50th year PRs
Cliffs: I'm 50 later this year and am challenging myself to set as many lifetime PRs as I can
tldr
49yo male. 6ft, 90.5kg/199lbs. Grew up in London, now live in Sydney Australia.
Have long term sporting background. International representative rugby player at top tier sporting university and played semi pro into my late 20s. Also played varsity soccer as freshman at college, plus all the sports including track and field growing up.
The past 20 years since rugby finished...I've almost always exercised/trained and have always been fit but it's mainly been 'working out' rather than training. By which I mean I train hard when I go into the gym...but without any real plans or goals.
I had two serious sporting injuries that still impact my training - the knee reconstruction plus a torn & bulging disc in the L5/S1 region and after a really frustrating 3ish years of a cycle or injuring myself every time I tried to go hard for a period of time, I've cut the intensity of my training over the past 5 years. By doing this and giving up several movements (squat, snatch, squat clean), I've managed to stay active and training all the way through....albeit going through the motions for months and then more committed at other times.
But I find myself bored with my training and staring down the barrel of a major milestone as I turn 50 in the middle of 2021. And so I'm going to aim to reach 50 in great shape and to give myself something to keep me interested by aiming to break as many of my lifetime PRs as I can.
Realistically, I'm never running a sub 11.5 100m or hitting the roads to run a marathon again and I'm not squatting or o lifting heavy any more, so those ones are out. But I think the upper body lifts are within reach (I've never been 'strong' in those anyway, but they haven't dropped off much) and I think some of the cardio PRs are definitely do-able if I can commit to the pain...albeit I'm definitely scared of the pain
Simultaneously, my cholesterol levels have been rising the past few years and I'd like to drop some body fat...so I'm going to be adopting a better diet and substantially reducing my drinking
Here's a list of my PRs...some of them are relatively soft, in that I haven't really trained them for that long.
PRs within reach
Lifting
Bench 107.5kg (currently at approx 100kg)
Press 70kg (currently probably 67.5 but gym closed right now and my home gym ceiling is too low for me to do standing press)
Bar Dips 26 (guessing I could do 15ish)
Erg
1km 3.17 (guessing 3.30)
2km 6.59 (I did a 7.19 yesterday and it damn near killed me)
Assault Bike
100 cals 3.11
200 cals (can't find the PR but I'll be attempting one)
DEXA PR: 16.2% (I think I'd be 18% ish now)
PRs that are possible but not probable
Dead Hangs 18
Erg
500m 1.28 (est 1.32 right now - 4 secs is a HUGE difference in a 500m)
5k 18.43 (guessing 19.30)
Caliper bf% when playing rugby was 12.1 - which I'm guessing equated to 14% ish?
Other lifetime PRs fyi that we won't be attempting to break
Squat 165kg (in 1993)
Deadlift 170kg (2010)
Power Clean 105 (2015)
Snatch 82.5kg (2015)
11.5 100m
1.28 half marathon
This is about as far as I've got.
I haven't worked out an exact training plan yet - our gyms are closed for covid at the moment but I have a barbell, rack and bench at home plus an erg and a pull up bar so I can train most of the above. I generally get to the gym 4 to 5 times a week and aim to do at least one other 'activity' per day as well - I've got quite obsessive about getting 10k steps in since I've been working from home since March. And then I have a very sporty 10 year old son who I am helping get fit for his upcoming season - both soccer and rugby will start in March. So we're doing sprints and skills training too.
Next steps
keep things ticking over with no huge focus for the next 2 weeks, then after a week's holiday 13th to 20th January, I'll commit to a more detailed plan and improve my lifestyle.
I'm very heavy for me (most of my PRs were done with me weighing 83-85kg and I'm 90kg right now), so it's a good time to try to get some upper body PRs.
the cardio goals scare me and are the main reason I've started the thread.
I want to force myself to do more conditioning work but I know the pain I'm in for - that 5k row PR was done when I was peak crossfit and will be a total nightmare to get to from where I am right now.
I'll be getting a DEXA in late Jan.
I had my bloods done last month and will probably get another lot done before my birthday.
I may also add some additional fitness goals...just not sure what they'd be right now
sorry for the wall of text and sorry if you're unable to multiply kg by 2.2 to get to lbs
salvaged something from a frustrating start. erg data didn't upload properly
the plan was to do the Pete's Plan Pyramid. 2k warm up and when went out a fast medium pace for the first 3 intervals.
