February 24, 2025 • 24 mins
Hi Running Friends!
Aging presents unique challenges for runners, but it also offers opportunities to adapt and thrive in the sport we love. By focusing on smarter training routines that prioritize recovery, strength training, and nutrition, older runners can maintain their passion and excitement for running.
• Recognizing changes in bodies as we age
• Embracing a reduction in mileage for physical AND mental health
• Prioritizing recovery through sleep, stretching, and rest
• Strength training as a crucial element for maintaining muscle
• Managing potential discomfort through proper warm-ups and cool-downs
• Redefining success to include consistency and celebration of runs
• Adjusting nutrition for better energy and performance
• Staying motivated through personal goals and community support
Resources from the Episode:
Rest and Recovery in the Older Runner (blog post)
Rest and Recovery in the Older Runner (YouTube)
Rest and Recovery for Runners (podcast)
How Can I Strength Train Efficiently as a Runner (podcast)
Contraindications for Foam Rolling - This is a research paper, scroll down for a chart
Yak Trax - (As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases)
5 Nutrients We Need as We Age (blog post)
Sustaining Your Stride with Nutrients the Older Runner Needs (podcast)
If you are looking for a coach to help you reach your running goals, even if it's just to start to run, take a look at my Coaching Services page on the website. I do virtual, in-person (Buffalo, NY area) and also offer single zoom sessions for those would just like to chat with a coach one time.
I am also a Personal Trainer, and offer virtual training as well, in addition to Nutrition Coaching.
Find my additional outlets over at the YouTube channel and at wrinkledrunner.com. Sign up over on the blog for the once-a-month newsletter! If you would like information on utilizing a running coach, check out what I can do for you here.
If you have any running-related questions, please send an email to sherry@wrinkledrunner.com…I answer every one.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hey running friends, today we're going to talk about
being an older runner.
So let's face it, our bodieschange as we age and that can
impact how we train and recoverand even how we think about
running.
But there are ways to adapt andthrive and keep enjoying this
(00:21):
sport for the long haul, even aswe age.
So let's start with the obviousas we get older, our bodies
just aren't the same as when wewere in our 20s and 30s and, as
I'm on the bottom edge of thehill towards 60, even in our 40s
(00:41):
things are different.
For me.
You might notice that recoverytakes longer, it's harder to
build muscle which I candefinitely attest to and maybe
our endurance isn't quite whatit used to be.
And again, that is somethingthat I am finding, probably in
the last year or so that myendurance is not what it used to
(01:02):
be.
My endurance is not what itused to be, but aging doesn't
mean that you can't be a strongand a happy runner.
You just have to train smarter.
So here are a few adjustmentsthat I have found helpful.
One of them was cutting back onthe mileage.
If you feel that, that issomething that might be helpful
(01:25):
to you, I started finding thatsix days a week started to be
too much, both physically andmentally, and I found this out
during marathon training oneyear, and once I got back to
five days, I was able to trainmuch better.
Back to five days I was able totrain much better.
When I was running six days aweek, I was starting to dread my
(01:48):
runs, and so then I keptputting them off and not doing
them.
It would be one, two, threeo'clock in the afternoon and I
still hadn't run yet, and so Iwas finding myself mentally not
doing well with that, and I alsowas very fatigued in my legs
and just all the way around, andso I decided that I definitely
(02:12):
needed an extra rest day, andthat kind of leads into
prioritizing recovery.
So recovery is something that Italk about a lot and it's very,
very important.
It's part of training.
So sleep, stretching, rest daysall the things that when I
(02:34):
started running 20 years ago Ididn't really pay that much
attention to I really need tonow that I am older.
Sleep is, especially if you'rea menopausal woman like I am my
husband he's going to be 60 thisyear and he still can fall
asleep as soon as he hits thepillow, but I can lay awake for
(02:58):
hours before I fall asleep, orsometimes I'll fall asleep
quickly, but then I wake up inthe middle of the night and then
I'm up for two, three, fourhours, depending on when I wake
up, and if I don't have anywhereto be in the morning, I fall
back asleep and then I'm azombie for the rest of the day.
So it's easy for people to sayyou need to get enough sleep,
(03:21):
but for a lot of us, it's notthat we're not trying to get
enough sleep, it's just thatwe're not trying to get enough
sleep, it's just that we can't.
And so I have found some thingslike white noise has helped
immensely.
I also make sure the room isvery, very cool, and that has
definitely changed.
(03:41):
That's definitely a differencefrom before I hit menopause.
