Sliding Toward the Twilight wrote:
I don't need a study to tell me I slow down with age. I know I do. What I want to know is what percentage of my PR I should be at twenty years after my PR age. That sort of thing.
Again, age graded performances are built on times run in those age groups. Many good Masters in their 40s and 50s never competed when they were young, so that method doesn't tell the whole story.
I ran a 15:23 5K when I was 25. When I was 46 I ran a 16:43. I know where that puts me in my age bracket compared to where the 15:23 put me, but it doesn't explain why I am where I am. Some people seem to be able to run much closer to their PRs well into their 40s, others not so much.
Now we're getting somewhere! The previous poster seemed to think that you shouldn't slow down as you age, which is hogwash.
I don't know of any studies that say you should slow down by X percent per year, or somesuch. Maybe a study exists, but I'm not sure it would be worth a a scientist's while to do such a study. We've got cancer to cure. I'd rather grant money to go to that than telling hobby joggers how much they're going to slow down past their 40th birthday.
By the way, your times as a 46 year old are VERY impressive! To be running about a minute and a half off your age 25 times is outstanding!
Few people are able to maintain such a level for so many years for numerous reasons. Among them (besides the obvious advancing age):
1. Injuries. Some people get injured more than others for various reasons.
2. Differences in genetics. Some people are just genetic freaks. Using a baseball analogy, Nolan Ryan was still a GREAT pitcher into his mid 40s. He's one in a thousand. A few runners are, too.
3. Shifting interests/priorities. Some people simply don't WANT to train as much or as hard later in life as they did when they were younger. They just decide to move on to other things. Nothing wrong with that.
4. As an extention of # 3 above, family commitments. When you're single or at least don't have kids, you have MUCH more freedom to train and race than when you're hauling the kids to soccer games and pioano lessons. I have several running friends who always have to check their kids' calenders before committing to meeting for a training run or race.
But the biggest factor is just plain getting old. For anyone who doubts this...just wait. Your time will come.