You guys don't worry that distance running is speeding up the aging process?

Not really...I am in my mid 30s. Because I am lean some people think I am younger than I am in. Because I am bald and my skin in probably more wrinkly than average for my age, some mistake me for older (I lost my hair at 30, but until I started shaving it I always got carded for alcohol).

I am married with kids, so what is most important to me is how I feel. I feel better on days I run. Also, regularly running helps me do what I want. I have now reached an age where my less fit peers are actively avoiding things and saying things like "if I did that I would not be able to walk the next day."

I would much rather look a little older, and be functional.

I know two regular runners in their 70s. Other than being lean, they look very old (wrinkly and loose skin on the face). But for their age they are active and robust and lead fulfilling lives.

Put aside for a minute, the debate as to whether running makes you look older. It's going to make you feel much younger, compared to your 30-100 lb overweight friends, who struggle to get off the couch, find clothes that fit them and wage a losing battle against overweight/obesity related diseases. The older you get the more stark the differences become.

And if you're really worried about its effect on how you look, either wear sunscreen or run before the sun comes up.

Ouch. wrote:

Aging Old Stiff wrote:

It definitely speeds up the aging process! I'm 55 and been running for 35 yrs. My friends & family say I look more like 65! 😲. In fact, it hard to even look at myself in the mirror anymore (I've broken a few Lol). I even had a teenager at the gym the other day tell me he thought I was 70! 😬

I also have female friend from my neighborhood & occasional training partner. She's an avid marathoner and at 42, looks easily in her mid-50s. She's the kind of woman that looks real hot from behind but when she turns around - woah!

We were both joking about this the other day & realized how much mask mandates benefitted people like us. Lol 😷

You have bad genetics.

I'm 52, been running for 42 years, and I look 5-7 years younger than my age according to my friends and family.

Well...good for you then. 💯 🙌 👍

I don't have bad genetics because my parents look a lot younger than their age and I had grandfather who lived to 99 that easily looked 10-15 yrs younger even up to the day of his death (he died of head trauma from a fall). My 42 yr lady friend that really looks old in the face has a.twin sister who's not a runner and looks much younger than 42 yrs.

I've been running for 35 stinking years!,- it's all that exposure to the sun, wind, cold, etc that just destroys your skin quality. Plus all this running hurts the elasticity of your skin. I look like hell - my face is a roadmap of wrinkles, blotches & droopy skin. 😲 My hands & arms are all wrinkled up & full of blotches. My lady friend has run almost every day out in the elements since her HS XC & track days. She's got to cake on tons of makeup just to face society but still looks very old. Lol.

On my last birthday, family & friends were wishing me a happy 65th! 😂 That's why I loved the mask mandates because it really helped my anxiety concealing my rough looking face from the world!

The Pasadena Flasher wrote:

Stop drinking alcohol if you are worried about it.

Good point. LOL at an admitted alcoholic worrying about the aging effects of exercise. This is a bit like worrying that the caffeine in your daily coffee might cause heart problems while continuing to do cocaine on a daily basis.

40. Regularly told I look 25-27. Often have to show my license to prove it.

Former HS teammates who no longer run: Look anywhere from 25-40

Former HS teammates who still run: Look anywhere from 25-45

Me (running much more volume than I ever did in HS): Usually get carded for lotto tickets

We're all in our mid 30s. The difference is that I did my runs after sunset, even on cloudy days.

Earlier this year, I ran some intervals on a HS track near my work. The coach tried to recruit me and was shocked to learn that I graduated almost 20 years ago.

Nobody knows. That's the truth. A single study or two is not good enough. Anecdotes are not good enough (though I will add that it's hard to find examples of elite distance runners who lived long lives - into their late 80's or 90's. We'll get more anecdotal evidence as High mileage runners from the 70's get into their 70's). We need solid science, yet our ability to do solid science on the human body and all its complexities is just not there yet. We are better than we were 100 years ago for sure, but some things (like the perfect diet) still evade us.

However, this is my guess. Running is good for you. Too much running is not. Or at least does not add any extra benefit. Where that sweet spot is for each of us probably varies a lot.

What are some of the reasons running might not be good for you? Some of it is likely not directly related to the actual running: you are out in the sun a lot, you eat a lot. Let's ignore those. Other than the fact the excess sun might make you look older, but you might not be any older (other than the increased risk of cancer and the increase of inflammation from sun damage).

Some directly related might be: excess running increasing inflammation in the body. Not just the joints. If this becomes chronic it won't be good for you (see Alberto Salazar in his late 20's). Next is the heart. The heart is a muscle. It can increase in size. It thickens. It can become less efficient as you age.

