I broke my foot during a trail 10k about three weeks ago, and I’m DYING without my morning runs. I can’t wait to get back out there but for now I have upper body weightlifting :/
I saw a message on the back of a guy’s shirt during a race years ago that I have thought about often since. It simply read, “There will come a day when I cannot do this. Today is NOT that day.”
A few weeks ago, I was out for a run and waved to an elderly guy on his porch. He yelled back “I wish I could do that.” Made me appreciate being young(ish) and being able to run.
The stretching is the part I’m just now coming to terms with. So many injuries and pains are prevented/relieved through stretching yet it’s the thing I do the least and hate the most.
I thought stretching was scientifically ambigious, with just as many studies saying it hinders performance as it improves it?
I’ve never done it myself, I do warm up - but actively, with either light weight (weight training) or low intensity warm up jog (when doing cardio, even before a time trial or vo2 max protocol).
Anecdotally I just know that my back and hips really start to hurt if I don’t do it.
And the PTs I’ve seen say it’s important for injury prevention. Your light weights might have enough mobility baked in that you’re getting enough from that?
And pray, or wish, or do good deeds for karma whatever you believe in. You can increase your odds of being capable of that at that age but there aren’t any guarantees.
I’ll be 66 in a few weeks. Ran 11 yesterday in prep for my next half marathon later this month. 40+ years of keeping at it and feeling more gratitude for every mile as I know my last ones are probably coming up around the bend. My life is SO much better for what our sport has given me.
There’s an amazing 1/2 marathon in Williamsburg VA, the colonial half. The 45th annual is coming up and there’s this old guy who’s run every single one of them. He gets help walking to the start line and gets to go out first. When I first saw him I was amazed, but a little worried since he needed assistance just getting to the line. That starting gun when off and a switch flipped. He wasn’t fast by any means but hot damn dude hit his stride and just started trucking. I want to be him one day.
I ran a 24 hour race years back, most of the folks there were in there late 60s. I was just trying to hit 50 miles and I had this 70 year old running with me the last mile and a half cheering me on lol.
My dad can’t run anymore due to a heart condition. He has a shirt that says “no running sucks” and he wears it every time he cheers me on during a marathon
Running is super rough on your pelvic floor. Current recommendations are to wait until at least 12w postpartum to return to running and even then it should be a very gradual start.
I had a lovely condition called symphis pubis dysfunction. Basically the ligaments in my pelvis got too loose during pregnancy and caused all kinds of instability. It hurt to walk, and if I stood too long with my weight on one leg, I’d get “stuck” where it felt like my hip needed to pop but couldn’t. It took lots of physical therapy, but it’s fixed now and some pre-existing hip weirdness hasn’t come back either. I’m thankful.
A great friend of mine was heavy into cycling. He was 80 years old with multiple expensive bikes. His past passion was running but due to bad knees could no longer run. He said he would give up all his bikes just to be able to run again
I started losing speed and mileage 4 years ago, I went from 100 mile and 50 mile races to not being able to complete an 8 mile training run without walking. Turns out I had a tumor in my chest that was affecting my heart, main arteries, and it was on my thymus so it gave me Myasthenia Gravis. Well the tumor is out now, and I still have the autoimmune disease MG. I can lift weights and complete workouts most days, but 2-3 .iles feels like my new marathon. What I wouldn’t give to be able to just huck a 10 on a Sunday morning again. Yeah I miss it and I can’t believe I had days where I didn’t want to run or hated a training session.
You’re going to miss it when it’s gone.
I broke my foot during a trail 10k about three weeks ago, and I’m DYING without my morning runs. I can’t wait to get back out there but for now I have upper body weightlifting :/
I saw a message on the back of a guy’s shirt during a race years ago that I have thought about often since. It simply read, “There will come a day when I cannot do this. Today is NOT that day.”
I love this!! Need to write it on my mirror
I had an ACL surgery a few weeks back and I can totally relate with this.
Genuinely inspirational.
Also a good gym motto. Not today, sarcopenia, not today.
A few weeks ago, I was out for a run and waved to an elderly guy on his porch. He yelled back “I wish I could do that.” Made me appreciate being young(ish) and being able to run.
Yup an old dude yelled out to me to run an extra mile for him since he couldn’t
it was more like an extra 400m lol but he still inspired me
That’s awesome!