Before I wanted to be as warmand as cozy as possible, but
heat is now the enemy, andbecause I live in a 125-year-old
house, the heating is very,very weird.
So we have radiators and thesecond floor, where our bedroom
(04:02):
is, it's really like a sauna.
It does not cool off at night,even though we turn the heat way
down.
So our first floor can be verycool, but our second floor is
very hot.
So even in Buffalo, where someof the nights are in the single
digits, I will be cracking opena window and I have the ceiling
(04:24):
fan on.
So sleep is something that a lotof times we don't think is
important to running, but itreally does rank right up there
with fueling correctly andgetting miles in.
That is when the body recoversand our adaptations that we want
to get better at running.
Those happen during recovery,just like strength training, and
(04:45):
a lot of times we as runnerskind of ignore that concept,
where the bodybuilders and thepeople who do a lot of strength
training they have that down.
They understand the recoverydays.
We tend to not be so great atthat, but it really is very
important.
So strength training, like Iwas just mentioning, but it
(05:06):
really is very important.
So strength training, like Iwas just mentioning, as I've
gotten older, has really been agame changer for me.
Building muscle helps protectyour joints and improve your
running efficiency, and even 20minutes a couple of times a week
can make a big differencebecause we do start to lose our
ability to build muscle and losethe muscle that we have as we
(05:30):
age.
So we naturally lose musclemass, which is called sarcopenia
, and that can begin as early asin our 30s and it accelerates a
lot after 50, and I havedefinitely found that to be true
.
So loss of muscle not onlyaffects running performance, but
it can also affect everydayactivities like climbing stairs
(05:51):
or carrying groceries.
So having a strength trainingprogram built into our training
is important not just forrunning but also for life.
And as we run, our musclesabsorb impact and help stabilize
our joints, and without enoughmuscle strength we rely more on
our tendons and ligaments andbones to handle that load and
(06:13):
that can lead to more injuries.
So incorporating regularstrength training helps build
and maintain the muscle massthat we need to stay injury free
.
It also improves bone density,which is essential as we age.
Running is weight bearing andit actually is really good for
(06:34):
bone health.
But strength exercises,particularly those involving
resistance or weights, will takethat to the next level, and
stronger bones means a lowerrisk of fractures, obviously,
which for older athletes or justfor older people in general,
that becomes a concern as we age.
(06:55):
Another benefit is balance andstability.
As we get older, our balancetends to decline, which can
increase the risk of falls bothon and off the road.
So strength training,especially exercises that target
the core and lower body,improves our stability and helps
us stay upright and confidentduring our runs.
(07:20):
As we age, we also need to thinkabout our metabolism and body
composition.
As muscle mass decreases, ourmetabolism slows down, and that
makes it easier to gain fat,even if our diet hasn't changed,
and especially for those of uswho are in menopause or
perimenopause, we definitely seethat happening.
(07:41):
I see that happening more andmore every year, and so I have
to keep that strength trainingup so that my metabolism is
revved up and it also increasesmuscle mass, which helps
maintain a healthy body weightand composition.
As we age, and if ourmetabolism is slowing down
(08:02):
because we're not keeping thatmuscle mass up, the calorie need
for our day is not as high aswhen we were younger.
So if that's something that isfrustrating for you, then that
is something to keep in mind.
And just another great reason tostrength train but also an
(08:25):
overlooked benefit for a lot ofpeople is the mental confidence
that strength training can bring.
When you feel strong, you movethrough the world a lot more
confidently because you feelcapable and you feel ready to
tackle the challenges, whetherit's a hilly course or simply
getting off the floor playingwith the grandkids, or even a
(08:49):
few weeks ago we had ourbathroom redone and we have
these really big, enormous tilesthat we put in the bathroom on
the walls and on the floor.
And we had a designer help usdo all the renovations in our
house and we overbought thesereally big tiles and she ended
(09:11):
up needing some tiles foranother house that she's the
designer for, and so she wasgoing to buy back some of the
tiles.
They came two to a package andit was just her and I and she
was kind to buy back some of thetiles.
They came two to a package andit was just her and I and she
was kind of concerned about, youknow, would I be able to lift
these tiles and get them intothe back of her car With her
(09:35):
help?
She was worried that she wasgoing to have to bring some guy
over to help do that and I saidyou know, I'm pretty strong, I
think I'm pretty strong, I think, uh, I think I'll be good, and
we were able to lift those tilesand toss them in the back of
her car, no problem, and I wasconfident that I was going to be
able to do that because I dostrength train on a regular
(09:57):
basis.
