Is 44 to old to be letting running be your life?

No! If you love running, if it makes you feel alive, why should you stop? I see so many people going through life almost asleep, with no interest. I prefer to see people with a burning passion in the heart: it does not matter if you don't qualify for the Olympics. Do what makes you happy, and stop caring about social conventions.

I am not sure about making it your life but here is my story.

About ten years ago I was pre-hypertensive, overweight, etc. I worked long hours and ate what I wanted while still running the occasional ten miles to prove to myself that I still had "it." At 6', 240# I was a mess. I was going from heavy lifting to moderate cardio to eating the hell out of a steak and cream spinach at Smith and Wollensky's.

One doctor visit changed my world. I asked if I could make changes via diet and exercise (I think the doctor may have even chuckled). She agreed (God I love her) to six months and that was my wake up call.

I bought a bike, rode year round to work (~10 miles each way) in Chicago weather. Not a day was missed unless I traveled. I dropped my first 30# but I plateaued. I changed jobs, quit traveling, joined a gym, hired a trainer and off I went. I did a 50 mile cross-discipline race solo, ran a couple marathons (yeah, I know, a rookie still) but found greatest joy in just lacing up and running. I enjoyed my vacations so much more doing this. I would visit Caribbean islands and while the wife lounged poolside with a drink, I was wrapping up my daily tri's (pool, bike and run). In the evening I would run to explore. I have my gps maps from my Garmin from several vacations.

Now, ten years later, I am breaking my body apart doing stupid things like commuting (doubles) running. Less distance but still, that is hard. Still I love the pre dawn commute run and knowing that I am running in negative wind chill weather. I am taking yoga a couple times a week. I am working on functional mobility. But my body is reminding me that I need to slow my roll. I have gone to doing duathlons with rental bikes during my commute (bike a mile, run a mile, bike a mile, run a mile, or two, until I arrive.)

I use my running to get my personal/exercise time in. I use my time with my wife and kids for just that. I surf this blog once in awhile. I have other hobbies too. So, running does not consume me. Not by a long shot.

But make no mistake. When I am healthy, I am one guy that loves to run. Sub135 (my login) is my goal. Run hard and keep heart rate sub 135bpm. I am turning 50 this year. I plan to rock that 50-miler I mentioned above. Hell, I would love to run rim to rim at grand canyon. For now, I need to get back to 102/72 which is my best recorded bp since being on this journey.

Namaste my fellow poster. Run and be happy. I promise I am.

Jamón wrote:

Not at all. I've also found that people without hobbies often don't spend that extra time with their families. Unless watching sportsball can be considered a hobby. It's amazing how much time people waste being a sports fan. I think my wife puts up with my running because I don't make her watch sportsball all the time. But somehow that's more acceptable than actually doing a sport because you can force your kids to watch with you. Other people waste time on religion. I cut those two things out of my life and replaced it with running.

Great point!