62 yrs old - is it reasonable to start running?

TPetey55

The concern about impact on your joints is a reasonable one. If, after you start running, you feel as though you might be doing yourself some damage, I'd recommend spending some time on the elliptical. It'll really get your heart pumping (be careful about that, too, of course. Monitor your heart rate and keep yourself safe) and you'll work much harder than you do when you walk so you'll burn a lot more calories (at least twice as many) in the same time compared to walking, all with minimal impact on your joints.

CSARdiver

We hold a Navy reunion every year and do a 4 mi run on the beach. I went to my first one 20 years ago and put to shame by the vets in their 50s.

Get a good pair of shoes and do it! Go slowly, but keep pushing forward and challenging yourself every day.

dewd2

TPetey55 wrote: »

The concern about impact on your joints is a reasonable one. If, after you start running, you feel as though you might be doing yourself some damage, I'd recommend spending some time on the elliptical. It'll really get your heart pumping (be careful about that, too, of course. Monitor your heart rate and keep yourself safe) and you'll work much harder than you do when you walk so you'll burn a lot more calories (at least twice as many) in the same time compared to walking, all with minimal impact on your joints.

While it seems reasonable, like many things in life what seems to make sense is not always true. When you constantly hear this from people who mean well but are uninformed, it starts to seem like a fact.

http://www.runnersworld.com/sweat-science/is-running-actually-good-for-your-knees

Same thing for heart rate. It may seem like cranking your heart rate up is a bad idea, but unless you have heart or other physical issues, it is not a problem (and being 62 is NOT an issue).

OP said she wanted to start running. Substituting a boring machine is not running.