Older runners
Bob Davidson, 70 years young
Running is an excellent sport for people as they get older. As we shall see, it provides significant benefits which can offset the effects of ageing. Some people take up running so that they can keep fit and trim when they no longer feel able to participate in contact sports such as football and rugby. (More than half the runners in the New York City Marathon are over forty.)
The effects of ageing
From the 30s onwards, a number of physical changes take place in the average person’s body. Aerobic capacity decreases, muscle mass reduces, muscle elasticity reduces, lung elasticity declines, bone density reduces, the metabolism slows, body fat increases and the immune system becomes weaker.
These changes will have an adverse impact on running performance. The fall in aerobic capacity, reduced stride length, reduced leg strength, and reduced ability to store energy all contribute to deterioration in performance. In general, it is thought that running speeds over any distance deteriorate by about 1% a year from a peak at some point in the 30s; and we appear to lose aerobic capacity at about 9-10% a decade.
However, older runners can continue to perform extraordinary athletic feats. Canadian athlete Ed Whitlock ran a marathon in 2:54:48 at the age of 73. Carlos Lopes set the world marathon record at the age of 38. Hal Higdon, marathon runner and writer, at the age of 52 ran a 10km in 31:08 and a marathon in 2:29:27.
“Age brings problems; it also brings solutions. For every disadvantage there is an advantage. For every measurable loss there is an immeasurable gain.”
George Sheehan
“Personal Best” 1989
The benefits of running for older people
The health benefits of running are broadly the same for older people as for everybody else. They include reductions in the risks of heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure and cancer; reduced depression and anxiety; weight control; improved bones, muscles and joints; improved mobility and coordination, and a psychological sense of well-being. What is especially important for older people is that the risk of developing these conditions grows as you get older, so the benefits of running are increased. It is especially important for older people that running can improve muscle strength, coordination and bone density, all reducing the risk of falling and fracturing bones, and so increasing the prospects for living independently.[i]
Age categories
One of the reasons for the running boom in the last twenty years has been the growing use of age categories and prizes in many running events, which has enabled older runners to compete in races and have the opportunity to compare themselves with others in their age groups.
Age grading
Another way to adjust athletes’ performances with age has come with the introduction of age-grading tables. These were developed by the World Association of Veteran Athletes, the world governing body for track and field, long distance running and race walking for veteran athletes. The tables were first published in 1989.
You can calculate your own age-grading on the Running For Fitness website and you can also calculate the times you would need to achieve for a particular age-graded threshold.
The tables work by recording the world record performance for each age (interpolated where necessary) at each distance, for men and women. For example, the world record for a 53 year old woman running a 10km is 35:41. So if a 53 year old woman finishes a 10km in 47:35, she has an age-graded performance of 75% (which is 35:41 divided by 47:35).
The use of age-grading tables has allowed older runners to compete on more even terms with younger generations. In many running clubs today, the age-graded champion earns as much, if not more, recognition as the outright (non-age adjusted) winner of the event.
Age grading can be used to compare performances across different ages and sexes; track your own performance over time; identify your best events; set goals for current and future years; and identify your best ever performance. It can also be used as a predictor of how you might perform in races, based on your age-graded performance in a race of a different distance.
How to start running as an older person
There is no such thing as someone who is too old to start running. Running helps to slow down the effects of ageing, improves the health, fitness and mobility of older people, and improves psychological health.
Anyone over the age of fifty should get a check-up by a doctor before they begin any programme of physical exercise (see Chapter 2 for other indications of when it is necessary to get an all-clear from a doctor). In older people, the doctor will be particularly checking for heart disease, diabetes and high blood pressure, to ensure that you can run safely.
Apart from getting a check‑up from a doctor, the advice for a new older runner is basically the same as for everyone else, and set out in detail in Chapter 2. The main priorities are to build up slowly, and set yourself demanding but achievable goals.
Tips for older runners
The decline in performance with age is not preordained. For example, the rate of decline of aerobic capacity can be halved to about 5% a decade, or even less, with the right training.
