The Running Thread—2023

[Bree]

@Bree It can be tough not to look back. I am not a rousing success story in this area, so I offer no magic formula. But to quote Pumba "you got to put your behind in the past" You are in a good place to do more now and in the future. That's what matters.

Thank you. I don’t really share too much personal stuff on here and was hesitant to post, but maybe it will help someone else push to get answers about their own health issues. I saw Des Linden’s IG post yesterday about her podcast and planned on listening. There’s just so much secrecy about what to expect as women age in general. It’s frustrating!!! I don’t mentally feel 46 (and definitely don’t have the maturity ) so when things happen I’m like WTH is this

 

[SheHulk]

ATTQOTD: I will be 46 in February. I really haven’t made any changes and I can’t say my performance has peaked just yet. I think I have a few more PR’s in me and I am chasing a sub 4 marathon at least once in my life.

What’s unfortunate is how long it has taken to get all my mysterious illnesses diagnosed. I’ve literally been told all my life that it’s anxiety….you have a nervous stomach…you are a mom so of course you are tired….it’s all in your head….take more vitamins….you are getting older so it’s just part of life….we don’t know what’s wrong so we will call it fibromyalgia Whelp, a stress fracture in my hip in 2019 led me down a very weird path and I was diagnosed with pernicious anemia. I have antibodies that attack the intrinsic factor in the gut which processes B12 from food. I’m on daily B12 shots for life now. Other than having to make some adjustments in dosage last month I feel better and recover quicker after my runs than when I was younger. Last week? Finally confirmed allergic to egg whites, egg yolks, kale, cranberries and flax seed (a few others, but those were the major ones). Those are all things I ate daily. No wonder I felt so crummy and had so many GI issues when truly racing for time.

So after that long diatribe I look back wondering where I would be now had these issues been diagnosed 10, 20 or even 30 years ago. I am looking forward to this next year and excited to see how I perform in the Springtime Surprise 10 miler and the NYC Marathon!

Not the same thing but I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism after many years of symptoms and not progressing like I thought I should be in running, given my effort. I hope you have the response that I did to treatment of my different thing, because after about a year of treatment I felt like I was shot out of a cannon, energy- and fitness-wise! Hoping you get to surprise yourself once you are sorted out.

 

[Kerry1957]

I'm 65 and started running in my late 50's. I had slowly gained a lot of weight in my 40s and 50s and found myself a 265 pound diabetic. Running and a much better diet resulted in a 50 pound weight loss and my blood sugar has been good and stable for 5 years. My resting pulse is in the 40s.

I was never really interested in achieving PRs; my goal has generally been to finish the distance smiling and upright. That was my mantra from 5Ks to 10Ks to HMs to Marathons. After 5 marathons in the last 5 years, half marathons is now where I want to keep my sweet spot....needing to train but finishing between 2:30 and 2:40 feeling strong at the end. Unfortunately I have gained about 15 pounds back over the past year and it made a noticeable difference in my times, effort, and general levels of fatigue. So my main goal for the spring is to loose at least the weight I gained.

Given all that, my goals as I age are to maintain a healthy weight and continue to run 4-5 HMs a year. I really enjoy races (the training, the anticipation, the comradery, the swag). Instead of a PR goal, I have started looking at the median time of the 30 HMs I have run and try to match that (currently about 2:40). At some point HMs may seem a bit too long and I will drop down to 10 milers or 10Ks, but I hope that is not until I hit 70 years old.

In terms of training, my @DopeyBadger plans and philosophy are working well. Keep the easy runs easy and enjoyable and don't push too hard too often.

 

[garneska]

I forgot to add, I am hoping i can still run a few quicker halfs and fulls but i am not sure a PR will be around for any of my race distances. I did say that next year i will start a new set of PRs. They will be considered a PR after 50. I am hoping that can help me mentally. I am not done running but I am definitely feeling the getting old and recovery is a lot longer.

 

[GollyGadget]

Kara Goucher and Des Linden have teamed up for a podcast series, “Nobody Asked Us”, and it is terrific! Ep. 2 is really speaking to me right now, as I try to figure out what to do with my aging body that’s made it clear it can no longer train the way I have for the past decade - it was SO good to hear them both talk about aging and that while a few exceptional people are able to maintain or even improve their abilities as they age, most of us are going to experience a decline… and that that’s OKAY. And normal.

So, as I struggle to figure out what my body wants, I pose this as a QOTD: have you experienced the need to adjust your training to accommodate an aging body? What changed? How did you figure out what you needed?

I downloaded the first episode yesterday but have not yet listened. Happy to hear that it’s worth the listen!

