I have a high school kid who's had a promising career in distance running so far. He's in his junior year. I haven't run seriously since a couple of years after high school.
A few years ago I started running again after constant nagging from my son to start again. I started running about four months before entering a mile track race. I couldn't believe how painful it was. I had none of the float or ease I felt when I was in high school. I got injured a month before the race and didn't run at all that month but still managed a 5:29 in the race at age 50. I quit running after the race.
Last August I decided to start running again with the goal of entering a 5k cross country race in the fall. My training consisted of running every other day exclusively on a flat bike trail or a treadmill while I was traveling for work. I worked up to 8 miles for some of my runs. I noticed that I really enjoyed the health benefits of these efforts. I actually never enjoyed running but I liked being on the CC and track teams and I loved racing.
The race came up this fall. I wasn't expecting much, I got injured again about a month before the race and was just trying to hold on. The cannon went off and here I was, back in a cross-country race, the first one since my senior year in high school at the State meet! All of the old feelings came flooding back as I went through the course over the grass, up and down the hills, through the woods, etc. It was great! A lot of my son's friends from other high school teams hung around to help cheer me on in the open race, I had to keep pushing! I managed a sub 20 minute time and was blown away! The icing on the cake was running a cool down with my son and his buddies!
This time the running has become a habit. I've continued to run and look forward to entering more races next year!