How do you feel at 35, 45, 55, 65???? Getting slower inevitable????

Just wait wrote:

At 26 you have no idea. I thought I was feeling the effects of aging in my early 30's when in reality it was more just not taking care of myself as well as I could've been (consistency, nutrition, sleep). Now in early 40's I realize that the actual effects of aging are very real, very unavoidable, and very dramatic. Not only do times get slower, but the time it takes to warm up, recover, heal from injury, get into shape, etc. do as well. To be honest, the time issue is the smallest effect of them all. Just maintaining takes WAY more work than it used to.

anecdote: just met a 51 years old legend of my state with great results in his prime in a 3km race yesterday. he won in 9:19; that´s an age-graded 8:05. his training now, mainly: he runs to work and back with a backpack across country and refuses to join the regular track work of his club due to his job of very often 10 hours per day. club members know him as a low mileage guy. he told me that he might be capable of running a 8:40/3km with serious training.

jimson wrote:

I've got nothing to compare with from youth, because I only started running in my mid-40s. But I'll be 54 next month and I'm still getting faster each year. I got a new PR of 17:19 in a 5K last week, which is nothing special but decent enough for my age. I expect to continue getting faster for maybe another year or two, but who knows?

I get the impression that many people kind of give up a bit as they get older. They assume they're going to slow down, so they end up doing so, as a self-fulfilling prophesy.

So, 17:19 at age 54 is nothing special? How many road raced in the US do you think that time would not win in the 50-54? Did you win you ran 17:19 in that ag?

Well, probably the top 3 % are under 18, but point taken. And I argued in a tread a year or so ago that less than 25% could bench press 300 lbs even after some training. You think it's way less.

Many runners do not appriciate how good even 18 is for 5k among all runners.

Best thread I've read in a long time. Very respectful, thoughtful comments. I wonder why that could be....

bump

Ha ha ha, stupid thread!

sum yung gai wrote:

Ha ha ha, stupid thread!

Go f*ck yourself!

Great thread. Just curious, what distances have you all liked to race as you have aged and why? Also, what distance is your gauge through the years? Seems like 5k for many. Is that the ultimate race distance?

i feel fast at 35

Not getting younger wrote:

Great thread. Just curious, what distances have you all liked to race as you have aged and why? Also, what distance is your gauge through the years? Seems like 5k for many. Is that the ultimate race distance?

In my experience most runners like to run the longer stuff as they age. For many it´s harder to run short and fast due to age reasons, while the stamina gets better as one gets older.

As a masters runner I have realized that also for prestige purposes many older runners switch to longer distances. They tell all their neighbors and workmates about the upcoming marathon project or ultra distance event to arouse admiration. The general public thinks: marathon = manly, 800m/1500m = lazy or untalented.

Closing in on 70. Been running since 1964. I have over 100,000 miles on my legs. I run three days a week. About an hour each time out. In between running days, I walk.

I do weekly threshold reps. Not because I race anymore but just to keep it going. I don't do anything by pace anymore. I run by minutes. My reps are done by heart rate. So 85-90% what I shoot for.

I ran 70 mpw in my 30's.

By the time I was in my my 50's it was every other day running. I stopped racing in my early 50's. I was still in 18 minute shape.

Not getting younger wrote:

Great thread. Just curious, what distances have you all liked to race as you have aged and why? Also, what distance is your gauge through the years? Seems like 5k for many. Is that the ultimate race distance?

10 km+ trail races. My body won´t tolerate anything fast. When I do long reps and tempos on trails I can run hard without going fast.

prestige purposes? wrote:

Not getting younger wrote:

Great thread. Just curious, what distances have you all liked to race as you have aged and why? Also, what distance is your gauge through the years? Seems like 5k for many. Is that the ultimate race distance?

In my experience most runners like to run the longer stuff as they age. For many it´s harder to run short and fast due to age reasons, while the stamina gets better as one gets older.

As a masters runner I have realized that also for prestige purposes many older runners switch to longer distances. They tell all their neighbors and workmates about the upcoming marathon project or ultra distance event to arouse admiration. The general public thinks: marathon = manly, 800m/1500m = lazy or untalented.

