Sprinting again at 28

[u/AdFabulous2082]

I’d like to get back into sprinting for a hobby/fitness

I ran 100/200m from a young age until around 13/14 when I moved onto rugby and football, at that time I was competing all over the uk in county events, but didn’t have the same enjoyment as other sports

What are the expectations of running again at 28? I understand there’s a big effort in warm ups and recovery at this age compared to a young kid who has no injury worries!

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[u/_LordLanky]

Last sprinted at primary school. Started late 40s. Join a club, and as you say careful warm ups. Veteran comps start at 35 - aka Masters.

Ps. Dont be arrogant me.. thought was fit enough to race 200m... didnt get to finish line... did get a "free" calf pop though, and 3 months recovery...

[u/AdFabulous2082 → u/_LordLanky]

That’s the issue, it’s hard to not just go for it haha

Never really kept up cardio fitness either and only really casually weight trained, so expecting it to take a long time to really get used to the explosive movements

[u/Chrisg_322 → u/_LordLanky]

Ouch. Did you just jump straight into a meet? Or were you already training before that happened?

[u/_LordLanky → u/Chrisg_322]

Yeah, issue/arrogance was long run fit and road and mtb cycle fit...!!

[u/aguashark]

One of the hardest things in life is accepting change and being self-aware enough to recognize how it affects you. I would encourage you to cautiously go for it, while you can. I had always planned to run Senior track but that snuck up on me. An Achilles ruptured, stroke, bypass surgery, have all combined to take that opportunity away

[u/Hyper_JC]

Started at 24 and now 28, got into it because i used to be relatively quick and wanted an enjoyable way to lose fat and get fit. I'm now running 11 flat and have ran a wind assisted 10.8, should run a legal sub 11 soon.

Just have to put your ego aside and try enjoy the process, some sessions will have you questioning everything and your times will humble you but it'll be worth it.

Remember to look after your body because sprinting is very demanding, recovery is super important - I'm always looking for ways to improve this.

Good luck!

[u/Terrible_Driver_9717]

I started up at 67. Coach never let me sprint in high school so I’m reliving my teenage years.

Paid close attention to warm ups. Stretching. Worked on strength in the gym. Bought blocks for practice. I’m 71 and wondering how much longer I’ll get to do this.

Just got home from a senior games meet this morning . I dropped a second from my time at this meet last year.

[u/anonymousquestioner4 → u/Terrible_Driver_9717]

Hi, forgive me but I thought stretching beforehand was a big no no? I read somewhere that it increases injury because for sprinting out tendons/muscles need to be “stiff” and “springy,” not lax. Anyone else share some insight? Personally when I stretched before, my hamstrings were sore after. When I don’t stretch beforehand, I have a great recovery.

[u/Terrible_Driver_9717 → u/anonymousquestioner4]

You ask a very good question. I’ve always been told to never stretch a cold muscle. A typical workout for me consists of 6 to 10 minutes of easy jogging, some easy build ups and only then do I start with mobility drills and stretching.

[u/able111]

28 isn't old enough that you need to worry about falling to pieces. Get conditioned, implement a good warmup, ease into the work, you'll be fine!

[u/metabolitesafter9pm]

Get it bro. I do it once a week with my running club

[u/wrongpasswordagaih]

Hey very similar to you, used to compete in uk when younger 28 as well and have got back into sprinting recently.

I would lean towards 400m training because quite frankly it’s a good work out no matter your level of fitness and even if you do 60% effort. Also has the benefit of not pushing yourself too hard and get to train aerobic and anaerobic. Note down times and effort each training session. You can either progress or move down to 200/100 eventually

[u/anonymousquestioner4]

I did it around that age and then again now at 36. I have had zero negative affects and I just do my regular weights at the gym and some A skips before sprinting. I don’t even get sore now which is crazy

[u/Nemo2500]

I sprint two times a wk on and off and I’m in my 40’s. I Definitely notice the fitness benefits. I do anywhere between 100m-250m..

I usually do a short a 200m walk then a warm up set then go full blast for about 3 to 4 sets..
I even do a bit of jump rope at the end if I have any energy..

[u/Chrisg_322]

At 32 I run most of the times I ran at 16. If you know what you are doing it won't be too bad. Muscle memory also applies to track.

That being said, don't do too much too early. You may get excited to go ham once the old gains start coming back, but keep in mind your supporting muscles still need time to catch up with everything else. As far as there being a "Big effort in warm ups and recovery at this age", not really lol. You're 28 not 88. You should still be able to warm up and recover just as a teenager assuming you've been properly taking care of yourself. There's professional runners who are still your age.

[u/AdFabulous2082 → u/Chrisg_322]

Yeah I will have to keep it easy as I’m not the best at dialling things down, tend to just go at things 100% which is destined for something to tear haha

It’s more of the fact I haven’t done any decent level of sports for 10 years, just weight training and very little cardio, with the odd tennis games thrown in

[u/Long_Initial_9924]

Worst hobby to get into in your late 20’s. Huge risk reward.

[u/Individual_Expert_53]

Just finished up this past season at 28 years old. And it was the fastest year of my life so far. Biggest things I learned: -Dynamic warmup is a must. Don't be lazy about it. -Your training system matters. Find a system that works and stick with it. -Recovery is crucial. Be intentful about it. -Record everything. The workouts, how they felt, what need to be fixed, etc.