Was 1.35/500 for the 250, 1.36.5 for the 500m and then 1.42.4 for the 750. Got about 200m into the 1k but felt the legs going and my brain just insta-HDd myself. I wasn't feeling particularly fresh but I didn't need to stop. The plan had been for a 1.44/500 1k and even if I'd slowed a little, a 1.46 would/should have definitely been on the cards
I just don't have the mental minerals for anything long (by my standards!) and uncomfortable.
Anyway, gave myself a severe dressing down and decided to do the CTC. Which is the idiotic 6x250m 1r where you can't average more than 20 strokes per min. Your score is your slowest rep. Idiotic because it means if you go too fast at the number of strokes you're using...you automatically rise to 21 sm. I've failed this twice already
I did it with 16 strokes (previously have been using 17) and I think that was definitely the right number - I just couldn't face failing this one again. I slipped off the seat at the beginning of the final interval so this damaged my final score but I am 1000% not doing this again - I enjoy putting huge power into a few strokes but it's just so silly having to downwardly adjust your strokes if you go too fast. Should definitely have been 1 minute, 20 strokes.
Either way, that was day 6 in a row. A few beers this pm and a rest day tomorrow!
Time Meters Pace Watts Cal/Hr S/M
1:39.9 500m 1:38.7 364 1552 19
0:48.4 250m 1:36.8 359 1628 18
0:49.0 250m 1:39.2 359 1579 19
0:49.3 250m 1:39.2 359 1556 19
0:49.6 250m 1:39.2 359 1533 19
0:49.6 250m 1:39.2 359 1533 19
0:50.2 250m 1:40.4 346 1490 20
early morning weights
DB Bench 5x7-32kg
Wide Grip Pull Down 5x8-66
seated wide grip hammer row 3x8-160
had planned to do some steady state as well but the legs just weren't there and I stopped after 2 mins. Hopefully that's an early morning thing, but I'm feeling 10% off as well. Really need to stay healthy if I'm going to attack the 1k plan
10x250m 1r. Started out pacing this for 8 reps and then decided to take a little heat off and make it through to 10. Happy I did because the last 3 were a real gut check and my stamina and power endurance are where I need the most work
I think this puts me at around 3.10 as my current 1k speed. Hopefully I can build up a little power and some stamina over the next 6 weeks and shave a couple of seconds off
After the gym I got to the beach for a sunset body surf and had the most magical hour in the ocean. I'm very blessed to live where I do
Time Meters Pace Watts Cal/Hr S/M
7:54.0 2,500m 1:34.8 411 1713 33
0:46.6 250m 1:33.2 432 1787 33
0:46.9 250m 1:33.8 424 1759 33
0:47.3 250m 1:34.6 413 1722 33
0:47.3 250m 1:34.6 413 1722 33
0:47.6 250m 1:35.2 406 1696 33
0:47.5 250m 1:35.0 408 1704 33
0:47.6 250m 1:35.2 406 1696 34
0:47.7 250m 1:35.4 403 1687 35
0:47.8 250m 1:35.6 401 1678 34
0:47.6 250m 1:35.2 406 1696 35
only 3 hours sleep last night. I took one of my daughter's Ritalin tabs yesterday morning to help me grind through an intense day of work (it did...they're awesome) but that and the really intense training session last night that didn't finish til 8 meant I didn't sleep til 1 and I was bright awake at 4
did a very early gym session and then had an ocean swim and was done by 6.30am. Strength is always off 5% ish early in the morning but it's worth it to get the training done
5x5 Press 50kg
3x8/6 45kg Preacher Curl/16kg Hammer curl
3x8/15 45kg Skullcrusher/Close grip tricep press
2x8/8 Tricep Push Downs/Tricep Extensions
I had ritalin once during college and it felt like a cheat code to study.
I‘ve booked an adhd test. Two of my three kids have it and as I went through all the symptoms for my son I realised I have almost all of them
I really struggle to knuckle down with work because I’m so easily distracted so I’m actually really hopeful.
I trained but didn't post on Fri and Sat
Fri was a 5k warm up followed by an aborted 1k tt and then an aborted 1min tt. Absolutely disgusted with myself - jut didn't have it mentally at all
Sat was 40 mins weights and what wwas supposed to be a rest day. 5x8 DB Bench 32kg, 4x 8 DB Press 24kg, 5x8 Hammer Row 150kg
Today was day 1 of my 1k plan
8x1min 1r
this is supposed to be at 1k pace and rate but I think that's impossible for 8 reps, so it was either do 6 reps or do the 8 but at a slower pace.
