Somedays we feel Mick was right. It is a drag getting old. But it doesn’t have to be. And the better care for ourselves, the better the years — and the miles are going to be the further we get down the road or trail. No matter your starting point, you really can run and age with grace.
For starters, you’re probably never really too old to start running. Or adopt any other healthy habits, for that matter. Like anything new, you’ll want to wade into it rather than diving directly into a marathon training program.
“Any new runner should progress very gradually, and an older athlete should consider progressing even more slowly,” adds Novant Health’s Dr. Keith Anderson. “As we get older, we seem to need to spend more time with strength training, core strength, and working on flexibility.”
Dr. Anderson knows a thing or two about being flexible. He’s a sports medicine and family medicine specialist and serves as the Medical Director for the Novant Health Charlotte Marathon. He’s a father and husband, and still finds time to train. Let’s just say he practices what he preaches, hosting his own triathlon during the depths of the pandemic, and crushing Ironman(™) St. George in 91F heat this spring… but we digress.
You don’t have to be a triathlete, but varying your workouts keeps things fresh and challenging — in a good way — it also gives those running muscles a chance to recover, and gets other muscles in on the action.
We won’t “out” Judy Caswell’s age, but she’ll tell you she’s been running for some time now. She’s always been active; playing hockey, hiking, swimming, rollerblading, etc. You’ll see her at nearly every local race. Probably winning an age group award, too. Even battling cancer and the subsequent surgeries and treatments, she made every effort to keep moving.
“…in different ways, on different terrains, and surfaces,” says Caswell, “but especially running, since it gives you the physical fitness, the mental, and social pieces!”
Caswell doesn’t bother with split times, power meters, or other tech. She likes to keep it old school. Runners of any age or point along their running path can take a note here.
“I listen to my body,” she adds, “I run every day, depending on how I feel, I decide what route I’ll go, how long, road or pavement, leisurely pace, or whether to push myself a bit more.”
That’s solid advice, especially as we age. Dr. Anderson also recommends older runners pay more attention to hydration, nutrition, and recovery. Even a mild injury should be taken seriously to prevent it from becoming something more serious.
Tom Perri has been running and playing softball for more than 50 years. He’s working on running a marathon in all 50 states and DC — for the 7th time. He’s paced thousands of runners to the finish over the years, including ten years here in Charlotte. Over all that time, he’s seen events become more welcoming to runners and walkers.
“With events becoming more runner-friendly, almost anyone can go from a ‘couch to finisher,’ because many of the events are about the experience and not about the fastest time,” says Perri. “I see more and more people over the age of 50 completing their first marathon, then what became a bucket list item has now transformed them into a runner.”
It wasn’t so long ago that age group awards topped out at 60 or 65 plus. That’s all changed since cross-training, better nutrition, and just more knowledge of fitness and injury prevention have allowed more runners to stay with it longer or join the sport later in life. Along with the obvious upside of participating in a lifetime sport like running, there are social and mental health health aspects that can’t be ignored.
“I truly believe that exercise will help a person not only physically,” notes Perri, “but will also significantly improve one’s mental health state… and that plays a crucial role in one’s outlook on life.”
Naturally, it’s possible to get too much of a good thing. So be smart about how you’ll begin or continue your running as you age.
“If running is causing more pain than it is bringing joy or satisfaction or mental health benefits, then it may be time to find a different form of exercise,” reminds Dr. Anderson, “but it’s NEVER time to quit exercising.”
“Truly, age is just a number,” adds Caswell. “Don’t let the thought of getting ‘old’ hold you back!”