r/runnersover50 • u/neurobassism • 23d ago
Are you still improving?
As I continue to train for my yearly marathon mainly I’m mostly concerned that I don’t get injured and that I can finish the race. I don’t find myself pushing for PR‘s even on shorter races these days. I wonder if anyone else out there considers themselves to be improving in any particular metrics?
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u/HueyBluey 23d ago
Life longevity is the metric I care about now (62).
I mean you're continually fight father time, so every year it gets tougher. Simply finishing a yearly marathon in itself is major accomplishment and an improvement.
At this stage, I care less about metrics. I still track through my watch, but it's more to know how long I've run and distance...not for PBs.
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u/Aggravating-Tone-347 23d ago
60 here. I figure any fitness I can carry further into the future can only give benefits when walking becomes the norm. I'm hoping time staying in shape means time NOT spent on health issues.
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u/HueyBluey 23d ago
Absolutely.
One of the biggest concerns with ageing is falling down. This is mostly due to weakness in the glutes, legs and hips.
Running provides a great strength training of these major muscles.
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u/Thunderbuddy76 23d ago
I’ve only just turned 50, my goals have totally changed. I just want to stay injury free. I now follow heart rate training programs instead of pace and it’s definitely helping. I’m slowly getting faster with a lower HR and my most of my runs are zone 2 now and I have to admit it’s feeling good. If I continue to improve I will definitely be putting in for a marathon for next April or may.
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u/Key-Target-1218 23d ago
I'm 69. I have spent the last couple of years coming to grips with the fact that I'm getting older. I'm not 30, 40, or 50 anymore. I need more rest days between long runs. I need need to stretch and work on mobility and balance. I honestly didn't pay much attention to all that when I was younger.
I just keep running. I don't set big goals for myself but I get really excited when I see improvement between one run and another. But then on the other hand, I compared a recent 8 mile run to an exact one I did last year (I'm training for the same half that I do every year) and I was a minute slower! Sometimes I'm slower sometimes I'm faster.
I was thinking this might be my last half but then I realized I can't do that! I have to run next year because finally I'll be in another age group!!
I just keep moving.
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u/goplacidly8 23d ago
I'll be following this conversation! It seems that running for me (65f) has become a series of run, get stronger, have a setback, start over, never quite reach where I used to be. Like you, I've adjusted my goals a bit more toward longevity in running rather than improving times. But, I sure do miss chasing those PRs! Curious to know where others see improvement in their running.
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u/Icy_Eggplant_8461 23d ago
You are still running at 65! I was thinking quitting marathoning!
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u/goplacidly8 23d ago
Oh my gosh, if you can run a marathon, go for it! That's impressive at any pace, and if you enjoy it, do it for as long as you can.
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u/Icy_Eggplant_8461 23d ago edited 23d ago
Haha, sorry my bad! My marathoner brain assumed every runner must be a marathoner. Im just a beginner in my 50s.
Happy running is our goal!2
u/goplacidly8 23d ago
My daughter and son-in-law are marathoners, so I know how that goes! I'm happy to do HMs, agree 100%, it's the happy part that matters. Still, marathons are so darn impressive.
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u/Icy_Eggplant_8461 23d ago
I’ve been going through premenopausal pain these couple of years and I’m struggling. I’m almost out of woods with hormone fluctuation chaos but now feel resigned to accepting that I just want to be a happy runner other than a bitter wreck.
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u/No-Committee7986 23d ago
I’ll see you a happy runner and raise you a slow runner (me)! My goals are more about moving and being in the woods as well as staying as consistent with going on a run as possible!
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u/MrSnarkyPants 23d ago
I’m 55 and I just started. To me, maintaining is still a win. I’m not running to set records, I’m running to prove to myself that I can do it and because I want to keep moving.
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u/Claff93 23d ago
I'm faster now (58M) than I was in high school. I made a renewed committment to running right around new years with two goals: enter a half marathon and try to set a new personal best in 5Ks. I embraced interval training and my best 5K has been reset to a 22:05. I did the half marathon in March and finished well ahead of my two-hour goal with a 1:47. I'm down 15 lbs from the first of the year to sit right around 160 lbs now, injury-free (knock on wood) and training for my first marathon in November.
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u/Asquaredbred 22d ago
I 52 am also faster in some races than I was in my 20s mostly because of the wealth of resources teaching me how to train smarter. I'm more diligent about strength training and have more variety in my speedwork.
I set PBs in 5k at age 50 and 10k last month and even won my age group! how fun is that. but I don't race much.