I decided for the latter but via the 'French Method' where I went hardest for the first two ad last two but slowed a little in the middle 4. My thought was that this allowed the final two to be close to max efforts at race pace while fatigued
overall pretty happy, particularly after my disgraceful session the other day. I was actually surprised I managed to get sub 1.35 for the final rep. I had to rate up to get there, but it really did feel like the final 30 secs of a 1k
Time Meters Pace Watts Cal/Hr S/M
8:00.0 2,482m 1:36.6 387 1632 32
1:00.0 317m 1:34.6 413 1721 33
1:00.0 316m 1:34.9 409 1707 33
1:00.0 306m 1:38.0 371 1578 31
1:00.0 303m 1:39.0 361 1541 31
1:00.0 303m 1:39.0 361 1541 31
1:00.0 305m 1:38.3 368 1565 31
1:00.0 314m 1:35.5 401 1681 33
1:00.0 317m 1:34.6 413 1721 36
4x10 2r.
It was supposed to be alternating 18sm and 20sm abut I couldn't quite find the rhythm for 18. The final leg felt a little harder than I anticipated but this was off 4 hours sleep and a hard interval session yesterday.
(writing this the next morning and annoyingly, I appear to be coming down with a bronchial issue of some kind. rest day today anyway but hopefully I can shake this before the next scheduled row on Thurs)
Time Meters Pace Watts Cal/Hr S/M
40:00.0 9,769m 2:02.8 189 949 19
10:00.0 2,414m 2:04.2 182 927 19
10:00.0 2,478m 2:01.0 197 978 20
10:00.0 2,435m 2:03.2 187 944 19
10:00.0 2,443m 2:02.7 189 950 20
5k UT3
I came down with a strep throat infection on Monday night and was actually really quite ill for much of the week. I'm probably 90% better now, so it was important today just to do a tiny something to see if my body recovers and then hopefully I can do something more intense tomorrow.
Really frustrating timing to get ill and miss 4 days in week 1 of a 6 week 1k plan. Only silver lining is that it happened in week 1 and not week 5 or 6. Still, I've spent a few days this week wondering why I bother to aim for competitions when my body always seems to find a way to ruin it
Time Meters Pace Watts Cal/Hr S/M
22:23.1 5,009m 2:14.0 145 799 15
feeling better but not all the way back today, so did a 10k ut2. Weights tomorrow and will aim for something frisky on Tuesday
Time Meters Pace Watts Cal/Hr S/M
42:49.0 10,002m 2:08.4 165 868 17
very busy work day and just had time to snuck into the gym this evening for 30 mins after cooking the kids dinner
5x8 DB Bench 30kg ss with 5x8 Hammer Curl 16kg
4x6 Barbell Press 45kg ss with 4x8 Preacher curl 40kg
38 degrees here today so had a beautiful ocean swim after the gym
major life events happening itt
best one was I signed my 13yo son up to the gym and I'm going to teach him how to lift (and as importantly...how to behave in the gym). We went today
Press 3x5 55kg
DB Press 4x7024kg
Wide grip Pull Down 4x8-67kg
Close Grip Pull down 77kg
Seated hammer row 3x7-150kg
Preacher Curl 3x9-45kg
bad one is that I'm 98% certain I'm splitting up with my wife. She's moved out for 5 days and we are talking on Fri about what it all means. I also have a lawyer meeting on Fri.
Ironically, she moved out on our 20th wedding anniversary!
health and fitness relevance is that I've given up any plans to train for the world champs in 5 weeks time. I just don't have the headspace and I'm also currently a one parent family and running a very busy business, so I won't have the time either.
I'll be aiming to train every day still to make myself feel better but more weights sessions and probably long slow rows. Also aiming (and feel strong in the decision) to not drink alcohol for a while. Very emotional time and also very busy and I don't think booze will work well for me. Might help me lose the 4-5 kg I'd like to drop for a peak tinder entry in a few months time
So sorry to hear that, hopefully it's the best for everyone.
Well, that sucks. Sorry, man.
thanks boys and yep, it sucks. It's been very difficult for a few years and things have come to a head recently. To be honest after dreading the prospect and getting very stressed about what it will mean, the fact that it's now probably unavoidable at least means I can accept it and start making the best of it.
