5k potential aged 49

I'm a 49 year old (just turned) male who hasn't done much exercise in recent years but did a lot of sport in my 20's and 30's. In the face of worsening physical conditioning I decided to start running again. I have plotted out a route that is just a fraction over 5k and is pretty much flat but with several twists and turns. I have done this route 4 times now over the last 3 weeks and timed the last 3.  Naturally these have improved each time but today's gain just blew me away, especially as I had a few beers last night watching the football.

Today - 24 mins 44 seconds

Last week - 26 mins 46 seconds

Week before - around 30 minutes (didn't have my stopwatch)

I'm wondering what I could possibly achieve if I ran more and laid off the beers (I drink most days). Not only the times but I'm hoping the pursuit of lower times will lead to a reduced desire to drink. Thanks for reading.

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  • I'm not sure if this link will work if you are not logged in, but here is a list of the fastest times by men aged 50-54 in the UK last year on runbritainrankings.com (In case the link doesn't work, this is for the whole of 2015 but it only goes up to 21:45, and there were 689 men in that age group who achieved this, with the fastest at 15:30) So anything's possible really, but try training more regularly but running much, much slower; don't try to beat your time for the route every time you run or you will plateau very soon.

    http://www.runbritainrankings.com/rankings/rankinglist.aspx?event=5K&agegroup=V50&sex=M&year=2015

  • It all depends how fast you want to go and how much running you want to do. Forget the age, you will keep getting quicker for at least the next 5 years just by building a base mileage, take everything very steady to build strength and endurance.....the times will come as your power to weight ratio automatically improves.

    As for what times you might achieve, who knows, have a go and see what happens. Do you want to run every day, twice a day or just every now and again? Your age is no barrier to running well under 20 minutes if that's what you want.

  • Thanks for the advice, much appreciated.  I actually feel great today despite the burger/chips, 3 pints and glass of red I had last night.  The 5k seems the perfect antedote!  

    This has really motivated me to do more.  I might even get some decent running trainers instead of these 5-a-side pumps.

  • I've just recalculated the distance of the run at the request of a friend who was surprised at the times and it actually comes in at 5.61 km, which makes me feel even better.  Now I know why all you joggers are running around!!

  • Perhaps you will be happier being a man and not have to drinks so much.

  • Good for you caminito. Sounds like a great way to spur you on to cleaning up lifestyle. I hope you get into it.



    Found it interesting that you improve for 5 years. I started 9 months ago on couch to 5k and w have my 5k time down to 22mins. I've done lots of races up to half marathon. I'm mixed as what to do next. In terms of enjoyment id like to build up the distance further and do more trails. However I'm not getting any younger (female nearing 40) so thinking that as speed is the first to go maybe a should spend a while seeing what 5k time I could get down to first. I'll always wonder otherwise if I could have gone sub 20. But 5ks are disgustingly painful. I'd much rather an all day trail!
  • Try a few parkruns too fella. They are free to do and when you are racing others, your time will improve

  • Getting from 26-24 minutes is a doddle, 24 - 22 will be a bit harder, and getting sub 20 harder still and getting sub 18 will take LOTS of work. Its not an even curve.

  • Sub 20 mins is a realistic goal if you put in the training effort. Mid week tempo run + interval session and Park Run + long run on weekend. You could do cycling or gym work on the other 3 days of the week.

    You will get more benefits doing short fast paced runs to train for your 5km time goals. The longer run on Sunday, gradually building up towards 10 miles for a 5km.

     

     

  • Again, thanks for the advice.

    I did my usual 5k this morning, having done nothing since I posted on here.  I took the advice onboard and sought not to try beat my previous time.  This time I was more interested in trying to achieve a higher average pace than last week.  Last week I set off from the blocks like I was doing a 200m race and really struggled for it for the rest of the run.  Today I purposefully took it easier for the same distance I sprinted last week but then my average pace felt far quicker.  I also found the run a lot easier.  No idea what time I ran but I feel it was quicker than last week and now I wish I'd taken my stopwatch.  I'll give it a shot next week.  Just wish I could lay off the beers and abstain from the Wetherspoons on a Tuesday and Thursday (steak night and curry night, invariably washed down with a pint).

  • Well done Caminito.

