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53 year old newbie
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Hi,
New to the site and new to running! I am a 53 year old male. No health problems - but not fit and I smoke and drink. I want to get fit and I have applied to the London Marathon ballot as an incentive to get fit. A relative has recently taken up running and I will run with her (although not regularly as she lives in another part of the country).
I walk around 15 miles a week for my job - but it has been suggested to me that I am crazy and at 53 years old I will have no chance to completing the London Marathon!! What do people say?
If I do start training I have been advised to have a gait analysis and to buy some proper running shoes.
If anyone has faith in me that I can complete the Marathon - can you offer any advice on training regime, diet, distances I should run to begin with etc etc.
I was all guns blazing to do this until people have said I am too old. My parents (in their late 70's) even related a story from our old GP who many years ago said that once one reached 30 years of age it was dangerous to start training, running etc!
Thanks,
Rory's Dad
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Comments
I don't think you're too old at all, but you'll have to be careful and take things more slowly. I am 54, I would say two good sessions a week of core work or yoga or whatever will really help you, it's not just about your legs.
It's a shame that you think you need a gait analysis, by all means get thebest shoes you can, and run in them on a treadmill to try them out in the shop, but overall comfort and fit is more important than what the shopassistant thinks about your gait.
Thanks Mr Puffy. I am not sure how to select shoes so someone recommended a gait analysis.
If it is relevant, I am (honestly!) 5 feet tall and weigh 7.5 stone. I have very flat feet!
My BMI and blood pressure are spot on.
Anyone recommend any shoes that might be suitable - particularly as I have flat feet - although to date I have never had any pain in the feet.
Also, what targets should I set myself distance wise - was thinking I could perhaps manage max 2 miles to start with and then build on that?
Rorysdad
When I trained for my first (and only...) marathon I met a man who was 70 and training for his first. So you're a youngster.
my advice is: build up slowly. Look at training plans and read about it. Lots of injuries can be avoided with knowledge.
get good trainers.
take it slow.
have rest days.
stretch.
remember your body will take longer to get used to the change than your mind, so don't over do it if you get very excited about it all and want to keep training for longer.
Do core exercises. Strengthen those tummy muscles.
And have fun!
All I would add is - have some shorter term goals. Everyone wants to run a marathon as soon as they start running but it's a massive undertaking for most people. Have you got a local parkrun? Follow a couch to 5k plan with a view to doing your first 5k parkrun (google it) in say 8 weeks or so. It feels like a real milestone when you get to running 5k/30 minutes non stop when you first start out.
Build slowly from there, 10ks maybe or up to half marathon. If you get into London go for it, if not make a 10k or half your goal, maybe a big flashy race which will be fun to be part of. Make running part of your life, if you set the bar too high you simply won't keep it up.
Most of all stop smoking.
You ca do a marsthon. If you think about it you could probably walk fast enough to get in within the time limit.
there are all sorts of plans out there including run / walk plans, for example run 4 or 5 minutes then walk 1. Some of them are down to run 1m walk 30secs.
there sre all sorts of ways to crack a marathon. sites like http://my.asics.co.uk/
you can say you cannot run 20 minutes, then put in the date of your marathon and it will create a plan for you.
Of course you can do it.
Loads of people start running at significantly older than 30yrs. Your walknig background is a help- you should have some resiliance within your legs to avoid too many overuse injuries if you take it very slowly.
A walk/ run programme like C25K seems a good way to start, and a decent pair of shoes- from a good running shop.
Good luck.
Six months since my first postng on here I have finally taken action. Stopped drinking alcohol 3 months back. Now stopped smoking - 1 week up to now! Cold turkey. Attending smoking cessation.
Been for a run today - 1 mile in 12 mins.
Did not get accepted for the London Marathon - but I am running for a local Charity in the 2016 Great North Run.
Time to start training - stopping smoking has 100% helped me! 2 weeks ago I blew 23 on the carbon monoxide machine - 4 days after stopping smoking - blew a 1!!
Reckon if I can at least add 1 mile per month to my 1 mile today I should be up for the Great North Run?
RD
I didn't bother with a gait analysis and just bought some New Balance shoes which are comfy and very lightweight - although not waterproof as I have discovered!
RD
First thing anyone should do when starting running is get a full gait analysis and make sure they have the right shoes... Its crazy to not do this, its always free and could save you untold problems down the line regardless of how comfy you "think" the shoes you bought are.