I have a meeting with a lawyer tomorrow to get a sense of what it'll mean from a wealth sharing and then cash flow/cost sharing pov but there's so much else that I don't know right now
DB Bench 4x7-32kg
leg extension - single leg 3x8-33kg
leg press - single leg 3x8-140kg
deadlift 3x8-90
tricep push down 3x10-35kg
slightly less successful training session with my son today. he got the bench ok but found leg press and deadlift difficult
also not ideal for my training to be doing it with him but it's a net positive. Very tempting to get him on the machines initially to get him used to the movements and make it easier for him to train on his own or with a friend - I'm not a coach and I'm not sure I've got as much time and energy to really get him up to speed...particularly with barbell lifts...as I'd like.
I'm going to keep along this path for another week and then make a call on whether to simplify it a little
early am 10k steady state today. I've had a horror week of sleep and 10k slow is all I'm good for. This felt like a triumph, despite how slow it was
Time Meters Pace Watts Cal/Hr S/M
43:19.5 10,011m 2:09.8 160 850 17
early am 10k steady state today. I've had a horror week of sleep and 10k slow is all I'm good for. This felt like a triumph, despite how slow it was
Time Meters Pace Watts Cal/Hr S/M
43:19.5 10,011m 2:09.8 160 850 17
Nice work getting a session in; hopefully the sleep isn't because of anything too serious.
Good Lord, I'm really sorry man. Whatever "the best" ends up being in this situation, I'm hoping for it.
Good Lord, I'm really sorry man. Whatever "the best" ends up being in this situation, I'm hoping for it.
Thanks.
It’s daunting but I think inevitable. I’ve been unhappy for the past 3-4 years but have held on in the plan that the wife’s mental health/alcohol addiction stuff will sort itself out and then we can see what’s left of the marriage. But now that she’s made the move I think it’s inevitable. Sad because she’s a really nice person and there’s no enmity between us. Just wasnt working particularly well, we didn’t have much in common apart from our kids and our past and I reckon the disconnect would have got bigger as the kids got older and left. Not great losing more than half your money and having to start again at 52. But better than at 57 or 61 etc
Sunday morning gym session. I'm back alternating weights and rowing and it's so much easier to recover this way...the past two rows have been steady state too, which helps.
Probably 8 days off alcohol and very clean eating helps too.
whatever the reasons, it was 7th day in succession. I'm going away on a well timed fishing trip with some good buddies on Weds night so I will train through til then and have a 4 day break. Fishing trip is badly timed from an alcohol free POV as it's inevitably going to be very boozy and I've just got myself into a good zone.
Press 4x6-50
Power Clean 3x2-85.
Bent over row 1x6-60 (this was a warm up but my lower back tweaked so I stopped)
Wide Grip pull downs 4x8-67kg
Close Grip seated row 3x9-77kg
Preacher Curl 3x10-45kg
Felt great on the erg today and I was going to do some sprints when I got both unlucky and lucky at the same time
4k warm up
Time Meters Pace Watts Cal/Hr S/M
17:06.1 4,009m 2:07.9 167 874 16
Then I was 4 reps into my 250m 1r intervals when a man at the gym tried to sit on the rower next to me but somehow tripped. He fell sideways and heavily into my side/back and knocked me off the erg onto the floor on the other side. My feet stayed strapped in and luckily I wasn't injured (it might have been a different story if he'd fallen onto my legs/knees) but his head hit the back of my erg as he went down.
He had a cut knee and quite a nasty bruise on his head and was quite clearly shaken up but didn't seem to be too badly hurt. I took 5 mins to sit with him and make sure he was OK because the gym manager didn't seem to do much. Either way, he seemed fine although a little shaky and he took himself home.
Time Meters Pace Watts Cal/Hr S/M
3:09.6 1,000m 1:34.8 411 1713 34
0:47.2 250m 1:34.4 416 1731 34
0:47.1 250m 1:34.2 419 1741 34
0:47.8 250m 1:35.6 401 1678 34
0:47.4 250m 1:34.8 411 1713 34
I thought about finishing off with some more steady state but did 1k and had lost my mojo, so gave up on the session
Time Meters Pace Watts Cal/Hr S/M
4:18.8 1,007m 2:08.5 165 867 17
very busy day, so only had time to sneak in for a 20 min bro session between my last meeting and collecting my daughter
5x8/8 Tricep Pushdown/Tricep Extensions 35/25kg
5x9 Preacher Curl 47.5kg
felt weird doing such a small session but it cleared the cobwebs (along with quick ocean dip after) and I felt a lot better for it
