Age and running

Slogger Jogger

Earlier this month I celebrated my 41st birthday. I've been running for about 6 years now. I regret not discovering the joys of running earlier in life, but having said that I've improved (gradually) year by year. What I like about running is that its very democratic age-wise, particularly with results where you can match yourself against others in your age group. With marathons and hill running its almost an advantage to be older.. some runners just get better with age. In a race I did on Saturday almost half of the top 20 were in their 40s and 50s. The lad who was 2nd was in his 50s, so age is no barrier thats for sure. So to all you youngsters out there you've a lifetime of running (and improvement) to look forward to. Enjoy.

--amadeus--

Thats something that's been playing on my mind a bit recently, especially after a couple of posts on my training log. I'm 37 soon enough and have been running since 2005. Like you every year has seen an improvement but I know that those improvements will stop someday and I'll start going backwards. I wonder how long you can keep getting better for?

buck65

I was thinking about this earlier. I am going on 36 and am training for my first marathon. Surely there comes a time in life when you just enjoy the running for that reason just to run.
All my adult life I have been training for some "goal" or other. I played GAA, ran a bit in my 20s (my times now are well behind then). Cycled for 5 years, took up martial arts. All for the competitve aspect and achievement of it.
I love to train and compete but will I always love to compete?
I think when I reach the point where I am no longer improving and start sliding to an even slower pace one of 2 things will happen.
1 - I will just train to train and keep fit
2 - I will get demotivated and depressed and turn into a cranky fat slob!
The marathon for me is one of the last things on my "Bucket list" , also were a 10 mile race and a half marathon - both of which I completed this year. I feel after completing (fingers crossed) the 26.2 miles I will be happy to leave it behind me but will a mere 10k race interest me in the future?

TFBubendorfer

With my 40th birthday just half a year from now, I frequently find myself checking out the M40 age-group results. I find that in a lot of races the M40 age group is more competitive than the younger guys.

It's not consistent, though. In my last race I was way off the mark in the open age group, but I would have come second in the M40 category had I been half a year older (assuming I wouldn't have slowed down in the meantime, of course ).

I'm actually looking forward to next year. I should be able to pick up the odd age-group award in the smaller local races.

Slogger Jogger

Hi Thomas, Fair point. If you head out for one of the munster hill races you'll know all about competition in the M40 stakes thats for sure Theres a race up and down Mangerton coming up for instance.

eliwallach

TFBubendorfer wrote: »

I find that in a lot of races the M40 age group is more competitive than the younger guys.

I find that too, and I will be heading into that category late next year, although in that space of time maybe some of the faster M40's will then be residing in the M45's .

*All of this is, of course, academic as ranking amongst the prizes isn't something which keeps me awake at night...:(:rolleyes:*

shels4ever

I find that the guys i'm trying to beat are 50-65..:eek:

Woddle

Met a guy out in UCD doing a track session with his mate, I got talking to him and he told me he's 72.
72 and still doing track sessions, I looked up his Irish runner 5 mile time, 37 mins :eek:

hawkwing

shels4ever wrote: »

I find that the guys i'm trying to beat are 50-65..:eek:

I'm always having a battle with an o-60 lad in Tipp and there is never more than a few secs in it.When he wins i console myself knowing that in 5-10yrs i will be winning (or should be! )

earlyevening

Running seems to be a good sport to be still fairly competitive in one's forties. I'm 33 and couldn't hope to compete with a lot of M40s. In the IMRA races there are loads of good older runners. I usually find myself competing with the better female runners.

Peterx

Those of us who only took up running late in life have the best of both worlds, we enjoyed farting about as youths and now can still keep lookin forward to setting pb's whenever we decide to focus on a distance. Woohoo!

I know quite a few runners with great times for the usual distances, all set long ago with no chance of any more pb's (due to the very very good nature of their pb's), I'm always impressed by their love of running as they will never again reach those heights and are happy to continue on with the sport they love despite the fact of their declining times and race placings.
In the hillrunning Jimmy Synnott is one who springs to mind, he has savage times for 5 miles, 10 miles and so on and is a former winner of the Leinster League way back before the fancy new website and it's records. Some of the older lads in my club have incredible marathon times and are still pounding out the sessions every Tuesday and Saturday.
For me personally it's always a pleasure to be on a start line whenever these lads are there as well, it's a link to a rich time in Irish running.

shels4ever

Peterx wrote: »

Those of us who only took up running late in life have the best of both worlds, we enjoyed farting about as youths and now can still keep lookin forward to setting pb's whenever we decide to focus on a distance. Woohoo!

