60's Plus: A very soft age group. Why?

The guys I know still run, but forking over $40 to enter a poorly managed 5k is not terribly appealing.

Continuing to do non-productive 'training" for another 40 years burned them out.

They get fat and their times get really slow. They try to train harder and get injured. Decide to take up easy bike riding.

Used to be Rono wrote:

The guys I know still run, but forking over $40 to enter a poorly managed 5k is not terribly appealing.

This is exactly why I don't run organized races anymore.

Maybe is depends on where you are. Here we have 29 60+ guys running our cross country series and half a dozen of them are running mid-6 pace on 5-8K XC courses.

Soft? No.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g0E63jtAkMY

J.R. wrote:

Used to be Rono wrote:

The guys I know still run, but forking over $40 to enter a poorly managed 5k is not terribly appealing.

This is exactly why I don't run organized races anymore.

So enter a better organized one and show what your non-doctor modified physique can do.

My observation is that injuries and major illnesses have taken a lot of the older runners out of the race.

I've noticed that locally there seems to be an inordinate amount of heart problems, hypothyroidism, and so on among my peers who are "above average" runners. By above average, I mean Boston qualifiers or placing in the top three in their respective age groups at local races, or being competitive on the national level.

It doesn't seem to be a factor of mileage, but more about how hard they train relative to recreational runners. It's only anecdotal, but it's enough to be disturbing. I no longer do marathons or half marathons as a result.

Not that soft wrote:

Maybe is depends on where you are. Here we have 29 60+ guys running our cross country series and half a dozen of them are running mid-6 pace on 5-8K XC courses.

fisky wrote:

...

I've noticed that locally there seems to be an inordinate amount of heart problems, hypothyroidism, and so on among my peers who are "above average" runners.

fisky, you may be onto something....but per the poster above you, maybe there actually is something to where folks are located. Where are you located?

While there is no problem running in your 60's when you have run for many years, it is difficult to get start running when in your 60's. i.e. there is just more runners in their 60's who stop running than those those who start running.

I just checked the Carlsbad 5K 2015 results. There were 124 guys in the 60-64 age group. 2 guys were sub-18 and 8 guys were sub-20 min. Injuries take their toll, and take forever to heal at this age, but the above results look pretty decent to me.

I'm in Tennessee. All my "above average" friends (defined in my previous post) with major health issues are marathoners. Their "above average" peers in track distances don't have the same health issues.

All of these health issues -- cancer, heart disease, Graves disease, hypothyroidism -- have been linked to a suppressed immune system. In my circle of running friends over age 55, a little over half (5 of 9) of my "above average" distance running male friends have one of these illnesses.

My hypothesis is that marathon distance training at the "above average" level places the body in a chronic state of stress. That is, the "easy" run is still so hard that while the muscles can recover, the immune system does not. I also believe that being healthy with regards to immune system is more complex than just measuring white blood cells, etc. There is also a genetic component that is really beyond our ability to quantify with current medical technology.

This is speculation on my part, but I don't see the same level of health problems with my peers who are top track guys in their respective age groups.

Subjectively, as an experiment of one, when I train for distance, I'm constantly tired. I need to take naps. When I train for track, I feel pretty good most of the time.

These are my opinions, so take them with a grain of salt.

BJ's wrote:

Dave is right. Im in an age group that was in its running prime when Shorter ran the marathon thingy in Montreal. Running as a Madison avenue creation took off after that in a very big way. What has happened to all my old time competitors? Where TF are ya'll?! It's one thing to be out of OR for the race, but to totally toss out the sport because you don't have a chance at placing OR is a GD joke. Shame on ya'll! Shame on ya'll! I still finish in the top 10% of ANY road race from 5 to 8 k, and I'll turn 68 in january,KNOCK ON WOODY! Come on losers, get out there and strut your GD stuff!

http://www.runnersworld.com/ask-the-race-director/where-are-all-the-60-year-olds?

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BJ's,

You are clueless, arrogant, and very naïve. The fact that you are 68 and still running is not ordinary. You are very lucky and blessed to: 1) Be alive 2) To have your physical health 3) To have your running health.

You, my friend, are an ungrateful old fart! And you should be embarrassed by your post.

Agreed. And he also should explain who Dave and "OR" are.

Agreed. And he also should explain who Dave and "OR" are.

The guys I know still run, but forking over $40 to enter a poorly managed 5k is not terribly appealing.

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That's part of it. Races are DAMNED expen$ive today.

That plus mortality. I am out of action with torn knee cartilage and amlikleynot to race again. More importantly, it restricts my being able to work. THAT is a big problem. It's not fun, I didn't plan on it happening but it did.

Life, Time and Mother Nature can teach you lessons you never expect.

If you're healthy, be grateful,...be very, VERY grateful, because you never know when it may be taken from you.

I was looking forward to impacting this age group. Looks like it won't happen now. Too bad for me.

fisky wrote:

My observation is that injuries and major illnesses have taken a lot of the older runners out of the race.

I've noticed that locally there seems to be an inordinate amount of heart problems, hypothyroidism, and so on among my peers who are "above average" runners. By above average, I mean Boston qualifiers or placing in the top three in their respective age groups at local races, or being competitive on the national level.

It doesn't seem to be a factor of mileage, but more about how hard they train relative to recreational runners. It's only anecdotal, but it's enough to be disturbing. I no longer do marathons or half marathons as a result.

Umm. Unless the age group only has 6 runners in it, doesn't a top 3 placing in an age group indicate better than average? And being competitive at a national level is "average?" So okay, top 10 or 15 out tens of thousands in a given age group is average?

Classic

The 70's group is worse. However in the SF Bay Area the 60's is very competitive in pacific association races.

BJ's wrote:

Dave is right. Im in an age group that was in its running prime when Shorter ran the marathon thingy in Montreal. Running as a Madison avenue creation took off after that in a very big way. What has happened to all my old time competitors? Where TF are ya'll?! It's one thing to be out of OR for the race, but to totally toss out the sport because you don't have a chance at placing OR is a GD joke. Shame on ya'll! Shame on ya'll! I still finish in the top 10% of ANY road race from 5 to 8 k, and I'll turn 68 in january,KNOCK ON WOODY! Come on losers, get out there and strut your GD stuff!

http://www.runnersworld.com/ask-the-race-director/where-are-all-the-60-year-olds?

Arrived at 60 in August. Ran a 5 miler in July @ 8:01 pace and a 5K XC race in August @ 7:47 pace 2nd among the 60's,

I am planning to run the NEXC Masters 8K in Nov. where I have a decent chance to finish DFL.

Should be fun. I have not run a race at Franklin Park in about 20 years.