    Marginal gains - substitute 1 beer for one pint of fizzy water. All helps!
  • Definitely some correlation between lifestyle and effort/results.  This morning was off the back of one pint less and one glass of wine less (though I did get hammered all weekend!).

    I wonder what Usain Bolt's 100m times would be like with a lifestyle like mine.  Wrong side of 10 seconds?

  • I've found that my desire to go out pubbing has decreased hugely since really getting into running. My friend reeled in shock earlier this week when I said id rather go for a run. Other people have said that to me in the past and I thought I'd never be that way! But I love my running endorphins, feel down if I miss a run and am fairly obsessed with my strava training log!

    Have you tried Strava? Download the app and use it when running and maybe you'll get the bug too. Perhaps then get to the pub just a bit later - cos been running, or leave a bit earlier, cos got run in the morning - if you get the bug , you'll be wanting to!

    Other motivators - parkrun, join club. There's a middle aged boys brigade type group of friends at my club. They seem to drink hard, run together. And their times are impressive!

  • Found it interesting that you improve for 5 years. I started 9 months ago on couch to 5k and w have my 5k time down to 22mins. I've done lots of races up to half marathon. I'm mixed as what to do next. In terms of enjoyment id like to build up the distance further and do more trails. However I'm not getting any younger (female nearing 40) so thinking that as speed is the first to go maybe a should spend a while seeing what 5k time I could get down to first. I'll always wonder otherwise if I could have gone sub 20. But 5ks are disgustingly painful. I'd much rather an all day trail!

    how have you gone from couch  to 22 minutes in 9 months, that's great. I picked up again in Feb and struggling to get down below 23 is my target for now.

    I agree what you say about age and speed, I'd love to get near to a good for age time by training hard which would probably also be a strong pb but am also wanting to get into ultra running from next year. The way I've been training though is towards both these ends of the spectrum with a regular long run up to my max distance and short  runs for speed and power seems to cover all the bases for me.

  • Sounds like we've the same dilemma LogicS. I'm currently training for a half. Then over winter will train for. 20miler. Decision then comes next year whether to spent next summer doing 5k training or go for a trail marathon that's done as an "ultra" style.

    My 22 5k is agony, I wanna die from 1 mile in, affair. More desire than ability! A flapjack and a trail run sounds much more appealing!
  • Supernoodle wrote (see)
    I've found that my desire to go out pubbing has decreased hugely since really getting into running. My friend reeled in shock earlier this week when I said id rather go for a run. Other people have said that to me in the past and I thought I'd never be that way! But I love my running endorphins, feel down if I miss a run and am fairly obsessed with my strava training log!
    Have you tried Strava? Download the app and use it when running and maybe you'll get the bug too. Perhaps then get to the pub just a bit later - cos been running, or leave a bit earlier, cos got run in the morning - if you get the bug , you'll be wanting to!
    Other motivators - parkrun, join club. There's a middle aged boys brigade type group of friends at my club. They seem to drink hard, run together. And their times are impressive!

    Bizarrely I'm starting to feel the same thing, despite sitting here in bed on my laptop having consumed 3 beers. Part of me wants to get up early and beat my PB, looking for under 24 mins for the 5k.  I probably did that today but it's unconfirmed.  By way of comparison, I was uncontrollable the morning of my run that prompted this thread, buzzing with energy, enthusiasm and zest for life.  Comparing that with Friday morning after a boozing session straight after work with an old buddy and it's like night and day.  Friday was a real struggle at work, both physically and mentally.  Is it worth it I ask? 

  • caminito67 wrote (see)  Is it worth it I ask? 

    Don't beat yourself up, it's always worth it. I agree with Supernoodle though running can gradually take over but it's a transition I think.

    Yep Supernoodle, I'm training for a marathon in October. I did one about 10 years ago when I was 31 and I want to beat that time now before am 41 (to go under 4 hours). Then after that I just want to achieve things I never did before for whatever reason like becoming fast and getting endurance adventure. Pointless things that just celebrate being alive.

    I should take your example for the parkrun and just push myself harder. I'd be lying if I  said it was agony. Pushing it for another 2 miles is impressive.

     

  • Chuckle, LogicS, I think caminito was wondering whether the drinking is worth it?!

