Over 50's club

323 watchers

57.5 Degrees of Pain Mar 2018 7:34pm, 11 Mar 2018 3,678 posts	0 57.5 Degrees of Pain I am an example of that folklore Canute. 11 years of improvement and 3 more where I can't quite get back to the peak (but with steady WAVAs, so my decline matches the elites). However I would stack any chronic scarring in my legs against the risks of losing my muscle to age related wastage. Obviously a catastrophic injury can always occur due to bad luck (where maintaining muscle mass is protective) or chronic damage (eg torn achilles), but otherwise I think managing and minimising the decline should be possible.
steve45 Mar 2018 12:00pm, 12 Mar 2018 2,428 posts	0 steve45 "The earlier in life you begin training, the less muscle mass you'll lose after age 60"---a quote I have read. My improvements in running all came within a five year period when I was 30-35 and six years after I started running. There was no way I was going to improve on my 3.08 marathon, 1.21 half, 37.37 10k and 62 .30 ten mile times. That was my limit so inevitably decline in racing performances began in my mid thirties. Unfortunately I had an injury in my very early forties which left me with a slight disability so my performances now are hampered and no matter how hard I train I am more in decline speed wise than maybe I would have been without the disability. But overall I go along with Canute, as the years tick by it makes sense to adjust one's efforts in order to avoid unnecessary injury or stress on the body. I have often toyed with the idea of running for the same amount of time that I did when I was in my thirties and not being over concerned with the distances. As an example on Saturday I ran a 5.2 mile course that I have run for donkeys years in 57.11 which is quite paltry I dare say...but in my thirties that would have taken me around 36.30 on a training run. So...if I just put in a 36 minute run now I wonder if that is enough for my body to deal with? Obviously I now put more time into running per week than I did when I was at my peak .....I continue to ponder!
Runningfoxx Mar 2018 9:07pm, 12 Mar 2018 29 posts	0 Runningfoxx Steve45: Apart from my marathon time (2.53.04) my PB's are very similar to yours: 1.21 ½ marathon, 37.21 10K, 60.52 10 miles - all achieved in my late 50's and 60's. I stopped racing, and therefore training, when I reached 83. I don't even do Parkruns any more, though people tell me I could still post age group records if I bothered to turn up. A guy I was talking to today gave a little laugh when I told him that nowadays I only run for fun and fitness. He was laughing at the word 'fun', hardly able to believe that anyone could regard running as fun. But it's true, and more so since I stopped racing. There's no pressure any more, no reasons for running hard. I potter around the hills at my own pace enjoying wild surroundings, birdsong, the feeling of sun on my body in warmer climes or, as last weekend, climbing through snow drifts. I don't try to analyse any more, couldn't care less about times or pace or distances, or comparing my performances with yesteryear. If I did it would spoil the enjoyment. I've had my day, set my course records, topped the rankings and been extremely grateful to those who set me on that path. It's someone else's turn now and I hope they derives as much pleasure from it as it gave me.
Columba Mar 2018 10:37am, 13 Mar 2018 15,078 posts	0 Columba Long may you run, Mr Fox!
Garfield Mar 2018 2:06pm, 13 Mar 2018 8,848 posts	0 Garfield Mr Fox, people think I'm nuts when I say I run for enjoyment. I'm glad I'm not alone in this!:)
steve45 Mar 2018 5:03pm, 13 Mar 2018 2,429 posts	0 steve45 More innate talent for running than me RFox and superb times for over 50. You would've been more than zipping along in your twenties and thirties! And I only run for enjoyment too but I do tend to grumble when my pace is not what I feel I want ! I sort of analyse out of personal interest and because it's kinda fun mulling over elements of detail with my wife. I ran today for example carrying a small pair of binoculars because I'm also one of those " birders" (Fetch Birdwatchers) currently looking out for the first summer migrants..so running is combined with lapping up the wildness and real world out there similarly to RFox. It's also a good excuse to pause during the run when I'm tiring!!
Mrs Jigs (Luverlylegs) Mar 2018 10:56pm, 14 Mar 2018 26,528 posts	0 Mrs Jigs (Luverlylegs) There is fresh blood, just need to tempt him in here....
LazyDaisy Mar 2018 7:04am, 15 Mar 2018 21,806 posts	0 LazyDaisy Yes tell him the talk is of WAVAs not Zimmers
ChrisHB Mar 2018 9:50am, 15 Mar 2018 16,286 posts	0 ChrisHB I find the scenery most needs admiring when I'm part-way up a hill.
steve45 Mar 2018 10:45am, 15 Mar 2018 2,431 posts	0 steve45 Dunno whether those wise words were for me..but I don't go for the WAVA thing...My disability makes it impossible to "go for it" so I'd invariably fail to reach any worthwhile standard. If I didn't have a problem then it would be fun. Too bad...I still love running.