I know quite a few runners with great times for the usual distances, all set long ago with no chance of any more pb's (due to the very very good nature of their pb's), I'm always impressed by their love of running as they will never again reach those heights and are happy to continue on with the sport they love despite the fact of their declining times and race placings.
In the hillrunning Jimmy Synnott is one who springs to mind, he has savage times for 5 miles, 10 miles and so on and is a former winner of the Leinster League way back before the fancy new website and it's records. Some of the older lads in my club have incredible marathon times and are still pounding out the sessions every Tuesday and Saturday.
For me personally it's always a pleasure to be on a start line whenever these lads are there as well, it's a link to a rich time in Irish running.

One thing about setting good pb's in the past is you can always try to break them again.. try been the main word there..

rainbow kirby

shels4ever wrote: »

I find that the guys i'm trying to beat are 50-65..:eek:

In my first ever race I was outkicked for the line by someone who couldn't have been less than an F65 :eek:

At 25, it's nice to know that my peak years of running are still to come! Hopefully things will continue improving, and hopefully I don't wreck my knees by my mid-30s...

shels4ever

rainbow kirby wrote: »

In my first ever race I was outkicked for the line by someone who couldn't have been less than an F65 :eek:

At 25, it's nice to know that my peak years of running are still to come! Hopefully things will continue improving, and hopefully I don't wreck my knees by my mid-30s...

Last year I was in a battle with a 65 year old women in 2 mile races myself.. Se did go to the masters worlds so thats one positive.. She let it slack this year now and can't come close ... I showed her

Seres

not that old really only 29 but did alot of running in my teens , i think in my teens i tried alot less cause i always reckoned i had an infinite no of years to improve , now at 29 i realise my biological clock is ticking year on year and improvements must be achieved now ! i also think that i train smarted due to maturity which i didnt do in my earlier years . i find it really comforting to see that the first lady in the cork marathon this year was over 50 at a time of 2.54 ( improved on previous year), bring on the years

Rusty Cogs 08

I ran for a couple of years when I was 24/25, did a marathon in 3'49" and recently dug out a race number from the Cityswift 10 miler at 84'30". It's funny to think that 10 years later I plan to beat my 25 year olds time by around 20 minutes in the up and coming 10 miler in the park. The realisation that I'm fitter now than I've ever been is a bit strange (not to say I regret the 10 interveening years p!ssing away the Celtic Tiger).

eliwallach

Seres wrote: »

i find it really comforting to see that the first lady in the cork marathon this year was over 50 at a time of 2.54 ( improved on previous year), bring on the years

That was really something to behold.:eek:
And smiling from ear to ear at the end to boot.

another world

I hope to run later in life as a fitness thing more than anything else. I´m 27 now so a good few years to get PBs etc. Then later on it can be about fitness, running in good locations, nature and doing well in a particular age bracket.

plodder

I agree with all the sentiment here (44 years old, running for 5 years) though my current foot injury has literally knocked the spring out of my step (temporarily).

I think I mentioned this study before done in Stanford University about the health effects of running when older. Running slows the aging clock, Stanford researchers find

In particular, disability caused by old age, was delayed by an average 16 years for runners. Quite amazing!

littlebug

I'm getting close to F40 status and just been running for a few months. I would have rolled around laughing if someone had told me a year ago that I'd be doing this :P I was chatting to a 79 year old after one race... he wasn't far behind me. I think he said he'd run 40 marathons and reeled off various international races he's run over the years :eek:

How Strange

Seres wrote: »

not that old really only 29 but did alot of running in my teens , i think in my teens i tried alot less cause i always reckoned i had an infinite no of years to improve , now at 29 i realise my biological clock is ticking year on year and improvements must be achieved now ! i also think that i train smarted due to maturity which i didnt do in my earlier years . i find it really comforting to see that the first lady in the cork marathon this year was over 50 at a time of 2.54 ( improved on previous year), bring on the years

It would be interesting to get more women replying to this thread. My biological clock is ticking quite fast and I know if I have a child that will ruin my great running routine that I have at the moment.

