Looking for People Who Have Started/Restarted Running Over Age 65

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FarmerCarla
FarmerCarla Posts: 470 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I started running just before I turned 60 and enjoyed running 5 and 10K races. There wasn't a lot of competition in my female age group, but there were a few good runners. By the time I recovered from hurting my ankle (while weedeating, not running), it was the heat of summer. I didn't try to run again, and I gained weight. Now, I'm walking and contemplating starting C25K again. That's how I started last time. I'd like advice and inspiration from seniors who have started running or started running after a lapse.

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  • BrendanScrote
    BrendanScrote Posts: 61 Member
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    Hi There,

    Cant give you inspiration but I am in the same boat.

    Never been a runner except for a brief period in my 20's (I'm nearing 60 now) but a couple of years ago I managds to so C25K and then stopped again.

    Just restated C25K on the treadmill and was on week 3 so I thought "OK lets join a C25k GROUP" ... I ran with them and found it incredibly difficult and different running outside, they were very supportive but I was a hurting puppy for 2 days after.

    So I started C25K from scratch outside ... now I'm running 4 times a week (it's not too much because at my age and weight it hardly running) ... I run 2 days on the treadmill where I am on W5D1 and 2 day outside where I am on W2D3

  • cbstewart88
    cbstewart88 Posts: 453 Member
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    Hello! I'm 63 and I run almost every day. Albeit on the treadmill, but it is still running, right?? I started about 2 years ago - just walking, and have slowly built up to about 5 miles. I LOVE it :)
  • FarmerCarla
    FarmerCarla Posts: 470 Member
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    cbstewart88 wrote: »
    Hello! I'm 63 and I run almost every day. Albeit on the treadmill, but it is still running, right?? I started about 2 years ago - just walking, and have slowly built up to about 5 miles. I LOVE it :)

    It's harder to run on a treadmill! If I wasn't away from my house and anxious to get back home, I'm afraid I would lose my motivation! Do you use a program that shows scenery and raises and lowers to simulate hills? I "might" be able to do that. Do you find your knees have gotten stronger and more stable? I bought good shoes while I was running, and my experience was that my knees were stronger and gave me fewer problems. Hyper-extension of one knee, in my 30's, occasionally bothered me for years, but stopped after I started running at 60. It's a great feeling to be able to run, and I want that feeling again. I ran a 5K with my grandchildren, and, literally, had to run circles around my 12-yr-old granddaughter so we could finish together. We all placed, so they didn't hold it against me. :smile: Good for you! Keep it up!
  • mph323
    mph323 Posts: 3,565 Member
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    67 here :) I started and stopped C25K a few times over the past 5 years or so (never got past the 20 minute week), but I started running seriously last year when I was 66. I finished C25K last year and am working on 5K to 10K right now (I've been able to run up to 7 miles since the beginning of the year but the app includes interval training and I want to get faster). A lot of my running is on the treadmill, but I periodically run outside and always find that picking up speed indoors definitely translates to more speed outdoors.

    I am fitter than I've been since Jr. High, have more energy and so much more confidence, and feel like I can keep setting small goals, and continue improving. As far as managing physically, I have to make sure I'm going faster and further in very small increments, get sufficient rest (at least one day in between runs, sometimes more), and pay very close attention to anything that feels strained or over-tired. My current goal is to finish a 10K in under an hour, and believe me when I started C25K that goal wasn't even a blip on the horizon.

    I'm very fortunate that I don't have any physical limitations that would make it impossible for me to run, but I believe that for most people, there are places to start (walking, swimming, chair exercise), and room to improve at any age.
  • FarmerCarla
    FarmerCarla Posts: 470 Member
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    @mph323 Just what I wanted to hear! Thank you for inspiration! I ran to maintain fitness when I was in the Air Force, but I became lazy after I retired in 1996 and went into teaching. When I saw pictures from a family reunion, I realized how big I was and joined MFP in Aug 2011. I injured my knee, while feeding chickens the previous April, and I was still building strength in that knee when I started losing weight. By December 2011, I was sufficiently healed and lost enough weight to start C25K. I ran my first 5K in early Mar 2012. I had a great time and kept running until I injured my ankle while using a string trimmer at my daughter's home. Before hurting my ankle, I tried training for a half-marathon, but the further I ran, up to 8.5 miles, the more colon problems I encountered. I resigned myself to a 10K limit.

