What accomodations are you making to your running as you age?

Paul Hough

I turned to full time triathlon about 9 years ago due to repetitive running injuries after decades as a single sport athlete.  Triathlon has definitely extended my athletic life but as I approach 60 I am noticing the following about my running:

1. My running speed has degraded more than the other two sports.  When I started it was my best event, now I consider it 2nd to the bike.

2. My easy pace is slowing roughly 10 secs per mile per year.  And when I do jog, it just seems as not as fluid as I used to be.

3  Despite tremendous focus on core, functional strength and single leg movements, I feel like my hips are on a universal joint when I start running and I have to focus hard to make sure I run straight.  This tendency is more pronounced when I run slower, and the first couple of miles of a run.

4. I am less heat tolerant than I used to be and have difficulty running long in hot/humid weather.

5. My left leg doesn't seem to fire on the same cycle as my right.  It's like a millisecond or two behind and causes my form to have a slight hop.  I have been concentrating on turning over the left leg as fast as the right when I do stride-outs and that seems to work. 

6. I have a long history of left leg/foot injuries and I have to work harder mentally to try and run with symmetry between both legs. 

Thanks to almost 5 decades of running, durability is not an issue.  I'm trying to recover some speed this winter and have been running 6-7 days a week alternating 30 mile and 45 mile weeks since the beginning of the year.  I've had some success but progress is slower than I would like. 

I'm wondering if the super vets (60+) in the haus have had similar or different issues with their form and speed, and what accommodations you've had to make to minimize the amount of slowing.  Please share!

BShim

I've added yoga this off season and feel more balanced and have better body awareness in all 3 sports. I also try to avoid negative thoughts about what I can't do and focus more on form and "flow".... and take extra rest day when I need it. Rock on!

Paul Curtin

Hi Paul – perhaps consider a video gait analysis at a sports medicine-type clinic. An experienced PT could identify stretches and movements specific to your needs. I did this last year and found it helpful (wound up shortening my stride considerably).

Regarding point 3 on the run start … would it help to add a bike or rowing warm-up before the run?

Robert Sabo

Do you do a warm up prior to running?

Paul Hough

Honestly, not much, but that hasn't changed for decades. Whether stretching before a run is beneficial or not is still disputed. Typically my warm-up is just taking the first mile easy. What do you do?

tim cronk

I've been doing the lunge matrix and myrtyl routine as a self prescribed PT coming back from my hip fracture and labrum tear for 1 month now and really like them both.
http://www.coachjayjohnson.com/2010/04/lunge-matrix-as-warm-up/
http://www.runnersworld.com/training-video/the-myrtl-routine

Paul Curtin

The lunge steps looks really good - thanks Tim. I have an amalgamated routine with several movements - here are two more ideas for you Paul:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6Cp8Jxfg4Q (this is from Pete Jacobs' warm up - the one at the 2:20 mark is good for left-right balance)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=naW8u72lOzI (these should help loosen the hips)

Jog easy or spin for a couple of minutes beforehand.

Rodney Daulton

I've been starting with a 7 to 10 minute progressive pace walk moving to my run workout starting slow then picking up to my regular plan workout. Usually takes me about 15 to 20 minutes to get loosened up and feeling good. My biggest problem is a muscle strain that can pop up from time to time especially if I try to race too often. I've pretty much have given up on sprints as sped seems to be my biggest nemesis. Pretty much just doing half or full IMs. The bike and swim are my friends, running not so much.

Robert Sabo

I personally like the active warmup described in the running webinar in the Wiki
http://members.endurancenation.us/Resources/Wiki/tabid/91/Default.aspx?topic=Successful+Running+[Webinar+April+2015];
5 active exercises/stretches(one of which is lunges) gets me a lot looser faster.

Paul Hough

@ Barabara - I've followed a yoga tape in the past, but had to kick it out this off-season to get in more strength work. I think that would be a good idea to do again when I get to the build stage for my next IM and will be going to the gym just once a week versus 3 times.
@ Paul - I've had two functional movement screens in the past 5 years, both showing left leg issues that I work on continuously. I've had at least 3 metatarsal stress fractures in my left foot, a stress fracture in the left tibia, torn muscles in the left leg, ITB on the left side, some issues with the left knee, etc. My left leg is held together with duct tape and bailing wire. Yes, I think a warm-up on the bike would help since I always seem to run faster on a brick than I do when I just do a run.
@ Robert - No, but obviously I should.
@ Tim - Thank you. I will watch these and develop a routine.
@ Paul - Thanks for the additional videos. Truly, I promise to start warming up!
@ Rodney - In Nov and Dec I actually started incorporating a short walk (1/4 - 1/3 mile) before running. That helped, but I have improved since then and got lazy again. I'm also doing stride-outs at least once a week after a short run.
@ Robert - I need to review that as well. Bottomline - I need to take the best of all these sources and develop a warm-up routine that is no more than 10 minutes, else it won't get done.

Thanks to all of you for your considered input. Obviously, walking from the front door to my mail box (official starting point of all my runs) is insufficient warm-up. I am motivated to do better!

Yonili

Race walking.  After a reoccurring runner's knee, I gave up running last year. I have started to learn race walking. After time with a coach my form is getting better though I am still very slow.

Some things to keep in mind. Elite walkers walk 7min mile over 50k! At our age (I am near 60 too), this, of course, is out of reach. It's hard to do right at first-take a coach. Doing it right is important for speed. Its a third the impact of running. I find that, unlike running, I am good to hit my pace right off 56mi bike  (don't know yet in actual half or full race). Its frustrating at the beginning. Hard to handle hills though I am managing. Beyond 13.3 min mi it is energetically more expensive than running and its cost rises quickly. Its much easier to handle nutrition than on the run. Recovery is rapid-hell I can walk day after day. When you get into the groove its good. Others have raced tri race walking. You get stares. If you do it enough you forget how to walk normally!