Knees, hips, feet? Are they trashed? I have little desire to race or run every day anymore. I don't want to get fat. I still want to eat some ice cream and drink some beer if I want to so I plan to just run 3 or 4 days a week for about 40 minutes to an hour.
My uncle is a wreck at age 70 and can hardly walk after years of running and physical work. I don't want to end up like that.
Just curious how you older runners are holding up after years of running.
Thanks.
I am 50 wrote:
Knees, hips, feet? Are they trashed? I have little desire to race or run every day anymore. I don't want to get fat. I still want to eat some ice cream and drink some beer if I want to so I plan to just run 3 or 4 days a week for about 40 minutes to an hour.
My uncle is a wreck at age 70 and can hardly walk after years of running and physical work. I don't want to end up like that.
Just curious how you older runners are holding up after years of running.
Thanks.
Nutrition is critical in maintaining the body. If you're a junk food freak relying on twinkies and diet sodas for nourishment, you're a health disaster waiting to happen. Unfortunately, a lot of runners fall into that category. Jack Lalane lived to 96 without debilitation and wasn't exactly easy on his body with all of the years of strength feats, but he was religious about practicing good nutrition.
I am only in my 30s, but there is a guy who runs for my club team in the 70s division. Last year at age 73, he ran a 10 miler @ 1:22. I'm not sure what his training is like, but he still races pretty well and fairly consistently.
I'm 62 and been running since 1964. I have no problems running 50-70 miles a week and racing. On the weekend I raced 8km xc at 6:45 per mile and the next day 5km xc at the same pace. The first race felt better than the second. But nothing is wearing out, however my production of energy is less. So what used to be all out and generate 5 minute miles is now feels exactly the same but generates only 7 minutes miles.
It is fun to run hard and race other runners. (so what if the 8th men on DIII teams outkick me?)
I think the best bet is consistent, easy, daily, or twice daily running.
Tom
Been running since 1968. Over 100,000 miles. Still holding up. No leg problems at present. Training for the 800 right now.
http://lastchancerunner.blogspot.com/
I have learned to run slow, every other day for the most part and have one speed day a week at the most.
66 years old.
Thanks for the responses. I eat healthy. Lots of fruit and vegetables and usually eggs or oatmeal for breakfast, milk, juice, and at least on piece of fruit. Meats are mainly fish and chicken and red meat no more than 2x a week.
0-3 beers a week. Ice cream 0-2 times a week. I have been working out and hiking on the off days.
Seeing my uncle is very sobering. He was an amazing multisport athlete and only played HS football, HS basketball, and HS and collegiate track. But he continued to do very physical work in his line of employment and wrecked his joints and has carpal tunnel in both hands.
I don't know too many active runners in their 70's so I was curious how the body holds up in the late 60's and 70's after mileage for years into the 50's and 60's.
Mileage over the years does NOT wear the body down (I am talking about reasonable mileage, 20 - 50 miles per week). The body is self healing, unlike a machine, it benefits from regular use.
That said, you'll hear plenty of stories about old runners who are broken down. Just remember as you hear them that there are even more stories about old non-runners broken down. It's age that gets to you, not mileage.
I don't think you're going to get a representative sampling asking this question on letsrun. I doubt that many 60-70 year olds who have given up running (for whatever reason) post here.
The Answer My Friend wrote:
Mileage over the years does NOT wear the body down (I am talking about reasonable mileage, 20 - 50 miles per week). The body is self healing, unlike a machine, it benefits from regular use.
That said, you'll hear plenty of stories about old runners who are broken down. Just remember as you hear them that there are even more stories about old non-runners broken down. It's age that gets to you, not mileage.
There are those who are fortunate to have good bio-mechanics, others don't. I'm one of the latter...but... at age 63 (closing on 64 nextmonth), still get out, after pretty well since 1965, a few breaks here & there. 15 - 20 mpw for me these days, undecided if I really have run my last race.
>>>The body is self healing, unlike a machine, it benefits from regular use.<<<
I do believe there is truth in this. I refuse to become one of the ranks of broken down runners.
Will be 64 come January. Running on and off (mostly on) since 1963. Body seems to bark if I go near or over 60 mpw (1 long and at least 1 workout). Not sure about recovery times and workouts/races. Still trying to figure that out. My weight is the same as it was in 83' when I ran 2 sub 2:55 marathons. Weight is key, I think. Everything seems to be holding up ok, except the times, of course.
Genetics plays a huge role. See Ed Whitlock for one great example. Obviously, you can't train like you did when you were 30, so common sense and listening to your body is essential.
I'm 61 years old and have been running for over 31 years with a little time off with a couple injuries. 25 years ago I could run 7 minute miles; now I run 9 minute miles. I run 20 to 30 miles a week and have run two half marathons this year (1:56). I know a day will come when I can no longer run but hope that isn't for awhile.
