OZBOZO - Great times you've run!

Runningfox - same goes, especially for your marathon result!

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“To give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the gift.”

In my neck of the woods, before a few enlightened race organisers introduced men's and ladies V65 & V70 categories, anyone over 60 was classed as a Super Vet. Prior to that the upper age groups didn't stand a chance against fit runners in their early sixties. Since the introduction of these upper age categories quite a number of athletic geriatrics have crawled out of the woodwork to vie with their contemporaries.
I've been rather lucky and had few injuries, mainly calf muscle problems. Generally I've rested up for two to three weeks but at my age I lose so much fitness in that period that I tend to run through any niggling injuries nowadays, if I can. I use pain-killing gel, or take strong pain killers and anti-inflammatories (Voltarol 75mgs), and try my best to make the old body adapt to what I want it to do.
Cheers!

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Give me the hills!

Marathons were my speciality I suppose, though to be honest, I hated them - especially London with all the noise and razzmatazz! Nevertheless I ran eight, won my age category in seven and twice took the British MV60 Championship.
But give me quieter races, like the Three Peaks in the Yorkshire Dales, which was always my favourite with it's 24 miles of beautiful countryside. It was always painful. I always got severe cramp. But it was always superbly satisfying.
Cheers!

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Give me the hills!

Hi,Running Fox,very impressive record.If it is not too cheeky,why did you not race as a young man,you would no doubt have got some very impressive performances?
Thanks for the info. on the Super Vet thing.
I see from your profile that you are a member of Longwood AC,Derek Ibbotson's club.
As a young bloke I think that I suffered the ignominy of being lapped by him in a Northern Counties 3 Mile Champs in Manchester.
I am a bit like you I think in that I no longer like the mass races,always on the look out for some different races,especially CC or trail.
I had some bad experiences with anti-inflamms like Voltaren.Like you trying to train through injury,led to big jump in blood pressure in a few days,so you have to be careful with them.:eek:

As a youngster I'd no interest in any sports, always introvert and preferred the wild and lonely places, either alone or with a well chosen companion. Redundancy, consequent marriage failure, ill health and weight problems in the 80's were the catalysts that turned me to running.
I believe Derek Ibbotson is still around and could have been indirectly responsible for my taking up racing when he finished eighty places behind me in a local five mile fun run I was persuaded to run for charity back in '86. Twelve months later I'd my first (quite unexpected) marathon win. Thanks Ibbo!
Voltarol works OK for me though other forms of Diclofenac Sodium upset my stomach. I'm not aware of them affecting my blood pressure (which is naturally high because my pulse is so low!) but I don't take them on a regular basis, only when I really have to.
My partner and I both prefer Trail races to road racing. Our most scenic one this year was the Grizedale 10 miler in the English Lake District, but this weekend we're doing a half marathon Trail race in the Yorkshire Dales which we're really looking forward to. Last year there were just one hundred runners, so hardly a mass participation affair!
Cheers!

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Give me the hills!

I'm only a youngster of 35. I'm at the sharp end now, but I intend to run for ever, and as long as I can, I don't care how slow I become. As long as people are still getting off the sofa to run, they are fitter than most of the population. Speaking of trail races, I love them. We have a Half/Full marathon on the trail down here this weekend coming up. Entry on the day is availiable if anyone is interested.

Good 'onya mate.You have many wonderful running/racing years ahead of you.As you age you will get just as much fun measuring yourself against your age peers as you did in open competition.

Bruce Tulloh said they all die eventually!

Don't we all!

Too true!
I would like to be posting here when I'm old(er) though!