenueMeetingDate
5K18:092Bushy ParkBushy Park Time Trial 5K Event 13821 Apr 07
2005 V45 Shaftesbury Barnet
EventPerfPosVenueMeetingDate
15004:40.379BirminghamBMAF Champs16 Jul 05
2004 V45 Shaftesbury Barnet
EventPerfPosVenueMeetingDate
5M27:4727London Victoria ParkVICTORIA PARK 527 Mar 04
Mar2:47:03365LondonLondon Marathon18 Apr 04
1982 SEN Shaftesbury Barnet
EventPerfPosVenueMeetingDate
5M23:501Hatch EndHatch End 516 Oct 82
1981 SEN Shaftesbury Barnet
EventPerfPosVenueMeetingDate
Mile3:56.72CwmbranWelshG/Carr15 Aug 81
1980 U23 Shaftesbury Barnet
EventPerfPosVenueMeetingDate
15003:38.2a3Louvain, BELInv11 Jul 80
30007:51.923CwmbranCwmC26 May 80
1977 U20 Shaftesbury Barnet
EventPerfPosVenueMeetingDate
30008:07.0a4Donetsk, UKREJ21 Aug 77