So very sorry to hear this. I can’t imagine what you went through to find your way back, but thank God you are doing something crucial to help yourself. Godspeed.
I'm a 60 year old female runner and I have to constantly make some of these adjustments. I've certainly had to make my warmups a little longer with dynamic stretching a great part of it. I have to make sure I also include walking some days when I'm not up to running. Running is still very satisfying for me and I'm hoping to run for another 20, 25, or 30 years.
I feel you. I will turn 68 next month. Ran first Marathon at 54. At 59 did first triathlon. At 60 completed an Iron Man. Still running swimming and biking. Try to do3 runs 3 rides and 3 swims a week. Don't warm up and cool down like I should don't do strength training as much as I should. Running slower is really easy. It just happens.
@@laswa1926 Sort of, but also not really. Most pro marathoners peak in their 30's due to our better understanding of nutrition, training, and recovery. Similar to how many recreational runners can run very well into their 40's and 50's sometimes. The fact that Kipchoge ran his WR at 34 only demonstrates my point: "older" is a spectrum that begins in your 30's as soon as you've peaked. Kipchoge could have already peaked and if not, will in the next few years.
I kept yelling SHUT UP at the screen, but everything you said was true. LOL Sadly I spent my 20's and 30's feeling like a has-been, comparing myself to my very fast teen years. Now in my early 40's, I threw in the towel on speed and switched to ultra running. Taking a walk break to eat a burrito? SURE! LOL Slowing down has helped me so much in running more often and longer with no soreness or injury, compared to when I ran shorter distances. Now every long run is a PR, every race is an adventure, and running has become exciting to me again.
Definitely yes to longer warmups. Your body will demand it, lol (59, female, trail runner). Also yes to strength training, which really helps prevent injury and keep me mobile and agile. I have actually strength trained (heavy, powerlifting, even) for years and I can really feel the benefits. Also, as an older runner, I find you don't need to stress too much about miles and missed days as the base is so strong (and mentally we are strong). But not fast, I was never fast and now I am so slow, but it is just a number, like age, so who cares.
Thanks for this! At 59.5--and 18 Months after finishing Chemotherapy--I set a lifetime Marathon PR (3:32). I agree with everything in this video! And I would add: 1) Keep your hips and calves flexible. You may not have to stretch before running, but stretch a lot during day. 2) Make sure you take at least one day/week off--two days/week off is better. 3) It's still OK to run very hard--just do it before rest days. 4) Do all the leg strengthening exercises everyone says--especially before those days off! 5) I'm a giant fan of slow running on 10-15% hills ON MY TREADMILL. Seems to stretch out calves, adds lots of strength--and I don't have to hurt my knees running downhill.
Nicely played Dan! Congrats on surviving cancer! I'm also 59 (in 3wks), and survived a wicked case of cancer in 2014. Walked out of the chemo lab for the final time, on my 52nd birthday, mid-Aug. A year later, ran my first R2R at the Grand Canyon, with my 15yr old daughter. We ran 5 in a row, and I've run 3 more solo in the last 2 years, and 4 Rim2Rivers in 2yrs. My daughter and I are heading for another R2R, in 3 weeks.
This is interesting to me, as I am 62 and just completed a speed workout with people half my age (training for a May Half and hopefully Boston in October). So far, running still feels good, I don’t have any aches or pains, and am almost always eager to head out.
Workout pacing is also relative to baseline fitness, talent, and genetics. Also running harder workouts will be great and awesome, but if a minor setback rears its head the recovery time is where age come into play...Keep up the hard work, and stay healthy!