Now, in addition to being arunning coach, I'm also a
personal trainer, so it's partof my job to do strength
training.
So, for other people, that issomething that you may have to
really put into practice and putinto your schedule to strength
train, but it really really isvery important, is very
(10:25):
important.
Just two or three strengthsessions per week, being
consistent with that, will makea big difference in how you feel
and perform as a runner.
And if you are older and youdon't even know where to start,
I will put some resources in theshow notes.
But also if you're at a gym orthere's tons of online personal
trainers that you can go to andget a plan for, which is more
(10:48):
personal than just like takingsomething off of YouTube or off
the internet.
So let's switch gears a bit andwe're going to talk about
injuries and I'm noticing, likeI said before, especially this
past year, that I'm experiencingmore discomfort in my glutes
and my hips than in the past.
It's not an injury, but I'mvery aware of my glutes after a
(11:12):
few miles.
So I've incorporated more hipand glute work to my strength
training routine, becauseprevention is definitely key
when it comes to those kinds ofthings.
So I recommend doing a dynamicwarm-up.
So don't just roll out of bedand start running.
Do some leg swings, hip circles, mobility drills to get your
(11:34):
body ready.
Now, for most of us who areolder, rolling out of bed and
just going out for a run is alot harder than it used to be
anyway.
So if we have somethingspecific that we're doing before
we go out there, that stiffnessthat we get when we're sleeping
and getting out of bed can goaway if we are strategic about
(11:57):
what we're doing before we hitthe road.
Also, cool down properly.
I'm finding I need to foam rolland stretch after my runs in
order to feel good later in theday.
That will help to get rid ofsome of the soreness that you
might feel and instead of youknow, wanting to plop on the
(12:18):
couch for an afternoon nap ifyou do some stretching and do
some foam rolling, if you'reable to do foam rolling.
There are somecontraindications about that,
especially for those of us whoare older, which is another
reason why I suggest gettingtogether with a personal trainer
, just so that you know whetherthat's something that is safe
(12:39):
for you to do or not, but evensome stretches just getting
those muscles to feel better,especially towards the end of
the day.
Also, listen to your body.
If something feels off, don'tignore it, because taking a few
days off of running now isbetter than being sidelined for
(13:00):
weeks.
If you actually get an injuryor stress fracture or something
like that, if you're having anyissues, I do recommend working
with a physical therapist thatis well-versed in how to deal
with runners.
So if you're injured or even ifyou just have a few niggles
(13:21):
here and there that can turninto injuries, consulting with a
physical therapist can bereally, really helpful to
getting you back on the roadinjury-free.
Now, a lot of times we justignore it because we're not
quite sure if we can even dothat or not.
But if you check your insurance, if you call a physical
(13:41):
therapist or not, but if youcheck your insurance, if you
call a physical therapist, theycan find out for you if they are
able to take you on and if yourinsurance will pay for that.
Because if there are someexercises that you can do to get
out of that cycle, that willjust get you out on the road
quicker and also help you nothave so many niggles and so many
things going on.
(14:04):
So one of the things that'shardest to accept as we get
older is that we might not be asfast as we once were, although
there are plenty of olderrunners that I'm seeing out
there who are challenging that.
But if you've been running fora long time, like I've been
running for 20 years, thereprobably is going to be some
(14:24):
slowing down.
So here's some of the thingsthat I've learned as that has
been happening.
So redefine success.
Instead of focusing solely onpace or PRs, I try to celebrate
consistency, running pain-freeor just getting outside for a
beautiful run when the sun isshining, especially here in
(14:45):
February in Buffalo, our winterhas been absolutely horrific
Just ice, lots of ice, and soit's been very dangerous to get
out there.
But yesterday I was able to doan eight-mile run because it got
warm enough that even the iceturned to slush for a few hours,
(15:06):
and it was.
My feet were frozen, they weresoaking wet.
I mean, I stepped in so manyicy puddles when I was running,
but the sun was shining forenough time that it actually
felt like a pretty nice run.
So I was able to get out there,and that was something that I
(15:28):
celebrated.
Instead of worrying about pacingor getting up to a particular
pace by mile or doing any speedwork, that has been absolutely
impossible this winter.
You cannot go fast.
You have to be very, verycognizant of where you're
putting your feet and how fastyou're going.
So instead of worrying about aPR for my next marathon, I am
(15:55):
just celebrating that I can getout there and train and do it.