ATTQOTD: I’m still in the first half of my adulthood and have not experienced any big aging changes yet. However, I’m closer to 40 than 30 these days. This reality has me questioning my future training and racing plans. Generally, I approach running such that I just want to stay healthy and active enough that I could one day age into a BQ. However, I know that my times will eventually get slower so now I’m wondering if I need to capitalize on my 30s while I still can. I know I still have some PRs in my future, I just need to decide how aggressive I want to be in the next few years.

 

[michigandergirl]

So, as I struggle to figure out what my body wants, I pose this as a QOTD: have you experienced the need to adjust your training to accommodate an aging body? What changed? How did you figure out what you needed?

I am 47 and I have no idea what my body wants or needs! It's maddening trying to navigate perimenopause and all things getting older. Some days I feel great and some days I'm like, "what the he** is happening!"

I'm still hanging on to the belief that I've got some PR's left in me, especially the marathon distance, but I'm also okay if I don't. I like running just to run, so I know I can still enjoy races even if I continue to get slower.

@Bree thank you for sharing your story. For the last 6 months I've had some unusual symptoms and have been bounced around to different doctors. It's been the most frustrating experience, but like you, I keep pushing for answers. I think it's really unfortunate that so many women are not taken seriously when it comes to concerns regarding health.

 

[superchime]

It's a fine ambition. You have time and if you progress slowly, you can do it.

Thanks for this. Most of the people in my life think I was crazy for even doing the half, so those are the voices in my head. I need more running friends!

 

[Herding_Cats]

QOTD: I'm 46 and have only recently started trying to get back into shape, so I have a lot of room for improvement, which is fun. I am learning, however, that I can't push myself like I did when I was younger. Progress is slower and I don't bounce back like I once did, but I am making progress. I'm looking forward to where the next year takes me.

I do need to learn to balance my ambition with my limitations, though. I'm not sure how much is actually possible for me. After finishing the half this past MW, I'm now considering whether or not to run the full next year, and then try for Dopey in 2025 (when I will be 48.6). Is this good and healthy ambition or am I setting myself up for injury?

I'm about 7 years younger than you, but I can say based on my experience: not a ridiculous idea at all.
I got into running in laaaaaaaaate 2020. SIL and I were signed up for the princess 10k in 2021 (which ended up being covid-cancelled.) I had been doing *some* training, but it was all too hard/fast and not consistent enough to really improve my endurance at all.

We ended up running a half marathon in the end of May (I had an injury and didn't run at all for 2 weeks leading up to the race) and jumped off the deep end and signed up for a full marathon in October (2021). Our only goal was to complete it. I finished 11min over what their published cut-off time was (6 hours), but because there weren't any road closures we were able to finish the race and get our medals.

And then I did the Goofy Challenge 3 months after that (2022.) My gamin says I completed the half in 3:42 (I usually forget to stop it at the finish, so the time is usually wrong), and the full in 7:09. I finished ahead of the balloon ladies both times since I was in the corral in front of theirs. I made a lot of bathroom stops, character stops, stopped for a castle pic both days, etc. And while I was pretty non-functional after the races, I was fine the next day (to run the full, and on Monday when we flew home.)

The hardest part of this is fitting in the training.

Thanks for this. Most of the people in my life think I was crazy for even doing the half, so those are the voices in my head. I need more running friends!

That's what we are here for! This is the best group of realistic enablers around. Even @camaker will talk about stuff like "it's only a 100k race!" when you go to HH.

 

[PrincessV]

ATMYQOTD (Answer To My Own Question Of The Day):

First, I am SO glad I asked! There are so many of us going through the same quandaries and I’m finding myself wanting to quote all of you and then realizing I’d be here for 8 hours replying, so what I really want to say is…
I SEE YOU. Clearly this is not a topic discussed enough in the world of running, so here we all are, trying to figure it out. And it feels better to know I’m not alone!

My running/athletic path has been weird: I grew up in the ballet, where running was forbidden “because it’ll ruin your knees and give you big thighs.” So, while I was training for hours every day in ballet and extremely fit, I definitely was not a runner, though I loved to run when occasions called for it, like in backyard soccer games and Field Day relays at school.

I gave up on ballet as a career, but continued practicing on my own my entire adult life - it’s my happy place, where I feel centered and calm. But I needed more than that and started running for fitness in my 20s - knowing nothing about pace, or distances, or any of the stuff I look at now. I just enjoyed the feeling, so I’d run for a while, walk for a while, sometimes as a stand-alone workout, sometimes before strength training. Didn’t track it in any way.

Fast forward to 11 years ago, when a friend ran the WDW Half, and I cheered for some of the marathoners the next day. I saw “normal” people doing something I’d thought held exclusively for professional athletes and thought, “Maybe I can, too!” Signed up for the PHM 5K, and the rest is history, right? Too many half’s, 10Ks, 5Ks to count, plus 7 marathons and a few Dopeys.

