Before a response can be given, I would ask what your training has been? That seems really young to experience those symptoms. As a much older than you athlete who has run for 40 years, I agree there is a slow down. Do you run easy, or always hard (no pain, no gain theory?). Soft surfaces and easier, HR controlled runs have really helped my ability to still be out there.
I will be 57 in two months, weigh 180, and have been running continuously for 35-40 years. I started slowing down in my early to mid-40’s. I have done one Ironman a year for the last 10 years, and I am constantly battling injuries. Getting to the start-line is every bit as hard as getting to the finish-line. As you age, you have to adapt. No more track workouts, no more running every day, no more running all out every run. I run twice a week on the treadmill and once a week outside. I used to run 5Ks in 17:35-18:00 (good, but never great). If the planets align, I now can run 6-9 miles at just a tad under a 7:00 pace. Hokas are all I run in, and they are life savers. As Rocky said, Father time is undefeated.
I’m guessing when you were running 18 min 5k’s you were more getting mpw in.
- Try getting in 4 or 5 runs per weak of 3 miles at a very slow pace and progress from there… I believe the BarryP run plan does something like this. Search for it.
Don’t worry about speed, just get the miles in. You can add a some speed later. - Try some “cushion” shoes if you haven’t already. I got some hokas recently and they seem to help me. The Hokas felt terrible in the running store but the store has a great return policy so I tried them.
I have about 10 years on you and yes I’m slower than I used to be but that that happens especially in running. I’m biking better than ever and my swim is still doing fine though.
I think you should be happy with a 21min. 5k on 15mpw by the way.
Hang in there! Be patient
You haven’t started to take a statin in the past couple of years have you? I’ve read that muscle inflammation can be a side effect. I’ve been on a low dose since my late 40s and think I’ve experienced a bit of that.
It’s certainly not obvious to me that your days of running races longer than 5K are behind you. I ran my first marathon in a decade last year at age 56. It was nearly 90 minutes slower than my marathon PR from my 20s, but I’m planning to do another marathon at age 66 to celebrate 50 years of running.
I’ve been doing nearly all my running except for races off road for the past 25 years. Swim more and bike more to increase your flexibility and strength and to aid recovery from your runs. Good luck.
I’m looking for advice from people age 45 and up who are struggling with being able to run on a consistent basis due to years of wear and tear. I am 49 and have had a very frustrating few years of declining run speed/performance and nagging injuries. This year I have limited most of my running to trails, grass and track, basically anywhere but the road. When I try to run on the road my legs feel terrible. Even running a slow pace feels uncomfortable. I figured I would slow down as I got closer to 50, but the decline in performance has been dramatic. I literally went from being able to run a mid 18s 5k two years ago to barely being able to break 21 this year. And I have a solid background of running before starting tris in 2011
I was planning on doing limited running this offseason and try strength training with free weights, squats, deadlifts, calf raises, etc. I am hoping that building up some strength will enable me to keep running, at least enough to participate in sprint tris for the next few years. It seems obvious to me that the days of running races beyond a 5k are behind me which is extremely frustrating.
I always get beat up when I suggest many folks run too much too hard and end up not being able to run well, and you are hardly old!!
But, at 59, my run times say I have more than luck or genetics. I just do lots of LSD in the hills!!! 12 months a year. And as pointed out,
unless you get to the starting line healthy, who cares what you used to do.
Still hoping to push my grandkids in a stroller for the Nov turkey trot 5K and break 20 again. Shall see.
I have been running sporadically since about May, mostly easy running on trails with an occasional track workout or tempo run. Most of my hard runs have been reserved for races this year. I have not tracked my mileage but I probably averaged** 10-15 mpw at most**, very little of it on the roads. I ran a 5k, 10k and 20k between August and Labor Day with no expectations but it did not go well. I have been consistently riding and swimming 2-3 days a week each, so my cardio system is in good shape. My legs, however, are a different story.
You know what to do - gradually get that back up to 40mpw if you want to recapture a lot of your glory day times. I’d lose almost all my run ability as well if I reverted to 10-15mpw, none of it at tempo or faster pace.
I think you obviously are feeling a bit of either overtraining from years of pushing or the effects of hard running. Trails are certainly a godsend and I’ve done that for many years. It not only makes the run more pleasurable, it lessens the effect on the joints while working the muscles, especially the peripheral ones, even harder than pavement where you get a “rebound”. My new coach this year put me on a plan of using HR, which I firmly believe in. Paces change, but the body’s response is what counts. Many of my runs are painfully slow; much slower than I ever imagined, but it seems to refresh me and make the days I run hard better. I agree with an above poster as to Barry P’s plan, which I have not done, but looks to be well founded. I think you need to stop pressing, and start enjoying the runs more. You are way too young to be having those issues IMO. You just need a change. Remember doing the same things gets you the same results…change for the better.
As others have mentioned, max cushioned shoes like the HOKAs and the Altra Olympus/Paradigm.
I’ve also found that flexibility issues have impacted my stride. the first 1/2mile of each run feels like a stiff shuffle, and if I’m not diligent about calf stretching I get lateral foot pain that limits my running (took me a year to figure out that’s what it was).
I guess I matured early. 44 and already dealing with pretty bad arthritis and haven’t been able to run consistently. Hokas helped a ton. Wish I had started running in them when they first came out.
I’ve also found that a couple short runs a day are better than a long run. Sometimes 2x20 is all I can do and that’s better than doing the 30-40 min run and being out for a few days. Lots of biking helps the run in races not suck so bad. I haven’t run fast in training for about 2 years now. I race frequently that the 5ks 1-2 times a month are my speed workouts. Not ideal, but it’s all I can do.
I don’t have much cartilage left. When my IT band gets tight the joint really hurts. If I don’t stay on top of my glute exercises, my torn meniscus really hurts. I take diclofenac (NSAID) 2x a day. Sometimes it doesn’t seem like it’s working, but then I stop taking it and the pain is miserable.
I had synvisc-1 injection today. I’m really hoping that helps and I’ll keep getting them every six months.
Doctor seems pretty sure I should stop running and that no matter what I will need a knee replacement in the next 5 years, but I’m not giving up that easily, I’m looking into stem cell treatment as well.
Tim Noakes in Lore of Running, when writes about the Changes with Aging, dedicates a section to the Capacity to Absorb Landing Forces:
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http://i64.tinypic.com/25rz69c.png
It is followed by detailed data on South African runner Basil Davis case showing this effect.
I think that Noakes concept only applies to world-class super elite athletes.
The concept that a mediocre AGer (or even a good one) peaks after 15 years of training and has nothing left in the tank because they ‘wore themselves out’ is nowhere near true. AGers don’t stress their bodies anywhere near the level of the super elites, or if they do, it’s only for a short period of time (before reality catches up with them.)
As others have mentioned, max cushioned shoes like the HOKAs and the Altra Olympus/Paradigm.
I’ve also found that flexibility issues have impacted my stride. the first 1/2mile of each run feels like a stiff shuffle, and if I’m not diligent about calf stretching I get lateral foot pain that limits my running (took me a year to figure out that’s what it was).
Hokas are working nicely for me. 45 year old just getting back into it. That and a treadmill
I think that Noakes concept only applies to world-class super elite athletes.
The concept that a mediocre AGer (or even a good one) peaks after 15 years of training and has nothing left in the tank because they ‘wore themselves out’ is nowhere near true. AGers don’t stress their bodies anywhere near the level of the super elites, or if they do, it’s only for a short period of time (before reality catches up with them.)
The way I understand what Noakes wrote is 15 years max of peak performance, not that there is “nothing left in the tank” after that.