Here are some ways to manage the effects of ageing:
- cut back the mileage, but increase your training quality (there is nothing to stop you from continuing to do fast speed work on the track – this is how Hal Higdon continued his remarkable performances);
- take more rest days between sessions, and avoid overtraining;
- increase the variety of your aerobic training, for example by aqua-running, cycling, swimming, and skiing;
- warm up carefully before running, and stretch afterwards, to protect muscles which are less elastic and more prone to injury than they were when you were younger;
- increase your weight training, to compensate for the decline in muscle mass which you would otherwise experience.
[i] Report of the US Surgeon General Physical Activity and Health, 1996
I started running with Hastings Runners 3 years ago at 66. I did get to 23 miles per week but have dropped this to about 15 this year and still did a pb at 10km of 50.53 I think that runners World Mag should offer more articles for older runners to prevent us from asuming that the magazine is for us too! It is not. The training articles are really for younger runners and may damage older runners. Your article here for suggestions for older runners is excellent.
I use your age related site regularly and have recommended it to others thanks a lot.
I agree with your comment that the training in various runners magazines categorizes older runners as late 40′s, 50′s, I want to seen some recommendations for those of us who are 70 and 80. I’m 83 and really would like to see some guidelines for my age. It would be great to see Ed Whitlock (sp?) training schedule, he is a phenomonen
I also commend you for talking about older runners and what we need to be aware of, using a definition of older as 60+ instead of 40+. I have had to learn all of this by trial and error after starting long distance training for the first time at 63. All my well-meaning running friends and experienced trainers just have no idea about the increased need for recovery. And it is very difficult to find answers to questions about treating overuse injuries and biomechanical difficulties. Typically, the response is that at my age I shouldn’t expect to be able to run. I finally figured it all out for myself, using some good advice buried deep within various Internet postings. After several half marathons, my brother and I completed the NYC Marathon this past year, our first marathon and an absolutely unbelievable experience. Thank you for paying attention to running at this stage of life.
I am 47 years old and use to run 3-4 times per week for many years running half marathons and anywhere upto 15 miles. I had a major lower back operation in 2002 and have not managed to recapture my enthusiasm for the running game, through recovering from the operation and work comittments. However, I have recently started to get a little more exicited about starting back with my running. Do you have any advice for me.
I started running aged 54 – way back in 1986. Now, aged 78, I’m still running, still racing, still winning the odd prize in my age category after 24 years and 33,000 miles. It’s the best decision I ever made.
There ought to be a Forum for us older runners to compare notes and offer tips to each other.
I’d love to find such a forum. I restarted running 2 yrs ago at 54after decades of sloth. maybe I’m unrealistic but I’m a little discouraged at how slowly I’m improving. Heart/Lungs are not the problem; it’s leg muscles. I can cycle fairly well & push as much weight as when I was young but I can’t seem to get past 4 miles running despite a year of assorted training regimens??? It seems like a stupid question to me, but I am really stuck.
Chris,
I started running at 50, about three years ago. I do the Galloway approach, run a few minutes ( say 3-4 ) then walk one, then start the process again. This enables short periods of leg recovery. I completed two marathons this year doing this, both in the five hour time frame. Best of luck!
Chris, I took up running at over 50 and was stuck – enjoying runs up to about 5 miles. When I was off with a couple of slipped discs I read Chi Running and, picking up some of the ideas in there, I have found getting into longer distances relatively straight forward – upping the distances gradually and not changing too many things at once. I completed a 3:42 marathon this year – just – but that had me putting an extra 4 miles onto my top distance – over 10% increase – and that was hard – and broke one of the cardinal rules – increase at no more than 10%.
I have been running since i was about thirty and I am 53 now.I have noticed my times going down 6 yrs ago at age 47 i ran the 5k in about 23 mins and now I struggle to get under 28 mins.ALSO i WAS NEVER ONE FOR LONG RACES.10k is as long as i have done.I run about 5 days a week.Taking days off when my legs need a rest.Some days I do three miles and some days 5 miles.5 miles for me is about as far as I can goeven though running for 23 plus years.Legs get tired and I get really slow.I am 6ft tall and weigh about 187 lbs.I would probably be able to go farther if I weighed 160 to 165 but I dont care to be that thin.What is your wt to ht.That could be an option for you.You might try taking off ten lbs and see if that helps
I am 58, and have started running again. Found this article, and your post. Very encouraging. Keep up the good work!
