i’ve heard that running is generally a 10 year process of peak from any point of time you start. is this true?
another question/backdrop:
4 years ago, when I was running seriously, I was alot faster–anywhere from a 7:00-8:30 mile depending on the length of the race (and had been running seriously for about 2 or 3 years) then I got hurt, and burned out. since then it’s been a struggle to get myself together as an athlete. granted, I’m older, but am only 30. Something has happened to me in the last week…I’m starting to want it back and am willing to do the work–especially in running. I’d like to be competitive in my age group again, at least on the local scene (which is quite active and competitive).
so, the question is–is it possible? Can a person basically be out for 4 years, come back (in assumption of health) and get “fast” again?
I’m sure I’d have to take it slow as to not hurt my knee again, and it would take committment…ultimately I know anything is possible, but would like to hear from a realist and experienced perspecitve what your thoughts are.
Also, I think I’d like to pick a half marathon to train for, but I don’t know how well my husband would take the news…he might not like it too much because of all of the issues with my knee. any thoughts?
You are just a baby. That being said, as long as you take preventative measures, you should be able to keep that knee healthy.
Let me put it like this: I had a car accident that required three months of PT. The following year, I was as fast as I ever was, and was fastest on the run. I have been slow (which is hard to believe for a rabbit, unless you saw my son Trigger). I was finishing in the age group singularly, and even in the top ten in some races.
The human body has a strange way of coming back until you get older, which is what one of my big problems is. Take it slow.
I did not start until I was 27, the only time I ran before that was when chased.
I was a pack a day smoker. Since then I have sustained breaks from exercise and I always get 90% of it back within weeks, it is the extra 10% that takes sustained training…
You can always get most of the way there, the rest is just consistent application.
I ran faster last summer at age 39 and several years after knee surgery than I did when I was 29, which was before I had had knee surgery (necessitated by rugby, not by running). I had also never run a marathon before knee surgery and have now run 7 (although I did DNF one marathon because that same knee acted up).
Since you are only 30, you can probably get back to running as fast as you did 4 years ago as long as you are willing to spend the time and effort and your prior knee injury does not affect your future ability to train too much. My prior knee injuries (almost completely severed MCL and partly torn patella tendon in the same knee) makes me very susceptible to tendinitis so I have to be careful with it.
The half marathon is a nice distance because you don’t have to run incredibly fast like a 5 or 10 K and you also don’t need quite the endurance that you need for running a marathon. You could probably run one quite easily on 20 to 25 miles a week if you structured your training right. Such training would probably also not be too stressful on your knee.
You can definitely get it back!!! I took about 6 years off from any meaningful running and racing and I’m now back to running the same times as before. The best part is that I’m doing it on less miles than before (@30-35 mpw). I started training seriously again 4 years ago, and was running comparable times in the second year back. Just remember to come back slow and steady!! (No 60+ miles weeks!)
This summer I will turn 40, and I still feel like I can PR at 10k and 1/2 marathon distances (currently 34:30 and 1:21:00). I will be putting in more miles than the previous years, but not by much. It’s become more about quality than quantity.
Sure you can get it back Kitty. Have a look at the aqua jogging post that (I think it was) Dougstern posted recently, this would be a good, kne friendly way to gt the cardio back.
Sure, you can get “it” back…especially w/ running. I’m 29 and kinda let myself go for a few years between 21-26, but with some motivation and help from my sisters and hs XC coach, running is great and I’m getting faster!
Sure, you can get it back. I was heavy into triathlon from the mid '80s to early '90s but fell out from '93-'97. I resumed triathlon in '98 and by 2000 was running as well as I ever have.
I’ve got 16 years on you sister. You can definitely do it. But ease back in to avoid injury or you will be running a rolling pin over your calf every night like me.
Qualifing the above statement by assuming you were near peak performance when you “walked” away a few years ago. Even though I train smarter now than 20 years ago, there is NO WAY I will ever run 800 meters under 1:55 again. Nor will I be able to consistently go sub 2 for a legit Oly tri.
OTOH, I am more competitive in my AG (relative speed vs actual speed) so it depends how you view your return to racing.
I beg to differ with the naysayers, up to a point.
IF you truly were at your peak, then it’s probably a very uphill battle to get back to that same absolute peak.
But if not - then why not?
I ran in HS, 4yrs of track an XC. While I think there’s no chance in hell I’ll ever run 2:05 for 800m again, I already have matched and bettered some of my XC (5k) marks, and it’s now over 20 years (and + 25 lbs) later. Not to mention that then I ran 6 days/wk, now I do 3/wk usually, 4-5 on occasion.
I wasn’t a couch potato during that 20-yr time; I did a lot of lifting, some skiing, and have been biking avidly for the last 12 years, but not much running until fairly recently.
Take it slow, build up slowly, and allow yourself to be great! If the knee acts up, then you have to back off.
when i walked away I don’t think I was at my peak. I do believe that if I had trained for and run another marathon, or two, that I would have qualified for Boston by running at or under a 3:40 marathon.
Ultimately, i was burned out and stopped some of the preventative things that kept me healthy during the 2-3 years of serious running. I would run 13 miles, walk it out for a minute and go inside to hit the showers–no stretching. I got sloppy and that’s why I got hurt. I got sloppy because I didn’t allow myself a mental and physical break.
So, while I wasn’t at my peak, I just don’t know if I can even get back to where I was. But, we’ll see!
After 10 years of smoking, drinking, and other bad things I decided to get healthy again last year (2004). I entered the Capital City 1/2 marathon and ran 1:41:XX in perfect weather.
Last weekend I ran the same race in horrible weather, with no taper 6 days off a 20 miler and ran 1:31:XX.
It will come back, just do the work. Don’t worry about your husband, he will support you, that is what the good ones do.
