Age Concern

[Coolepic]

I am eighty years old. Male. Quite fit. Probably drink too much red wine. Are the runs and walks in the nine week build up for Couch 2 five K suitable for me?

Best

Coolepic

[davelinks Graduate]

Yes certainly, if you're healthy, maybe have a check with doc first. There are some in thier 70s on here, and I've read about someone 80+ running at Parkrun completing 5k in 50 mins or less..

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate]

Why not?

If you are fit and have no medical issues, there are quite a few of us more seasoned runners on here Welcome

Follow the C25K programme, take it week by week.. and mainly, and you will hear this a lot.. take it slow and steady

nhs.uk/Livewell/c25k/Pages/...

Take your rest days and try to do some other exercise on those days, walking, swimming, cycling... whatever you fancy. The Strength and Flex exercises are useful too; many of us used these on our rest days when doing C25K

nhs.uk/Livewell/strength-an...

Keep posting, for great advice and support..listen to your body and just enjoy this incredible journey

[runningnearbeirut Graduate]

As above, check with a doctor before starting out.

Also, don't worry about repeating weeks if you don't complete all the runs.

If you're quite fit then you might manage W1R1 OK first time. If not, just make a note of how many of the runs you managed and try to repeat or improve on that next time.

[davidhwynn Graduate]

Hey Coolepic it's quite a day when I find someone older (more experienced) than me posting on the forum. Absolutely you need to make sure that your medics are happy for you to do this stuff. I'll resist the "you show me yours and I'll show you mine" cliche and in what I say now I'm going to assume that the medics have said yes, so let me tell you a few things ..... I started trying the C25K back in December 2016. I couldn't even do the first week, absolutely no chance whatsoever. I took 2 weeks to get there, but did it in the end. I have since then tried to get through C25K FOUR times (I'm on my fourth time round at the moment), each time getting so far and then allowing myself to give up. I'm a determined old git, 72 years old! It's taken me months - not this 9-week stuff the C25K advertising says! I've now - this fourth time - got to week 8 Run 1 (W8R1 in shorthand for the forum). I've had awful down periods, wanted to give up, felt disheartened, beaten myself up, was certain I couldn't do it...... you may find this hard to believe when you're starting out today and reading this, but this very week I got told off on this forum for running for too long and not sticking to the programme! The support and encouragement on this forum is SO valuable, I simply would have given up without it. Repeating runs is the norm for me. Today, I can tell you that it's been a hard journey so far, but I now actually enjoy the programme: I know I must appear demented to some onlookers, but 2 days this week I was out running at 7 o'clock in the morning and then feeling grumpy because between runs it's a rest day and I'm not allowed to go out again. I have done some 5K Parkruns, mostly walking so far but that will change, and there are people your age and older who get in before me. Stick with the programme and if you some day need a buddy for your first Parkrun I'll come to find you, irrespective of where you are in the UK. GO GO GO!