Those are two off the top of my head, and there is a small amount of research in this as well. Not enough to count as solid evidence, but enough to justifiy more research.

My opinion? 20-30 minutes a few times a week is good. Add to that some strength training and you are doing great. Running 120 miles a week for years on end is probably bad. Can you offset that? Maybe. Make sure you rest. Make sure you get recovery periods (weeks or months or light running). Don't do it until you are 70 and then stop.

There are only a few of us who can truly justify running 120 mpw (or even 80). Once you are out of HS or College or your Pro career fizzles out, you are probably best off cutting way back.

The key is sun protection and good skincare. Trust me. I am 37. I’ve been running since middle school. People regularly do double takes when they learn I’m older than 30. It’s 100% because I obsessively avoid sun exposure, running mostly in the evening, and when I am in the sun, I always wear sunscreen, a hat, and sunglasses. I am a redhead so I do this out of necessity to avoid painful sunburns, but you can do it too if you want to look younger (and more importantly avoid skin cancer!)

Yung Republican wrote:

If you're worried about it, then stop running. No one is forcing you to run.

No one is forcing him to post, either.

But here we are. Over and over.

I don't have any idea what the OP is talking about.

I am in m y early 60s and I hear all the time how young I look. People i run with in my age group and even older look really good for their age, and really good in general. And get this - they are really good, by the very nature of having achieved superior health.

We all know some people who let their skin get damaged from the sun, and best to avoid that if you care.

Other than that, give me a break. Just do what you like and be what you are. And if you want to go a step further, support those around you in a positive way.

My 70th year strikes in 40 days. My 72,000th mile is now history. Just completed a physical with flying colors.

I look older now and the strain on my face in photos of me running recently is telling. But that's ok, looks are only important if you're mate hunting or making a living modelling. Seeing older runners is pure inspiration to me and I hope I pass it on to others.

If I’m running a lot of miles I can’t keep any weight and you can see it in my face. People look a little younger/better just a few pounds overweight.

Ehhh I look younger than both my brothers and my dad did at 40. I regularly get carded and am told I look really young for 40. Been running regularly for several decades now. Honestly, I think running helps if anything. I also have spent a good deal of time in the elements, not just from running. I used to work several jobs outdoors, did outdoor photography for years and am often without a shirt and hardly ever wear sunscreen. Then again, I live in MN where it is winter 6 months of the year. Still I think people put too much into the idea any of these things significantly affect how you look. Most 'aging' is related to stress anyway. So I guess if you are running yourself into the ground all the time and not allowing proper time for recovery than it could hurt.

fromtheheart wrote:

looks are only important if you're mate hunting or making a living modelling

lol that's not true at all. Looking younger is important for career, for example.

jamin wrote:

Look at interviews with those Turpin kids, who were stuck in their rooms their rooms their whole lives ... they all look half their actual age. I noticed a similar phenomenon that acquaintenences I had who sat around and smoked weed their entire 20s usually aged well.

On the other hand, I notice that distance runners always look way older than their actual age. Probably distance running combined with the fact that distance runners are type-A personalities and so they live high-octane lives that include stressful careers, getting up early in the morning, drinking lots of coffee and taking supplements, etc.

I'm mid-30s and look in my 20s. My key is to have the best of both worlds - drink a bunch of coffee, get plenty of running and training in, and then otherwise just sit around and smoke weed/eat edibles with the GF in the evenings while still getting 7-8 hours of sleep. It's a wonderful life:)

SaltySailorMan wrote:

40. Regularly told I look 25-27. Often have to show my license to prove it.

Yea, that was me too.

Now 64 and look very bit my age, lot's of wear and tear, way too much sun. It catches up to you, enjoy.

jamin wrote:

fromtheheart wrote:

looks are only important if you're mate hunting or making a living modelling

lol that's not true at all. Looking younger is important for career, for example.

Jesse what the hell are you talking about

The Narwhal wrote:

It'd be helpful if you could provide on of those identical twin side-by-side comparisons like they do for smokers, and crack users. This identical twin ran for 30 years v. this twin didn't run for 30 years.

Besides Mo being leaner and having better teeth, I would say they look about the same age.

I think it has more to do with recovery from running.

I know runners who just run themselves ragged. Skimp on sleep, try to do a zillion other hobbies. They look bug eyed, dark circles under their eyes, and their skin looks awful. Then you have couch potato dudes who run, sleep a lot, and they seem to carry it quite well. If you neglect your body's needs regardless of activity you are going to age faster.