Now I’m getting older, I’ve realised I’m not going to get away with not warming up, and cooling down anymore, and have noticed the importance of running specific strength training and dynamic warm ups and cool downs that have improved my running, and will hopefully continue to reduce the injuries I tend to pick up. With maturity, not age 😬, it’s also important to accept the type of runner you are. I’ve accepted I’m not a fast runner, I think I’ve caused myself a lot of injury in the past with this obsession for speed, when I just don’t appear to be geared for it. Will it stop me from trying to shave time off my marathon times, of course not, the challenge is healthy, but I won’t let it become the focus of my training, which has always ended in an injury often costing me many weeks of hard earned training gains. Think I’ll end up just enjoying the runs. However, I’ve started to be attracted to the longer runs, that I could get into a plod to complete, currently interested in 50k and 100k challenges, just have to convince my body 🤔😂
At 55, I had to find a younger Saturday group years ago. Thank the running innovators for Hoka One One shoes, dirt trails, my massage gun, advil, and post run protein shakes (Endurox chocolate with cashew milk and a little Hershey's syrup)! Keep the pounding to a minimum and strength train twice a week (no exceptions). Get over the fact that you will never run the miles or as fast as you did in your 20's. Here's a tip- purposely make the first mile or two slow, and purposely make the last mile slow. The middle miles will feel great. Then get home and hydrate and plan for tomorrow. Thanks for the video!
I am 78 will be running Nashville rock 'n' roll half marathon this weekend estimated time 2:35. then switching to senior Olympics, 10 K 5K and track events. my first marathon when I was 39. so I will have been running and training for 40 years.🏃🏼♂️🏃🏼♂️
I'm 4 months into my return to running at age 60 after 15 years off, just 5K daily, literally, no days off, through the Summer in the South in the U.S. (major heat & humidity). Diet's the biggest adjustment required in my opinion, due to biology I suggest eating 2 grams of protein/day/lb of weight which is about 1 gram of protein/1 kg - to promote recovery of all the micro tears, etc. I achieve this with Protein shakes. I also use massage rollers on my legs. Every body is different, one size does not fit all and you have to know your body - my body recovers nicely at age 60 in 24 hours after keeping it only at 5K - if I fortify my body nutritionally.
A guy in my country won the national marathon at 43 in 2.15. His motto is age is just a number, he is now 46 and running just as quickly. Another man from my country aged 60 clocked 1.11 for the half marathon and set the world record for the marathon for over 60s at 2.30. I know these men are talented but both have undergone health problems along the way. But a positive attitude and all the common sense mentioned in this video should help keep most ordinary runners going well into the 60s or more if thats what you want.
Sound advice. BUT: there is also the theory that you have to keep challenging your body to prevent (or at least slow down) the physical and mental aging process. The theory says that being more careful as we age, causes our body to structurally wind down. It's a vicious circle, and the effect can be reduced by continuing to give our body challenging signals such as strength training and HIIT. Nevertheless, I totally agree with your advice to be sensible about it - we're not 25 forever :-)
At 50, I run more now than I did when I was in my 30's BUT I do listen to my body more. I also do a lot more Z1/Z2. I run 6 days a week and only do two hard runs. I rotate through a hill/interval/tempo run that I do once a week and I do a long run. Other than that, it's easier runs. I miss smashing tempo type runs a couple of times a week but I really can't handle that anymore.
Timely I found your video. This morning, I started to run again at the age of 45, I started "reaaally sloooow". I finished 5kms in 45 mins and I honestly felt exhausted. My knees feel sore and my lungs are burning. LOL! Great tips.
Hummm my mileage has been doing ok....just short of 2500 every year and I do run daily, no days off..... I'm 51 but I exercise my heart as I run so I've slowed down on my pace non of the 5/6/7 minute miles.... don't want to push a heart attack in my 50's - but I'm still fine increasing my weekly distances (unless it snows) - maff method helped me
Hello and thank you for these infos, i am 50 yo and i just got my PB in HM last week 1h28’ and i m running 120km+/wk i do 2Q sess + Lrun weekly>20km including HM and M pace , i am 175cm and weigh 77-78kg in race days. I feel like nothing can stop me from running workouts, i run since more than 15 years, my recent 2 M(11:50)and 5k (18:58).as 15 years ago
Some - though definitely not all - of this is very relative though. I'm firmly moving through my 40s, yet now running more miles than ever before, running more workouts than ever before. But how much of that is because I had other things in life until now, and never reached either peak performance or peak training. The theory is sound, but there needs to be a caveat that so few runners get anywhere near our true capability.