It’s lovely to hear news and comments for us bus-pass runners: I’m a 65 year young runner, regularly competing in Park Run, 10km races and the odd half marathon, even wrestling with the Beachy Head Horror once a year. There aren’t quite enough of us yet – I agree with Runningfox above, and he’s obviously amazing, but he’s a bloke. Let’s hear it from the girls! Louise Schweitzer. ps. I’m almost always first in my age group for the triathlon because I’m the ONLY one in it, so winning is just a matter of hanging on. Poor marshals.
I am a newby… 65 yr old. any suggestions for my training schedule for my upcoming first 5 K on January 22, 2012?
Dec 29 is a little late to start a training schedule. But that said here is my take on your upcoming New Years day 5K:
Take saturday off – give your body a chance to recover fro whatever training you have done.
Use this race as an opportunity to have a good time out in the fresh air with like minded (crazy) people.
Do the best you can do and don’t worry about whether your training was adequate – have fun!
If you are in a 65 and older category, watch out for ones like me who aim to blow away the youngsters of 65. (I am 86 years will be 87 next month)
I started 5Ks a year ago because my metabolism was slowing down and my clothes wouldn’t fit anymore. Due to double hip replacements, it is not recommended that I do any running, so I just walk as fast as my legs will let me go. I have had a great time competing against myself. I usually come in 2nd or 3rd in women over 70 5K races. I won one age graded 5K and actually won in a 5K with the oldest category for women at over 60! I speed-walked about 90% and jogged about 10%.
When you reach my age, you get a little put off by reading articles for the “older” athletes in the 50 – 60 age range. Those are just youngsters. I’d like to see a focus on really older runners. They can start off by suggesting ways to compensate for replaced joints.
I was a county athlete in my youth, and I’ve discovered that my problem as a 57 year old trying to get back into running is that I expect too much of my creaking body. After a number of false starts, including 2 painful achilles episodes, I have now started using a treadmill, on the basis that I can control the speed, and not get carried away. I think the softer running surface helps as well. I’m surprised that even after a long layoff I can manage 45 minutes of continuous running, albeit slow, and limited by my need to be somewhere else rather than my lungs or legs giving up!
I agree with the other comments about there being very few internet resources for the older runner. We are not just slower than our younger counterparts, but have different problems to contend with.
I’m 56, and I find the tread mill to be easier on my joints than running outside, although I do miss the summer running season a bit by staying indoors. I agree, we do need to have some additional information for older runners.
Wonderful readuing your information. I’m doing Brighton marathon this April. I am 70 years old tomorrow 7th March.
Yesterdai I managed 20 miles in 3.35. But the first 12 miles was through very hilly undulating country back roads. So perhaps the time was better that the actual time of 3.35?
Can you suggest how I should now proceed with training for Hastings Half in 2 weeks time, then for the Brighton marathon please.
I would be grateful for your guidenec.
I have been training 3 times per week to avoid the dangers of over training. My weeksly mileage has therefore not been high i.e. around 20 – 25. But I’ve been doing alternate sessions i aqua running, cycling and recentl;y dumbeel to strengthe my arms.
Best wishes,
Please reply,
Don Faualkner
[...] Older runners | Running for FitnessThe effects of ageing … From the 30s onwards, a number of physical changes take place in the average person’s body. Aerobic capacity decreases, muscle mass reduces, muscle elasticity reduces, lung elasticity declines, bone density reduces, the metabolism slows, body fat increases and … The fall in aerobic capacity, [...]
I do agree that age grading in races is a great incentive for older runners. Frequently I look at the past years results when choosing a race to see if they include a V70 class or beyond, wide ranges are now help.
I started late, 3 years ago at 69 following rectum removal due to cancer. I found that I quickly got up to a respectable pace, all the way up to marathon 5:05 in the first year but then the rate of improvement slowed. However now at 72 I’m starting to see improvements in shorter events 5k 26:30 and still decreasing probably because I have moved to an area where we have a parkrun. One thing I have valued greatly is the friendliness of the bulk of runners and the respect and encouragement that younger runners have given me.
One of the best things I have ever done.
What a wonderful sport running is!
I made a decision to get my health back in order after 3 heart ablations due to irregular heart beat problems.
