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I thought my days of PR'ing were over (half marathon / 70.3 story)....
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I turned 43 this past May and while I have been a swimmer and swim/bike/running for more than a decade. Swimming has become a little frustrating. Main sets are now done at warm up pace from a decade ago, which would bother me more if I could see the clock well but my eye sight has gone to crap too so I just tell myself I must have missed the send off. Even worse is getting up 3-4 times per week to take a leak. After 17 years of marriage my wife and I have changed sides of the bed to accommodate. Pathetic.

I signed up for Waco 70.3 a few months back. I was all in for the race. On my last 12 weeks build up I put in 11 solid weeks (plus one rest week) of 13-14 hours including a nice longish (3-3.5 hour) ride every Saturday and consistent weekly run volume around 32-35 miles. Some solid swims too. Last Monday I went through the start list and told myself a podium was a reasonable goal. I was ready!

I coach my son's soccer team. We had an okay season, going 3-5-1 and squeaking into the playoffs (16 teams, we finished 7th). Monday night, we upset the 2 seed, Thursday we upset the 3 seed. Saturday night final game. Ummm, so much for Waco (we lost the final, but it was an awesome week)!

Friday, when I pulled the plug on Waco, I signed up for a half marathon Sunday morning. Reasonably big race (7000 participants) Why not. I snag an A coral bib, telling them I can run sub 1:30. I am not certain of this but it seems likely. The run specific training wasn't really there but my fitness level was solid. My PR is just under 1:26 from 7 years ago, age 36. But back them my eyes and bladder still worked. I set a goal of 1:28:59. (~6:47 pace)

Weather was a perfect 50 degrees. Out and back, perfectly flat course with only 3 turns so not a lot of extra tangent running. The race starts well. 6:48, 6:29, 6:31. I wonder to myself if the garmin dropped on mile 1 because I didn't notice a pickup in pace.

Next 3 miles, 6:38, 6:42, 6:38. Feeling great, new goal, 1:27:59.

Miles 7-9 6:42, 6:37, 6:41. At this point 1:26:59 is on the table.

Beginning the 10th mile I tell myself the same thing I have told myself at every race I have every done. I'll find that final gear the last mile. Of course I have NEVER actually found that gear that last mile. We just tell ourselves it will come because our memories are short and our hearts are bigger than our brains. Mile 10 6:35, Mile 11 6:38. I am not fading and now 1:26 feels in the bag.

Mile 12 is a 6:26 and I cannot believe it. I still a match to burn and I I know the last mile my fastest one of the day. Quick calculation says I need a 5:55 last mile to PR, unless my signal really did drop on mile 1 (nah, trust technology). I check pace at 2 minutes and I am at 6:13, I check pace at 5 minutes and I am at 6:12. This is it. I drop the metaphorical hammer (to those who drop the hammer down to 4:55, chapeau!). Heading into a turn the garmin chirps....6:09 that mile and running 5:25 pace. I look up an the finish line is only 60 yards away. Cross the line in a sprint, clock reads 1:26:04 but pretty sure I went under 1:26 (I missed my garmin button, then pressed lap, then pressed stop.). I am just tickled. With no expectations and at a back up plan race I execute nearly perfectly and maybe got a PR.

Get to the phone and wife has texted me. Unoffical result shows 1:25:56. Darn. PR is 1:25:55. Get home, official results... 1:25:55. Take that you 36 year old bladder functioning whipper-snappers.

(Epilogue: this story was brought to you by nike next %)
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Re: I thought my days of PR'ing were over (half marathon / 70.3 story).... [ajthomas] [ In reply to ]
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awesome :)

36 kona qualifiers 2006-'23 - 3 Kona Podiums - 4 OA IM AG wins - 5 IM AG wins - 18 70.3 AG wins
I ka nana no a 'ike -- by observing, one learns | Kulia i ka nu'u -- strive for excellence
Garmin Glycogen Use App | Garmin Fat Use App
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Re: I thought my days of PR'ing were over (half marathon / 70.3 story).... [ajthomas] [ In reply to ]
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It is stories like these that make me want to drop $275 on Nike 4% shoes. Congrats on your PR. I have a 13.1 in 10 days. Trying to go 1:29:59 there, but in reality would be perfectly happy with a 1:30:59. My current PR is 1:36:XX set sometime in early August, 2019.

