Do ANY of You Still Run?

I run 6 days per week because I like running and I don’t want to get fat. I normally am motivated by races, too.

Ghost of Igloi wrote:

I am 70, and have been running since 1965. I ran 13 miles today in doubles, so doing ok.

I love this answer! Keep it up!

u drinks bears?? your weird

I don't know why but when I was reading this I thought it was going to end with....aghhhhhhh.....like some Monty Python movie!!

This has been my experience as well but with 30+ years of coaching coming to a close...

20's: training and racing like a mad man to qualify for the trials.

30's-40's transitioning to teacher/coach/husband/father. Not as much time for training to compete but still getting in the personal time for general fitness and mental/emotional stability. Loved the process of winning kids with track/cc and creating a legacy.

Went through cycles of higher mileage to hardly jogging and gaining/losing weight. Always follow collegiate and pro track and field. Life just gets in the way sometimes. Discovered cycling and wilderness adventuring and planted the seeds for the next phase.

50's. Have personal gym space including treadmill, weight rack, rubber floor etc... Ski every weekend during the season, bike, hike, backpack frequently during warmer months, jog and workout in between all of the other stuff. Hope to keep this going for the next 30+ years......aghhhhhhh.....

Just turned 69. 1) Running plus light resistance work has provided the most efficient way to maintain my fitness which allows to me the option to do most anything I want whether it be an all day bike ride, hike on Mt. Rainier at high elevation or just climb a ladder to do house maintenance and also if I feel frisky enough to challenge other runners at the local "parkrun". 2) A couple of my doctors have advised me that it was their pleasure to have such a healthy patient. 3) many times a passerby has commented to me that I was an inspiration for them to get healthier. 4) Almost everyone in my neighborhood knows me as a runner and it's fun to respond to them as they wave or holler out greetings as I run past. 30 mpw has been enough to accomplish all of this.

Yes I still run every day at age 60. I have run 5 miles a day 95 days days in a row.

Miraculously nothing hurts, and I don't have to ice anything, and I don't stretch. I do the Stick massage of the calves for 1 minute then I am out the door for my run.

I also lift weights every day, for a different muscle group. I do a "pumping" routing with high reps (10-15 upper body, 15-20 for lower body), medium-high volume of 8-12 sets per muscle and only a 30 second rest between sets. Consequently, I am forced to use very light weights, but presto, absolutely nothing hurts, no shoulder or knee pain and I am the rare 60 year old still able to bench press and do squats. Each day's workout takes only 10 to 15 minutes. With light weights, zero warm-up is required and I have a complete gym in my basement, thus 15 minutes after waking in the morning the weight workout is done and I quickly massage the calves with the stick and I am out the door on my run.

Why do I still do it? So many reasons I must list them:

1) To protect my physical health. A tough irony of getting old is that the older you get, the more exercise you actually need to protect your health, even though you are likely more limited in your ability to exercise.

2) Being fit allows me to be more energetic to and experience more of life's good things. I will let you in on a secret. If you don't exercise, your life basically sucks. You could have all the money and power in the world and 5 wives like Henry the VIII, King of England, but without exercise, your life sucks like Henry's life sucked.

3) At age 60, from consistently running and doing the "pumping" weight routine, I am 5'11" 180 pounds and 8% body fat. I have a better physique than 95% of 25 year old guys. The "pumping" routine doesn't give you as much strength as a typical weight routine, but really gives you big muscles and you can stay pain free.

4) Running protects my mental health. It is the best form of aerobic exercise and I get the endorphins after every run for a couple of hours and over the long term, the serotonin. Very good for mental health.

5) I like to eat a lot. Running 5M doesn't by itself burn a lot of calories, but it keeps the metabolism high, so at rest I burn I lots of calories and can enjoy my 5 big meals each day.

6) Running keeps the good cholesterol levels high, critical fort heart health.

7) Running and the weight training keeps the bone density high. Walking, biking, swimming, elliptical, etc. does nothing for bone density. So far not a hint of arthritis anywhere and it is rampant in my family.

8) Running keeps the body fat low and low body fat combined with weight training, keeps testosterone levels high. No low T drugs for me - ever. Good test levels keep you healthy, strong, positive and "in the game", if you know what I mean.

9) I like to relax and take it easy the rest of the day. I have no guilt doing that knowing I got my exercise in and earned the R&R.

10) There are 60 year olds who can kick my butt in a 5K race by literally minutes, especially at 180 pounds, but guess what? Those guys are rare and I have more endurance than 99.9% of 60 year olds and 85% of 25 year olds. I am also stronger than 97% of 60 year olds and 75% of 25 year olds.

11) I love listening to my classic rock on my MP3 when I am running.

12) I love being out there and seeing the sun rise.

Now everyone follow my lead and inspiration and get off your butts and start running and doing a "pumping" weight routine!!