So finding joy in the processis something that I have learned
to appreciate a lot more asI've gotten older, so sometimes
it's just about the fresh air,hearing your footsteps, the
sense of accomplishment.
(16:15):
After a run Yesterday I feltvery accomplished because I have
not been able to get out for alonger run in a year, very, very
long time.
There is a product that I dorecommend if you are dealing
with snow and ice, and that isyak tracks, and I will link that
up in the show notes as well.
That has been wonderful.
(16:36):
I've had them for a few yearsnow and I can strap those on and
get a pretty good run in, nomatter what's going on on the
sidewalks when I use those andeven though I'm not going to get
any speed work done in them.
It does allow me to get outsidewhen a lot of runners can't, or
they're running in the road,which I'm not a huge fan of.
(17:00):
Another thing we might have tobe better at as we get older is
staying motivated.
Getting outside for a run cansink to the bottom of our list,
especially if we have otherthings that we have to do or
other people that we have to seeor take care of.
But signing up for a race orwriting down a running goal can
(17:23):
help immensely in getting outfor a run.
I usually put my runningclothes on the dresser ready to
go for the next day, and even ifI'm not going anywhere but will
be running later in the day sayI'm running with somebody else
or running with my husband afterwork I'll put on those running
clothes when I'm ready for theday, instead of deciding that
(17:45):
I'll change later, because a lotof times if I'm ready to go and
I just have to throw mysneakers on, that's going to get
me out the door a lot easierthan if I have to change and,
you know, put my hair in aponytail and all that stuff.
So, like we talked about before, our metabolism slows down.
So our approach to fueling doesneed to change a little bit and
(18:08):
as we get older, the priorityswitches a bit from a bunch of
carbs as runners to we stillneed carbs, but also keeping in
mind that protein.
We need to have that protein inour bodies.
So focusing on high quality,nutrient-dense foods is key.
(18:33):
Be cognizant of empty caloriesand prioritize foods that have
vitamins and minerals and thingsthat your body needs.
For younger runners, they canhandle and process carbs more
efficiently, but we can't, so wetend to have a slower glucose
metabolism, which means ourblood sugar can spike and
(18:56):
crashes are also more likely.
So complex carbs like wholegrains, sweet potatoes, fruits
making those a big part of ourdiet instead of, you know, cake,
for example, is a good strategyto have.
So things that we may have usedfor a quick carb boost may not
(19:16):
be burned as quickly or utilizedas well.
So if I'm struggling during along run, I've been known to dip
into Tim Hortons for a donut,and that's fine and I will
probably still do that as mymileage goes up as I'm marathon
training.
But I might not do that all thetime.
(19:37):
Instead I might go into aconvenience store to get
something that might be a littlebetter for me than that donut.
So I do try to focus on carbsmore on the day before a long
run or on days that I run.
On days that I don't run, Ireally up the protein and I do
(19:59):
watch the carbs more than I usedto when I was younger.
So sources of protein likechicken, fish, beans, tofu, eggs
try to include those not all ofthem, but try to include some
protein at every meal.
Make sure you're fueling backafter your runs for recovery.
(20:22):
The window to do so isn't ashard and fast anymore as it used
to be.
Where I used to worry that if Ididn't get a bunch of protein
and replenished carbs on my ridehome say if I drove for a run
that I felt like that was goingto screw me up because they used
to talk about how, oh, you'vegot like 30 minutes to get all
(20:42):
this in.
But after a run or after astrength training session but
that window isn't as hard andfast anymore, but it is
important to get fueled back upwithin a reasonable amount of
time.
So don't skip breakfast orlunch if that's close to after
your workout window and if youare going for a longer run.
(21:03):
Try to get some good carbs inbefore that run.
Try to get some good carbs inbefore that.
The other thing we have to alsobe careful of is hydration.
Now the younger generation isso much better at hydration.
My grandkids prefer water overanything else.
It's just so funny to me thatthey'll have choices of juice or
(21:25):
water or milk or some you knowanything else, and they will
want that water.
Everyone in the youngergeneration, the generation under
me they're always carryingenormous water bottles around
and that's just part of whatthey do and they just drink
water all day.
And I feel like when I was akid I mean it's obviously an
exaggeration, but I feel likewhen I was a kid, I mean it's
(21:46):
obviously an exaggeration, but Ifeel like I maybe took in a
gallon of water a month.
I never drank water.
I hated water.
But we need to take a cue fromthe water bottle group and make
sure that we're hydrating.
It is very important and we cancrash so hard.