- Jordan

My Strava
Last edited by: Masnart: Oct 29, 19 10:40
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Re: I thought my days of PR'ing were over (half marathon / 70.3 story).... [ajthomas] [ In reply to ]
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That's a great story.

http://www.sfuelsgolonger.com
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Re: I thought my days of PR'ing were over (half marathon / 70.3 story).... [ajthomas] [ In reply to ]
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Really enjoyed! Thank you for sharing.
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Re: I thought my days of PR'ing were over (half marathon / 70.3 story).... [Masnart] [ In reply to ]
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Get the shoes. Seriously. I ran a 1:26:30 half marathon in June wearing Pegasus 35's and three days ago, wearing the Next%'s, I accidentally ran a 1:24:56 half marathon during a 16 mile training run to close out a 66 mile week. I had planned to run my 16 miler at around 6:45 pace as a test to make sure I felt good about running a 6:45 pace marathon in December, yet every time I looked at my watch I was ticking off 6:35/6:30/6:25 and finished the last 4 miles around 6:15. The crazy part was how fresh I still felt at the end. I realize I'm I'm better shape now than I was in June, so it's not exactly an apples to apples comparison, but the shoes really do make you faster and it's great.
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Re: I thought my days of PR'ing were over (half marathon / 70.3 story).... [rocky_bobloblaw] [ In reply to ]
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rocky_bobloblaw wrote:
Get the shoes. Seriously. I ran a 1:26:30 half marathon in June wearing Pegasus 35's and three days ago, wearing the Next%'s, I accidentally ran a 1:24:56 half marathon during a 16 mile training run to close out a 66 mile week. I had planned to run my 16 miler at around 6:45 pace as a test to make sure I felt good about running a 6:45 pace marathon in December, yet every time I looked at my watch I was ticking off 6:35/6:30/6:25 and finished the last 4 miles around 6:15. The crazy part was how fresh I still felt at the end. I realize I'm I'm better shape now than I was in June, so it's not exactly an apples to apples comparison, but the shoes really do make you faster and it's great.

My wife hates you. lol

- Jordan

My Strava
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Re: I thought my days of PR'ing were over (half marathon / 70.3 story).... [ajthomas] [ In reply to ]
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Congrats, probably all that extra mileage you put in at night.
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Re: I thought my days of PR'ing were over (half marathon / 70.3 story).... [ajthomas] [ In reply to ]
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Nice race report.

I always tell myself the last mile I can open it up. Then I get to that point and remember that a mile is a really long way, lol.
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Re: I thought my days of PR'ing were over (half marathon / 70.3 story).... [ajthomas] [ In reply to ]
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43?

Yikes!!

That is still an infant

Just wait
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Re: I thought my days of PR'ing were over (half marathon / 70.3 story).... [MrTri123] [ In reply to ]
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I am 33 in bike years, 43 in run years and 63 is swim years.
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Re: I thought my days of PR'ing were over (half marathon / 70.3 story).... [rocky_bobloblaw] [ In reply to ]
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rocky_bobloblaw wrote:
Get the shoes. Seriously. I ran a 1:26:30 half marathon in June wearing Pegasus 35's and three days ago, wearing the Next%'s, I accidentally ran a 1:24:56 half marathon during a 16 mile training run to close out a 66 mile week. I had planned to run my 16 miler at around 6:45 pace as a test to make sure I felt good about running a 6:45 pace marathon in December, yet every time I looked at my watch I was ticking off 6:35/6:30/6:25 and finished the last 4 miles around 6:15. The crazy part was how fresh I still felt at the end. I realize I'm I'm better shape now than I was in June, so it's not exactly an apples to apples comparison, but the shoes really do make you faster and it's great.

you wasted 16 miles of next% on a training run?!?!!
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Re: I thought my days of PR'ing were over (half marathon / 70.3 story).... [ajthomas] [ In reply to ]
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Congrats!

Run that again, or anything under 1:28, next year and you can get a time qualifier entry for NYC Marathon (if you're so inclined).
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Re: I thought my days of PR'ing were over (half marathon / 70.3 story).... [ajthomas] [ In reply to ]
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First, a good friend of mine says you should rest your PBs every five years.

That said, I set my lifetime 40k best at 58 in Church Creek, MD. I set my lifetime best in the Virginia Hill Climb Championship at 60 - the course is a bit longer now, but then it was 6.75 miles with 2620 feet of climbing.

I've taken a few years off, but 65 is just around the corner and I hope to break those PBs again.

