Revels of Peach Keane (Redux Part III)

Great workouts! That's a lot of miles--I hit 1350 for the year last year and you are almost there already!

jon c wrote:Hope the uptick in mileage continues to go well as you aim for NYC! Looks like your workouts and racing is going very well Michele. Sounds like you keep very busy outside of running as well.

Always busy, Jon, but that will taper off next year, and then I'm not sure what I'll do with myself.

Julie wrote:Nice mileage and 800s! I am impressed with your times. I push with everything I have to get 4:00.

I do have some fast twitch muscles as I was an 800m runner in high school; however, my endurance isn't nearly what most of the folks on this board have and I don't usually tolerate big mileage well. It is all relative though as you are well aware. Good luck with that taper.

Peg Coover wrote:Great workouts! That's a lot of miles--I hit 1350 for the year last year and you are almost there already!

It is a lot of miles for me as well. Just hoping to hang on. I need to remember to continue to stretch my calves, etc. on a twice daily if not more basis!

Good to see the mileage build up is going well. Specific program to get ready for NYC or just kind of winging it based on what feels good?

So after finishing the week by anchoring a relay race and running 57.5 miles, I'm actually exhausted, but in a good way. No aches or pains, just need a solid nite's sleep where I do not have to get up at 5 am to run. I've decided that tomorrow is all about recovery miles and of course, registering for Boston. I do wonder what that will take.

After a solid 18.5 mile run on Friday and 7.3 more with the half training group (where I'm a coach/mentor) on Saturday, today was our annual Ekiden Relay race here in Atlanta. It is hard to believe that we have actually been running this race for 21 yrs, and this year was special as we purposely moved it to September 11th as a bit of a commemoration. Not sure how 9/11 affected most of you, but I was supposed to run the Philly Distance Run that (following) weekend, and I had trained well for it. Of course, after all the events of that fretful day, it was not to be as it was really just a time to reflect and be with your family. The ATC held their regular 5/10 mile race that weekend to show some normalcy, but because those races are small and somewhat remote, we decided to move the Ekiden (which had 200+ teams of 5 runners of all shapes, sizes, and speeds) to the 10th anniversary.

I was on the "slow" Masters "C" team. We joked that we were slow as we had two women who were 58 and 59 on the team, one that is 54, one that is 53, and me. Yes, we were the 3rd masters team after the two other ATC teams, but we were only 1:45 s after the 2nd place team, and none of their runners are over 43. Score one for the oldsters. We were stoked at the finish, and Here is a picture of my final push:

Lots of ATC Women's Pics on Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150371235252743&set=a.10150371218907743.406571.188441747742&type=1&theater

Someday, I will get a group together for the Ekiden.

Will you be at Singleton?

nice training and nice racing!! I don't consider you old at all, but it is great to read about really fast women who are older than I am. I hope to still improve my speed, even with taking breaks to have kids.

Enjoy the new week of running! I hope the weather is nice for you and we're about done with the heat from earlier this summer.

Gobbles wrote:Lots of ATC Women's Pics on Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150371235252743&set=a.10150371218907743.406571.188441747742&type=1&theater

Someday, I will get a group together for the Ekiden.

Will you be at Singleton?

No, I left you a note on your blog. I'm away that weekend at a mini-college reunion in Cape Cod, so I'm running a 15K this coming weekend and then Cartersville and the ATL 13.1. I should see you then. Glad to see you found Kate's link. Not sure if Paula May is in the photo (she knows you), but she was one of the older women on my team. If she isn't already 60, she will be soon.

I know Paula, she strong in so many ways, she runs with us on Sundays sometimes.
Gina, another friend from PTC, ran on ATC Master Team #2.

Always like your race pics because you seem to look very strong in them. That's always a good sign anyway. Congrats on your relay! Sounds like a lot of fun.

Another nice job,. Michele, I'm sure you don't tire of doing so well, so often. And a team one is really nice.

Well you know that it is going to happen, but I aborted my speedwork and called it a day at 4 miles as I was just not feeling it, and I was feeling rather exhausted instead. I know these days occur, but its sure does suck when they do. I've also changed my plans for the weekend in that I'm not running the 15K as I keep forgetting about the 50th B-day party that I am attending on Saturday night. That does not bode well for a race the following morning that is an hour drive away.