61. Been running 38 years. Run an hour a day, often one long run per week--couple or three hours. I do base miles during the hot Texas summer, do speed work during October and then race hard in Nov and Dec. I do one weird race every summer, off just mileage --midnight 15 trail race in July or, this summer, a 3 hour race. Keys are a vegan diet and limiting racing to a couple of months. During my non-racing season, I sometimes do unstructured speed work and try to run on soft stuff when possible. Twice a year, I take off 5 consecutive days to recover. I find single days off unhelpful. No programs, just figure it out that morning. Favorite workout: 6 to 10 progression.
Bump
Posted on this thread three yr. ago.
For the record am still getting a few miles in a day
Yes feet, knees, etc. do play up but like a previous poster here said trying to train like I did in my thirties would be foolish.
I'm 68 and have been running for 38 years with a few minor injuries.
Never a really high mileage runner. Hit a few 75 mile weeks. In my 30's & 40's I usually only ran 40-50 per week.
The last 10-15 years I've run 4 days a week. 30-40 miles a week, with one fast day (usually a tempo run or hill repeats)and one long run (12-15 miles) or a race.
I can't run a mile as fast as I once averaged in the Marathon, but my body's holding up fine.
Run 8:10 to 8:40 pace for half marathons now, so I've slowed considerably, but still enjoying it.
I wouldn't listen to the doom and gloom guys. They're the same ones who will lay on the coach getting fat and rejoice when they hear about some runner having a heart attack in a race.
"Yep, I always knew that running stuff was bad for you."
At 58 I feel GREAT.
Just not desire to race or train on the edge.
So I Run less but Hike more.
Hilly Hikes. The uphills get my HR up to about 60 percent of max which is a good recovery rate. The downhills really work eccentric strength which is crucial for injury free running.
You probably already know about cardiologist James O'Keefe
http://www.mayoclinicproceedings.org/article/S0025-6196
(12)00473-9/fulltext
IMO the high mileage guys who are still going strong are lucky exceptions. Kinda like the guy who was still smoking a pack a day at 90.
Good Luck with your running.
I don't know a single person who did physical labor as a career whose body didn't break down after 50. Bad backs, knees, shoulders, plus pain med addictions from working through injuries... no good. That's probably what did your uncle in, not the running.
I am 78 and have been running all my life. Also had a lower back problem all my life. I have just been able to get back to jog/walking after a year off jogging. I have a trainer and am trying to strengthen my weak areas. I started running with group of marathon racers in 1971 who I met on the way to the Boston marathon and they still meet every Sunday for a run or walk or jog and breakfast. 16 are older than I am. Many have atrial fibrillation or other heart problems. Some have passed away. 4 died of cancer in 2012 and one died of Parkinson Disease that year. I think diet is very important.
The cardiologists that were in the group suggest no marathons after 50.
A couple of those in the group have run over 200 marathons. A few have also run ultras. One of the wives is 77 and still finishes marathons.
Good running/jogging/walking to all. Listen to your body as you age but do not stop. I wish you all good genes.
I am a late-50's carpenter, and for the most part agree. Most of the 50+ guys on jobsites are pretty gimpy. Hauling tools up and down eight flights of stairs in heavy boots all day takes a toll for sure. There is a reason masters runners are almost never blue-collar. I now only do that work six months/year and focus on diet/sleep etc., and minimize my running and cross-training during a job stint.
I just finished a project and last week was able to bump back up to 45 miles, 7:30-8:30 miles plus some faster stuff, including a session of 10x100 in mid-14's. In my 40s I rolled just under 14s to race well under 5:00 for the mile, so maybe I'll race again this summer after a long break. I spend a good part of the summer hiking and climbing in the mountains. My mountaineering friend is in his early 60's, hikes massively in the summer, and runs a few times a week in the winter, no biomechanical probs between the two of us, knock wood. Both of us have had the same weight we are now since college.
I may be a bit slower, but as long as they make spandex and 20-something women, I'll be out there as long as possible!
Gargage Man wrote:
I don't know a single person who did physical labor as a career whose body didn't break down after 50. Bad backs, knees, shoulders, plus pain med addictions from working through injuries... no good. That's probably what did your uncle in, not the running.
I am a late-50's carpenter, and for the most part agree. Most of the 50+ guys on jobsites are pretty gimpy. Hauling tools up and down eight flights of stairs in heavy boots all day takes a toll for sure. There is a reason masters runners are almost never blue-collar. I now only do that work six months/year and focus on diet/sleep etc., and minimize my running and cross-training during a job stint.
I just finished a project and last week was able to bump back up to 45 miles, 7:30-8:30 miles plus some faster stuff, including a session of 10x100 in mid-14's. In my 40s I rolled just under 14s to race well under 5:00 for the mile, so maybe I'll race again this summer after a long break. I spend a good part of the summer hiking and climbing in the mountains. My mountaineering friend is in his early 60's, hikes massively in the summer, and runs a few times a week in the winter, no biomechanical probs between the two of us, knock wood. Both of us have had the same weight we are now since college.
I may be a bit slower, but as long as they make spandex and 20-something women, I'll be out there as long as possible!