Mar
23

Getting Better with Age

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Photo credit: Young and Old Champions by Flickr user Ed Uthman under a Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.

Maybe I’m just more sensitive to it, as it’s becoming a relevant topic for me, but it seems there has been a lot of focus on Master’s running of late (i.e., runners over the age of 40).  Maybe this is an annual focus for Running Times, and it’s just a coincidence that it comes out on my birthday, but this, combined with my recent injury that has set my running plans back by maybe as much as a year, has caused me to reflect a bit on how my expectations for running will evolve for the next 5 or 10 years as I enter this club.

First, I think in general that I am luckier than some in facing this milestone.  It is only in the past year that I have really started to tap my potential as a marathon runner.  I didn’t run track or cross country in college (opting for soccer instead – a choice I’m now wondering about after having read Once a Runner).  Therefore, I’m convinced that I have several years of improvement ahead of me by building up my aerobic capacity, increasing my strength, and just generally training smarter and harder, before this begins to be offset by the impact of aging.

If I had been a competitive (albeit Division III) college runner, perhaps my attitude towards aging would be different.  But I think everyone understands the concept that the 20-29 year olds are going to take the overall awards at most races, and the rest of us should be content with contending in our age groups (or the Master’s category).  I have no problem with this and, as one of the articles in Running Times pointed out, it is satisfying to still be able to beat some (maybe even plenty) of the “youngsters”.

I think the area that will be the biggest challenge though is being patient.  It is perhaps this impatience that took a possibly minor injury and turned it into something that has set back my training significantly.  And perhaps that is why, again, this is the best thing that could have happened for my long-term running “career” – I’ve been forced to face into that need and develop the mechanisms to cope with it.  My wife reminded me all throughout 2010 that “you aren’t 25 anymore” (neglecting the fact that I lazily wasted many of those prime running years by not running), but I don’t think I believed her until the past few months.

So, if it takes a few more years of base-building before I reach my peak, I’m OK with that now.  I think I still have the time.  And I’ll continue to draw inspiration from the busy but successful masters-level runners that Running Times profiles on a regular basis.  And, beyond that point, there are still all those other great reasons to run beyond racing.  I think I can live with that. Hopefully for a very long time.

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Posted in Motivation
12 Comments Posted by Greg

  • Tim Meier

    Nice post. Personally I’m really thankful that my running re-started just before I hit 30 so I can have more of those “prime years” but to be honest when I’m racing around here the guys beating me are mostly 35-45. I think you have some great years ahead Greg. If you continue to train smart and find out where your limits are even the aerobic base that you have should continue to expand in my opinion. If you really want to yearn for days gone by you should read Running with Buffaloes, it is hands down the best description of a college xc team I have ever read. No offense to “Once a Runner” love that one too but I couldn’t put Buffaloes down for a second. Some of it might have to do with the fact that I was in college at the same time, don’t know. Anyway, glad to see you’re back at it and building again. I have no doubt that a great marathon is coming sometime soon.

  • http://predawnrunner.com Greg Strosaker

    Thanks Tim, I’ll have to give Running with Buffaloes a look. I do think that, in fact, competition may intensify in the 40-45 age range for a bit (though, looking back on a 10-mile and half-marathons I ran last year, I would have still won that age group). And I agree that I need to further expand my aerobic base before ramping up to more speed-specific training later this season.

  • Geri Lynn S

    I’m turning 46 next week…I don’t mind aging, so long as I can still run. Until last fall, that worry never really crossed my mind until the fracture. Nature has a way of letting us “Masters” know we need to either slow down or take better care of ourselves while indulging in rigorous training.
    It is hard to be patient, but necessary. Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Greg. I love being a middle aged runner, and I hope this year will find both of us healthier and stronger! Cheers!