The point I’m getting around to is that I “peaked” long, long ago - before I ever started running as I know running today. Before I tracked anything or knew anything. Truthfully, before I even took up distance running. So as I approach 52, I don’t have times or age group wins or anything like that against which to stack my aging self… I only have how I still remember my body feeling when it was young and healthy: capable of anything I asked it to do. That’s still my base level expectation, and my brain is having a hard time letting go of that! The constant messaging about “reversing the aging process” and “age is just a number” and “50 is the new 30!” and such? Feeds right into my brain’s idea that my body isn’t living up to expectations, and therefore needs to be pushed harder. Dangerous stuff, that.

Anyway, I’m in the early days of trying to identify what looks like yet another autoimmune disease added to the couple I’ve already got, and over the past 6ish months, my body has been real, real clear in its messaging: BACK. OFF. It seems to want less mileage, fewer running days, no ”junk”: it still Iikes to pick up the pace, but please not for a long period of time, kthanksbye. It seems to want more fluid strength work - ballet, Pilates, yoga. I’m still recovering from MW, but I think my plan between now and Springtime Surprise to to reduce running to 2 45-min runs and 1 long run, 1 ballet day, 1 yoga day, 1 Pilates day, and 1 day off entirely. With the option of making any one of those days a very easy day, or an extra day off entirely. I’ll see how that feels in another month or two and adjust from there, I guess. I think I need to re-train my brain away from times and distances, and back to where it once was: enjoying the feeling of running.

 

[Baloo in MI]

ATTQOTD:
I am 53. I forget that all the time, but I am. I was once a pretty fast track athlete, running the 400 & 800 in high school and college. For a good portion of my life any athletic endeavor came very easy to me. But in my 30’s and early 40’s I put on weight. About 10 years ago I got serious about running again and really pushed myself, 4 hour marathon, 50 milers, 12 hour races, etc. Then I had a significant injury that I just did not come back the same from, ever.

I will be honest, it has been very hard for me. Not only did I have to deal with getting much slower but I had to face my own ego. I think the second part was the hardest for me. I was once the fastest guy in my school, running in state meets, running in college, being the faster guy at a group run. Able to do what ever I wanted (within reason) pretty easily. And then I couldn’t. Then I was the slow guy at a group run.

I have no good answer, as I am still working through all this. But I will say, the injury which resulted in two lost years has provided a new perspective. I am happy to be running, period. But, there is a huge part of my psyche that wants to push hard and “succeed”. This is what I am working through. So, i am trying to set goals that will push me, but are realistic. And find joy in simply doing. I did start run/walk/run post the injury and I will never go back. I do think this will give me more years of running.

i want to run into my 70’s, 80’s, as long as I can. I have joked about wanting to be the oldest guy toeing the line at races on the regular. But I am serious about that; I love running and hope to never stop. But I also hope I figure out how to get my own ego out of the way so I can truly enjoy it.

 

[HangWithMerida]

ATTQOTD: I started running in my late 30’s and am 42 now. I’m still seeing improvements but a lot of that is because I haven’t been running that long. Better, more consistent training and little tweaks still reap results for now. I don’t know when I’ll hit that peak but I don’t think it will bother me too much. I already only race a few times a year and probably 75% of my races are for fun, scenery, something to do at the end of a training plan. I like training but don’t really like to go hard all that much. I mostly run for the sake of running.

 

[Jules76126]

I started running in my late 20s and started more serious training in my 30s. I’ll be 36 this year and although still young, coming back from pregnancy has been hard. Nothing was the same. Although I felt recovered, my body said otherwise. Currently, I’m in maintaining mode. We would like to have one more baby soon (I’m old in the world of pregnancy). This will be our final one (I applaud anyone that has more than 2 kids. Kids are hard) so once recovered, I plan to seriously get back into training and shape. I definitely think I still have improvements left if I can make the time for training.

I also have IBS that has gotten worse as I age so fueling is a huge unknown for me. I am still working out what works and doesn’t work. Unfortunately, something that worked one day can make me sick the next time. So that is also a goal I have in the coming months to see if there is one thing I can use consistently without issue.

 

[steph0808]

I'm 37, and I started running long distances 10 years ago - when I said I was finally going to run that darn 5k I had been putting off. Well, 8 marathons later, here we are.

I don't think aging has affected me too much yet in terms of running - but just the stage of life has. I started running, did a few halfs, a marathon, and then had a kid. Got back in shape, did another half, had another kid. I've obviously done OK since having the kids, but it's like I cannot fully focus on running because half the time my brain is like "you should be using this time to do something for/with the kids. You should be volunteering for XYZ instead of running."

