Start Running After 40, More Harm Than Good (Page 2)

I started running (well, shuffling) at 39. Never ran more than a mile at once before that, and that was maybe twice. Now 47, have completed 7 sprint tris and 4 15Ks. (soon to be 5 on March 9). No injuries.

I followed a good training plan and set reasonable goals. I am healthier and happier than I was before running. I hate to run, but love the way it makes me feel when I'm done and I absolutely fell in love with triathlon.

I think Docs (and others) just assume lots of things that aren't true about people over 40. I hate when I hear someone saying they can't so it because of their age. Use it or lose it!

I started running on my 41st birthday.  I'm a late starter, had my daughter at 40!

I've run two marathons, done Oly, HIM and in 6 weeks hope to do an IM.

My doc thinks I'm slightly crazy but admires it all (he's an avid cyclist) - he said just listen to your body, pay attention to niggles and injuries and fuel your body with the best.

My boss is an ex Ironman ex marathon runner just had his second hip replacement - he said he ran his whole life but HARD - he said back then they had no idea about correct footwear, pacing, building volume - they just went hard and long.  I've been running a fraction of the time he did....i'm hoping my knees and hips will give out when I'm over 80 and won't care.

With the information available to us today we should do ok.

I'm hesitant to call myself a runner but I'm 62 and started running 1.5 years ago after watching an IMCanada.  (Never ever ran before - since 1964!)

As mentioned a couple times above being older I am careful to increase very slowly and much less than 10%.  But as I was reading all the responses it occured to me that my personal MD knows I run, bike and swim.  I swim with an MD twice a week and he knows I run and bike as well.  And, the bike group (for older fellows - that I can't keep up with) I sometimes ride with has many MDs who run, swim and bike as well.  (I find this all kind of funny because I'm a retired Chiro and they all know this as well).

None of them has ever quoted any research to suggest that what we're doing is anything we shouldn't be doing.

My husband is 43. For years the only time he ran was a few weeks before the big, annual physical fitness test for the military. Last year was put on medication for high blood pressure. In October he decided he wanted to train and run a marathon. He had about a month before an 18 week training program was to start. I put him on a training schedule for that month to get him ready for the marathon training, so he eased into it, and follows a novice plan for the marathon he wants to run.

He does complain of soreness in the legs, but he foam rolls and recovers in compression tights. He follows the schedule and hasn't missed a single run. He doesn't do anymore than run and takes his rest days very seriously.

He's off of his blood pressure medication now, has lost 15 pounds (he started at 175 at 5''10"), and hasn't snored like a freight train in months!

He is looking healthier and feeling better than he has in years. I think for him, it's doing him so much more good.

It's also helped that have changed the way we eat at home. Revamped the menu to include more of the good stuff, a lot less of the bad stuff.

Ask the doctor to provide her own documentation to back up her claims. 

That's definitely one of my motivations as I get older.  I'm going to be 60 in May and in the back of my mind I know there will come a day when I won't be able to do this stuff any longer.  Hopefully that day is a still long way off, but I still know it is coming.  I have other less strenuous hobbies that I can pursue, but I'll miss the endorphin rush.

Mark

As I used to say in the medical profession. What do you call a person who graduated med school or passed state exam with lowest score? Doctor. Been around quite a few misguided idiots.

^^^^^^^^^^^  THIS  ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Also, please notice my autosignature.  "For every expert there is an equal and opposite expert."  The science fiction writer Arthur C. Clarke said that, along with more famous quotes, but I like this one for an autosignature because at least 20% of the threads on this board involve experts (self appointed, quoted, or otherwise) contradicting each other.  Like most boards, in fact.

I started running shortly before my 40th birthday, as my mid-life crisis.  I had some medical issues early in running, obviously from doing too much too soon.  I had an Ortho take x-rays of my knees and he commented on what excellent shape they were in. 

That's what nearly 40 years of being a couch potato will do for you:  Turn you into an obese, diabetic with rampent cholesterol issues... but you'll have great knees.

I like to think I'm smarter about running now and have a much better understanding of my limitations.  I love running, and try to do a little every day.  I like how it makes me look and feel. 

Though my wife occasionally complains about my spending habits on shoes, gear, gels, etc... I remind her that it's much cheaper than the diabetes medication I used to have to take every day.  (Except for the bike... that did cost more.)

Wow, that's impressive!  Great job.

I started running at 47, and 3 1/2 years later my doc keeps insisting he use my story with his patients who refuse to exercise but insist on trying to overcome aging and unhealthy lifestyle with drugs.  Not all doctors are trying to keep us on drugs and are against exercise.  Of course, the room for error is smaller as you get older, so building slowly, paying attention to niggles, getting rest, and eating healthy are more important.

That is what we need more of in our society. Medical costs (direct and indirect) are going to ruin us a country if more people do not do the above. Let food be thy medicine (and exercise....in Hippocrates time exercise was just daily activities I am sure).  One of the great things for me about "finding" triathlon is that it made me appreciate the one body I was given and that I need to take care of it. Most of us do not need pills, we need the advice and support to eat better and move more. Triathlon gave me that incentive. Great work!!!

Rhonda,  this is at least the 3rd post you've made in the last day promoting this supplement in response to unrelated threads.

Since this stuff sounds like the answer to everything, and everything on the internet is true, I'm going to go out and buy a bunch of it, because I'm confident it will make the difference to allow me to qualify for Kona.

And, Google says you're promoting it all over the internet, not just here on BT:

 http://bwambohealth.blogspot.com/2013/01/the-concept-of-low-sex-drive-in-men.html

 http://maleenchancementproducts.blogspot.com/2012/10/does-ageless-male-work.html

http://health-tips-for-every-one.blogspot.com/2013/02/the-low-down-on-male-enhancement.html

http://menenhancers.blogspot.com/2013/01/best-penis-enlargement-pills-how-to.html

http://wealthproccess.blogspot.com/2013/02/foods-that-enhances-your-libido.html

and the list goes on...

To add fuel to this ridiculous fire, I've been dealing with ITBS.  I told my wife I'd rather be injured and healthy than die of cardiac arrest at the age of 55 sitting on the couch.

I plan on bringing her to a few local races to see all of the different ages, shapes, sizes, and abilities.  That might be the only way I convince her that her running is a good thing.

that is the stupidest thing I have ever heard

clearly that doctor is not an athlete.

I started tris at 45 to be an example to other physicians and to patients

feel better than I ever have and now I am 50