    23 min without dying? Now I'm impressed. My other distance times are way off what I can achieve at 5k (according to age rating/ vo2 max etc formulae) which concurs with me just pushing myself beyond my ability. Although some may be that it takes longer to build up endurance. I no longer push parkrun so hard. I like it for tempo type runs - much easier to get pace up in that environment than on own, and I get really endorphiny!

    Keep building up the miles, caminito and you'll too get to be a loony obsessed runner! Maybe put a race in and get a running plan - log it on strava - that'd do it for me - work for you ? Do you carry any excess weight? Alcohol is high calorie - every pint is a second or so on your time....maybe that could motivate you to reduce? You clearly want to, just have to find the will power. Good luck!
  • image I  meant the drinking too, no point in regrets but no harm in a change of habits either.

    Yeah am chasing 23. Pb is 23:40 I think. Maybe this weekend image

     

  • I was a sprinter and triple jumper as a kid, so long distance is not my natural environment, but at age 53 I'm regularly getting close to 20 minutes at parkrun - four years ago I ran about eight or nine under the 20 mark. I have, of course, kept fit for most of my life. I'm usually about the third or fourth in my age group to finish at my local parkrun. On a recent visit to Fell Foot parkrun, by Windermere, I was heartened to finish in 18th place overall on a slightly hilly course in 21 mins. When I looked at the results, a guy in the 65-69 age group was two places and ten seconds ahead of me - I knew he was older when he overtook me, but not that old! The short and the long of it is that if you keep it up you could easily get close to 20, but a lot depends on the course, your body type and how much you train.

  • cheers Peter, inspiring stuff.

  • Good read.

    Just done my first run (since my last one).  It's working out at just one a week so I must do better but this morning I blitzed my 24m 44s by 40s.  Pleased with that seeing as it was business as usual in the food and drink department last night (2.5 pints and a quarter bottle wine plus a burger/chips at Wetherspoons). So near yet so far from sub 24 mins though.  I'd have made it had it not been for being held up by a bus and a car on the final 20 metres.  Still, this is just over 5k so it's a moral victory.  I need one of those watches that measure the distance/time and take into account hold-ups I think.  But first I need to get my diet and attitude sorted out.

  • Keep it going caminito. Sounds like the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak! More slower miles will get your 5k time faster - don't race every run. Run a few more times a week a little bit further. If you've smartphone, download the strava app and it'll record time, distance etc and ignore times when you are not moving.
  • Thanks. I will. Did some more calculations today and given the approx distance (5.19km) and the time, it turns out I just ran a 5k in a touch under 22 mins, assuming my maths is correct. Really pleased and motivated now.
  • not sure how to delete a duplicated post but here is my attempt!

  • Struggling today physically.  Was supposed to play 5-a-side tonight but my right achilles is very tender and I've been limping slightly.  Is this normal?  I'm figuring the football trainers I run in probably aren't suited to 5k.  Strange that it's not affected me prior to this though.

  • Not sure how a 24.04 time over 5.19km translates to a sub 22 minute 5k ?

    24.04 converted to seconds - 1444. Divide that by 5.2 and you get a km split of 278 seconds which is 4.38 per km. Which is 23.10 for the 5km. Not trying to ruin your motivation, just correcting your maths.

    Pushing yourself to your limit and incorrect footwear could both be factors in feeling stiff and tender the next day.

     

  • I used the calculator on this site. Kind of assuming it's correct. In layman's terms it's around 5% more distance so deduct 5% of the time which is around 1.2 minutes. But then again the approximate distance measurements are between 5.19 km and 5.5 km depending on where you click your mouse on walk jog run. All very approximate but there's no point being accurate until I get below the 20 mins I'm looking for within the next two months. Definitely need correct footwear though, and a night or two off the beer!
  • Been a long time since I last posted, a year in fact, and I wished I'd listened to the advice on taking it easy. My 'struggling today' post above was quite prophetic as my achilles injury saw me out of action for over 3 months. That was swiftly followed up by a torn rotator cuff and whilst that shouldn't have prevented me running, I just did nothing physically until one 5k back in May (just over 25 mins) and one this morning (just under 25 mins). But the main thing is a) I'm back running again and b) I actually have some proper running shoes. Sadly I'm still down the pub most nights but you can't have it all eh? :-(
  • I'm going to say 19.59 for a 5K. It's a great motivational target and sounds like you're well capable with your times!
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