I can feel like I need to take ahuge nap in the afternoon and
(22:08):
sometimes I feel like, oh, it'sbecause I strength trained this
morning or it's because I wentfor a long run, but a lot of
times it's because I'm nothydrated.
And if I can keep in mind tostay hydrated throughout the day
, then that crash does nothappen or it's not as
debilitating as if I amdehydrated.
So next time you're feelinglike that, go get a glass of
(22:30):
water and see if that helps.
So I think the biggest thingthat I've learned as I've gotten
older as a runner is it isn'tso much the running that has
changed, it's all the thingssurrounding it that needed the
tweaking.
So if you have any older runnerstrategies or tips, let me know
(22:52):
about them, because we can allwork together to help make us
all run until the grave, whichis my goal.
And also, if I didn't coversomething that you have a
question about, you can email meat sherry at wrinkledrunnercom,
and I will do my best to giveyou any specific information
that I can about your question.
Hey running friends, today we're going to talk about
being an older runner.
So let's face it, our bodieschange as we age and that can
impact how we train and recoverand even how we think about
running.
But there are ways to adapt andthrive and keep enjoying this
(00:21):
sport for the long haul, even aswe age.
So let's start with the obviousas we get older, our bodies
just aren't the same as when wewere in our 20s and 30s and, as
I'm on the bottom edge of thehill towards 60, even in our 40s
(00:41):
things are different.
For me.
You might notice that recoverytakes longer, it's harder to
build muscle which I candefinitely attest to and maybe
our endurance isn't quite whatit used to be.
And again, that is somethingthat I am finding, probably in
the last year or so that myendurance is not what it used to
(01:02):
be.
My endurance is not what itused to be, but aging doesn't
mean that you can't be a strongand a happy runner.
You just have to train smarter.
So here are a few adjustmentsthat I have found helpful.
One of them was cutting back onthe mileage.
If you feel that, that issomething that might be helpful
(01:25):
to you, I started finding thatsix days a week started to be
too much, both physically andmentally, and I found this out
during marathon training oneyear, and once I got back to
five days, I was able to trainmuch better.
Back to five days I was able totrain much better.
When I was running six days aweek, I was starting to dread my
(01:48):
runs, and so then I keptputting them off and not doing
them.
It would be one, two, threeo'clock in the afternoon and I
still hadn't run yet, and so Iwas finding myself mentally not
doing well with that, and I alsowas very fatigued in my legs
and just all the way around, andso I decided that I definitely
(02:12):
needed an extra rest day, andthat kind of leads into
prioritizing recovery.
So recovery is something that Italk about a lot and it's very,
very important.
It's part of training.
So sleep, stretching, rest daysall the things that when I
(02:34):
started running 20 years ago Ididn't really pay that much
attention to I really need tonow that I am older.
Sleep is, especially if you'rea menopausal woman like I am my
husband he's going to be 60 thisyear and he still can fall
asleep as soon as he hits thepillow, but I can lay awake for
(02:58):
hours before I fall asleep, orsometimes I'll fall asleep
quickly, but then I wake up inthe middle of the night and then
I'm up for two, three, fourhours, depending on when I wake
up, and if I don't have anywhereto be in the morning, I fall
back asleep and then I'm azombie for the rest of the day.
So it's easy for people to sayyou need to get enough sleep,
(03:21):
but for a lot of us, it's notthat we're not trying to get
enough sleep, it's just thatwe're not trying to get enough
sleep, it's just that we can't.
And so I have found some thingslike white noise has helped
immensely.
I also make sure the room isvery, very cool, and that has
definitely changed.
(03:41):
That's definitely a differencefrom before I hit menopause.
Before I wanted to be as warmand as cozy as possible, but
heat is now the enemy, andbecause I live in a 125-year-old
house, the heating is very,very weird.
So we have radiators and thesecond floor, where our bedroom
(04:02):
is, it's really like a sauna.
It does not cool off at night,even though we turn the heat way
down.
So our first floor can be verycool, but our second floor is
very hot.
So even in Buffalo, where someof the nights are in the single
digits, I will be cracking opena window and I have the ceiling
(04:24):
fan on.
So sleep is something that a lotof times we don't think is
important to running, but itreally does rank right up there
with fueling correctly andgetting miles in.
That is when the body recoversand our adaptations that we want
to get better at running.
Those happen during recovery,just like strength training, and
(04:45):
a lot of times we as runnerskind of ignore that concept,
where the bodybuilders and thepeople who do a lot of strength
training they have that down.
They understand the recoverydays.
