10 Tips For Older Runners

 

“Endurance? You’ve only got to get out there and do it. Face up to it: man was meant to run.” – Percy Cerutty

Being I will turn 55 this year I have bee spending a lot of time researching advice for older or master runners. Most of the advice I have found on the Internet is encouraging. Several sites state that I can expect to keep running marathons well into my 60’s or later. Her are this weeks 10 tips for older runners:

1) Cut yourself some slack. Keep a positive attitude and do not expect to PR every race. It is best to run smart with lots of positive energy. Focus in the fun and spiritual aspects of running.

2) Speed is a big need. You need speed training to stop the decline in muscle fiber size and numbers.

3) Reinforce the foundation. Your hips, abs and back are where everything originates. Keep your core strong with core strength training exercises.

4) Extreme extremities. You need both lower and upper body strength training to maintain strength, power, speed, elasticity and injury resistance.

5) Pay attention. Listen to your body, if it does not feel right it probably isn’t. Any chronic fatigue or pain means you should back off on mileage, intensity or both until you are feeling strong again.

6) Mind your P’s and Q’s. As you age purpose, quantity and quality become more important. Focus on quality running and only put in as much quantity as necessary to meet your running goal.

7) Stride for perfection.Improving your stride efficiency helps to ward off the effects of a reduced VO2 max. Strength training, plyometrics, speed training, barefoot running and a focus on proper mechanics can make you a more efficient runner.

8) Better Balance. Balance and proprioception tends to suffer as you grow older. Balance training will not only improve balance but it also help proprioceptive abilities and neuromuscular conditioning,

9) Holy Holistic. Focus on the joy of running, the mental aspects of running and the spiritual side of running.

10) Holiday Road. When you were younger you could run every day. Now that you are older your body needs frequent breaks, sometimes a couple of days or it may be as long as two weeks.

Any other advice for aging runners?