You are correct. Late 40’s here... and running more and faster than in my 30’s. Also i’ve been a runner since high school. This is mostly due to life/family obligations that are less now... so I have more time. There are some famous older runners (e.g. Gene Dykes highlighted in online articles) got faster as they approached 70. So I would say “it depends” and maybe these folks are outliers statistically. I’ll just be happy to hobble along outside as long as I can :).
Right, there's still a lot of potential in your 40's especially with how advanced our knowledge is of training and recovery at this point (it's not the 70's anymore...). Considerations should be made in your Master's years, but this advice is on a sliding scale depending on your ability and age.
I started running when I am 42;yr old. 3 years later, I am at much fitter than I ever been. A training partner of mine at age 72 yr old told me that he can't feel any difference. He even bench very heavy weights. It's consistency that counts.
59 in a couple weeks. Still trail running year round. Currently training for another R2R at the Grand Canyon (mid-Aug), with my 22yr old daughter. We ran 5 in a row, starting when she was 15, a year after I walked out of a chemo lab for the last time in 2014. I've run 3 solo in the last 2 years. I've run 4 Rim2Rivers in 2 yrs. I still don't warm up or cool down after. I start slow, and at about a mile, pick it up. I don't run high volume, but when I go out, it's for 2-3hrs at a time, on the local mountain trails. I switched to Vibram FiveFingers in July 2012 after injuring my left knee in '97, heel strike running in a pair of thick, raised heel, traditional running shoes. Could no longer run at all after that. Put the FF's on, ran 7-1/2mi on the mountain, 27mi total that first week (after not running since '97) and have been in the FF's ever since. Added mountain biking as cross-training, 2yrs ago, could not believe how difficult it was, heart/lung/leg wise, to pedal a darn bike on the same trails that I run!!! (It's also impressive how much hand, arm, shoulder, back, and core it takes) It's an amazing, impact free, beat down, and in a couple weeks, my trail running ability was completely transformed. As my skill improved on the mtb, I rode faster and more aggressively, and moved on to a much more capable bike, that I will die trying to out-ride. It's an absolute blast. I built a bike for my daughter a few weeks ago, and on our first ride, like me, she couldn't believe how wrecked she was. I'm planning to continue the fun, both in trail running, and mtb, for a long time, and I'm really enjoying still running with my daughter. PSA: for anyone who hasn't tried Cryotherapy, I highly recommend it!
Warm up and recovery are the biggest things I have noticed as I turn 37 again and again and again. Dynamic warm up and easy running before the group run are key.
I would say that grouprunning should be avoided at all cost. Here in scandinavia all groups cost u money, only run hill intervals and have a no pain no gain, vo2 max mentality from crosstraining and weird gymanerobic group sessions. At the same time whe have yhe most beautiful forests comparable to bc canada (in climate, not as mountanious). Noone runs these. All these groups, including orienteering which is really big r vlueless about aerobic training, overtraining, injuries. Our biggest sports chains dont even sell trail running shoes. Running alone, especially trail running, is something that is always better for mind and body - to be performed alone. No traffic, no music, no yelling, no pushing too hard. But hey. That us just me. On my drive hone frim all of these nature reservates i see shitloads of runners comin on asphalt - all out of breath. I Walk hills, jog down - often use carbon sticks (running poles) and try to focus on effort not pace. Lessons important for all, but even more so for over 40 runners. Dont ever listen to group leaders, join crosstraining groups. All research points to that they attract injuries, in the end people cant stand the yelling and vo2 nax training. Most people leave within 6 months. Maybe these groups work better in the states?