Yes. Every day. I turned 50, quit the meth, whiskey and smokes, and recently started running. I'm 54 now and "run" 40 - 50 MPW.

My VDOT has gone from 36 to 42 in 6 months. I'm still slow, but I'm not sucking on a crack pipe, and I'm getting faster.

What drives me is simple: I want to slow the inevitable decline. Running and lifting is part of that.

I feel this is the natural life progression for people like us.

I like the training process. I tried backing off twice in my life (at 35 and again 43), just running a few times a week, and both times got injured within 6 months and had years making it back. So at 46 when I got back after 3 years of fighting injury I decided to keep going until they drag me away.

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Going on 63 and have met a lot of age group and age grade goals and got to experience a bunch of bucket-list and championship races. My knee aches, and first mile of most any run feels miserable (just feeling sore and tired) but I feel better after the effort. My sweet spot is 60-75 minutes a day of running (or exercise) and a dozen or so races a year. Can't go forever, but looking forward to the next several years.

imagebearer wrote:

Ghost of Igloi wrote:

I am 70, and have been running since 1965. I ran 13 miles today in doubles, so doing ok.

I love this answer! Keep it up!

Thanks, off to do another double in a couple of hours.

Well, I’m 24 right now and I ran from 14-22 pretty seriously. In some ways I hit most of my goals, but the injuries started to pile up, which lead me into lifting. Turns out I enjoy weight lifting a ton and I’ve been stuck on it the last like 3 years. The base I had from running really transitioned me well and I’ve built a lot of quality lean muscle, so I’m loving it. The acquired strength really motivates me too. Still

cycling and playing a lot of basketball for cardio but I’m sad to say the running has halted.

I do have this itch in the back of my head wanting to pursue ultramarathons though. I love the long grind through the mountains. We shall see! 2021 potential comeback but lifting will always coexist from now on.

Ghost of Igloi wrote:

imagebearer wrote:

I love this answer! Keep it up!

Thanks, off to do another double in a couple of hours.

I am assuming a double is not something you do at one time?

I hardly run anymore - maybe one 5 miler a week, which is more of a jog/walk combo, TBH.

Age 59.5

After college, I did 10 yrs of competitive bodybuilding & powerlifting before transitioning to running/triathlon. I did that for about 28 yrs, and due to chronic injuries & OA, I tansitioned back to bodybuilding. Now at the "old age" of 59+, I got some size back and basically train at the gym 6 days a week with that one jog/walk day outdoors.

28 yrs of competitive running really took it's toll on me. Not being built for distance running was the first problem with trying to run through injuries with NSAIDS was the second problem. I sustained two major tendon ruptures; PTT of the ankle & a partial tear of the Achilles. Plus OA of the hip didn't help matters either.

Now it's Silver-era bodybuilding training plus I do 3 sessions of HIIT on the spin bike for my cardio. Feel tremendously better by not being beat up all the time from running. No more walking with a limp, no more post-running pain requiring icing and pain meds, no more feeling like crap for days after a run.

What do they say? All good things must eventually come to an end. And with having to stop running we just move on and find other forms of excercise & physical activity to do.

Ran in high school and college, didn't run a step after I quit my college team about halfway through. Didn't run for 8 years. Started running during COVID back in March due to boredom and have already gotten back close to my college PRs. Will probably train until I beat all of them, maybe do a marathon or two, then hang it up. I regret quitting and wasting all that time but it is a huge time commitment to get up and maintain this level of fitness. Especially when I inevitably have to go back to work full time.

Historyerr wrote:

Ghost of Igloi wrote:

Thanks, off to do another double in a couple of hours.

5:30 am 7 miles with 4 miles @ tempo

3:30 pm 6 miles easy + 2 miles walking

I am assuming a double is not something you do at one time?

Historyerr wrote:

Ghost of Igloi wrote:

Thanks, off to do another double in a couple of hours.

I am assuming a double is not something you do at one time?

5:30 am 7 miles with 4 miles @ tempo

3:30 pm 6 miles easy + 2 miles walking

Way to go Ghost! Do you seek out softer surfaces sometimes? I would guess you weigh 170 or less.

Started running at age 15. Ran high school track and XC. Ran at a D1 college. After college went to grad school in a different state. Still ran but a little less intensity. Then took two full years off of running while starting career and kids. All my PR's were set while in college. After two years of no running decided I didn't like the extra 20lbs I was carrying. Started running again but way less miles. Running about 4 miles a day 5-6 days a week. Job took me to Asia and ran there but doing about 5 miles a day six days a week. Ran a few 10Ks. Did a 33 minute 10K at age 35 and a 35 minute 10K at age 41 odd of just 5-6 miles a day of running.

Moved back to the US a few years later and running was just 3-4 miles a day. Started cycling.

Now at age 61 just run about 2-3 miles twice a week. Less in the Spring and Summer when I cycle a lot more. Never had a desire to run a marathon but did do about 3 half marathons.