Good point, the general public and many runners think more of the longer races. Also, there are more road races to run compared to track races.

In my older age, I now prefer the track 800/mile because I perform at a higher level than the 5k/10k due to my inability to run enough mileage.

Not getting younger wrote:

Great thread. Just curious, what distances have you all liked to race as you have aged and why? Also, what distance is your gauge through the years? Seems like 5k for many. Is that the ultimate race distance?

I probably like the half marathon best. I don't need speed like 5K/10K, and I don't need super-endurance like marathon.

Having said that, I gauge my ability in all four distances (5K/10K/half/marathon). My PRs were set at 45 in 5K, at 46 in 10K, at 47 in half and at 49 (this year) in marathon. I hope I still have a few more years of improvement, especially in marathon. But my age-graded time is still improving in other distances as well. I also hope I will start placing higher in my age group next year, as I will be joining the ranks of"grand masters."

These are some of the things that happen when you're 55; This morning I wake up with a 5 mile race on todays agenda. After racing 3, 5ks the last 3 weekends and doing and feeling pretty well in all 3 I find myself this morning with a sore back (lifting rocks in the yard this weekend), a sore knee (has been coming on in recent weeks, yard work + job related), and a sore throat (not sure where this came from). Anyway trying to decide whether I should run this 5 miler or just forget it and heal up. I'll probably go and at least warm up and then decide if I should go for it. May just treat it like a hard wo, tempo run.

Who am I kidding, once I get out there I'll end up killing myself just to do good, relatively speaking, like I always do.

Btw, I have an irregular heartbeat this morning too. Been having this off and on for about 10 years now. Oh the wonders of getting old.

But maybe, just maybe I can break a 6:30 pace for 5 miles for the first time in about 4-5 years. Will check back later and let you folks know how things went.

Of course you know you ought to past on the 5 miler? But you have the madness...which we runners need to continue doing what we enjoy.

Well, probably the top 3 % are under 18, but point taken. And I argued in a tread a year or so ago that less than 25% could bench press 300 lbs even after some training. You think it's way less.

Many runners do not appriciate how good even 18 is for 5k among all runners.

I think the biggest questions is COULD they even train to run sub 18:00? I've seen young guys run 5, 6, 7 days a week, do speed work, and still can't break 6:00 for the mile. I see it everyday. Still, it's a moot point. We all could be Lebron James if ONLY we worked HARDER...right?

Also....BENCHING 300? I can count on two hands the # of people I've seen in the gym benching over 300lbs. 300lb bench is a solid bench. I would even say sub 18:00 is a solid 5k for the general population:

Anthem 5k Louisville KY 2014

sub 18:00-- 46 runners

total participants--- over 6000

total participants under 10:00/mile--- 2500

1.8% of participants "running" a 5k (46 of 2500), are under 18:00.

I choose 10:00/mile because that's the pace where even the largest and most unathletic will begin jogging and I've seen seemingly healthy people struggle to run 10:00 pace.

Alan

LastChanceRunner wrote:

Closing in on 70. Been running since 1964. I have over 100,000 miles on my legs. I run three days a week. About an hour each time out. In between running days, I walk.

I do weekly threshold reps. Not because I race anymore but just to keep it going. I don't do anything by pace anymore. I run by minutes. My reps are done by heart rate. So 85-90% what I shoot for.

I ran 70 mpw in my 30's.

By the time I was in my my 50's it was every other day running. I stopped racing in my early 50's. I was still in 18 minute

Richard...

Did you stop racing shortly after you did this?

I always wondered if your method continued to work.

All the best,

Paul

I've been running most days since 1980.

20s My 5 mile run pace was 6 min/mile from 1981 - 1988 weight 175

30s My 5 mile pace was 6:20 min/mile from 1988 - 1992 weight 180

30s My 5 mile pace was 7:00 min / mile from 1992 - 2000 weight 190

40s My 5 mile pace was 8:20 min / mile from 2000 - 2005 weight 200

40s My 5 mile pace was 9:20 min/mile from 2005 - 2009 weight 205

50s My 5 mile pace now is 10 min / mile weight 212

Do you see a pattern?

By my 70s, at this rate I'll be running 12 mins/mile and will weigh 235