Aging Up?
On Wednesday, I did my weekly speed work. This week the workout was 3 x 1 mile at 5K pace, with a short break in between each mile. The first two were moderately hard, and the last one left me gasping for breath. I really had to dig deep to hold my pace, but I did it! And what exactly was that pace? 9:00 per mile. I know pace is personal. There are people who can’t even dream of running a 5K at 9:00 pace, and others who run 8 minute miles for their easy pace. So I’m not comparing myself to anyone else… I’m going to briefly compare my current self to my past self. For my race on July 4th, I’m hoping to run the 5K at a 9:00/mile pace. Three years ago, I ran a half marathon at that same pace. And in 1998, I ran a full marathon at that pace. Okay, I was 32 years old. Still… How is it possible I’m running that much slower? Granted, I haven’t been doing speed work, and I’ve had a bunch of injuries. Is that all it is, or is part of this decline due to the “A” word? Here’s my philosophy about getting older: take age into consideration but don’t use it as an excuse. For example, I’ve read that doing plyometrics can cause plantar fasciitis in older runners. Well, I’m “older” and I’ve also had issue with PF, so I approach plyometrics cautiously. I also know that strength training is necessary as we age to prevent muscle loss, so I now embrace it wholeheartedly. But… call me an optimist, or call me completely delusional, I don’t believe that my age is preventing me from running fast. This article talks about the effect of aging on running, and what we can do about it. The author points out that he, like most of us, is coming nowhere near to his personal potential. “And if I’m willing to do the work, then I can get closer and closer to that potential, which will give me the results as if I was younger and not coming close to my potential.” When I ran that sub- 4 hour marathon in 1998 I don’t believe I was anywhere near my potential. I had no idea how to train properly. I had never heard of drills, or mobility work, and I did no strength training. Who’s to say that by doing everything correctly now, I might not still have a PR in me? I’m not saying that it will happen- I’m just saying that it could. I’m not ready to give up on it yet. And if it doesn’t happen… hey, that’s what age groups are for. I can still train hard and improve from where I am now, and be competitive in my age group. When I finished that third mile of my workout, pushing through to stay at a 9:00/mile pace, I felt the same exhilaration that any runner feels when they push themselves hard. Who cares what pace I was running? Well…. I do, apparently. But that’s part of what makes running fun for me- the desire and ability to push myself and get better at it. At the age of 56, I can still hope. I’m linking up with My First 5K and More, Running With Attitude, Run Laugh Eat Pie, Runs with Pugs, and Zenaida for Fit Five Friday! Thanks ladies! If you run, are you still shooting for PRs? If not, when did you stop? Do you think your age is holding you back?