  • JeanneB

    I am still PRing in my 40′s…if I could just keep these injuries at bay! Actually, the women’s 40-49 AG in Baltimore is super competitive. The top women in this AG usually beat many of the girls in their 20′s and 30′s in the larger races. I have had luck in small races where these incredible athletes in the master’s category aren’t running :-) I say you have many PRs in your future Greg!

  • http://predawnrunner.com Greg Strosaker

    I think the need to deal with and, as much as we can, invest in preventing injuries is the biggest challenge and change as we reach the Master’s level. I have never felt the need to invest much in stretching, flexibility, restraining myself, etc. – now it seems the highest priority. Hope you are able to avoid the injury bug this year Geri Lynn.

  • http://predawnrunner.com Greg Strosaker

    No doubt that there is some intense competition in the 40-49 age groups – maybe it’s a life cycle related phenomenon, as at that point those who have children find them more independent and mature and thus they are able to invest more in their training again – plus perhaps the ticking of the clock does provide the extra motivation. I look forward to the competition, maybe I’ll get to know some of these runners better from repeated presence at local races. Hope your hip recovery continues apace Jeanne, and you come out an even stronger runner for what you are learning.

  • http://runlikeacoyote.blogspot.com/ Lisa

    The last 10K and Half Marathon I ran were both won by women in my age group (40-45). And the marathon I ran last month…it was won by a 39 yr old and all the women in the top 10 were over 30! I keep hoping for a podium finish and it just keeps getting harder. But that’s okay because it gives me an incentive to keep getting faster.

    I’m also glad that I came to running late in life because I have a lot of years of PRs to look forward to. One thing I think is different from masters vs. younger runners is that most of us in our 40s and 50s have already established families, careers, homes so in some ways it makes training less stressful. We’ve already learned how to juggle responsibilites and can now have fun with life and training! That’s how it’s worked out for me anyway.

  • http://predawnrunner.com Greg Strosaker

    Thanks Lisa, some great thoughts there. I do believe that part of what can make the 40-49 age group so competitive is exactly what you mention in your second paragraph – by that point we have figured out (or, in my case, will have figured out) how to balance training with all the other challenges in our life and find our own balance. Combining that with the fact that, by needing to be smarter about training to avoid injuries, we can actually become better runners through improving our form, flexibility, and strength, lifetime PRs are probably possible for years to come.

  • http://www.reallifeforhealth.com Adam

    This is very encouraging, as I’m quickly approaching 40 and have only started running in the last 3 months. It’s great to know that it’s ok for it take a while for my running to get anywhere. I guess I don’t really have the patience I’m supposed to have by my age, because I’m already starting to feel a little frustrated by the fact that after 3 months I still have to force myself to go out and run. I was hoping to be hooked on it by now, as it’s such an important part of the healthy living program I’m using. I don’t know if you’re looking for other sites that really do a good job with nutrition and fitness, or if you will consider this stepping on toes. If I’m stepping on toes, sorry, you can just delete the comment, but if you’re open to suggestions- my wife and I are really happy with http://www.reallifeforhealth.com. Their system is really easy to use and it does everything. They have 1000′s of different recipes to choose from and they help you build a fitness and nutrition plan that suits your goals. Their exercises are all made by a certified personal trainer and come with printable workout cards and details of how the exercises are done. And for the nutrition part they even send you printable daily meal plans and menus, as well as printable daily or weekly grocery lists, which are broken down by the area of the grocery store or supermarket. My wife likes that all the recipes contain 12 ingredients or less, so they are easy enough for even me to cook. I like that there’s no fad diets, pills, or required supplements. Again, if I’m not stepping on any toes, I suggest you check them out. They offer a free trial anyway, so there’s harm in trying.

  • http://predawnrunner.com Greg Strosaker

    Thanks for your comment Adam, I don’t consider this stepping on toes at all. Our one challenge cooking-wise is that with three small boys, we try to make things they enjoy (plus, we are pressed on time when we get home from work to get things done). But I’ll definitely check out the site. I am planning a post about diet and it is much as you say – no fads, it is simply about ins versus outs.

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