Hi, thanks for the advice. Now that I'm 60 I know I need the days off. Been strength training for years which has kept me strong. I do have a question. One of my workouts is to ride my bike for 9-10 miles then do a 2-3 mile run. This really keeps the pounding off of my body. Could I call this my long run? Thank you.
Faster at 46 than I was at 26 completing between 70 and 85 mile weeks when at peak marathon training. Stopped all dairy products, stopped all meat consumption, stopped alcohol, added much more fruits drink more water eat big portions. Deffo warm up before ALL runs.
I’m 53, been running since i was 12. Training for marathon #4. Nutrition, hydration, and rest. Be willing to scrap a race and run the next one for an injury, and run for time not ‘mileage’
I really enjoy your videos very much, thank you for your time. I’m puzzled because I’m 62 years old and I can still put around 50 miles per week. My long run (on Sundays) is around 16 miles and I try to do a one hour tempo on Tuesdays and some fartlek on Thursdays, the rest is just easy running and Saturdays is my day off (Shabbat). I feel well but shall I still cut down because of my age? I’m not training for any race because of the pandemic, this is just base training.
I find the first mile or two has to be very steady, but it's not until 5-6 where I can really open up. Also manage your expectations, it's too easy to be disappointed when you're not as fast as you thought. In the morning I have to pull big pallets of trays, this is a good 30 minutes of hard work on the legs. I did wonder how I always felt strong in my runs.
I’m sorry 38 39 🤔 not sure I’m understanding? I started running in my 50’s ten years ago there’s people in their mid 60’s that are crazy fast. I’m wondering what’s their secret and I can still move.
About to turn 50. Running 5 or 6 days a week. 1 x long run, 3 steady, 1 or 2 easy, 1 x intervals. Just started a bit of cross training now that the gyms and pools are open.
Agree with most....muscle and the slowing down part but my mileage has increased however maybe it is not super quality but I am not into racing as much and just want to continue to keep moving with fitness/good health.
Yes stretching & warm ups are vital! Heard and felt a pop in my knee 3 weeks ago! My knees were very tight from operating heavy duty equipment 12hrs a day. Didn’t stretch and it cost me😌
Hi! I have a question about indoor cycling for cross training. Is heart rate for an easy run comparable to cycling? So if I were to replace an easy run with cycling can I use my easy run HR to guide my effort on the bike? Thanks!
I just turned 60, I have been a competitive runner since I was 21. The last couple of years have been nothing but injuries, now wanting to compete again in my new age group, it has been a challenge to test and listen to my body. I never know what is enough, or when it’s too much as far as running days per week...Currently running 4 days, with at least one X Training day..
I'm 65 and still love running. I am using my bike on a smart trainer to supplement my training. I can pick the workout to complement what I'm focusing on in my training. Right now I'm working on aerobic fitness so it normally a low heart rate workout, closer to race training it may be HIIT workouts.
Thank you for this; as a 45 year old trying to take my running more seriously this was very useful. However, I have a question: I run once a week with my dad who is 75 this year. He likes to run on fairly hilly trails and I worry that he pushes too hard. He is very stubborn! Is there anything else in addition to the points in this video that are applicable to much older runners?
I’m 73 and have been visiting running again some I turned 70 by using the Jeff Galloway run/walk method and it’s been working for me. Run a sub 28 min 5k so far with a hilly (central Pennsylvania) Long run, shorter easier run and one interval workout (4x800).
Nearly 59 and had so many aches and pains lately, prolly some osteoarthritis, been off running and lifting focusing on yoga but about to drag myself off the futon today and into these streets lol
Thanks I do a lot of the suggestions. However, at 55 and at the late stages of peri menopause I am getting sore hips quite a lot still. I do physio and strength work but they still flare up. I am interested in whether this could settle post menopause if any other senior female runners have gone through this too. I have good flexibility in the area BTW so its not stiffness.
