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Every day, many runners put on their shoes and follow their familiar training routines that have been a part of their lives for years. However, for individuals above 50 years old, these well-established habits might not be as beneficial as they once were. Drawing from my extensive background in competitive sports and coaching, I have witnessed firsthand the significance of tailoring training to one’s age to sustain longevity in running.
My personal journey began when I started competitive swimming at the age of 8, continuing through college at Hamilton. Over the years, I transitioned to various endurance sports, from participating in events organized by New York Road Runners to competing in triathlons, eventually obtaining certifications as a coach from USA Triathlon, AFAA, Mad Dogg Cycling, and Ironman. Today, equipped with my experience as a mindset coach and seasoned trainer, I am dedicated to assisting individuals in adjusting their running routines to align with their bodies’ needs. Are you ready to revamp your running habits and safeguard your body for the long haul? Let’s explore what you should keep in mind.
9. Stop Relying on Energy Bars and Alcohol
Approaching retirement age often means more opportunities to socialize over coffee, drinks, or meals with friends since social interactions at work decrease. For many retirees, traveling becomes a significant part of life, making it trickier to maintain a healthy diet when it matters most. I personally wear a continuous glucose monitor out of curiosity. Upon trying it, you’ll realize how certain factors, like food choices, stress levels, and beverages, affect your body differently. For instance, I was surprised to learn that ice cream with natural peanut butter doesn’t spike my blood glucose, whereas pineapple and french fries cause significant spikes. However, stress turned out to be the biggest culprit. It’s common knowledge that our diet should primarily consist of protein, fruits, vegetables, and complex carbohydrates while minimizing processed foods and excessive sugars and sweeteners as much as possible.
8. Stop Running Without Cross-Training
As a triathlete, I swim, bike, and run. I can tick off cross-training, except I am not doing much lateral movement. I get some in doing carioca with my high school team or lateral lunges at the gym, but when I play tennis or pickleball, I am sore in new places. Choose another activity that is less weight-bearing and forces you to move laterally.
7. Stop Avoiding Mobility Work
Can you sit cross-legged on the floor and stand up while your hands are crossed at your chest? If not, let’s add some mobility work into your weekly routine. As a high school coach, I have my boy athletes sit at the bottom of a squat as often as possible. Most are very uncomfortable in this position. Personally, I am working on hip mobility myself. Right now I have to put a hand down on the floor to get up. Remember, when we are running, we are on one leg at a time!
6. Stop Running Hard Every Day
Too many people have pushed every workout for far too long. Listen to the conversations on Zone 2 that are all the rage these days. You can go out for an easy run and reap huge benefits. Guess what? A walk is great. An easy run improves cardiovascular health, improves mitochondrial function, improves sleep function, lowers your resting heart rate and requires less recovery.
5. Stop Running the Same Route and Pace
It is easy to get out the door and run the same 3-mile loop every day at the same pace. A lot of older athletes are afraid to go fast on the treadmill. The fear of falling off is real. I love using the Lever for speed training. I can take a bit of weight off, and being strapped in allows me to have a sense of security. I can push the speed and work on getting confident in my ability to hold a high cadence with a fast-moving belt.
4. Stop Ignoring Recovery Tools
Don’t sit back and say, ‘We’ve always done it this way’. Take advantage of new research and new technologies. Use compression boots for recovery. Wear a watch to bed to track your sleep. Use red light therapy or try a cold plunge. Personally, I love all the new technology and tend to jump on things early on to test them out.
3. Stop Avoiding Races
At the Delightful Run for Women, we have age-graded prize money. That might go to the fastest woman in the race, OR it goes to a really good 38-year-old or 62-year-old. Over 90% of age grade is world-class. The top 10 in the field are usually there, but so are a few local runners in their 60s. A couple consistently run at 90-91% age-graded.
2. Stop Skipping Strength Training
In my first years coaching the all-women Training Challenge, I regularly ran on my toes to run next to women running a variety of paces. Three times every Monday for 11 weeks, I ended up with a navicular stress fracture. I was put in a boot and on crutches for 6 weeks and then another few weeks in the boot. I lost muscle in my left calf. To this day, 14 years later, my left calf is smaller than my right calf. Use it or lose it is a good phrase to capture what we need to do regarding our muscles.
1. Stop Following Generic Training Plans
Most training plans have a rest day on Monday with longer sessions on the weekends. This type of schedule was developed for men. When we get to 50 we ALL need to take a look at our schedule and focus on recovery. One day a week is not enough for most people. You might need a rest day every 3-4 days based on your training program. Hard days need a solid recovery for you to make gains or just maintain your current fitness.
Keep at it. There are plenty of reasons to stop, but think about how you want to live your last years. Staying active now will reap benefits later. And if you enjoyed this article, don’t miss How Long Your Walking Workout Should Be To Shrink Belly Fat.
Kristen Hislop, CPT, Certified Coach, USATF Official, Positive Performance Mindset Coach
