if we keep going long enough, every running career will eventually be ended by permanent injury. how long can the average person reasonably expect to hold out?
if we keep going long enough, every running career will eventually be ended by permanent injury. how long can the average person reasonably expect to hold out?
Lots of varibles too many to list.
I plan on running well at least to age 65.I am like the handle implies 50 years old.
low volume
non impact cross training
low body fat
lots of uphill running which is great for your aerobic system and contractile strength while being easy impact wise
no long races or runs even
eat well
get lots of rest
have parents with good genes
that last item is an absolute must
A good question? The running revolution started in the early to mid 1970's so people have been running more than 45 years in many cases. I think we can all run 100 to 150 years but that is still to be seen.
paavo: 19
all others: 91
My father started running seriously in 1968-69 when Ken Cooper's original "Aerobics" was published. He sustained a severe back injury while we were goofing around out in the woods in the middle of the winter (fell on ice and landed on a branch sticking up out of it) when he was about 65. After several months of extreme pain and finally surgery, he found that he could no longer run without aggravating the back problem, so took up race walking. He's now 78 and does 3-5 miles 3 times a week; his fitness is such that he can do a 5k in about 27 minutes.
So, my opinion on the original question is that you are never too old to run.
43, the ability to run FAST compared to earlier years anyway.
Many runners continue running without permanent injury. You do lose the ability to cruise a six minuite mile. Some of us run at 10 to 12 minutes a mile pace in training and near that in races. You can still commpete in age group running if you so desire.
A 74 year old friend who has run forever ran a 5 hour marathon last week. I just ran for 85 minutes with my 76 year old doctor. Everyone deteriorates at a slightly differnt rate but many of us continue to have fun running.
Orville Atlkins, aage 70
I would like to add that my doctor has been running and competing since 1944 and I began in 1952.
I think the org poster means fast running. I would say for most people the early 40s. Elites sooner. Late starters and Joggers may be able to push their PRs into their 50s.
I grew up when running was fun, a sport and a hobby. It continues to be so. My best times began to tail off about age 38. I began by running to win races and because I liked it. I now run because I like it. Those in their 70s can run well. Look at at Turnbull, Whitlock and Fee. Good genetics help.
where can you get that good genetics stuff?
If one is a competitive runner, all that can matter is how one does in ones own era and against ones own peers.
Orville, I recently saw a photo on line of Buddy Edelen. Do you recall what shoes guys of that era wore for training and racing, or or were they more or less the same shoe?
Thanks and Happy Christmas to you.
orthopedic hell wrote:
if we keep going long enough, every running career will eventually be ended by permanent injury. how long can the average person reasonably expect to hold out?
That's simply not true. You can run til you die, or become too weak from disease, ie cancer.
"every running career will eventually be ended by permanent injury."
pretty big assumption - what's the basis?
Interesting question.
I have no answers, only a story.
My dad and I started running over 25 years ago. Him to lose weight and be healthy, me to chase him and because I was built for it.
He's almost 80 now. Still running. He lost 40lbs back when he started and never gained it back. He's in terrific shape, and has almost no health issues. Most of his peers and all of his siblings and cousins are deseased. Many got diabetes. He has not. He is the last man standing and that's been hard for him to deal with, but sure beats the alternative.
He had still been running 2-3 miles, four times a week at about 14 minutes per mile. Recently he tripped over a rock during a run and fell. His reaction time must be slower, he couldn't get his hands out to break the fall at all. Cut his lip, chipped his teeth, banged his head. 6 hours at the emergency room and dentist. But, within three weeks he was basically good to go, except for some pain in his head which he didn't tell the doctors about.
Two months later he fell again. Same thing. But this time he didn't recover quickly and was getting more and more wobbly and having trouble with balance and some motor skills on his left side. He couldn't run, and would get really really tired after struggling to walk 2 miles in over 50 minutes. Everytime he stood up, he needed to concentrate and hold onto things to keep from failing. The doctors finally took a CT scan and found a huge pool of blood in his brain (presumably from one of the two falls) and he had emergency surgery immediately.
He's doing much better now, and can walk briskly for 10 minutes and is building up, but says his running days are over, which is something I honestly never thought I'd hear him say.
What's the point of the story? No point really. This is just ONE example of how the running can end. He went from running 4 times a week and playing tennis and lifting weights 3 times a week, to basically none of that in a matter of days. He may make a comeback, we'll see. I know he's very glad he ran all those years he did and is CONVINCED it's the reason he's still alive.
Seems like most of us on this board really like to run, and it's quite likely many of us will run until the day comes when we simply can't. When that day comes for me I hope I can handle it with resilence, acceptance, grace and wisdom.
end of running days get your father into WALKING/HIKING urban park or whatever
One of my many tricks is to allways be looking down the road
this is what I thought this thread was about
the people who seem to age the best are the ones that are resilient
to spell it out
do not treat running in an all or nothing way
health,mobility and aerobic fitness should be the real goals
sometimes running is not the best way to achieving the goals
eventually all runners must be prepared to adapt
back to looking down the road
walking/hiking
runners often run themselves into the ground then they cant do anything except live in the past
Orville Atkins wrote:
I would like to add that my doctor has been running and competing since 1944 and I began in 1952.
We all need role models, Orville.:)
I started running when I was 30, ran a few 15 minute 5ks, took off a few years, and am now in my mid-40s, began training again 11 months ago and recently ran a 15:30. I believe I can go low 15 again.
The reduction in athletic ability as you get older is mostly due to muscle atrophy. As you get older muscle atrophies while you are eating the same ad so you'll put on fat weight because of this. So...LIFT!!!!!!