Don't give up. Don't ever give up. And don't forget what Shaw said about playing and growing old.
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Re: I thought my days of PR'ing were over (half marathon / 70.3 story).... [ajthomas] [ In reply to ]
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ajthomas wrote:
I am 33 in bike years, 43 in run years and 63 is swim years.

Sounds like you're 63 in eyesight years and 73 in bladder years.

Congrats on your race...bet you can go a minute faster in the next year without giving up any S/B/R race goals too.
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Re: I thought my days of PR'ing were over (half marathon / 70.3 story).... [ajthomas] [ In reply to ]
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Nice job there aj, that's a solid time, especially for an AOR!

And you will probably not enjoy swimming for about 7 more years, then when you are 50, you will be born again. Of course all your lifetime PR's in every sport will be in the rear view mirror by then, but you will be ok with that, and doing the reset every 5 years... (-;
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Re: I thought my days of PR'ing were over (half marathon / 70.3 story).... [FatandSlow] [ In reply to ]
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I have to agree, I set a PB in a 10k at 63, and this year a PB on a 40k bike leg at 71.

Of course I was amazingly slow when I was younger.
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Re: I thought my days of PR'ing were over (half marathon / 70.3 story).... [ajthomas] [ In reply to ]
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My favorite part was you gave up a HIM for your kids sports.

Congrats (on that and) on the run
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Re: I thought my days of PR'ing were over (half marathon / 70.3 story).... [ajthomas] [ In reply to ]
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ajthomas wrote:
I turned 43 this past May and while I have been a swimmer and swim/bike/running for more than a decade. Swimming has become a little frustrating. Main sets are now done at warm up pace from a decade ago, which would bother me more if I could see the clock well but my eye sight has gone to crap too so I just tell myself I must have missed the send off. Even worse is getting up 3-4 times per week to take a leak. After 17 years of marriage my wife and I have changed sides of the bed to accommodate. Pathetic. ...

You must have a very large bladder. No wonder it takes up the whole bed.
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Re: I thought my days of PR'ing were over (half marathon / 70.3 story).... [ajthomas] [ In reply to ]
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Well done!

BTW, at 43 everything is still working fine. Wait until you get to 53!
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Re: I thought my days of PR'ing were over (half marathon / 70.3 story).... [ajthomas] [ In reply to ]
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Great story. Have the same bladder problems (which are actually prostata problems), it feels good to have brothers in arms.
With the 4% I have the same experiences as you. I ran a 20 km in 1:23 with the 4% this spring, which is 1:28 on a HM extrapolated. I know I can never run a 1:30 with conventional shoes (maybe 1:31).
I am 4% faster on every distance (including a mile e.g.) with that shoe. I am 58, weigh 84 kg and am a heel striker.
Together with the 4% and the fact that I am like Christopher Lambert in the film Highlander what running is concerned, I start being world class for my age. Not in running solo distances (there are people who still run sub 1:20 on a HM in my age group), but certainly in running in triathlon, having done 3:37 two weeks ago in Kona (that was with the next %). The swim and bike were crap, and not that I want to hijeck this thread, but I add that of all the 58-years-old and older that was the second marathon time.
In the IM Austria this year I set a PR in marathon in IM with the 4%: 3:23.
I know how it feels that shoe: at once you feel 10 years younger and its legal. Great.
Last edited by: longtrousers: Oct 29, 19 23:52
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Re: I thought my days of PR'ing were over (half marathon / 70.3 story).... [ajthomas] [ In reply to ]
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I ran a 1.18 age 41 in a pair of Adidas racer/trainers. ‘It’s not about the shoes!’
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Re: I thought my days of PR'ing were over (half marathon / 70.3 story).... [michael Hatch] [ In reply to ]
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michael Hatch wrote:
I have to agree, I set a PB in a 10k at 63, and this year a PB on a 40k bike leg at 71.

Of course I was amazingly slow when I was younger.
I'm staying intentionally slow in my 40s to leave teh door open for some PBs in my 50s and 60s! ;)
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Re: I thought my days of PR'ing were over (half marathon / 70.3 story).... [Joss1965] [ In reply to ]
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wise statement!!!
For me, the vaporfly stuff is just about deceiveing oneself.

Spaniard. Sorry for my english for the sensitive ones :P
Last edited by: juanillo: Oct 30, 19 8:20
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Re: I thought my days of PR'ing were over (half marathon / 70.3 story).... [juanillo] [ In reply to ]
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I hope both of you guys are m35-39
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