I’m a 58 year old man and decided, a year and a half ago, to get fitter and lose weight before I hit 60!
I didn’t know how long it would take but in a year I had lost 4 1/2 stones and am at an “average” weight now I am happy at. This was done by changing my diet, rather than “dieting” and walking. I used the Active 10 app and do 30 or 40 minutes brisk walking a day.
I love walking but thought I’d challenge myself and run. The C25K app seemed the obvious choice and I’m on week 5 now and loving it. I look forward to and enjoy each run but am careful about the rest days too.
I’m paranoid about hurting myself; probably why I didn’t try running before and spend 10 minutes stretching before and after as well as the warm up/down walks.
My question, eventually(!), is whether I am as mad as my friends are telling me! Is it unreasonable to be starting this at 58? They are telling me that I’ll ruin my (currently good) knees and hips and have a heart attack. If things go well I’d like to work up to a half marathon or such before I’m 60! I’m not getting a lot of encouragement!
Thanks.
Laldy
Written by
Laldy
Graduate
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I don't think you are mad at all! I think you are great and I think it is sad you aren't getting more support from your friends. My dad is mid 60s and is just starting to learn to swim after having a fear of it all his life. My point is you are never too old to try something new...especially if it is something to keep you fit and healthy. Good luck and keep going! You are amazing!
Ignore the doom laden friends... I started this at 65 and did my first HM a few days before my 69th Birthday... my legs are great.. ( that is official... after an MRI scan on my legs ..not running related) ..no problems.. in the knees or anywhere else. I run to stay heart healthy.. because that is what it is about too...!
You are doing amazingly. As IannodaTruffe says... not mad at all, quite the opposite...
I am a 65 year old female and started this a few months ago. I graduated in the 9 weeks and now run for 40 minutes , 3 times a week so you are never too old!
I started this at age 58, after a heart attack, triple bypass and a kidney transplant. I think starting before rather than after is a very good plan indeed, so well done and keep it up.
Before I started running, I used to be exactly like your friends. I would mock my running colleagues at work with exactly those comments 😂. In fact any excuse I could think of for me being actually in better shape than them. 😂 No joint pain, no knee problems, no heart attacks etc. Well I’m 2 years in and things are holding up just fine. In fact I’ve never been healthier having stopped all my meds this month.
I still hold to the belief that most people who continue to do football, rugby, skiing etc into their later years do seem to have serious knee problems at some point though.
Well done on getting started on this journey. It’s never too late to improve your health so ignore the naysayers and good luck.
Hi, I'm almost 54 with 2 plastic knees and definitely obese. But I have managed to graduate, and am now consolidating with 3 runs a week one of which is 4k. At no point in my running so far have I had knee problems and one replacement is less than a year old. I have used the Japanese Niko running technique recommended by a forum member and its brilliant. It helps you to keep bone density up and this style is low impact, my Dr has said keep at it and been really encouraging. I have arthritis in my hands and the start in my hips, but having lost half stone already so I reckon on balance I'll keep going. Less weight also less diabetes risk it seems, joints can be replaced. 😉
Definitely not mad! Improving your health and fitness is a great thing to do at any age. As long as you don’t push yourself too hard and listen to your body you’ll manage the programme easily. Well done on your achievements already and keep going x
Sometimes the people around you won’t understand your journey.
They don’t need to it’s not for them.
Keep up the good work youngster. Like many others below, I too am a silver strider. 4K Three times a week. OK it is slowish, but I am fitter, lighter, happier and my replacement hip doesn’t object either. Best of Luck with that Marathon Plan. Go for it!!
No, I don't think you're mad at all! I'm 62 and started C25K on 1 May and graduated on 30 June. Can't wait to get out and run now, there's no stopping me! My doctor advised me to start the programme to help with depression and weight loss. It works!!!
Well, sir, I can give you nearly 20 years, and I’m doing fine after 7 months. 👍😊 The doom-sayers are either out-of-date or jealous or both, so leave them to it and get your encouragement on this lovely forum.
I also use the Japanese slow running technique mentioned earlier (google it - there’s a YouTube video lesson) and find it great for low impact running. I regularly run nearly an hour and am never out of breath, so build up gradually and go for it! 👏🏼😄👏🏼
Definitely not unreasonable. I finished C25K about a year ago at 65. On Sunday I went out for a celebratory run of around 19k (with 400m of ascent) in the local hills. Just me the hills and silence. It was wonderful.
My children, both runners, have been fantastically supportive. They never ask me about pace, distance etc. They only ask if I am enjoying myself. I am, I hope you do to.
Well, you friends know you best... maybe you’re bonkers? That should help with the running!!!
Your friends need to come out of the 70s though... running strengthens knees, sure some runners need knee replacement in later life, but guess what? It’s 18 years later on average than a non runner! Hips almost certainly the same, I don’t have the stats on that though. The heart needs exercise and running is great cardio... there are headlines from time to time about people dying on a marathon course, but this is very rare... and usually the result of an undiagnosed underlying condition... or dehydration. I wonder how many people die of a heart attack sat in the couch every day? That’s not the stuff of newspaper headlines of course... but I’d stake my life on it being a proportionally much higher number.
Hi Laldy, ignore your friends and listen to us here on the forum! I started just before my 66 birthday and should graduate next week. I go 🐌 slow (well, slower than that really!) and I’m really enjoying it! My family think I’m bonkers but that’s nothing new and in any case I’m doing it for me so it really doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks! Happy running!
Congratulations Laldy. I started c25k at 60 and then went up to 10k and am now heading for 10 mile. Best thing I’ve done for my mental and physical health. Dodgy knees became stronger, I’ve been taken off hypertension tablets and I’m a few pounds off healthy weight after being overweight . I will do my 50th parkrun this month. Having never run before, I’m a total convert.
The only people who say running is bad for you are non-runners. Keep up the good work and show your friends they should do it too.
Hi! I’m not sure if this update will flag up but it’s been a year now since I started running. I have loved every run and the way my body and mind have improved! Have run just about every second day and have increased speed and distance beyond anything I had hoped for. Have run 182 times and 848 miles, so far and ran my first half marathon distance a few weeks ago (under 2 hours!) my (not)Parkrun time was under 24 mins last night! It helped me so much over lockdown. I have been very fortunate to have been pretty injury free (which was my big worry) and look forward to each run still! Just wanted to thank all for their supportive words when I was wondering if I was mad to start running! I hope to be running full tilt into my 60th Birthday in March. My friends still think I’m mad... but I like it! 😂
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