I am a 70 year old male and have always liked to be at the front in what I do. Be it at work or play. So I thought running was all about being at the front, but how wrong was I?
For ages I chased distance and times, I was trying to run at what I thought was "my pace"! Both my son and daughter (runners) told me to slow down and keep the pace even. But I knew I could run at 5:45 but did have to walk as well. Anyhoo, I decided to try their theory out. I now limit myself to around 7:30 and maybe a bit faster down hills. Funny thing is, my actual 5k time is the same as it was, because I run all the way.
I see many posts on here worrying about pace and distance. My advice is to run slow and build up the stamina. Speed will or at least can come later. I am not ever going to win races, but it was surprising when I finished in front of those young bucks who took off like a dog after a rabbit! What was it Marge Simpson said? "Slow and steady wins the race" 🏃🏃
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Oooh yes, you’re so right! I made that mistake, too and almost stopped running because of it. Fortunately I realised what I was doing and once I slowed down I achieved what I had previously thought impossible - a half marathon. I have to say, though , I slowed down a lot more than you 😂
Hey Jools, my 7:30 per K is only for shorter runs. I have been known to slow right down to 8! I am tall and have a long stride, hard to stop myself just striding out. Can't teach an old dog new tricks, eh? 🏃🏃
Yeah, the 8 is for longer runs, I didn't put that at all clearly, did I? 😂😂
But I never do more than a 10k and that is a rarity these days (just the one in the last two years). I normally limit myself to around 7.5k so that I actually have the energy to get home. My 10k pace for the Vitality Virtual 10k was actually 8:46. As you can see from the picture, it was my longest of Strava. But may not do that again....
It sounds like you have found your slow pace and of course it’s better to keep going more slowly than to run faster and have to take a break. I am tall, too, but I naturally have a shorter than average stride, unless I’m going flat out at the end of a run, where perhaps it’s normal to increase it. My slow pace is more like 8:30 - 9:00 and that is such a comfortable run, speeding up a little for the second half of the run. I like my last km to be around 6:30 - 7:00 can’t do any faster than that or I might explode!
You are right, that speed is even better, but I feel that I am walking. (My fast walk is around 9:15) I will have to try it though. As an old geezer, I really should be slowing so I can keep running and avoid injury.
I just read your Bio. I really hope you have managed to find some comfort in your running and the friendships, no matter how remote on here. I am here because my kids and grandchildren all run, it was a way to spend time with them in a shared hobby. (they don't like train spotting 😂😂)
But I also had (have) mental health problems. No one saw it because I was that big boss! I hid it well. But this has given me an outlet for my frustrations and hurt. I hope it has done the same for you. x
I can’t walk fast, I’ve injured myself twice trying 😊
Thank you. I’ve found a great deal of support here from my running buddies, both with running and with everything else going on in my life. Unlike you, I never tried to hide it and reached out for help wherever I could. Probably people got fed up with me harping on. All of my depression and loneliness happened during the lockdown, so running was all I had! I didn’t see anyone for months, but running helped to fill that huge void. On some runs I would be shouting out my frustrations and hurt. I have been open about my struggles on here because hiding everything makes it worse. Talking about it just might help someone else going through similar heartbreak.
I hope that you are turning a corner, too. It’s not good to hide things, sooner or later something has to give. I can finally say ‘My husband left me’ without disintegrating, but it’s taken 15 months out of my life. I’m now coming out of the tunnel and looking forward to buying a house, spending time on my hobbies again and making new friends! And running, of course 😊
I am always happy to "listen" if you ever feel the need. It is one of the ways that has helped me, not advising, but hearing. And at the end of it, being able to say that with the right support they can overcome almost anything. My corner is turned and now I give back to others I see yours has too and I wish you nothing but good fortune, good friends and a long and happy life. 👍
I agree! And thank you. I think I’m nearing the time where I won’t want to talk about it any more. Like - ‘enough is enough already’. I am pleased and proud that I have managed, with help and support, to deal with all this with forgiveness and without bitterness. Occasionally, even with humour! Time to move on. New chapter, new house 😊, oh, I need that house 😊
Crikey if I was getting 7:30 i'd be well pleased!!! If that's slow I'm flippin stationery. I know, I know, don't compare....hard tho. Enjoy your running, glad it's helping 👍
Every time I chased "speed" I got injured. I decided to for distance/duration at a slower pace instead, and was doing about 7min/km on my longer runs. What do you know... after a few months of doing that my "normal" pace started creeping faster, and without injury.
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