I took early retirement from work at the age of 55 in 2010 which gave me the opportunity to train correctly and not rush my training.
Having been an athlete of the 80’s era running sub 29’50 minutes 10k and 2 hours 16 for a marathon it was always going to be difficult to slow my training down and mix it up a bit.
When I started back I was mixing my sessions between x-trainer, weights, core strength, some yoga and walk/jog sessions. This helped build my muscle strength and get my flexibility back and loose some weight.
I did this for about 3 months from January 2011 to April, in April I started running without walking and after about 4 weeks I ran one of the park run events recording a time of 21’13. This gave me the motivation to increase my workload and add one track session in a week. 3 weeks later I ran the Park Run again and this time recorded a time of 20’20.
I’m very hopeful and my training suggest that I will go well under 20 minutes for 5k, I know that even at the age of 55 I can still record good times below 19 minutes and possibly 18 minutes. That’s the challenge. I know I will try my hardest to get there, even if I don’t, I will be great fun trying and it keeps me healthy.
The most important thing us older runners can do is to listen to our bodies, take more recovery, warm up well before sessions and stretch after. Do not ignore doing weights and core strength work using your own body as resistance. By this I mean doing lateral plank and normal plank, press ups and sit ups. Your diet is very important drop the junk food or grazing foods, always think of the healthy option. I don’t want to be a bore but reduce your alcohol intake or stop drinking completely. I know my body does not tolerate alcohol, it never used to and there is no reason to believe it can handle it now.
Happy running!
I am 53, I run 115km per week and hope to run very close to 34min for 10km, in April 2012. If you believe you can still run quick, you will.
Hello,
I’m 68 years old, started running last November and slowly andas per the last week I run 12 miles in 2.40. Question! There is an upcoming rice event coming up on 12/3/11 “Run at the Rock”; which event (the 7 mile or the 14 mile) should be most appropriate as my first rice?
Sincerely
Thank for your feedback
I am 71 years young and have been running since age 45 . I’ve completed 28 marathons including 10 Boston Marathons. At age 65 my best 1/2 marathon was 1:49. Yesterday I finished a 1/2 marathon in 2:44. I am definitely not satisfied with that time(I walked a lot) and am determined to pick up my training. Any suggestions for a training plan for my age? Has anyone tried Run Less Run Faster? I would appreciate some feedback. Thank you so much.
I have read the book “Run Less Run Faster”. As a person / runner who has run college cross country and road races for years, and has had several coaches, I found the books training workouts / methods (“3 plus 2″ program) useful and it does work for me. Not only are the workouts workable and I can see progress. The book also gave me a sense of its okay to do whatever I can do and its okay. The book refreshed my passion for running again. You can modify the workouts to fit your needs. I recommend this book to anyone who wants or needs to run but cant do high mileage or doesn’t have the time to train like they “use” to.
Yikes we all sound so old! I enjoy running because it is still something I can do…having said that I just started ramping up the least 2 months with the goal of finsihing the http://www.peterboroughymca.org/marathon/ at the end of February. I feel very luky to still be able to run and truly believe that the whole idea of preparing for retirement fanancially is pintless if you don’t prepare for it physically…sadly too many people take care of the money but forget to take care of themselves – bravo to all oy uold runners – money without heath is nothing – health without money is actualy doable.
Amen Mark Henry.
I am 62 and have been running since I was in my late 20′s. I have never been speedy, but now find myself extremely slow. I have been running longer distances the past 3 years, have run 10 half marathons and one full. Finished my last half in 2:58, so I am slow, but no matter what I do I cannot seem to get the pace up much. I need to resign myself to this fact, but I have been posting on an Over 40 forum in Runners World, which I love, but I am beginning to feel very inadequate as they are running much faster and longer distances than I, as most of them are in their 40′s and early 50′s. One positive, I am starting to win AG awards, as I am the only one in my AG!!!
Ginny
At the age of 65 I just started running – 4 months ago. Having a long history of moderate weight training, I recently decided to jog/run to help lose a bit of weight around my waist. Quickly got hooked and now having trouble holding back on my intensity. I have been following Higdon and Galloways new/intermediate runners charts.
