Last year I was quite a competitive runner (in my age group), but lack of things like Parkruns, organised training coupled with staying at home too near the fridge, coffee machine and the biscuit tin during lockdown has seen my level of fitness drop a little (well a lot).
However, I rather like just going out when I feel like it rather than forcing myself to go out when I really didn’t want to and I think my change in outlook is here to stay.
Any other runners on here, how are you getting on, or are you all too busy listening to music?
Afraid my Brooks Adrenaline are for walking only nowadays since I developed an undiagnosed breathing issue triggered by running. Was running a good 4 minute 50 mile well into my 50s
I go running most days (around 6km along the seafront) and try for at least one long run at the weekend. The long runs have been a bit messed up since COVID in the Spring, but I’m gradually getting back to normal, managing around 40-50 km a week…
That’s a shame @mikehughescq, 4 mins 50 is an excellent time for a mile at 50+ must have put you towards the top of that age group. I only ran one timed mile and was a little over 5 mins also in my 50s; I still recall the lactic burn in my legs from the first lap onwards!
@Michaelb, I don’t have the luxury of a seafront so have to make do with the local river paths. Once upon a time I ran 70 miles per week running most days and twice a day now and again (to work and home again). I’m now running every other day, maybe only 25 - 30 miles per week.
I look at the times my running friends are posting on Strava and think yeah, I can still do that, but then I look out of the window and see it raining and decide it’s not worth the effort and listen to music instead
Yes, generally ran as fast in my early 50s as I did in my mid 30s. Thought I was fit but couldn’t race until a friend persuaded me to enter a mile with him and I came in 2nd at my 1st attempt in a mixed age race. Used to run marathons in my teens and twenties but a guy in a gym showed me how I was really built for shorter distances and I was kind of shocked at how right he was. The tendency is for people to settle for 5 mile runs etc. as they age but a really fast mile is actually so much more satisfying at that age.
Also suited me to run shorter but faster as I got to grips with my visual impairments.
On the plus side I have flogged those shoes to death. During lockdown they’ve done 4 miles every day walking.
Former competitive distance runner here, 5K up to marathon and triathlon. I sit on my ass all day for work so I stay pretty active when I’m not working. I don’t do much running anymore since I picked up some metal parts in my leg from another hobby of mine. But I do a lot of walking and hiking to complement my gym workout and dual sport motorbike riding. I live next to a public trail that snakes through various parts of the community, golf courses, mountains, and even some retail spaces, so I’m able to walk frequently when I’m not hiking my local summit trails. I’m only walking a few miles a day but in conjunction with the aforementioned activities it’s perfect for me. Hard to believe I used to log 60-80 mile weeks for years on end. I do miss training at that level, that and a host of other things I could do when I was young.
Yes, we are here. How are we getting along? Unless my ( you’re) “track” gets unavailable because of any pandemic measure, it’s always a question of discipline.
As always.
Im currently doing 10k in 45m . 43y.o.
It’s enough for what should be the main reason to run: health benefits.
When tired, return home and hear some music … on my Naim.
Run every other day. At this time of year I only tend to do 3km runs, but when the weather improves it’s 3km-9km more frequently. I enter races so there’s a goal to aim for and a bit of fun.
I ran quite a bit and have a couple marathons under my belt. I was doing a 17 mile run in prep for another marathon, then during the run I thought why am I doing this? I’m not enjoying it. I didn’t do the marathon, but I watched (the route goes near to my home).
I looked at the “average” runners at the halfway point, apart from club /elite in my eyes I thought not a good look, the struggle and the pain on their faces. I have doubts about whether long distance running has many beneficial physical effects compared to walking. So currently for me no more marathons, nice long walks are my forte now. (Until the next time ) YMMV
Know what you mean about marathons. I wanted to do London for the experience, and to make sure I got a place I ran another to get a good for age time and guaranteed place at London. Having done these I have no desire to run another. Much prefer shorter distances, but at the moment I’m more of a fitness runner than a competitive one.
As for benefits, well I suffered from blood clots on both lungs a while ago and I got through it without it affecting me to any great extent; I put that down to the benefits of running and aerobic fitness.
