What age did you training really start going down hill

Lagat is still running fast and he's 40. Its certainly possible, though I think there comes a time where its more important to spend time with family than to get out there for a hard track workout, which is probably where most runners start to decline.

I definitely think it's possible in your mid-30s. They claim the 30's are the distance runner's peak in terms of endurance strength. Like the other poster said, you can look at guys like Lagat and even Geb (who could probably destroy some track races still). I think if you can keep up on your leg speed, there's no reason to think that you couldn't PR well into your mid-30s. I think most guys experience a fallout around 30-40 because careers, family, etc. are catching up with them and the training consistency falls off. Keeping the same intensity and cutting consistency is probably why so many of them get injured.

Right at 30. Never had injury problems before, but suddenly couldn't stay healthy to save my life. Tried for 4 years, then quit running.

35 for me

Through 34 I could slack off for a few months, but pick it up for a couple months and be fairly close to to PR shape. But 5K was the first to go--I leveled off by my early 30s and by 33-34 noticed a 10-15 sec drop off that I could no longer make up.

Depends on what age you stop running consistently. You don't stop running because you get old. You get old because you stop running.

Son of ritz nailed it when he mentions intensity without the consistency leading to injury. So many masters runners do this I think. (I'm 43)

work is not really going to get in the way. Didn't really think about family life.

Was going to ask does anything chemically happen that really disrupts your body and ability to compete? I know as you age you don't produce as much testosterone or other hormones that lubricate joints and repair muscles after you have torn them down.

All training really is, is breaking down your muscles and building them back up with recovery. Does Vo2 max decline with age?

It goes downhill when you get lazy. That can be any age, young or old. Really fast runners become really slow runners. Which is another reason why people shouldn't be so obsessed with this thing they call 'talent'.

brofest2015 wrote:

2) what injuries should I be on the lookout for (I only get stress fractures).

If you have a job that requires you to spend hours and hours in front of a computer your hammies & hip flexors will become problematic. That's where it all started for me.

I started running again after a 10 year layoff at age 30. At 38 I ran faster times for the mile, 5k, and half marathon than I did at any age between 30 and 37. My 5k time is now about what I ran as a 14-15 year old. Don't expect to get back to my HS PRs but probably could come close if I chose to lose the final 15 lbs to get back to my HS weight.

For some reason, getting married and having kids gave me the motivation to train smarter. My mileage is up maybe 10-15% but I also run my workouts harder and my easy days easier. Not sure if family has made me more mature and able to handle better training or if I need the mental break of training more than I did as a single guy.

In short, still going strong at 38.

I sat out on running until I was 32. By 40, I was running my best times. As I am getting closer to 50 and further from 40, my best days are coming to a close but I can still get out there and run well and feel good if I am careful about my training volume and recovery.

I was pretty much indestructible until I turned 33, then all &*%&@# broke loose. I did lots of construction work in HS and college as accidental cross training. By 33, all I did was run and sit, at a desk, in front of the TV or at a bar. You need to do a variety of activities to keep going.

anyone beat their college mile PR in their 30s? That is what I would really like to go after.

18. I DNF more races than I finish.

When I started training for Boston, 'cuz of the downhills.

brofest2015 wrote:

anyone beat their college mile PR in their 30s? That is what I would really like to go after.

I ran my fastest mile at age 32, deteriorated by the age of 36. Not due to injuries, etc. though.....marriage, kids, 40 mile commute to work and back (in LA it was a 90 min slog one way). So its possible but takes commitment and focus, to the exclusion of most all else.

brofest2015 wrote:

anyone beat their college mile PR in their 30s? That is what I would really like to go after.

Nick Willis ran his Mile PB in 2014 (age 31) and 1500m PB in 2015 (age 32).

I'm 32. I stopped running after college for five years, so I picked it up at around 27. I ran pretty well for a couple of years. This summer and fall have been absolutely horrible. The extreme heat this summer was just too much. I've been running in the Pegasus my whole adult life, but the 30's absolutely ruined running for me and gave me Achilles tendonosis/tendonitis. I feel like I'm running on bricks, every workout leaves me worse off than the one before, I can't gain any fitness, and I can't participate in much besides running. Which feels bad.

So I'm afraid the answer is 32.

brofest2015 wrote:

anyone beat their college mile PR in their 30s? That is what I would really like to go after.

Mo Farah