Masters Runners when did you notice yourself slowing down?

Started slowing at 29...darn injuries!

Has anyone noticed a more marked slow-down from those runners who have done multiple (10 or more) marathons versus those who have only done one or two.

Kinda curious of the result.

Personally, I feel marathons are longevity KILLERS!

There are some very interesting posts on this thread. This is a subject that has interested me for years.

I have run all of my life. After age 30 or so my main interest has been long distance running on the roads and the marathon running. I have observed the slow-down among the 50 runners who have been a part of the running group that I have met with on Sunday mornings since 1971. My track bests were all run in my mid to late 20s but a number of my best road times were set at age 35 and my best marathon time came at age 36. In my case training mileage and physical problems had a great deal to do with this.

I feel that long term marathon training/racing has an affect on the immune system. Additionally, I have a list of over 17 long-time hard, serious runners, many of them friends, who have had arterial fibrulation or flutter and that includes myself.

As seen on this thread, running/racing is a very individual activity and it can be affected by many variables including how hard and how much one trains and races. Also, as Coach Mihaly Igloi often said "Must have big goals". But although they have to be strong, goals have to change as one ages. And then, as one ages, surprises (cancer, Parkinson's, Alzheimers} develop depending on the genes the runner has inherited. There is luck involved.

In spite of all this, the runners who have slowed the least are those who have maintained top fitness year after year without taking prolonged breaks. As we all find out, getting in shape again for the older runner takes longer and longer and recovering from injury gets harder and harder as the years fly by. And, in addition to all this, the one key to longevity in running is to never, never give up. By the way the biggest slow down seems to come between 75 and 80.

I am currently walk/jogging but still hope to eliminate the walking soon. I wish you all every success as you continue to enjoy the sport of running.

While I've slowed down over the years (sub 3:50 1500 m. in mid -20's, 4:41.7 age 44), I still FEEL like I'm running quickly. I'm hoping that this is what happens as we age because it's still as fun as it always was and goals still seem as important.

I experienced a punctuated decline, induced by injuries.

Peak: age 25 - 34

Decline 1: age 35 to 39 (lots of nagging injuries and slowed approx 1 min/year for 10K)

Rebound 1: age 40 to 42 (returned to age 35 level. Yea!)

Decline 2: age 43 to 45 (worse nagging injuries and could barely run)...

Rebound 2: age 46 to to 51 (relatively injury free and return to a notch or two below age 42 level [i.e., 5K 30 sec slower and 10K 1:00 to 1:20 slower than age 40-42; overall now about 12% or 13% slower than peak, but significantly higher if you consider age grading. Go figure.]

Crap though, I'm injured again, 3.5 weeks and counting, but hoping this is not the start of Decline 3.

silly old fossil wrote:

Has anyone noticed a more marked slow-down from those runners who have done multiple (10 or more) marathons versus those who have only done one or two.

Kinda curious of the result.

Personally, I feel marathons are longevity KILLERS!

I agree with you on marathons. I've only done a couple, and they were both bad. I have no desire to try another one, even if i have to answer the questions "are you doing XXX marathon?" "No?" "Why not?" eight million times by friends, co-workers, and every other Tom, Dick and Harry who think running a marathon is the only thing in distance running.

I'm 44 and have had two terrific years (I didn't take up running until I was 30) since 2007 by raising mileage just to race at the 10K to 10 mile level. I'm actually still running PRs, but again, I started very late.

Great post. I am about to hit 50, and once again got injured trying to up it a notch (just to 30mpw!)As others have said, the pace feels the same as it did 30 yrs ago, but the watch doesn't lie.Many times in races I don't feel like I can get my body to 'redline' like I used to.

Sorry to hear of your injury Ll. I suggest that runners your age come back very very slowly. There is no rush and being able to run injury free has to be the first goal. Decide what you think is a very conservative come-back and then cut that plan in half. What we think is very little is not so little as we age.

I noticed a big slow down when a doctor gave me one of those free shots in the spring.

Also there is a green thing growing out of my nose.

The doctor won't return my calls any more.

silly old fossil wrote:

Has anyone noticed a more marked slow-down from those runners who have done multiple (10 or more) marathons versus those who have only done one or two.

Kinda curious of the result.

Personally, I feel marathons are longevity KILLERS!

I stopped doing marathons for 16 years, after getting injured on my 2nd one at age 25. 9 months of rehab gets you to thinking. I've now done several in the past decade, but my legs remain relatively young because I haven't done a lot and have focused on shorter distances.

Just turned 54 in Sept. below is point levels I have recieved each year using the Gerry Purdy tables.