I'm making huge progress at the moment and I wish I had a few more years to enjoy it.

I know I can go back to running but I don't like the idea of having to take a break for 6months to a year.

asimonov

i'm running just under a year and am 18 months shy of 40, its made big difference to my quality of life.

There was a good article in the observer sports monthly last sunday about the UK trail runner lizzie hawker. In it she says...

"When I'm moving whether it's running or being in the mountains, that's when I know myself more. Running is just part of me."

This idea of knowing yourself more when you run is one that stood out for me. The way i see it, if you extract the training plans, the competitiveness, the pace per miles and the PB's etc out of running you should still be left with that real sense of self-awareness that running gives - and thats the appeal for me over other sports i've done and I hope i'll get the same kick out it in the future (please god) as i get now, irrespective of how far or fast i can run.

aero2k

How Strange wrote: »

..if I have a child that will ruin my great running routine that I have at the moment.
I don't like the idea of having to take a break for 6months to a year.

On the positive side, having a baby has loads of physiological benefits for women - just like taking performance enhancing substances but without the side effects. Ingrid Kristensen (spelling?) was famous for returning to winning ways shortly after giving birth, and there are many others like her. Also you don't have to take a very long break if you're creative - try swimming etc. You would need lots of support from friends and family.

aero2k

I'll be 45 the day after DCM '09 and I feel my best days are still ahead of me.
One M60 did a sub 31 in the Adidas 5 mile, and of course there's Ed Whitlock who I've mentioned before on here: http://www.theharrier.com/marcbloomrunning/worldclassrunners/whitlock.php
Professional cycling is full of people who turned in great performances in their late 30's - there's even been a world champion aged 40.

Condo131

Florrie O'Leary, St. Finbarr's AC, did 2:48 in Dublin when he was M60 - I think it was 1994. He did 59:15 for the Ballycotton 10 that year and 64:19 in 1999 as M65. 30:15 for the Eagle 5 in 1996.

Last Sunday, at the Munster Masters T&F in Castleisland, he broke the Irish M75 800m record, doing 3:13.77.

Way to go the Masters!!

Disclaimer: I have no connection with St. Finbarr's AC - rival club, but nice to see Florrie going well again!:)

earlyevening

This is great news. Maybe I can stop running 40 miles a week when all I need to do is sit back and age to get faster.

(sorry)

jinka

well I dunno

I ran my first marathon at 22 and ran 3.03 .I had never ran more than 10miles. At 36 I would be lucky to finish with that type of training -(

Rusty Cogs 08

jinka wrote: »

well I dunno

I ran my first marathon at 22 and ran 3.03 .I had never ran more than 10miles. At 36 I would be lucky to finish with that type of training -(

That's some time for someone who had never ran more than 10 miles. Were you involved in some other sport at the time ?

Slogger Jogger

jinka wrote: »

well I dunno

I ran my first marathon at 22 and ran 3.03 .I had never ran more than 10miles. At 36 I would be lucky to finish with that type of training -(

Jinka, if I can run 3:01 at the age of 40 theres hope for everyone believe me :rolleyes:

Magnet

I only started running/walking in 2004 (age 29)and did the mini marathon in a time of 1hr 34..:o
In 2005 stopped smoking and did a bit of training, ran it in 50 mins, lately I did 43 in the Clare 10k! So with a bit of specific training I would like to think I`m capable of sub 40 for a 10k
I`m quite looking forward to being in a new cetegory next yr F35 and improving my PBs
Now being female and Im 34 now I do have that damn biological clock issue too and I aint running with a buggy! I`m bad enough already...
Whats the recovery from that I wonder? 4-6 weeks (months?)

Krusty_Clown

Magnet wrote: »

Whats the recovery from that I wonder? 4-6 weeks (months?)

Speaking from experience, it takes about 18 years to recover from having children. It's been 15 years so far, and I'm still suffering.

hunnymonster

I read somewhere that if you start running beyond your peak years (early 20;s for most, and was looking at longer distnaces only) you have roughly 10 years (or 10000 miles whichever comes first) of improvement before the advance of age overtakes the improvements due to training and experience. I can't remember where I read it so take with grain of salt.