I notice my heart rate is almost always around 150 – 165 which is at the peak of my age group, as I understand it. I was very disappointed yesterday, when I got extremely tired at about 10 mile mark and had to walk a lot to finish, ending with a time of 2:41:59.
My goal was to run a HM distance to see how I might do in an upcoming HM race. Boy, those charts which are supposed to predict various race times when correlating other race times are sure off! Guess they are not for us older guys. My thoughts about maybe doing a full marathon next year went out the window after that rude wake up.
Then I read these comments by you guys and I realize I may just be expecting too much of myself and I might have gotten too caught up in my “performance” expectations. I certainly wasn’t doing much age factoring in my projections. So, now I’m thinking I’ll just keep plugging along and do the best I can at my comparative advanced age. Thanks guys, I am glad I found this forum.
Vic
I,m 67 and have only run as a youngster playing hockey! Have now decided to have a go as I feel I need to keep moving, even though I walk every day with my dog and I still work. Any tips and do’s and dont’s would be useful
Babs
Vic, Yes I have just lowered my expectations these days. If I run too hard I get a lot of aches and pains (which didn’t happen in my younger years). I try not to get too discouraged because at least I am still out there running and competing within my age group! I want so much to run a half in 2:45, but I am thinking it is not in the cards for me. I didn’t even start running long distances until age 58. Not the best age to start increasing mileage and expecting a faster pace.
Ginny
I have just found this website and am happy to see comments from women over 65 who continue to run. I am 67 and ran a lot in my 30s,less in my 40s and even less in my 50s. I came back to running about 3 years ago and am chagrined by how much slower I am. There aren’t any women in my age range that I can find to train with. I was up to 20 miles a week and have recently dipped back to 10 because of an unrelated injury. I also strength train twice a week and do Pilates once a week. I continue to work full-time. I love running and hope to do it for decades, but it would be great to hear about other women’s experiences.
Hello Katherine – You came back to running at age 64, which is considered close to “retirement age”. So you are definitely in the seniors category. However, it looks like you did some running all along. My activity profile was more like Wayne’s – did some hiking, trained Border Collie sheep dogs, and puttered around in the garden, but never did any program of fitness. Way back in High School and College, played on all sport activities. I did a lot of recreational bicycling trips, but never competitively, no training. However I’ve always enjoyed being challenged.
Fast forward to last year (at age 86) when a year’s worth of adjustments to my eating habits didn’t take off a single pound, I decided I needed to move more. I discovered this great ap for my smart phone that uses a GPS to track my distance and time. I could compete against myself on a walk around my neighborhood. I posted a couple of the results from the ap onto Facebook where a friend saw them and encouraged me to do a 5K run/walk. I came in third in the Over 70 woman’s catagory, and now I’m hooked.
I don’t grumble about how slow I’ve become – maybe its because I don’t have a record that I need to live up to. I just look at my first 5 K event where I just barely came in under an hour, and compare that with my New Years 5 K run where I came in at 46:33 and celebrate my improvement.
I look forward to maybe doing a 10 K later this year. But I will be realistic about how doable that will be. In which case I’ll stick with blowing away the 70 year old competition as that is the highest age group in most of the local races. Due to the artificial hip joints, I do mainly speed walking, with less than 10% jogging.
I try to get in two or three tours of my neighborhood each week. I don’t have a training partner, but use that GPS ap to give me feedback on how I’m doing on this 3 1/2 mile neighborhood route, which includes a good mile and a half of gradual uphill.
I found this site while searching for “average” or “typical” times for a 58 year old male beginning runner. This type of data is nearly impossible to find. So here are some specific statistics for me.
I am 58, male,6 foot. I have never been running since I graduated from high school, 1971. In 2009 I weighed 220. I dropped that to 182 recently, but I am back up to 197. I was probably 190 when I walked the race.
I do some backpacking, one or two trips a year, usually 20 miles round trip with a 40 pound pack, starting uphill at 8,000 feet elevation. I do normal maintenance around the house. Otherwise I do not get any exercise at all.
I would not say that I am a couch potato, but pretty close.
I did my only race last fall. I did the 10k walk/run, which finished on home plate at AT&T park in San Francisco.
My time was 1 hour 25 minutes. I would have been able to have a conversation at my pace. As far as I can tell, my pace was consistent the entire time and I am pretty sure I could have held that pace for twice that distance before my legs would begin to ache.
