Start focusing on how well you're performing in your age groups. Aging is inevitable but you can still focus on being better than the average, or even among the top, by your peers.
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My running stagnated in my 30s. I tried more mileage, not much change. I tried cycling a few days a week, still not much change. Made me wonder if training even mattered or if it was just talent and residual fitness from years of training.
I turned 40 and started doing masters track meets. I started focusing on much shorter races 800/1500. In doing so, I changed my training dramatically. Sprinting became a normal thing. Strides & drills on easy days, interval workouts with repeat 150s, etc.. ALL of my races improved from 400m to the Marathon, even with less mileage. I was fixing my lazy loping stride to an efficient fast stride. Normally people slow down in their 40s and I actually got faster.
In short, Stagnation is the result of doing the same thing and expecting a different result. Drastically change your training.
Running does not last forever for most people. I got an injury at 49 that ended it. I know many who made it into their 50s or 60s before the big injury that ended it. Now I cycle. I still race some to keep up motivation. I don't enjoy it as much as I did running, but it keeps me fit.
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Change Is Good wrote:
Running isn’t special. It’s something that you did for a reason but that reason is no longer meaningful to you. I see it like a job or a relationship. It was fun, fulfilling, and generated great passion for a time until the fire went out. Do you stay out of obligation or a misguided sense of loyalty? Is it better to move on and find another thrill? Only you can answer that.
It’s alright to quit running. You will eventually do it because of age or infirmity. There are other ways to stay fit and many come with social benefits as well. My personal advice is to explore alternatives. You wouldn’t stay in a boring job with no promotion opportunities nor would you wish to languish in a loveless relationship. It sounds like running has become that in your life.
See what else the world offers!
agreed ! a positive about being an 'ex-competitive-runner' or even 'recreational-only' runner is that running translates well into most other activities and sports. hiking, biking, anything which requires any kind of stamina or endurance. The base endurance you build over years of running serves you well. I believe this is because early humans first basic activity in order to survive was to run. Everything else was built and developed around the early human's ability to run. So take advantage of that stamina and endurance you have built up over the years.
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I just kept running anyways. I figured running is an efficient form of exercise and I'm going to do something, might as well be running. Its not as fun to not be close to my prs anymore, but runs can still be fun as long as I am not comparing to my shape of my life self. It helps to run scenic places. Track best times over courses you haven't run before.
If you just can't get motivated when you can't pr - move to a new distance either up or down - ie maybe the 800 or marathon. Move to trail racing, ultras, etc.
You could also try anothers sport like cycling or tri.
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Running/racing as you age is hard, due to the objectivity of the clock, and the limited window to improve at certain distances. Did you play any other sports growing up? After college, I knew I’d never be as fast as I was then, so I had no interest in running. I grew up playing tennis so got back into that. I still get to compete and stay in shape, and it’s not as harshly objective as running (there are different levels of recreational tennis, age groups, etc). I also still have more room to improve there bc I never trained as seriously as I did with running, and never hit as high of a peak to fall from (HS tennis team vs. D1 college runner). That’s just one example. I’m sure you could do the same with swimming, volleyball, etc.
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Recognize it, move on, live a full life without it.
Life's too long to let one thing rule it.
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Nothing wrong with moving on from the sport. But nature doesn't like vacuums. Meaning, something will fill the time and energy if you decide to step away for a while. My only advice is make sure whatever fills that void is healthy, both mentally and physically.
This post was edited 28 seconds after it was posted.50 -
FrmrMdRnr wrote:
Running/racing as you age is hard, due to the objectivity of the clock, and the limited window to improve at certain distances. Did you play any other sports growing up? After college, I knew I’d never be as fast as I was then, so I had no interest in running. I grew up playing tennis so got back into that. I still get to compete and stay in shape, and it’s not as harshly objective as running (there are different levels of recreational tennis, age groups, etc). I also still have more room to improve there bc I never trained as seriously as I did with running, and never hit as high of a peak to fall from (HS tennis team vs. D1 college runner). That’s just one example. I’m sure you could do the same with swimming, volleyball, etc.
I'm curious how you feel about tennis or how others who have mentioned things like cycling/tri feel about them. For me, one reason I've kept running is that I know if I could back to a decent level it would mean something to me and if I could hit some goals in my 30s (back under 5 in the mile and back under 18 in the 5k) that would actually mean a lot. The frustration comes when these meaningful goals seem to get further out of reach or take so much more to achieve than I expected. From the outside, I'm not sure I'd find something else that would mean the same thing for me as running but I'm curious if others had felt this way before and found that their new activity was a good substitute despite initial skepticism.
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I am about the same age as Ammar Moussa, and while not at the same talent level, he wrote an article towards the end of his running career at Colorado that did alot for me personally in realizing you're not the only one going through those feelings. Great read, would recommend.