Ran a 10 miler yesterday, only 90 people, small local race.
There was a 78 year old who finished in less than 90 minutes. 78 f#cking years old, and he’s still going strong.
I want to grow old like that dude
If you want this, never stop training, do strength and mobility, and stretch for the love of god.
Absolutely. I know it just doesn’t happen by itself, it’s a journey and it involves a lot of constant “work”.
Mobility is my weakness and I know i need to improve it.
That guy shall be my inspiration
The stretching is the part I’m just now coming to terms with. So many injuries and pains are prevented/relieved through stretching yet it’s the thing I do the least and hate the most.
I thought stretching was scientifically ambigious, with just as many studies saying it hinders performance as it improves it?
I’ve never done it myself, I do warm up - but actively, with either light weight (weight training) or low intensity warm up jog (when doing cardio, even before a time trial or vo2 max protocol).
It is - it feels really good, but overall I think staying on top of mobility and strength are the most important things
Anecdotally I just know that my back and hips really start to hurt if I don’t do it.
And the PTs I’ve seen say it’s important for injury prevention. Your light weights might have enough mobility baked in that you’re getting enough from that?
YOGA!
And pray, or wish, or do good deeds for karma whatever you believe in. You can increase your odds of being capable of that at that age but there aren’t any guarantees.
I’ll be 66 in a few weeks. Ran 11 yesterday in prep for my next half marathon later this month. 40+ years of keeping at it and feeling more gratitude for every mile as I know my last ones are probably coming up around the bend. My life is SO much better for what our sport has given me.
Keep on Rocking, my running brother!
I have found most of the older people running started later in life.
There’s an amazing 1/2 marathon in Williamsburg VA, the colonial half. The 45th annual is coming up and there’s this old guy who’s run every single one of them. He gets help walking to the start line and gets to go out first. When I first saw him I was amazed, but a little worried since he needed assistance just getting to the line. That starting gun when off and a switch flipped. He wasn’t fast by any means but hot damn dude hit his stride and just started trucking. I want to be him one day.
I ran a 24 hour race years back, most of the folks there were in there late 60s. I was just trying to hit 50 miles and I had this 70 year old running with me the last mile and a half cheering me on lol.
My dad can’t run anymore due to a heart condition. He has a shirt that says “no running sucks” and he wears it every time he cheers me on during a marathon
Yes. Been unable to do anything but swim since July. Needless to say I’m completely fucking miserable.
Very true. RIP my favorite exercise, sciatia.
I hated every run until I couldn’t do it for six months after my son was born. I promised I’d never take it for granted again.
Why couldn’t you do it after he was born? Not trying to stab at you or anything, just genuinely curious. Lack of sleep maybe? Lack of free time?
Running is super rough on your pelvic floor. Current recommendations are to wait until at least 12w postpartum to return to running and even then it should be a very gradual start.
I had a lovely condition called symphis pubis dysfunction. Basically the ligaments in my pelvis got too loose during pregnancy and caused all kinds of instability. It hurt to walk, and if I stood too long with my weight on one leg, I’d get “stuck” where it felt like my hip needed to pop but couldn’t. It took lots of physical therapy, but it’s fixed now and some pre-existing hip weirdness hasn’t come back either. I’m thankful.
I tore my ACL recently and have been without running for 5 months now. I miss it so much. Really easy to take for granted while you’re able!
A great friend of mine was heavy into cycling. He was 80 years old with multiple expensive bikes. His past passion was running but due to bad knees could no longer run. He said he would give up all his bikes just to be able to run again
I started losing speed and mileage 4 years ago, I went from 100 mile and 50 mile races to not being able to complete an 8 mile training run without walking. Turns out I had a tumor in my chest that was affecting my heart, main arteries, and it was on my thymus so it gave me Myasthenia Gravis. Well the tumor is out now, and I still have the autoimmune disease MG. I can lift weights and complete workouts most days, but 2-3 .iles feels like my new marathon. What I wouldn’t give to be able to just huck a 10 on a Sunday morning again. Yeah I miss it and I can’t believe I had days where I didn’t want to run or hated a training session.
According to my Strava, I was easily doing 800-1000 miles a year for a few years. COVID hit, and I went way down to 200-300 tops.
I’ve not been able to get back into it since and I miss the long easy runs.