We tend to not be so great atthat, but it really is very
important.
So strength training, like Iwas just mentioning, but it
(05:06):
really is very important.
So strength training, like Iwas just mentioning, as I've
gotten older, has really been agame changer for me.
Building muscle helps protectyour joints and improve your
running efficiency, and even 20minutes a couple of times a week
can make a big differencebecause we do start to lose our
ability to build muscle and losethe muscle that we have as we
(05:30):
age.
So we naturally lose musclemass, which is called sarcopenia
, and that can begin as early asin our 30s and it accelerates a
lot after 50, and I havedefinitely found that to be true
.
So loss of muscle not onlyaffects running performance, but
it can also affect everydayactivities like climbing stairs
(05:51):
or carrying groceries.
So having a strength trainingprogram built into our training
is important not just forrunning but also for life.
And as we run, our musclesabsorb impact and help stabilize
our joints, and without enoughmuscle strength we rely more on
our tendons and ligaments andbones to handle that load and
(06:13):
that can lead to more injuries.
So incorporating regularstrength training helps build
and maintain the muscle massthat we need to stay injury free
.
It also improves bone density,which is essential as we age.
Running is weight bearing andit actually is really good for
(06:34):
bone health.
But strength exercises,particularly those involving
resistance or weights, will takethat to the next level, and
stronger bones means a lowerrisk of fractures, obviously,
which for older athletes or justfor older people in general,
that becomes a concern as we age.
(06:55):
Another benefit is balance andstability.
As we get older, our balancetends to decline, which can
increase the risk of falls bothon and off the road.
So strength training,especially exercises that target
the core and lower body,improves our stability and helps
us stay upright and confidentduring our runs.
(07:20):
As we age, we also need to thinkabout our metabolism and body
composition.
As muscle mass decreases, ourmetabolism slows down, and that
makes it easier to gain fat,even if our diet hasn't changed,
and especially for those of uswho are in menopause or
perimenopause, we definitely seethat happening.
(07:41):
I see that happening more andmore every year, and so I have
to keep that strength trainingup so that my metabolism is
revved up and it also increasesmuscle mass, which helps
maintain a healthy body weightand composition.
As we age, and if ourmetabolism is slowing down
(08:02):
because we're not keeping thatmuscle mass up, the calorie need
for our day is not as high aswhen we were younger.
So if that's something that isfrustrating for you, then that
is something to keep in mind.
And just another great reason tostrength train but also an
(08:25):
overlooked benefit for a lot ofpeople is the mental confidence
that strength training can bring.
When you feel strong, you movethrough the world a lot more
confidently because you feelcapable and you feel ready to
tackle the challenges, whetherit's a hilly course or simply
getting off the floor playingwith the grandkids, or even a
(08:49):
few weeks ago we had ourbathroom redone and we have
these really big, enormous tilesthat we put in the bathroom on
the walls and on the floor.
And we had a designer help usdo all the renovations in our
house and we overbought thesereally big tiles and she ended
(09:11):
up needing some tiles foranother house that she's the
designer for, and so she wasgoing to buy back some of the
tiles.
They came two to a package andit was just her and I and she
was kind to buy back some of thetiles.
They came two to a package andit was just her and I and she
was kind of concerned about, youknow, would I be able to lift
these tiles and get them intothe back of her car With her
(09:35):
help?
She was worried that she wasgoing to have to bring some guy
over to help do that and I saidyou know, I'm pretty strong, I
think I'm pretty strong, I think, uh, I think I'll be good, and
we were able to lift those tilesand toss them in the back of
her car, no problem, and I wasconfident that I was going to be
able to do that because I dostrength train on a regular
(09:57):
basis.
Now, in addition to being arunning coach, I'm also a
personal trainer, so it's partof my job to do strength
training.
So, for other people, that issomething that you may have to
really put into practice and putinto your schedule to strength
train, but it really really isvery important, is very
(10:25):
important.
Just two or three strengthsessions per week, being
consistent with that, will makea big difference in how you feel
and perform as a runner.
And if you are older and youdon't even know where to start,
I will put some resources in theshow notes.
But also if you're at a gym orthere's tons of online personal
trainers that you can go to andget a plan for, which is more
(10:48):
personal than just like takingsomething off of YouTube or off
the internet.
So let's switch gears a bit andwe're going to talk about
injuries and I'm noticing, likeI said before, especially this
past year, that I'm experiencingmore discomfort in my glutes
and my hips than in the past.
