It should be no surprise that running will feel different for a 17 year old than for a 57 year old. How does running change as you age?
In your Teens
When you are young, energy seems endless – as well as your ability to
recover. However, it is important not to
run too much, as growing bones and joints may be at risk when running high
volume.
In your 20’s to 30’s
Male and female runners hit their peak during their late 20’s and early
30’s in terms of running economy, metabolism, and ability to recover. These athletes can often handle more intense
training than their younger and older counterparts, and starting a new training
program may be easiest during this time.
In your 40’s
As far as competition is concerned, 40 appears to be the magic number where
performance begins to decline. However,
this should not deter you from starting a running program. Performance only declines 1 – 2% per year
after 40, and affects competitive runners most strongly. The most important aspect of running as a
“master’s athlete” is to allow your body more time to recover from strenuous
activity. More cross training days may
be necessary, as well as a lighter kilometerage load. Many master’s runners find that increasing
the intensity while decreasing distance can help them stay just as fit to
become “faster as a master.”
In your 50’s
As you reach your 50’s it is especially important to adjust your goals and
focus on both strength training and recovery.
Men and women will both undergo hormonal changes during this time period
which will affect their muscular strength, power output, and the body’s ability
to repair itself. Decreasing training
load while increasing intensity and cross training days are recommended. Also aim to run on soft, even surfaces to
reduce damage to joints.
60+
Many runners enjoy this activity well into their golden years. What is the secret to running into your 60’s
and beyond? Even though your VO2 max
drops significantly during this decade, research has shown that the 60+ age
group continues to get faster. Aging
runners need to be vigilant about self-care, particularly when it comes to
areas of previous injury. Healthy diet,
regular massage, plenty of cross training days, and focused stretching and
strengthening exercises are important.
Overall, running can truly be a lifetime sport. Runners should take care to understand their strengths and weaknesses as they age, and make necessary adjustments.
In addition to all of our running inspired articles we also have an excellent eBook (PDF) format for download available. Here is the link to our running eBook that is chock full of helpful running information for beginners. Enjoy!