lastlap wrote:
So is this just me getting old? I used to be able to run and bounce back great unless it was a particularly hard session. Now in a blink of an eye I just feel beat up after a 10k+ run. Wake up with tight and sore calf's and achilles etc
Is this normal when approaching 50 or maybe signs that my diet and other aspects of recovery need focus?
I'm in the same boat. Yes, it's def harder to insta-recover when we're older. But as well, lets be real - at 50, its not that bad compared to your prime unless you were an elite or collegiate-level runner in your prime. If you weren't from a competitive run background, chances are high you can run faster at 50 than you did in your non-competitive 20s-30s.
But yes, it's easier to get injured, for sure. And doing triathlon does us no favors on this as well - you'd think running LESS would help you stay less run-injured, but it's actually the opposite - running less just lets your run-specific tendons and muscles not retain the resilience they need to not get injured when they suddenly go hard.
The tips I've found the hard way that have let me keep running reasonably close to my heyday -
- Never stop run training. Meaning no big breaks of like 2 months off - preferably max 2 weeks off running at any point, but get right back into it. At our age, if you dont' use it, not only will you just lose it - you risk the real chance of losing it permanently.
- But don't run TOO much. You have to stay under the mileage that will lead you to start breaking yourself, and often it's not as high as you think. In particular, the rate of mileage increase is hugely important.
- At our age, don't do stupid stuff with running. You know, the stuff you did when you were 20, like deciding to run a half marathon on a whim even though you've only been training for a 5k and have done few to no long runs. This includes hero workouts.
- Training plans are your friend. Because they have built-in ramps in volume that prevent you from doing stupid stuff like doubling your running one week just because you feel great that week. With sustained training builds, I've been able to run speeds I felt were literally impossible at the start of the plan. If you're getting beat up on your runs more often than not, if you're not on a plan, you should be unless you want to feel worse and worse the way you're doing it.
- Accept that you WILL suffer minor injuries in running, despite taking high precautions, and be ready for them with substitutes. Once you learn to swap in things like pool running, arctrainer, or whatever works for you, you'll feel less bad about run setbacks. Note that swim-bike alone isn't enough to help accelerate a true run comeback - it'll go faster and likely be mentally better if you are doing things that will actually help the run muscles in addition so Bike-swim.