I don’t know if I’m actually asking a question or just looking for commiseration. I started running 10 years ago (34yo) and took to it pretty well. I wasn’t the fastest but got better with miles and at my peak ran a 30:29 5k which was amazing! I got burnt out so I switched to spinning about 6 years ago and have kept up my fitness ever since working out 4-5 days a week and running on a treadmill sporadically. 6 weeks ago I signed up for a 10k (which I completed today). I figured since I kept my overall fitness and cardio up I could pick up on my low end which was 12-12:30 mm. I was so wrong. Training outside felt like I was trudging through mud and when I finished I felt like crap for the rest of the day. I started with 14-14:30mm and one run was great at 13:30mm. I feel so defeated. It’s not fun and it feels awful. I’m more mad because it’s not like I’ve sat on the couch for years! I’m so active. I feel a big part is, obviously, I’m older but I’m also in menopause and haven’t physically felt like myself lately. I just wonder has anyone else experienced this? I finished my 10k today but I was basically useless for the rest of the day. I’m older but I’m not that old yet!!!
Come join us in /r/menopause and /r/xxrunning!
I’ll echo someone else here who suggested Stacy Sims’ book Next Level. And, a podcast led by her co-author Selene Yeager called “Hit Play Not Pause”
As we age, woman athletes need to REALLY focus on a few things:
Lift HEAVY 2-4 times a week. 20-30 minutes, do squats, lunges, deadlifts, etc. Low rep, high weight.
Do INTERVALS. Plyometrics too, like box jumps and jump rope. So if you do a treadmill run, do 8-10 speed intervals at the end of your run. (e.g., 10x30 seconds all out pace with good form, 1 minute walk recovery in between)
Do hill repeats. Find a good 6% grade outside and run up it for 30 seconds. Jog back down. Do that 10 times, after a 10 minute easy jog warmup. Then after the hills do another 10-20 minutes easy running.
(I’m 48F, been in peri for 5 years, and work hard to stay competitive - it’s not easy!!)
All of this. Special upvote for the increase in protein. It has made a huge difference for me. I am 58 and feeling my strongest ever this year.
To this good advice for older women athletes I’d like to add: get a DEXA scan and the bloodwork for identifying osteopenia! Our bones start to weaken as we age, especially post-menopause. A pelvic stress fracture led to my diagnosis, and the doctor told me that it was good I was a runner, for if I hadn’t been doing weight-bearing exercise for years my bones would have been in even worse shape.
I appreciate this! Thank you!