I was wearing mid height back packing boots, jeans, and a T shirt. I drank no water during my walk.
I walked the entire time. So my brisk walking pace is about 4 mph.
My 30 year old daughter, at 5 foot 4, had to jog most of the time to keep up with me. She was out of breath so she gave up. She goes to the gym once a week.
Recently, I tried alternating between jogging and walking and it slowed me down. I was so out of breath from the jogging.
I found it very interesting to be walking past some of the joggers in the race.
From my limited research, a 10k in 1:25 is not bad for a 58 year old beginner.
Theoretically, if I could hold that pace, I could walk a half marathon in about 3 hours. It is tempting to try walking a half marathon, just to see what my pace would be. I might go over to the local high school one of these days to find out.
I have to add that I walk at lunch time at least twice a week. In my business casual clothes and dress shoes I consistently cover 2.07 miles in 35 minutes.
I thought about taking up running and entering some other events, but, due to time constraints, other than my noon walk, I can only take the time to do “training” level running 3 times a month. I doubt that would have much of a change.
Congrats to all of us! The older the better!
I am only 63 and started running about 8 years ago after decades of only swimming.
I did my first full marathon this year (an embarrassing 5:04) and LOVE to run.
I am in the midst of training for my second one in two months and enjoy the challenge.
I find it helps tremendously to run with others – outdoors. I find myself running much faster than I think capable and coping better than i thought possible.
What we might lack in muscle, we gain in determination. It is now or never!
I listen to the creaks in my bones every morning and say ” yes, I know, but not today”. We will have plenty of time for rest “tomorrow”. Somewhere around the 6th kilometer, the creaks disappear.
Go Baby Boomers Go!
Thank you Phyllis.
I enjoyed hearing about your excitement about your relatively new road work! Amazing. What is the ap called on your smart phone? Does it give you anything besides distance? Is it Google maps? I am not as interested in races at this time. I would like to increase my distance in a sane way – like 1 mile a week. I enjoy running in the cold weather. I feel like I can breathe deeper. It is just encouraging to see that other senior women are out there.
The smart phone ap is called Cardio Trainer. It tracks your route on a map and shows the time splits every mile. While you are running it shows a read out with Time, Distance, Calories, and Pace. There is another page where you can review you stats that also includes the number of steps taken and total climb. Another page has a graph of your speed over the time of your run. This is sort of useful in letting you see if you have been keeping a consistent pace. After you finish your run and save the information there is a display of your history where you can compare your various workouts.
I like to hold the cell phone in my hand as I’m going so I can check to see my pace. I don’t pay any attention to the calories as that is an estimate based on your input of weight and the GPS data about distance and total climb. I think that if you exercise, the calories will take care of themselves.
At the time I downloaded (uploaded?) mine, CardioTrainer was only available on Android phones, but they indicated they were working on making it available on iPhones.
Right now I’m stuck inside waiting for a repair man to come and get my washer door to unlock. It rained a little last night and today is a nice brisk, cloudy day – idea for working up a nice sweat. – Just one of life’s smaller frustrations.
I am inspired by every person who has commented on this thread. I am only 47, but was told by an orthopedic doctor, who I saw for knee pain that keeps developing whenever I try to get back into running, that I should find another way to stay fit. He said that “old people aren’t meant to run.” He actually said something like I should go to a marathon and see how few seniors are participating. My 50 year-old husband was told the same thing by another ortho doc.
I ran a couple of slow marathons, and a dozen or so halfs in my early 40s. I want to get back to it. I don’t care about time. My father ran fast marathons and tris into his 60s and is getting back into it in his mid 70s.
IMy point here is that there are medical doctors out there trying to dissuade wanna-be senior runners. I would like to see where these docs are getting their information. What are the real facts about running and age?
I had to do a little educating of my orthopedist a couple of years ago. I wanted to find out why my mew hips ached so much. His response was, “Oh, you’re doing fine. You should see how some of my other patients your age are doing.”
That made me so mad. I informed him that I was NOT one of his other patients of my age. He lists himself as a sports physician and I expect him to treat me as one of his sports patients, not one of his geriatric patients. We now have a better relationship.
