On King’s Day, April 27, I ran another half marathon race, in a year best time (see my Strava if you’re curious). I was so tired afterwards I got the hickups for the rest of the day, and had to rest the next day. 🏃♂️
Rene van Belzen @BenSouthwood I found that running grounds me. I'm less anxious than in 2020.
Ben Southwood. I didn’t run until the year I turned 40 (I’m 46 this year). Did a marathon that year, then a couple of years back just did 5km with my terrier. We adopted a Lurcher a few years after that who likes to stop and sniff, so I haven’t regained any semblance of a running routine for ages. Like you, exercise is essential for my mental health.
Rene van Belzen @BenSouthwood I started around the same age, though that was in 2000. I'm 63 now. I like competitive road races, yet am amazed how much faster some are that are 10 years older than me. If you didn't know they are septuagenarians, you'd would never guess their age.
Ben Southwood. I quickly learned to never judge by a runner’s size or age. I will always be among the slowest, but I’m alright with that. Will have to try and work out a way to get back to running again.
Ben Southwood. @pimoore Go to a specialist shop if you can and get your gait tested. Brooks also have a very helpful self-assessment tool on their website. I wear supportive running shoes on the road, they take the strain off the joints and correct poor running form. I think the ‘bad for the joints’ thing has been largely dismissed, as long as you’re not going crazy with the miles.
Jan Erik Moström Ben Southwood. @pimoore Adrenalines by Brooks are awesome, they are supportive. Like I said, if you’re able to visit a specialist shop, they can advise. It took me ages to learn to run even short distances, a lot of people swear by the Couch 2 5k apps.
Rene van Belzen @pimoore I’ve read that knee injuries are not caused by running, if you do it right. Quite the contrary, running prevents knee injuries, even in overweight people. The point is to run slow, mostly, and in moderation, depending on what your body is capable of. Most start with walking first.
Ben Southwood. @pimoore That’s exactly it. It’s better to be doing a little exercise than not.
Rene van Belzen @BenSouthwood @pimoore You could also consider functional strength training, which trains your body to be able to deal with everyday life. Running isn’t the only way to get fit. Besides that, runners need strength and conditioning as well, not just run distances.
Denny Henke @BenSouthwood @pimoore For me a mix of walking and cycling have been fantastic. I'm fortunate to live in an area where I can safely do both. I've had a persistant issue with one of my knees since an injury in junior high but walking and cycling, done carefully, are helpful in maintaining the health of that knee.
And, side benefit, in some areas both of those can also serve as carbon-free transport around a town/community.
Ben Southwood. @pimoore Whatever you decide, you’ll feel the benefit. Good on you for trying to improve your health. :-)
Ben Southwood. @pimoore I wouldn’t even consider getting a treadmill, the outdoors bit is key for me.
Rene van Belzen @pimoore Once you’re in your eighties, having core strength is paramount, even being able to get up after getting down on the floor. You still want to be able to play with your great-grandchildren. So, the time to start is now, and keep it up 👍
jabel @pimoore Also, a regular bike can be made stationary with a trainer. It’s an added expense (and they can range widely in price) but then you have all the options available.
Tracy Durnell @pimoore putting a real bike on a trainer has proven less boring than I expected -- there are lots of helmet cam videos on YouTube so I like to cue up something in the southwest or Europe and ride along (my favorite channels are Bike the World and Jerry's Scenic Cycling) with some energetic music blasting. It works surprisingly well to trick my brain, and I find myself "leaning into the turn" with videos 😂
Odd-Egil “Oddzthrash” Auran @tracydurnell I’ve always wondered if those things are sturdy enough. (I’m a heavy person). Btw: I can imagine you leaning towards the curve) 😃
Jan Erik Moström @pimoore FWIW, I don't what physical shape you're in, nor what kind of styles that are available in your area, but whatever you choose to do: take it easy and allow your body to get used to the new experience. I've seen too many who have wanted to restart their practice and in their mind they are still 20 years old ... but the body is a lot older. It usually ends with them quitting.
So give the body time to adjust to the new situation. Most of those I practice with are half or third my age and sometimes it's hard to remember. 😜
Tracy Durnell @odd it generally seems pretty sturdy but sometimes I'll lean a little too far and freak myself out when I feel the weight shift slightly 😂 It's probably not actually intended for people to move from side to side much 😄
Tracy Durnell @pimoore I went for a no-frills model since I wasn't sure if I'd like it. This model doesn't have controls to adjust difficulty while on the bike, so I just use my gears 🤷♀️ Some more expensive ones can connect with programmed workouts on your phone that would probably be cool, but I figured just riding is good enough for me.
Odd-Egil “Oddzthrash” Auran @tracydurnell Haha. 😅 Well, now my skull-gears are cranking away. I do have a bike now, so technically I could use it the winter months too. 🤔
Jan Erik Moström @pimoore that's the correct attitude. I'm probably a pain for the others (inflexible, joints that really don't want to bend, etc) but at least they can use me as test to see if they've managed to learn the correct movements (they can't get me to move if they make any mistakes). But I'm enjoying myself.
BK Ryer @pimoore "identifying for a moment as a self-centered imbecile, it is difficult for me to understand that your needs could be different than mine..." ❥ ♜
Interesting re: body energy demands while swimming v other activities. And I do have the advantage of a nearby heated pool, which is essentially a honey bath. 🤣🤪🍯
BK Ryer @pimoore forgot to mention (admit) that I am more prone to hop on the bicycle than jump in the pool at any given moment...
BK Ryer @pimoore If it feeels like a scene from archer I’m in tho; musical theme, questionable but delectable nutrition, y’know, smartassery-a-gogo and heavy outlines. ❤︎ ♜
Tracy Durnell @pimoore apparently I paid $130 for it in summer 2020 when everything bike was in high demand -- at $70usd I think I should bug my husband about getting one for him too 👀😄