Can do. I restarted at 71 after a 50 year break, three half marathons done now two years later. There's not much advice for late starters, but one thing for sure, you'll be getting a string of PB's at an age when others are long past that motivation.
47 here only picked up running 2 years ago. I am still gradually increasing mileage. So not everything in the video goes for late starters I guess. There is not that much information for late starters who want to take it up a notch I’m afraid. So true to implement strength training but strangely it is a lot easier to prepare mentally for a + 2 hr run then a 20 min strength training How could you make strength training more fun?.
I'm 56 this may. Started running last spring with a cookie cutter plan to get off the couch . Finding programs to help an older person to perform better is almost impossible unless you got time and money to invest in a coach. So I just take it slow and challenge myself, when I feel like it, and keep it fun. I work 12 hour nightshifts that chang every week and that makes following any plan even harder. But I was able to complete the MCM Historic Half last may(2 months after starting running), The Marine Corp Marathon and the MCM 50k, both in October (all virtual of course). I think each person has their limits and it's up to each individual to find their own. I figured out simply by walking down steps that I'm losing muscle that I need just for every day functions and therefore need to incorporate strength training. Figuring out when, how and how much, well that's been the problem.
hey Jason, what do you think about strength training using resistance bands? I have found some supposedly with a strength of 35, 45, 60kgs. My wife and I have a more or less nomadic life so going for gym memberships sometimes is not worth it... do you believe those would be enough for deadlifting, squatings (I have seen some videos on how to use them for both)? I am 34, so I guess near your age hehe!
Resistance bands are fine if that's all you can do but it leaves a lot to be desired. I recommend strengthrunning.com/hpl/ since it actually prioritizes strength and power (rather than just strength).
Mid to late 30s, I can't even remember what it was like to be that young. Watch the video about Gene Dykes, he's the wr holder of the M70 marathon, he will challenge this notion about running less and strength training.
Jason, a small question - I am close to 52. I am currently able to run 30 km running alone in 3 hrs 10 minutes once a week . However after that I really feel almost drained out (in terms of muscle fatigue, not out of breath). Earlier this feeling used to come at 25 km and I would hit the wall at 30 km in competitions and be forced to walk. Does this mean I could now attempt a 4 hr marathon in a competition? I have been running halfs consistently at 100-105 minutes in competitions. However because of that wall I have been finishing a full in 4:45 ish times, whereas every one on hearing my half times tells me a 3 and a half hour finish should be doable for me. It makes me feel very frustrated, with the only consolation being maybe I share at least one thing with Zersenay Tadese :( .
I’m 37. I’ve found if I do a long run easy or a Long easy with an effort in the middle, I seem to overheat badly and when I get back end up feeling nausea and shivery for hours after when I get back. Is this an age thing or more carbs or electrolytes/dehydration? The pace is definitely easy and I can keep the heart rate zone 2 if it’s a shorter one at that pace.
do you eat sugar after your long run? Even a McDonald's stop after my long run can send my blood sugar levels through the roof. Some people become more sensitive to blood sugar as they age, and a long run can exacerbate it. But, I'm no doctor, good luck.
@@bernardo_xc7248 I just try to hydrate when I get back with water and some electrolytes. I try to eat something like whole meal bread as well but not always. No sugar that I can think of.
@@thomasmarkowicz3909 No, that doesn't sound like the blood sugar issues I have experienced. And, it sounds like you are hydrating properly. Maybe keep a log with how severe these episodes are, hopefully that will help eliminate possible causes. Then when you see your doctor, you will have some data. Again, good luck!
"Late 30's".... well, if you're like me (age 37, 38 in July), I'm closer to 40 than 30. My kids also remind me that I'm closer to 70 than 0. Haha! All that said, I feel that I'm a faster runner than ever before and I feel that I still have capacity to run even faster (e.g. 5K) and farther (ultra runs). Biggest thing that I've noticed is that it takes just a little longer to recover from hard workouts/higher mileage days and weeks. Great video and feedback!