It's not an injury, but I'mvery aware of my glutes after a
(11:12):
few miles.
So I've incorporated more hipand glute work to my strength
training routine, becauseprevention is definitely key
when it comes to those kinds ofthings.
So I recommend doing a dynamicwarm-up.
So don't just roll out of bedand start running.
Do some leg swings, hip circles, mobility drills to get your
(11:34):
body ready.
Now, for most of us who areolder, rolling out of bed and
just going out for a run is alot harder than it used to be
anyway.
So if we have somethingspecific that we're doing before
we go out there, that stiffnessthat we get when we're sleeping
and getting out of bed can goaway if we are strategic about
(11:57):
what we're doing before we hitthe road.
Also, cool down properly.
I'm finding I need to foam rolland stretch after my runs in
order to feel good later in theday.
That will help to get rid ofsome of the soreness that you
might feel and instead of youknow, wanting to plop on the
(12:18):
couch for an afternoon nap ifyou do some stretching and do
some foam rolling, if you'reable to do foam rolling.
There are somecontraindications about that,
especially for those of us whoare older, which is another
reason why I suggest gettingtogether with a personal trainer
, just so that you know whetherthat's something that is safe
(12:39):
for you to do or not, but evensome stretches just getting
those muscles to feel better,especially towards the end of
the day.
Also, listen to your body.
If something feels off, don'tignore it, because taking a few
days off of running now isbetter than being sidelined for
(13:00):
weeks.
If you actually get an injuryor stress fracture or something
like that, if you're having anyissues, I do recommend working
with a physical therapist thatis well-versed in how to deal
with runners.
So if you're injured or even ifyou just have a few niggles
(13:21):
here and there that can turninto injuries, consulting with a
physical therapist can bereally, really helpful to
getting you back on the roadinjury-free.
Now, a lot of times we justignore it because we're not
quite sure if we can even dothat or not.
But if you check your insurance, if you call a physical
(13:41):
therapist or not, but if youcheck your insurance, if you
call a physical therapist, theycan find out for you if they are
able to take you on and if yourinsurance will pay for that.
Because if there are someexercises that you can do to get
out of that cycle, that willjust get you out on the road
quicker and also help you nothave so many niggles and so many
things going on.
(14:04):
So one of the things that'shardest to accept as we get
older is that we might not be asfast as we once were, although
there are plenty of olderrunners that I'm seeing out
there who are challenging that.
But if you've been running fora long time, like I've been
running for 20 years, thereprobably is going to be some
(14:24):
slowing down.
So here's some of the thingsthat I've learned as that has
been happening.
So redefine success.
Instead of focusing solely onpace or PRs, I try to celebrate
consistency, running pain-freeor just getting outside for a
beautiful run when the sun isshining, especially here in
(14:45):
February in Buffalo, our winterhas been absolutely horrific
Just ice, lots of ice, and soit's been very dangerous to get
out there.
But yesterday I was able to doan eight-mile run because it got
warm enough that even the iceturned to slush for a few hours,
(15:06):
and it was.
My feet were frozen, they weresoaking wet.
I mean, I stepped in so manyicy puddles when I was running,
but the sun was shining forenough time that it actually
felt like a pretty nice run.
So I was able to get out there,and that was something that I
(15:28):
celebrated.
Instead of worrying about pacingor getting up to a particular
pace by mile or doing any speedwork, that has been absolutely
impossible this winter.
You cannot go fast.
You have to be very, verycognizant of where you're
putting your feet and how fastyou're going.
So instead of worrying about aPR for my next marathon, I am
(15:55):
just celebrating that I can getout there and train and do it.
So finding joy in the processis something that I have learned
to appreciate a lot more asI've gotten older, so sometimes
it's just about the fresh air,hearing your footsteps, the
sense of accomplishment.
(16:15):
After a run Yesterday I feltvery accomplished because I have
not been able to get out for alonger run in a year, very, very
long time.
There is a product that I dorecommend if you are dealing
with snow and ice, and that isyak tracks, and I will link that
up in the show notes as well.
That has been wonderful.
(16:36):
I've had them for a few yearsnow and I can strap those on and
get a pretty good run in, nomatter what's going on on the
sidewalks when I use those andeven though I'm not going to get
any speed work done in them.
It does allow me to get outsidewhen a lot of runners can't, or
they're running in the road,which I'm not a huge fan of.
(17:00):
Another thing we might have tobe better at as we get older is
staying motivated.
Getting outside for a run cansink to the bottom of our list,
especially if we have otherthings that we have to do or
other people that we have to seeor take care of.