Gringo78

I heard you have to spend 10,000 hours at something to be really good at it......thats quite a lot of miles, prob 75000 miles? I think its why a lot of Africans are so good becasue they are estimated to have around 50,000 miles done before 18 yrs of age. If you're starting running in your 30's I'd say HM's estimation of 10 years of improvement is probably about right.

mrak

Good thread. Supervets are the most amazing thing about this sport to me. I remember my first road race and I was a fairly fit 31 year old quite happy with my 1:30 half marathon. I was amazed at the M50's, M60's etc ahead of me. I couldn't get my head around it. That someone aged 60 could beat a fit 20-something year old in a sport as basically physical as running. Okay, golf or snooker I could imagine but running.

Of course all the supervets were outstanding senior athletes in their day or would have been if they'd ran at the time. So if you're a fairly mediocre 20-something year old there's a good chance you'll be a fairly mediocre M60 as well.

Who are people's favourite active vets currently active?

Flor O'Leary - for the reasons mentioned above.
Lucy Brennan - for the incredible W50 run she had in Cork.
Tom O'Connor from Liffey Valley AC is sensational.
Of course Gerry Ryan from GCH is peerless. I would place money on him versus anyone of his age in the world.
Martin McCevilly from GCH is an incredible XC runner - has he won all the years of the M55 category?.
I ran a solid Ballycotton this year just passing M50 Stephen Griffin from Tralee on the line in 55:50ish. I thought that was a great time for an M50.
Pauric McKinny, Mick Traynor - amazing xc.

hunnymonster

Magnet wrote: »

Whats the recovery from that I wonder? 4-6 weeks (months?)

Was a discussion we had at home recently. The medical person (and parent) in the house, reckoned at least 6 months to do any exercise, 2-3 years to be back to pre-pregnancy fitness. I think he was just trying to put me off the idea though. Apparently Zuppylurk junior was a wunderkind who didn't feel the need to ever sleep for the first two years of his life. A quick look at the literature suggests at least 8 weeks of nothing after an uncomplicated birth and nothing serious for 6 months.

How Strange

hunnymonster wrote: »

Was a discussion we had at home recently. The medical person (and parent) in the house, reckoned at least 6 months to do any exercise, 2-3 years to be back to pre-pregnancy fitness.

:eek: 6 months without exercise. WTF! I'd be like a beached whale who'd need a harness just to get off the sofa. 2-3 years to achieve pre-pregnancy fitness is bad enough but 6 months! NEVER!

A quick look at the literature suggests at least 8 weeks of nothing after an uncomplicated birth and nothing serious for 6 months.

Would jogging be ok after 8 weeks and building up mileage gradually from a low base? I can't imagine wanting to run or do anything at all in the first 8 weeks but after that I'd have to get moving again.

I've seen some women out running while pregnant so I presume this is ok as long as there are no complications.

Magnet

ok ill adopt one

How Strange

Magnet wrote: »

ok ill adopt one

Me too! I wonder could we get some kind of boards.ie discount

hunnymonster

How Strange wrote: »

I've seen some women out running while pregnant so I presume this is ok as long as there are no complications.

Usual advice is ok if
- you are already habituated to it - don't take up running when preggers
- you don't have any complications
- not at altitude
- you keep HR low (lower than 145 at a max) as you don't want baby to overheat...
How the f. do I know so much about exercise while pregnant, I'm not, no, never having babies.

How Strange

hunnymonster wrote: »

Usual advice is ok if
- you are already habituated to it - don't take up running when preggers
- you don't have any complications
- not at altitude
- you keep HR low (lower than 145 at a max) as you don't want baby to overheat...
How the f. do I know so much about exercise while pregnant, I'm not, no, never having babies.

Thanks HM

jinka

Rusty Cogs 08 wrote: »

That's some time for someone who had never ran more than 10 miles. Were you involved in some other sport at the time ?

Yeah, A lot of cycling
And short fast running but that was then...this is now....

donothoponpop

mrak wrote: »

Who are people's favourite active vets currently active?

The pipe-smokin', bandana-sportin', bog-surfin', Mick Kellett, a legend on the hills and +70 http://imra.ie/runners/view/id/3290/ There's a fair few +70 hill runners, and so many +60 they're ten-a-penny. As the OP suggested, its not odd for +50's to be in the top three places, and +40's regularly win outright.