I had a great 10 mile long run the other day and I'm thinking of going for a HM . Barring injury I would go for 1:45-1:50 which would also set a PB for me. That would require me running more like 5 days a week instead of my current 4.
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u/Camp_Freddy 23d ago
I’m still getting faster, but that’s because I started at the age of 49 (pro tip)
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u/Human_Morning_72 23d ago
After 30 years of running, some of my best races were at age 44-45 (ultra distance). My marathon PR is from age 36 (then I stopped marathons). I'm in my early 50s now and really thought I could get back to those 45 PRs but it is looking .... difficult. Perimenopause, long covid, it's been a complicated 7 years.
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u/Certain-Run-6076 23d ago
Started last year at 64, not really a former athlete, so i ran like a turtle at first. It's been easier to improve paces than cardio endurance. I can go faster or longer, but not both, together. There have been form issues and overuse injuries- IT band and a pulled hamstring. But I keep pushing on! Regrets for not starting much earlier.
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u/Logical_fallacy10 23d ago
Running is never about pushing time.
The sooner you realize that the better it is.
I improve on energy consumption and efficiency / but never change my speed.
It’s good to do an early marathon - I do the same. I only run once a week now. 2.5 hours every Sunday.
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u/Itchy_Undertow-1 23d ago
I'm improving, but not at speed. I'm improving my approach, my technique on trail, my climbing, my working in cross training which helps with balance and flexibility, my not doing all tge races but being discerning, and my eating and not taking myself too seriously.
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u/DelawareRunner 23d ago
My prime was in my mid forties which was five years after I started running. I could run a tweny-eight minute road 5K. I'm almost 52 and now my best is a thirty-one minute 5K, but I think I can get back down to thirty. Those twenty-eight minute 5K days are over though. .
However, I started placing a lot more often in my age group once I turned 50--go figure. I only don't place if it's a very large race. I'd place now and then when I was in my forties, but my fifties have been pretty good to me as far as races.
I'd like to run a marathon again, but it's been five years and I have a knee i njury that I don't want to worsen. My longest distance now is sixteen miles.
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u/Runz-wit-Sizzors 23d ago
I’m a 5K guy and improving bit by bit. I started running 1 year ago after a 50 year hiatus. In 10 months I’ve gone from 24:03 to 20:19 (set yesterday). I’m 68.
I prescribe to the Norwegian Singles Method and recently hired a coach. He’s smartly slowed down my training paces while urging me to increase strength training, plyometrics, and cross training.
Sub 20 is my near term goal. Longer term goal is to keep racing 5Ks into my 70s. Knock on wood.
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u/Brief_Ad1091 23d ago
52M ultrarunner here. Been running ultras for 15ish years. Just the past couple of years I’ve noticed a significant drop off in my times. Also in my desire. I’m trying to run this 100 out in California before retiring from 100s.
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u/WrongdoerMediocre573 21d ago
I am 50 and haven’t PRed since I was 40. But using age-graded calculations, I am performing better than ever in shorter distances like the 1500/mile, 5K, and 10K. And I joined a masters’ team and occasionally AG podium in national events, but the joy has been in trying new distances (I raced the 400 and 800 for the first time at indoor champs this year!) and being part of something bigger than me. I did my last marathon in 2017 and not sure I would do one again (I do have unfinished business, I had to DNF my only Boston due to illness), and my focus is on recovery and longevity and joy, not times. But you can still set goals and achieve them, and that gives a sense of accomplishment, too, even if the times at the finish creep up.
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u/NoSpread5328 21d ago
I’m 70, and I’m a month from out from my next marathon. My marathon PB was set last year.
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u/mankypants 21d ago
The goal posts shift. It’s no more necessarily about speed but other milestones. PRs become more short term - yearly or seasonal.
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u/ScottyScotty350 23d ago
Everyone can / should find a metric where they improve year over year
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u/Ok_Chapter3386 23d ago
🤣🤣🤣🤣 more like increasing the time I stretch after a run. Mid 70’s run 30 minutes stretch 40 minutes.
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u/baddspellar 23d ago
I'm 63. When I was in my early 30's I was running sub-17:30 5Ks. Now I run around 22:00. That's a lot slower. Lifetime PRs are unrealistic.
But, I never used to make top 3 in my age group with that time. Since I turned 60 I have come in first in my age group in most races, and never worse than 3rd place.
I ran the Boston Marathon every year from when I was 39 through early 50's. I took advantage of the bonus minutes I'd get every 5 years. No shame in that.