    The first time I started C25K, I was up to walking 7 miles 3-4 times a week. Currently, I'm only up to 3.2 miles, so I'll probably work up to 5 mile walks before I start C25K again, but I'm going to do it! A 10K in under an hour is a good goal for me, too. I think my last one was 56 minutes. In that race, I was catching up to a fellow, probably in his early 40's, near the finish line, and I told him he'd better speed up if he didn't want a blue-hair to beat him. He listened! :D The races were fun, and I'm going to do them again--Good Lord willing and the Church don't rise!

    Do you mind if I send a friend request? My old account was "love22step." That one has pictures, and you can friend me there, if you like. My new account is this "FarmerCarla," and that's now my main account and the one I'm using to keep my diary. Currently, my sister is my only friend on the new account. She inherited a full chest and quickly lost interest in running. I guess that makes me the lucky one!



  • mph323
    mph323 Posts: 3,565 Member
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    Friend request accepted :)
  • FarmerCarla
    FarmerCarla Posts: 470 Member
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    If you do a search in the message boards for "Joined MFP One Year Ago Today - Frumpy to Fit!" you'll see my pictures from my first weight loss round. I didn't intend to have to come back. Currently, I'm soft, like the second picture--not as big as the first picture. The third picture is my goal--again. It would be nice if I could keep the fullness in my face when the rest of me shrinks, but I know I can't have everything.
  • ouray12
    ouray12 Posts: 68 Member
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    fc, thanks for starting this! Mpg323, thanks for the inspiration to do this. I started walking this past summer and am up to 3 miles in 45 min. Ready to run. Doing a 5k each month, but want to tackle a 10k in May. I’m 63. Ultimate goal is to hike Mt Elbert in Colorado in July 2020.
  • Djproulx
    Djproulx Posts: 3,084 Member
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    I'm 61 years old. I started running again at age 55, after losing weight. My layoff from running was about 30 years. :) As I increased to half marathon distances, I suffered various injuries that sidelined me several times. I took up cycling to maintain fitness during those recovery periods, and eventually moved into triathlons as cross training for running.
    Over the last few years, I focused on triathlon racing at longer distances. This fall, I finally gave in to a chronic achilles' issues that plagued me all last year. After 4 months of rest, I'm just now starting to add one day of running to my swim and bike workouts. My hope is that I can nurse the achilles along as I build volume for my second Ironman race at Mont Tremblant this coming August.

    My suggestion is to start slow and keep your volume increases modest. A run/walk approach is a great way to start. For example, a bunch of my running friends and often use a 4min run/1min walk approach on our easy days.

    Good luck in your return to running.
  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,249 Member
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    63 here and I've been running consistently since I turned 50 with the only gaps being a few weeks off for injuries when I first started out (the old too much, too soon, too fast nonsense) and an unhappy Achilles tendon a couple of years ago.

    Take it easy and build up slowly, it's a sad fact of life that as we age we have to work harder for improvements and it takes longer to recover but it's definitely worth it. Improved bone density, improved bone marrow health and improved feelings of well being are just a few of the benefits.

    Keep it up and happy trails!

  • pierinifitness
    pierinifitness Posts: 2,231 Member
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    63 and 99 cents here and I've gotten serious with resurrecting my running. It took a while to get comfortable with it despite having decent cardiovascular conditioning from KB training. Each activity is different.

    My paces are a far cry from what I did 10-15 years ago but I'm showing up and doing it. Based on my past training, I know what I need to do to improve so the thing for me to decide is how bad to I want to run faster than current because running is only one tool in my fitness toolbox. I have set as a goal to be accomplished by this summer to enter and run a 10k fun run race and complete it at a 9-minute mile pace. Used to be able to run that distance at about a 7:15 mile pace.
  • FarmerCarla
    FarmerCarla Posts: 470 Member
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    You all inspire me! I've been taking it slow, letting a torn meniscus heal (I hope), and trying to strengthen my knees. I now have orthotics for my newest Morton's Neuroma (always something). I'm chomping at the bit to run again! I didn't learn to run until I was 30, ran my first 5Ks and 10Ks at 60, and I want to do it again. I turned 67 yesterday. Time's a wasting!

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