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random lurk wrote:
I am about the same age as Ammar Moussa, and while not at the same talent level, he wrote an article towards the end of his running career at Colorado that did alot for me personally in realizing you're not the only one going through those feelings. Great read, would recommend.
What's funny is I probably read this back when it was written but didn't remember it. Ammar was like a god to me in high school, as I'm a few grades behind but his exploits and the other guys in that 2011 HS class (Verzbicas, Gedyon, Oshier) made me obsessed with running. Reading that from him really made it hit home now.
Here's the link for anyone else curious:30 -
Turkey guy wrote:
Hazmat Has Been wrote:
Ok I can't think of a better way to describe this other than my running has "left me." I've heard this used in professional football (soccer) when pros just aren't at the level to keep playing in a top league and that's basically what I'm feeling. Not to say I've ever been a great or even particularly good runner but I had my level and for a while it was a range I could keep up. The last few years, it seems like that is gone. What's strange is I'm not that old and haven't even had any major injuries (no surgery or anything more than a few months off) I'd love to get back to some level of decent running but it seems injuries and life keep getting in the way. I'm sure I'm not alone here and would appreciate hearing from others who have experienced this or come back from it. Anyone?
If you're defining "left you" as merely not being as fast as you used to be, well, duh. No one escapes that fate.
I was just okay in my prime. Nothing noteworthy. Now I'm slower than just okay. But here's the key: I still love running and racing. The actual experience of training and racing is the same as it ever was for me, except that the finish line clock shows slower times and I'm further back in the pack now. Big whoop...my performances were never that impressive anyway. I enjoy the actual process as much as ever.
If you define "leaves you" as no longer enjoying it, then by all means, go do something you do enjoy. Running is a hobby and not a moral obligation. Life is too short to spend your scarce time on a hobby you no longer like.
Much more important and beneficial to love/enjoy the process than the results. I ran a lot for decades with ok results. At some point during the pandemic my body really stopped enjoying running. Now I cycle and lift.
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An old man told me recently there is a progression: Runner to Swimmer to Biker. On the other hand I know several people, men and women, in their 60s and 70s that run Marathons every weekend and are fine.
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Slap the salami to hentai 5x a day
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Koltrast wrote:
Start focusing on how well you're performing in your age groups. Aging is inevitable but you can still focus on being better than the average, or even among the top, by your peers.
There was a guy at my local parkrun who ran low 17s every. single. saturday for years in his 50s and even his 60s, 16:42 in his 50s 95% age grading. I was 27 and just started running, he kicked my ass for years I want to be him when I'm in my 50s, absolute legend he was. He didn't do much mileage either like 30 miles a week according to his Strava, mostly progression runs, stuff like first 3k in 4:20/km and then next 9k down to 4:00/km or even 3:4Xkm. He dropped off the map 2021, miss that guy.
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It sounds like you are worried about moving from "guy who makes zero money from running" to "guy who makes zero money from running". Do you love running or not? If not, do something else. If so, keep running.
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Hazmat Has Been wrote:
Ok I can't think of a better way to describe this other than my running has "left me."
you really do not know that running has "left me" until you are out on a run and someone makes some remark like "have a nice walk", or "you are walking a lot better than last time I saw you" :-)
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MAMIL TIME wrote:
Time to buy a $12,000 bike and some spandex!
Top end Elliptigo is only $4K and much more similar to running.
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Change Is Good wrote:
Running isn’t special. It’s something that you did for a reason but that reason is no longer meaningful to you. I see it like a job or a relationship. It was fun, fulfilling, and generated great passion for a time until the fire went out. Do you stay out of obligation or a misguided sense of loyalty? Is it better to move on and find another thrill? Only you can answer that.
It’s alright to quit running. You will eventually do it because of age or infirmity. There are other ways to stay fit and many come with social benefits as well. My personal advice is to explore alternatives. You wouldn’t stay in a boring job with no promotion opportunities nor would you wish to languish in a loveless relationship. It sounds like running has become that in your life.
See what else the world offers!
Running is special because it was probably the sport I was best at. For the regular population and especially my age (67) I would almost certainly be best at lifting. I keep saying every spring that I am going to take up tennis again but never get there. Pickleball annoys me because people seem to think they are playing tennis. That is an insult to tennis players. If I could find a regular walking partner I think that would be wonderful and that would warm me up enough each day to run!
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Abeylegesse fan wrote:
It sounds like you are worried about moving from "guy who makes zero money from running" to "guy who makes zero money from running". Do you love running or not? If not, do something else. If so, keep running.
Always keep running. Maybe mix in other exercises plus walking. But keep running!
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