Like false teeth or new lenses to treat cataracts, artificial joints are not perfect substitutes for “original factory equipment”. And if they wear out, there is a limited number of times that they can be redone. So I have heeded the advise not to do too much running. I find that about 10% running in a 5K event, plus my super speed walking,will bring me in at the top of the Women over 70 age group.
So those of you who are noticing knee or other body problems that take longer to heal – take time to make sure they are sound before subjecting them to the stress of going full tilt. Make your body hold up as long as possible.. Some day you might have to modify your style or your expectations, but keep challenging yourself. Remember that at the age of this group age, we are elite athletes.
Phyllis, I like the term “elite athletes”! I have been getting a little down on myself the past couple of years because I run so darn slowly, but at age 62 I am still out there and planning on doing a few half marathons this season also.
As to the other poster about how many of us are there out there? There are quite a few still in the larger half marathons that I run in the age group 60-64, I have been placing in the upper third, so I guess I should feel pretty good. I have been experiencing some hip pain lately though, so I need to get that checked out, hope it is nothing serious.
Ginny
How long have you been running Ginny Bess?
I am also running a lot slower than my earlier years and it really helps to know there are others out there finding this to be true. Keep up the training though. You inspire me to run farther.
Katherine
I have been running about 35 years. I never did longer distances until the last 4 years. I have done 10 half marathons now and 1 marathon.
Well, I did finish my half marathon. According to those calculators that give an estimate on other races when you plug in numbers or races you have done, I should have run a Half Marathon in 2:15. My actual time was 02:21:28 and I think that’s okay, since I just started running last September.
As Mike posted earlier, what we lack in muscle we gain in determination . I will continue to run and hope to be able to improve on that time.
“GO GEEZERS!”
Oh my gosh, I think that is a great time! The fastest I have run a half is 2:54, but I was never very speedy, I have no allusions as to doing any better than that in the future. Good job!
ginny
Hi All,
I have just discovered this site; it is a great resource for us older runners, whether new to the sport or old hands.
I am 70 years old and have been a runner since age 15, so I have a lot of miles on my bones, at least 65,000 by my count.
No serious injuries so far and still able to run every day, logging about 2000 miles a year.
I am very interested in hearing how other runners of a similar age are doing; what kind of training you are doing; enthusiasm for racing etc.
I will follow this site and hope to hear opinions from all sides.
Thanks Ginny, for the nice words, and Ron that’s great on your long time running!
It seems many of us are looking for like minded runners and especially “older” runners. Well, I just found a great website that I joined a few weeks ago. They have all kinds of support and advice for runners and athletes of all ages.
They were all so supportive when I did my recent Half Marathon, I felt like a rock star. Seems they love us geezers. LOL.
Anyway, it’s http://www.sparkpeople.com if you are interested. my name is BOILHAM on that blog. You can see my blog about my HM if you are interested, or just go there and visit without joining. If you join, ask me to be a “friend”. Regards, Vic
Great string for a novice 60 something runner like myself. I started on a treadmill 3 months ago and couldn’t run 1/2 mile despite endlessly hiking in the hills. Running is just different than walking! But I slowly got hooked and found the distances got easier and easier. Now with 3 miles getting easier Both on the treadmill and outside am hoping to run a slow half marathon in may and am going to stretch the mileage each week. Any words of advice would be great.
Richard,
Your ambition to run the 1/2Marathon is most commendable; and is doable if things go exactly as planned.
If your race is at the end of May you have at most 13 weeks to prepare. You need to get your once a week long run up to a minimum of 11 miles by at least 2 weeks before the race.
Week 1 3mls
2 4
3 4
4 5
5 5
6 7
7 7
8 9
9 9
10 10
11 11
12 9
13 1/2M
If this is possible for you, then the 1/2M can be achieved.
If not, then you should plan for a 1/2M some 1 to 2 months later in the year.
Let us know how you feel about this plan
RonA
Good for you! I ran my first marathon 2 weeks before my 60th birthday!
Only advice I have is don’t try to increase mileage too quickly. A 1/2 marathon in May might be a bit ambitious, but if you don’t overdo you can do it! Are you following a training plan for the half marathon? It is a good idea to do that. I followed a plan on runnersworld.com for my halfs and my full…it is free. Good luck.
Ginny