But signing up for a race orwriting down a running goal can
(17:23):
help immensely in getting outfor a run.
I usually put my runningclothes on the dresser ready to
go for the next day, and even ifI'm not going anywhere but will
be running later in the day sayI'm running with somebody else
or running with my husband afterwork I'll put on those running
clothes when I'm ready for theday, instead of deciding that
(17:45):
I'll change later, because a lotof times if I'm ready to go and
I just have to throw mysneakers on, that's going to get
me out the door a lot easierthan if I have to change and,
you know, put my hair in aponytail and all that stuff.
So, like we talked about before, our metabolism slows down.
So our approach to fueling doesneed to change a little bit and
(18:08):
as we get older, the priorityswitches a bit from a bunch of
carbs as runners to we stillneed carbs, but also keeping in
mind that protein.
We need to have that protein inour bodies.
So focusing on high quality,nutrient-dense foods is key.
(18:33):
Be cognizant of empty caloriesand prioritize foods that have
vitamins and minerals and thingsthat your body needs.
For younger runners, they canhandle and process carbs more
efficiently, but we can't, so wetend to have a slower glucose
metabolism, which means ourblood sugar can spike and
(18:56):
crashes are also more likely.
So complex carbs like wholegrains, sweet potatoes, fruits
making those a big part of ourdiet instead of, you know, cake,
for example, is a good strategyto have.
So things that we may have usedfor a quick carb boost may not
(19:16):
be burned as quickly or utilizedas well.
So if I'm struggling during along run, I've been known to dip
into Tim Hortons for a donut,and that's fine and I will
probably still do that as mymileage goes up as I'm marathon
training.
But I might not do that all thetime.
(19:37):
Instead I might go into aconvenience store to get
something that might be a littlebetter for me than that donut.
So I do try to focus on carbsmore on the day before a long
run or on days that I run.
On days that I don't run, Ireally up the protein and I do
(19:59):
watch the carbs more than I usedto when I was younger.
So sources of protein likechicken, fish, beans, tofu, eggs
try to include those not all ofthem, but try to include some
protein at every meal.
Make sure you're fueling backafter your runs for recovery.
(20:22):
The window to do so isn't ashard and fast anymore as it used
to be.
Where I used to worry that if Ididn't get a bunch of protein
and replenished carbs on my ridehome say if I drove for a run
that I felt like that was goingto screw me up because they used
to talk about how, oh, you'vegot like 30 minutes to get all
(20:42):
this in.
But after a run or after astrength training session but
that window isn't as hard andfast anymore, but it is
important to get fueled back upwithin a reasonable amount of
time.
So don't skip breakfast orlunch if that's close to after
your workout window and if youare going for a longer run.
(21:03):
Try to get some good carbs inbefore that run.
Try to get some good carbs inbefore that.
The other thing we have to alsobe careful of is hydration.
Now the younger generation isso much better at hydration.
My grandkids prefer water overanything else.
It's just so funny to me thatthey'll have choices of juice or
(21:25):
water or milk or some you knowanything else, and they will
want that water.
Everyone in the youngergeneration, the generation under
me they're always carryingenormous water bottles around
and that's just part of whatthey do and they just drink
water all day.
And I feel like when I was akid I mean it's obviously an
exaggeration, but I feel likewhen I was a kid, I mean it's
(21:46):
obviously an exaggeration, but Ifeel like I maybe took in a
gallon of water a month.
I never drank water.
I hated water.
But we need to take a cue fromthe water bottle group and make
sure that we're hydrating.
It is very important and we cancrash so hard.
I can feel like I need to take ahuge nap in the afternoon and
(22:08):
sometimes I feel like, oh, it'sbecause I strength trained this
morning or it's because I wentfor a long run, but a lot of
times it's because I'm nothydrated.
And if I can keep in mind tostay hydrated throughout the day
, then that crash does nothappen or it's not as
debilitating as if I amdehydrated.
So next time you're feelinglike that, go get a glass of
(22:30):
water and see if that helps.
So I think the biggest thingthat I've learned as I've gotten
older as a runner is it isn'tso much the running that has
changed, it's all the thingssurrounding it that needed the
tweaking.
So if you have any older runnerstrategies or tips, let me know
(22:52):
about them, because we can allwork together to help make us
all run until the grave, whichis my goal.
And also, if I didn't coversomething that you have a
question about, you can email meat sherry at wrinkledrunnercom,
and I will do my best to giveyou any specific information
that I can about your question.
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