Plus, I don't think I have it in me to be super speedy (AKA qualify for Boston). Even upping my miles and doing speedwork, etc., I don't know if I'd ever get there.

At this point, I just run for fun. I might try for a new half PR next year, especially if I do Marathon Weekend again - I need a new POT! I have become accustomed to the A/B corrals!

Right now, my body is probably capable of more PRs, but my brain isn't there yet.

 

[jmasgat]

Right now, my body is probably capable of more PRs, but my brain isn't there yet

This is such a big factor and not one to underestimate. Everything I have done re:running is because I was (finally) at a point where I could consider it and wanted to consider it. Weirdly, I have no regrets for not running before age 50, because my brain wasn't there yet. And now that I am "past-peak", that's the part that needs to be managed, just as much as the body.

 

[camaker]

ATTQOTD: I'm not really sure where to go with the question or where I am on the improve/decline spectrum. I was dramatically overweight for most of my adult life and didn't start running until I had lost most of the excess in 2015 at age 44. As with most things that I do, my running accelerated quickly, going from no endurance running at the start of 2015 to completing the 10k + Goofy at Marathon Weekend 2016.

Since then. I've done a mix of running to increase my speed and endurance, going from an injured 5:49 marathon in 2016 to a 3:57 marathon in 2021. Along the way I've learned that I'm probably never going to qualify for Boston and, as a result, I've shifted my focus away from speed to distance. I just like the ability to relax and enjoy the course during a longer race where I'm not feeling the time pressure (even if it's self-imposed) of a marathon or shorter road race.

I think I'm still improving, but periodic injuries make me question which side of the age/progress hill I'm on sometimes. It can also be hard to gauge whether I'm still improving or not when all the races seem to fall into a muddy middle ground of both pace and distance, currently. I think the answer is also clouded by the fact that I got complacent and have put on about 30# since my aborted 100 mile attempt last March. That's probably playing into my current lower leg issue, so am I declining right now or have I just self-sabotaged?

Wow, that was a lot of words to come to a conclusion of "I just don't know". I'm going to keep running and see if the answer becomes clearer.

 

[garneska]

@camamker My main focus is to lose those 10 pounds I gained. I feel like that might be contributing to the knee pain. Hoping I can get it off by May 6 and keep it off.

 

[Disney at Heart]

As maybe the oldest one on the boards right now, I started running at 58, just before I retired from teaching high school English. The first few years I improved, but 10 years later my times are on the decline. Because I never was fast, I ran just for "fun?" and fitness, so I don't really have time goals. I do what I can do on any given day and I am satisfied with that. I try to just be grateful that I'm still running. I will be 68 (yes, older than Kerry) in February and just completed Goofy. Took the half slowly and finished the marathon at 5:55:07 and had a little hip/muscle soreness for a day, but nothing that kept me out of MK that afternoon
I have aging problems: obviously post-menopausal, hypothyroidism, osteopenia, osteoarthritis, and I have two children (37 & 40, older than many of you!) which contributes to more often restroom stops as I age. But growing old is a good thing! I'd say that puts me ahead of Prefontaine!

 

[azrivest]

@Disney at Heart you and your husband are inspirational

 

[WillRunForPizza]

QOTD: I have fallen into a rabbit hole of carbon-plated shoe research. For those who have used them, do you think they're worth it? Which model(s) do you like? Do you use them just for races? Speedwork? Tempo runs? How long do they last?

TBH I'm pretty sure I'm just looking for an excuse to give them a try, but I have no idea how to pick one (the selection seems more limited than other types of shoes at running stores, at least when I'm looking online, so I'm not sure how easy it would be to just go and try some on). And they are pretty expensive so I don't want to waste my money.

My growing interest in running shoes thanks you for your commentary.

 

[Novatrix]

QOTD: I have fallen into a rabbit hole of carbon-plated shoe research. For those who have used them, do you think they're worth it? Which model(s) do you like? Do you use them just for races? Speedwork? Tempo runs? How long do they last?

I was similarly on the fence about carbon plated shoes, until I saw the Running Channel Youtube video showing the impact of carbon plated shoes on an average runner's 5km times (same course, different shoes, 1 week apart.)

I bought a pair of Nike Vaporfly NEXT%s, and I definitely think they've resulted in improved race times. (Plus, they're the only shoe that I've found a shoe/sock combo for that my feet aren't bloody after 16+miles, so I'd love them even if they didn't improve my time.)

After the first couple of races I realized I needed to buy 1/2 size larger due to how narrow the toe box is, but I've used that 2nd pair for at least 8 races and a handful of 16+ mile training runs and so far they're still good to go. I've only used them for long distance runs, no tempo/speed ect.

I'd definitely recommend checking them out if you're curious, especially since you can find last season's right now for half price.