38 - 790

39 - 790

40 - 770

41 - 743

42 - 743

44 - 760

45 - 757

46 - 710

47 - 650 upper hamstring injury

48 - 658 "

49 - 625 "

50 - 640 hamstring injury gone

51 - 660

52 - 680

53 - 630 PF injury lasted 6 months

54 - 670 so far

I ran under 45 miles a week until my mid 40's. I have done 70 to 90 miles a week in the last 4 years.

Orville, good to hear your input on this, as you have had a long competitive career. Do you run/walk out of necessity or do you just do it to get a longer run in? I never thought I would run/walk, but once in a while it allows me to run longer than I normally would. (I've gotten over the idea that it's wimpy!)

Have you noticed a signifiacant drop in maximal heart rate and resting pulse as you've gotten older? I used to think that my slow HR was a blessing for distance running; now I'm concerned that it's too low and I'm not getting O2 adequately when I run. Also my max heart rate has also dropped a lot, as one would expect. I'm 62 and I really don't enjoy running more than 30-45 minutes. How long do you typically run, or run/walk? Thanks and good luck with your running.

Age, mile times:

40 - 5:09

43 - 4:56

50 - 4:58

51 - 4:50

I haven't noticed myself slowing down, but I guess it'll happen at some point.

silly old fossil wrote:

Has anyone noticed a more marked slow-down from those runners who have done multiple (10 or more) marathons versus those who have only done one or two.

Kinda curious of the result.

Personally, I feel marathons are longevity KILLERS!

This describes me pretty well.

I've run 24 marathons with most of them being "all out" efforts (2:24 PR). At age 38, the cartilage in my right knee started wearing out, and now at age 40, I'm not the same runner. It sucks because the desire is still there.

I do a lot of treadmill running nowadays just to pamper the knee. This allows me to still compete, but not at the level I'd like.

Ed Smallwood wrote:

Age, mile times:

40 - 5:09

43 - 4:56

50 - 4:58

51 - 4:50

I haven't noticed myself slowing down, but I guess it'll happen at some point.

That is very impressive.

silly old fossil wrote:

Has anyone noticed a more marked slow-down from those runners who have done multiple (10 or more) marathons versus those who have only done one or two.

Kinda curious of the result.

Personally, I feel marathons are longevity KILLERS!

I agree - for most people marathons should not be done twice a year - they are brutal, unnatural events. I'll probably do one each time I move up an age group - see how long I can stay (just) under 3 hours

Steve,

I have been fighting an achilles problem since December 13, 2008. I have had back problems since I was ten so I am cautious. I walk a block/jog a block for an hour or so two days out of three. On the third day I spend about 90 minutes in the gym where I start with about 25 minutes freewheeling on a bike and then do very very light weight work and stretching to strengthen my weeknesses. I use a program that a doctor of therapy gave me when I first got injured. By the way, I stretch my back every morning and my achilles more often that during the day. The orthopedic expert in our group says that when you have an achilles problem you should stretch facing the wall every hour every day. I never did any of the mentioned activities when I was competing.

As to resting heart rate, I find that if I am running/jogging it is about 50 beats per minute. If I am not, it levels off at 60. I had a treadmill stress test last month and my pulse was 53 before and 54 after. I have never monitored my pulse when active.

I have repeated the same mistake of overdoing at some point when all goes well all of my life. I still enjoy it!

The only reason I do not compete is that I can't. My body and competative urge are tired. However, I do want to continue to run. I still love it. I think 2 marathons a year are more than enough although here is what I did:

I completed 12 marathons with additional 4 DNFs between 1961 and 1971.

In 1971, at age 35, I ran four marathons plus 14 other races. All the marathons were within two minutes of my then personal best.

In 1972, I ran 5 marathons but at least three were training runs.

In 1973, I ran 6 marathons and a 50K

In 1974 it was 5 marathons a DNF and a 50K

Then it was back to two marathons a year for 2 years plus 4 in 1977 but most were not all-out efforts. I only ran 4 more after 1977.

My last marathon was in 1987 when I ran 3:28:47 at age 51. That was a maximum effort!

Wow, OvilleAtkins summarizes well. I guess the real question is 'with the exception of injuries......when did you slow down.'

Maybe the real question is then, how do you prevent injury so you don't get sidelined. A few weeks ago, there was another thread that outlined the various injuries in the different age divisions, etc. I noticed in my 40s that I got both ab issues and calf issues. When I asked others about those injuries, I got several similar stories from guys in their 40s. So Orville, any advice on strategy as we attempt to follow in your footsteps?