Hard Worker

Over the years, Ireland has had some of the best Master athletes in the World. At over 40 level, we had three World record holders: Colm Rothery in the 800 metres, Eamonn Coghlan in the indoor mile ( sub 4 ) and Marcus O'Sullivan in the 3000 metres. In the womens pole vault, Sheila Champion holds the record in her age category. We've also had many gold medallists at World Masters T & F and Cross Country Championships, Mags Greenan and Carmel Parnell to name but two.

BeepBeep67

I can safely say in Wicklow there are no easy Master's medals, Mick Byrne, Colin Daly, Sean Dunne, Stephen Flavin, Gerry Kinsella, Peter Savage, Eamoon Tiley, Cormac Conroy, Ben Mooney, Hugh Kinsella, Finbarr Kirwan, Martin Frances, the Tyrell twins and I could go on.

Krusty_Clown

BeepBeep67 wrote: »

I can safely say in Wicklow there are no easy Master's medals, Mick Byrne, Colin Daly, Sean Dunne, Stephen Flavin, Gerry Kinsella, Peter Savage, Eamoon Tiley, Cormac Conroy, Ben Mooney, Hugh Kinsella, Finbarr Kirwan, Martin Frances, the Tyrell twins and I could go on.

Does Cormac Conroy have a bike shop out in Rathdrum? Redline?
Think I used to buy all of my bikes from him..

BeepBeep67

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

Does Cormac Conroy have a bike shop out in Rathdrum? Redline?
Think I used to buy all of my bikes from him..

I'll have to pass on that one, but he does run for Parnell (Rathdrum), if you check out the IMRA site I'm sure there are a few pics of him.

Slogger Jogger

Yep, thats one and the same Cormac.

osnola ibax

I'm 29, I started running in January, I now love it and I am totally addicted. From reading this thread, I am taking great encouragement from the runners who took the sport up in their late 20's / 30's and are now setting a pace that I can presently only dream of. But that's what I am aspiring to and I now think I can get there, 7 min miles, 6.5, 6 who knows.

But aside from all that, going back to something asimonov said, I love the solidarity of running and the time it gives me to get to know myself. I look forward to my long runs, where in this country you could encounter the four seasons in one 2 hour run, and all the different physical and mental challenges an lsr will throw in your face. I am happier now that I am running, setting goals, racing and seeing improvements.

But at times i find it's consuming all of my thoughts, and sometimes I get lost in the a/r/t forum, or researching running online. I get impatient about my lsr's and want to do them immediately instead of waiting for when it's scheduled and getting the appropriate rest. I'm sure in time I will learn to balance running with the rest of my life.

Slogger Jogger

In the trail race last night I was beaten by the ever youthful Dessie Shorten. Well beaten by Donna Mahon too.., so age or gender isn't a barrier for good runners. There was obviously a deficit of M40 runners on the night as I was first M40 home :eek: That doesn't happen too often.

Seres

How Strange wrote: »

:eek: 6 months without exercise. WTF! I'd be like a beached whale who'd need a harness just to get off the sofa. 2-3 years to achieve pre-pregnancy fitness is bad enough but 6 months! NEVER!


Would jogging be ok after 8 weeks and building up mileage gradually from a low base? I can't imagine wanting to run or do anything at all in the first 8 weeks but after that I'd have to get moving again.

I've seen some women out running while pregnant so I presume this is ok as long as there are no complications.

i would defo vouch for not less than six months before doing strenuos exercise after birth , have tried and your body just collapses , you actually feel worse , you can walk or jog a little but definitely not much more , it was about 10 months before i started to run after mine .
with regards running while pregnant , did it once then stopped , felt very
weird , swimming is the only thing that worked for me while pregnant .
I really dont get celebrities who get there shapes back within a month of birth but then again they have nutritionists etc...

--amadeus--

This has veered a bit OT but anyhoo...

Don't forget that a fair proportion of women end up having a C-Section which is fairly major surgery. Trust me, after that you won't even be thinking about running for quite a while!

Back on running and age one of teh frustrating things for me is teh length of teh training cycles for marathons. I can reasonably only expect another half a dozen marathons before I'm 40! Need to make each one count in that case.


(oh and HM, nice to see you back - was starting to wonder if that damaged nose had put you off us )