Over 35 training

Get a good coach.

I've been considering it. Been following mostly the principles developed by Daniels and Lydiard.

Run high mileage, this is because typically we lose speed with age and at least you'll have the strength. Easy days need to be easy!! Then make sure you have a proper diet and stretch more than when you were younger. All the little things make a difference. I'm 35 and took about 6 years off from running. I ran a 1:09 half marathon last year, which was a PR and run right around 15:20 and 31:40 for the 5K and 10K. Now just need to get that marathon PR. But again higher mileage and easy on easy days!

Having started around your age and tried a handful of seasons doing 40-60 MPW, generally with the standard "intervals, tempo, long run", including one spring faithfully following Daniels 5-15k training, I had vastly better success and less injury with higher mileage (80-100) in doubles and a workout focus primarily on longer slower tempos and secondarily on short, intense, full recovery reps. And some 5k road races which seem to do me more good than intervals.

Daniels' book suggests older runners often benefit from more of a focus on tempos and less on intervals, which seemed true for me when I tried his program with less than stellar results then thrived that fall on an amalgam of malmo lore / Hansons marathon plan for the masses / Lydiard marathon conditioning / listening to my own body & experience.

Look at your logs, they will give you some good insight as to what has worked and what areas you may be lacking along with intensity.

What do you consider high mileage? The most I could handle with work and live somewhat of a life outside of running would be about 85 mpw.

I've been doing Daniels 5k/15k program and I think my body couldn't handle the toll of 5-6 weeks of progressive interval sessions. I had much better success doing 3-4 week top of interval work.

If you can run 85 mpw do it. Don't worry too much about track work, but some sharpening will help. Tempo, fartlek, steady state stuff will get/keep you strong. If you have time for some weights/strength work it will help the degeneration of muscle mass.

---

lakie wrote:

Any advice for training once someone gets past the age of 35?
I've only been running for a few years and am somewhat competitive in my age group (low 35 min 10k, 1:15 half marathon) for local races. Recently, I haven't been able to make much improvement. Any thoughts on what others in my age group have done with some success?

I'm currently done track work twice a week and try to run on soft surfaces although most of my running is on hard pavement. I

---

Take all advice with a grain of salt. While I think it's generally true that people over 35 may respond better to strength type training rather than quality/speed, you need to experiment like any other runner.

I'm 34 and just started back after a 3year layoff and I don't feel a whole lot different in my recovery and response to workouts than I did in my 20s, but I am trying to be mindful. But I am freaking out of shape. Listen to your body and don't be a slave to your workout schedule.

I am in my fifth week and doing roughly 50 mpw, which surprised me. Guys around me think I am crazy and tell me that I am too old, blah, blah, blah, but I feel good and having no injury problems.

I think we are used to seeing 30-something bodies go to pot more as a result of sitting on their ass all day rather than natural physiological changes, but people age differently. So don't assume that your performance should be compromised by your age. It may be, but be smart and give it a chance.

Good luck!