Exactly. I can’t get the enthusiasm for long distance training. I like to do lots of smaller runs. This way I’ll keep up my interest and continue to stay fit. Anyway, I don’t think long distance running is good for the body. If I keep it to a few short (3-6k) runs a week I maintain my enthusiasm and stay loose and in shape. I had a leg injury Feb’19 that came on fast, but never went away. No one could sort it and I couldn’t run for a year. It’s now fine and I’m back to my routine. I’m in my fifties and right up to the injury I was running 5k races 15-25 secs over the 20 min mark. Just kept missing out on breaking the 20 min barrier. It’s that goal that keeps me excited and motivated.
Stating the obvious perhaps, but if you keep missing out on your goal by a similar amount then you may have plateaued. To find an extra 20 seconds or so (not far off 100 metres) is a lot based on will power alone! You may have to do a bit more, increase intensity or just be content with where you are and hope for a favourable day and course.
I’m afraid I fall into the used to be camp now following a serious accident 11 years ago, but before then I used to run everyday. I did get quite competitive at one stage and managed pb’s of 1hr 12 for a half marathon and 2hrs 44 for a full.
I really miss the freedom of just chucking on the trainers and heading out into the lovely countryside I have around where I live but at least I’ve been there and done it.
Although I’m unable to run any more I would tend to disagree here. When you plateau as a runner it’s just as likely because you need to do less. I used to run 6 to 7 days per week. I could never do a mile in under 5 minutes 50. I dropped down to alternate days and within 2 weeks posted 5:15 followed by 4:50.
@Hanumike, that’s beyond my capability. I started running at a late age, and managed a 2hrs 50 at London in my second and last marathon, although I was 48 at the time. I didn’t do any more 'cos I didn’t enjoy it and the training was too much; I’d also achieved my target of sub 3
@mikehughescq a few weeks after my London effort I set my best 5k time of 16mins 50 and despite plenty of further attempts I never quite beat it so for me distance and speed endurance worked for me. You can over do it of course and I never ran more than 5 days a week.
Anyway, it’s a lovely day here in the NW of England, sunny and fresh and some river paths are calling
I think your right @mikehughescq I found that in the initial stages of getting into running you could knock great big lumps out of your pb with a little bit of more specific training (hill work, intrervals etc) but then you plateau out and knocking a minute or two of a half marathon time becomes a major effort, but I suppose if it was as easy as more training always equates to a faster time then we would all be a Mo Farrah
@WeekendWarrior yes definitely plateaued. I can still visualise the 5k races splits; usually 1st k 3:45 then 4:10, 4.10, 4:10 4:00. Yes increase intensity training or some proper speed training. I was running faster intervals, but I think this is where I got an injury from. Once, getting faster and increasing stride length during a run, a soreness in my buttock area came on for a minute or so then when suddenly worse. Couldn’t run for a year without it coming back instantly.
I find if I have all the right running gear, it makes it so much easier to go out in the rubbish weather. Close-fitting gear, thin gortex shell, windstopper gear, that sort of stuff. And being warm before I go out. Plus the after-effects of warm healthy glow once inside after a run during the winter.
@mikehughescq when you start doing less, there is a period where your times decrease, but after a short while the times get longer and longer as you’re not putting the miles in.
I simply don’t think that’s generally applicable. Certainly didn’t apply to me ever over about a 40 year period. I ran a 2 hour 59 minutes marathon aged 27. The previous year in the same race I ran 3 hours 13. In year 2 I ran approximately 200 miles less in training and dropped a days training each week. I ignored my expert friends who had run many more races than me at that point and listened to my body. Similar when I dropped down to just doing really fast mile runs. At 7 days pw i could do a 6 minute mile. At 4 to 5 days pw in my 50s I could do a sub 5 minute mile and maintained that for around 5 years.
Whilst you obviously have to put the hours in, it remains a truism that many runners simplistically equate fitness and speed with miles completed or work done but diet, sleep, rest and rhythm are as important if not more so.
This is the issue I have , that a simple outdoor exercise can , for some, turn into an competitive obsession either against you self or others, how many runners find themselves constantly checking their garmen watch or whatever, recording every run. Going into to the office on Monday and telling colleagues they’ve beaten their pb distance/time, sorry getting grumpy …
) YMMV
