Training & Meet Types

I'm going to address a few questions I've been getting a lot of recently. Some of you know the answers and some don't, and still some aren't that clear, which is understandable.

First, what am I doing for my running? I follow a 14 week program put together by a great coach named Jim Hiserman. Last week was week 1. I do these three sets of sprints immediately after I finish jumping, two days a week. I do not rest between reps but take a brief rest ( a few minutes) between sets as I change equipment. I run them up my light incline hill (2-3%). The first set I run for speed, the next I run for speed with a sled and the last, I run for speed with a pole and no sled. I run at the maximum speed my rhythm allows that day and never push to try and go faster. It's one of those things where you will actually get faster if you run it a 40-60%, though I do try and run faster on the days I can. Strange but it works. http://www.bubbapv.com/Pages/speed.htm

Masters Meet Types
Our meets by classification are called "Masters Meets" and compete in 5 year groups. I am in the M55-59 group. Needless to say, as you get closer to the end of your group, it gets real tough as "young bucks" move into your group. That's why Sacramento will be a challenge to get in the top five. I will be old and young studs will be new.

USA Track & Field is our governing body and also fields our Olympic Teams. Each year we have an indoor and an outdoor national championships for athletes 30+. A "Master" is considered to be 40 years old or more, and under that is called a "Submaster". So we know we have those two events each year and the serious athletes try and make one or both.

WMA (World Masters Athletics) is every two years and open to track & field athletes ages 40 and over. The rest of the world calls track and field "athletics". Next year this will be in Sacramento, returning to the US for the first time since Buffalo in 1995. Last time it was in Finland and before that it was in Italy. When I turn 60 in 2013 it will be in Brazil, so be thankful for a US stopover. So Dean, this is a good one to make as you suggested. Vaulters, I don't care if your best jump is 6' you should go to Sacramento. There is nothing like being on the field in a world championships. Take advantage. Mike Soule, I'm talking to you!!

If you are 50 or older you are ALSO eligible for "Seniors" competitions. Seniors compete in 18 sports whereas the previous events are JUST "athletics". Every year there is a State Senior Games (Senior Olympics) and every other year there are the National Senior Games. Next year the National Senior Games will be in Houston. Mike Soule and his wife Kay will be staying with us so I think I'll ship him directly to Sacramento with my poles while I have the chance and before he can get away. The previous two NSGs were at Stanford University in California and in Louisville in 2007 where Don and I got gold and silver respectively.

The final category is World Games which is the Olympics for all masters aged 30 and up. There are 28 Olympic sports and nearly 30,000 athletes. Like the Olympics, this is every four years with the last one being in Sydney, Australia, where I was fortunate enough to win. The next one is in Tornio, Italy.

So there you have it, submasters, masters, seniors, compete in athletics or Games/Olympics. For us the bottom line is that we always have something major to train for. Have a great day and thanks for your support! Bubba