Elitetrack: Sport Training & Conditioning

Just wondering - I read that as a master's track athlete your times/distances should improve for the first 3 years.  Due to improvement in fitness, technique and the body getting use to running at speed, at that time father time begins to slow you down. Of course this is dependent upon training level/comitment and your initial level of fitness.
I'm 42 and started back in 2000. Last summer was the first year I trained seriously.  My 100m time went from 12.04 to 11.69 and 200m went from 25.33 to 23.90.  This indoor season my indoor 55m and 60m times were off about .05(55m) and .10 (60M).  I tried some new training protocols which were less than productive. (power and heavier weight training, as a former bodybuilding mass became a problem)
I was wondering what other master's guys have experienced. You always want to get faster/jump farther.  Getting slower is tough to take…:?::?:

i started too at 42, my first year was spectacular, i did so much endurance, lots of long distances in winter and a Lydiart approch, athought it was to heavy to combine with my job.I have done 3 seasons, but my first year was the best. with no coach, you are running like a blind i did 11.9/100m - 24.4/200 - 37.6/300 - 53.2 /400m - 2.02/800m -2.40/1000m - 4.26 /1500m - 9.45 /3 k - 10 miles 60' exact. Strange is that i couln't improve anymore. Now i am 56 and starting again for a few seasons of competition. I have gone a long way, my first meet was 42.34 on a 300m. I hope to improve this time to 40.9 our national record for 55-60 y's i have so much to learn about drills, i see A and B drills, and i dont know were you talk about. I have asked on our clubtrainers, and they dont know , some good picture's or video would be nice.

was wondering what other master's guys have experienced. You always want to get faster/jump farther.  Getting slower is tough to take…:?::?:

Getting slower as a Master's sprinter is tough to take, I'm 61 now, last year ran sub 60 at 60 for the 400m, 5 years ago I was ranked #1 in the US for the 55m, now my short sprint times are slower and am having a hard time breaking 60 although I train year round with intermittant breaks, as Master's I believe you have to stay on top of it, planned layoffs are good, but I've seen too many Masters kick back for a year or so, do nothing, come back and they are never the same, the advice you receive from Mike and others is great, just modify it and include REST in your program, best of luck.