Think I need to relax for a few days and run easy before another hard week coming up.

Ncie job on these races. I can understand not feeling it and deciding not to race is discipline for sure. I would not race knowing I have a party the night before. Your body is thanking you!

Yep, you know better than most of us how the accumulated fatigue from running hard will sneak up on you. A few easy days and you'll be back to the plan.

Nice work at the relay - sounds like fun! I hope you get your bounce back sooner than later. Out of curiosity, how many mpw on average have you ran in marathon training over the last decade or so? You've ran so many marathons so well - always impressed with your racing! Another great picture too....

Take your own advice: we need those crap runs in our cycles!!!

No, you are probably smart to dial it back a little.

Sounds like you've had a hard but good week of running, and you know how to listen to your body and step back when you need it. I guess slow is relative, of course, but I think you're fast. If I can get to be as fast as you are at your age, I will consider my running career very successful.

Yay for registering for Boston!

Another awesome job in the relay race. Seemed like it was fun and would love to do a relay some time. Have fun down the Cape. Hope you get to do some miles on the road race course.

John Kilpatrick wrote:Nice work at the relay - sounds like fun! I hope you get your bounce back sooner than later. Out of curiosity, how many mpw on average have you ran in marathon training over the last decade or so? You've ran so many marathons so well - always impressed with your racing! Another great picture too....

I've pretty much averaged 40+ mpw for the last 25 yrs (since I graduated college) with some exceptions due to pregnancy and/or injury. I did not suffer many injuries until I entered my 40s, and most of them were do to my not listening when I was tired, etc., and thinking I was still 25 (no stretching, too many hard miles). In the last couple of years, I've slowly built the miles back up to the 45-50 mpw range, added back speed more consistently, added strength training and some cross training, as well as stretching and the sue of the foam roller. I have my struggles (like this week when the heat came back with the humidity and running an 8:45 pace seems tough), but for the most part, I overcome them and the next cycle is better than the last one.

I almost forgot to thank all of you for your kind words - you all know just what to say (type) when it is necessary.

Michele, I hope you gave yourself the needed rest and that you're feeling fresh again. I think most of my injuries also could have been avoided, or at least minimized, had I listened to my body more carefully. Hopefully we've both grown wiser with age!

I love it when us "oldsters" show the youngsters!

Hey Michele sorry for such a long time from posting to your blog. I have to say that I love your picture you posted above, I always love seeing your race photos!

Also good job on pulling the plug on the speed work when you knew you were not feeling it. That has to be the most important thing as a runner to know when to do something and when not. That sure is one thing that I have learned from you over the past years.

Hope you are feeling back to par and enjoying your running.

Last week was a blah week and to top it off, my left Achilles is bothering me a bit. One of the ART guys I know gave a presentation to the half training group I coach on Saturday and his advice was to simply stay on top of it with self-massage and stretching. The good news is that it doesn't bother me at all when I run since the calf area that is tight (and the cause) loosens up right away even in the slightly cooler weather. The mileage this week will be back in the low 50s with a 20-miler on Thursday due to my travelling to Cape Cod (Falmouth) this weekend for a mini college reunion. Happy that one of the other wives is now a runner who just registered for Boston so we'll be able to run along the water a couple of times. Of course, I might need to dig out tights and long sleeves for this endeavor. Besides my husband and myself only one other of the couples lives outside Massachusetts, and they live in Ft. Worth - so I won;t be the only one not used to the colder weather (my husband living in San Diego and Cleveland won't notice so much either).

Looking forward to a good week, and my first 20 miler of the cycle! Already have done several 13-14 milers, a 16, and an 18.

Very nice race! Go get that 20 this week, Michele.

The Achilles is a tough nut to crack but I think that guy is right. For me, probably the #1 thing that has help with my AT is massage. This is probably my #1 injury area and you really have to watch it because it can happen after one hard speed workout and then take a while to heal. But just reading what you wrote above, you seem to be pretty aware of any potential problems you have.