Do retired elites keep running and stay in shape?

15 min. 5k & 30 min. 10k is "reasonable" shape? Ha! If that's the standard, not many.

Some continue to jog some, others quit entirely.

Will you continue to go to the office after you retire?

They become crossfitters

My sense is that the drop off for many of these guys is huge - often because they pushed themselves so hard that either that metabolisms are screwed up or because they simply burn out on exercise. Or maybe the notoriety of Bob Kennedy's and Ryan Hall's situations result in that impression.

I have a buddy (he now coaches me) who was a pro. Ran just over 14, sub-29, and 1:04 for half. He's been "retired" now for 6-7 years and has started a family, career, etc. But he's still able to go out and run 16 mins 5k's as long as he's been running some and not fighting injury. But he also enjoys coaching and building a career now that his best days are behind him.

I think it really varies from athlete to athlete and there is no norm to answer this question.

I assume most keep some kind of running going but even if it is regular and they stay very fit they are unlikely to race and test that fitness.

I will say that it is very hard to keep it going initially because cutting your running in half is still a lot of work to run slower than before.

More likely to stop completely and then get back into it later.

I don't think any stay in 15 minute 5k shape. However many stay in reasonable shape and remain relatively thin (Rodgers, Shorter, Beardsley, Salazar).

Some put on pounds.

Early after retirement, a big factor seems to be whether they like to run for the sake of running. Kennedy reportedly didn't really enjoy doing so, so it makes sense he gave it up for several years. Someone like Meb will keep running because he likes the basic act of going out for a run, even if it's not leading to anything.

Over time, the smarter people from the first camp realize having been an elite doesn't make them immune to the dangers of being overweight and sedentary, and they start again, as Kennedy did.

Art Vandelay the fake one wrote:

Will you continue to go to the office after you retire?

He likely would if his former job was a recreational activity. Something he was getting paid to do while the rest of the population pays to do.

It definitely depends on the person. People like Ron Clarke, Joan Benoit, Bill Rodgers, and Zola Budd are runners for life. They train(ed) and race(d) for about as long as they could. Somebody like Lynn Jennings will still run and hang out with runners, but doesn't want to be seen on the competitive circuit. Others do disappear because they saw it as purely a career and they've retired or moved onto something else. Many cases are complicated with their own detail, such as a guy like Ryan Hall who ran into low testosterone problems and rather than cheat decided to back off on the running and do some weight training as he settled into a new life for himself.

There's no overall answer. Many of them continue to do some running and others don't. I don't know of anyone who's looked into this and come up with actual numbers.

I know a retired 3.35 1500 meter guy who still jogs with some intervals. Its not much training but he can still run sub 16 5k and slightly overweight.

Amby Burfoot, Jeff Galloway, Frank Shorter all kept running.

Not sure if you can consider Joanie retired or not.

Deena is still running so is Meb.

But I recall one follow up study of runners from the 70s and one on the runners had not run since his last competition. No jogging, nothing.

This is where americans rule, because a lot of them continue to run marathons and stay fit, especially the woman. Deena Kastor is the top women's marathon master I believe, and she is focused on breaking a lot of master records as she ages. Joan Benoit also runs as a master marathoner.

Most Africans retire by the age of 40, and don't continue as masters. I think Haile runs to stay in shape, but that is about it. They usually go into coaching, politics, or just focus on raising their families. Vivian stated that she is going to continue to run to age 40, and then focus on her family. Maybe becoming a slower athlete, or a slower version of themselves isn't all that appealing, especially after being the best athletes in the world.

Masters running is highly promoted in America, as well as in Europe. If you look at the master rankings, the list is full of americans and Europeans.

Deena Kastor kicked the crap out of me at the Chicago Marathon 2 years ago. I was playfully trash talking to her about how the overall masters championship might come down to a kick between us. Then she dropped by 3:00 over the last 6 miles after I started to cramp up. She was just an absolutely perfectly efficient and rhythmic machine. It was just cool to get to run 20 miles with her and see a professional at work, efficiently clipping off mile after mile, perfect splits, taking in fluids calmly and at exactly pre-determined intervals, just doing her job flawlessly. One of my favorite running experiences.

Number of top guys i ran with in college quit anything serious, but try to stay fit.

Seems like a number go into politics.

Examples: US congressman Ryun,and similarly, Viren in Finland, Coe in England, Ron Clarke was the Mayor of his city, Zatopek unfortunately was high up in Czech Communist party, .....

Smoove wrote:

Deena Kastor kicked the crap out of me at the Chicago Marathon 2 years ago. I was playfully trash talking to her about how the overall masters championship might come down to a kick between us. Then she dropped by 3:00 over the last 6 miles after I started to cramp up. She was just an absolutely perfectly efficient and rhythmic machine. It was just cool to get to run 20 miles with her and see a professional at work, efficiently clipping off mile after mile, perfect splits, taking in fluids calmly and at exactly pre-determined intervals, just doing her job flawlessly. One of my favorite running experiences.

That's a great story ,smoove. She is a very efficient runner.

I was not elite, but respectable D1. I stopped running cold turkey when I was 25. As in a movie, I came home from a run one morning feeling like shit and just threw all my running shoes and much of my running gear in the garbage. I especially felt good about tossing away my running watches. Then, after not running for 5 years I was at a picnic and some guys wanted me to play some ultimate. I knew I gained weight, but was shocked at how winded I became just running around after a frisbee. After that I looked at my growing spare tire, and went out and bought some running shoes (but not a watch) and started it up again. Very slowly at first, and then more regularly. Now I'm 34 and have been comfortably running about 40 mi/week for the last two years, but that is a guess as I still refuse to get a watch. I don't do any Turkey Trots or other races, as I fear that will lead me back down the rabbit hole.

You're right that masters' running is a big deal in the US and Europe. But if you look at those lists you see that most of the people on them were not top runners in their younger years, there are naturally a few exceptions.

Lots of former Division III guys exceling as masters runners, mostly because the true elite Division I talents seem to have gotten out of the sport and cleared the deck for second tier runners. As a former D III guy, I have been a beneficiary of this with some pretty good outcomes at some notable races, but I am not kidding myself into thinking that there aren't a whole slew of guys from my era who would move right in front of me if they decided to get back in it (and there would be more but for the fact that they wouldn't be able to perform because of burn out, injury, weight gain, etc.).

HRE wrote:

You're right that masters' running is a big deal in the US and Europe. But if you look at those lists you see that most of the people on them were not top runners in their younger years, there are naturally a few exceptions.