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Age Groups (Read 343 times)

malaney64


    I'm a male in the 45-49 age group. When I'm in decent running shape (like right now), I tend to either win an age group award or come very close. I don't really care about these awards - I don't think I've saved any. The weird thing I've noticed is that my times are often good enough to win an award in the 40-44 AG (and sometimes even the 35-39 AG) but not in my own age group. It seems like a fluke but it happens quite frequently. Is this some kind of "circle of life" thing? Do people take their running more seriously when they hit 45? Has anyone else noticed this? Do I ask too many questions?


    Feeling the growl again

      Peoples' kids are old enough that they can start having time to train again.  There is a reason that there is a dearth of men in their mid-30s running fast.

       

      Ask me how I know.

      "If you want to be a bad a$s, then do what a bad a$s does.  There's your pep talk for today.  Go Run." -- Slo_Hand

       

      I am spaniel - Crusher of Treadmills

       

        yep, this is true for women too. Around here there is like nobody in the w30-34 ag, presumably because so many have small children and aren't really training, so I used to win it all the time - with times that would not get me anywhere near the top of the 40-44 results! And some of the fastest women are in their late 40's. They have the time to train again.

         

        Peoples' kids are old enough that they can start having time to train again.  There is a reason that there is a dearth of men in their mid-30s running fast.

         

        Ask me how I know.

        Julia1971


          I've noticed that.  But mostly at smaller races where the total pool of runners is smaller.

           

          Personally, I thought the 35-39 (edited because the coffee hadn't kicked in and I typed the wrong numbers) AG was the most competitive.  I'm pretty sure there was a year in there where I didn't place in AG at any of the races I ran.  I'm guessing most women have their kids in their late 20s/early 30s and have the time to run again in their late 30s.

           

          I try not to think too much about AG awards.  In the past year, I've won the female master's category outright a couple times and I've been shut out from awards completely.  It just depends on who shows up that day.

            I'm a male in the 45-49 age group. When I'm in decent running shape (like right now), I tend to either win an age group award or come very close. I don't really care about these awards - I don't think I've saved any. The weird thing I've noticed is that my times are often good enough to win an award in the 40-44 AG (and sometimes even the 35-39 AG) but not in my own age group. It seems like a fluke but it happens quite frequently. Is this some kind of "circle of life" thing? Do people take their running more seriously when they hit 45? Has anyone else noticed this? Do I ask too many questions?

             

            Answer:  Yes, Yes, Yes, No.  Smile

             

            I just crossed over into the 40-44 age group, I did a race yesterday, and I would have finished First in AG in my usual 35-39 age group, but got 4th in the 40-44 AG.  And like you, I would not have cared much about the AG award at all, BUT the award for this race were BEER Mugs, so I wanted one.  I can always make use of a nice Beer Mug.

             

            The race results in most 5K races seem to look like a double spike.  You get many younger kids who are running sub-20's, then from the age of about 25-39 there seem to be considerably less fast runners, then in the AG's of 40-54 you have a bunch of folks running fast and competitive.

             

            Maybe "life" and kids takes up too much time from 20-39?   Uncertain.

            The Plan '15 →   ///    "Run Hard, Live Easy."   ∞

            jerseyrunner


            Half Fanatic 12680

              I know that for me, it made a big difference when my kids were old enough to be left alone in the house if I wanted to run -- about 11 or 12 years. Until then, you need child care (nanny, babysitter, day care, school, spouse, relative -- something) in order to run which limits the times you have available. So it would make sense that women 35 and older would have more time for running.

               

              Sometimes I think that women get faster and faster from 35 on up. I've placed 2nd or 3rd in my AG (55-59) with times that would have been in first place in the 40-44, 45-49, and 50-54 AGs. I also agree that it often depends on who shows up. Earlier this month, I placed fourth in my AG in a sprint triathlon with a time that would have got me second place in the 50-54 AG. Some really fast, strong, 55+ women showed up that day!

               

               


              Will run for scenery.

                I'm in the same age group (M45-49) but not the same league (back of the middle of the pack).  I took my finish time for a race and compared it to younger runners.  I would have been more competitive in every age group down to (including) 25-30.

                 

                For us slower runners I think there's something additional going on.  In any race you see a number of people back in the pack who have no idea what they're doing and clearly have not trained correctly/enough.  And they are mostly young.  By the time people get to middle age they either pick up a bit more common sense (don't sign up for a race you're not ready for) or Darwin takes care of them.

                Stupid feet!

                Stupid elbow!

                TJoseph


                  I agree with Spaniel.  I think it is just a time constraint issue.  When I was in my mid thirties, I won some age group awards with times that wouldn't even have come close to winning the 40-44 and 45-49 divisions.  I was in better shape than I am now, but not nearly as good a shape as I was in high school and I was a middle of the pack runner in high school.

                   

                  When my daughter was younger, I sometimes brought her to the local high school track and ran circles around her for ten miles just to get my run in.  I think people are also spending more time building their careers in their thirties and are less likely to be burning the midnight oil later in their careers as they move into middle management or more senior positions.

                    along with potentially more training time, I would think more wise about how to use that extra training time too.

                     

                    Peoples' kids are old enough that they can start having time to train again.  There is a reason that there is a dearth of men in their mid-30s running fast.

                     

                    Ask me how I know.

                     

                    ok, so how do you know?


                    Menace to Sobriety

                      Appreciate any awards you win, there may come a time when you can't even win a 3rd place AG, or run at all. I'm not saying you have to build a shrine or wall of fame, but at least throw them in a drawer or box somewhere. When you're gone, they might mean a lot more to your kids and grandkids than they do to you at the moment.

                      Janie, today I quit my job. And then I told my boss to go f*** himself, and then I blackmailed him for almost sixty thousand dollars. Pass the asparagus.

                      LedLincoln


                      not bad for mile 25

                        Appreciate any awards you win, there may come a time when you can't even win a 3rd place AG, or run at all. I'm not saying you have to build a shrine or wall of fame, but at least throw them in a drawer or box somewhere. When you're gone, they might mean a lot more to your kids and grandkids than they do to you at the moment.

                         

                        I appreciate the ones I've been getting, because they come in the form of gift certificates to my LRS.

                          I agree with whats been said and would add that alot of middle aged runners are new to the sport and find they

                          are quite good runners.

                           

                          This combined with mid life crisis feelings gives them a high level of motivation to train and work hard.

                           

                          I love my age group awards especially a couple of woodcarved statues i got. They look good and i worked really hard to get them.

                          55+ PBs 5k 18:36 June 3rd TT

                          " If you don't use it you lose it,  but if you use it, it wears out.

                          Somewhere in between is about right "      

                           

                            sometimes my AG is 50-59     others 55-59

                             

                            once in awhile I place in either one of those AG, sometimes my time would not place me in over 60 AG.  any AG placing I will gladly take as it does not happen often.  I've placed & even won (one time) with times off my PR.  On the 4th this yr I set a 5k PR (set in 2010, same course) by 38 seconds & finished 13TH (out of 53)!  every race is different, never know who will show up. Don't remember or kept records of my times from 25-30 yrs ago when much faster so my PR's  are from after I turned 50.

                             

                            My real goal is to continue to improve on my training & race times.  but having said that I enjoy the inner competition within myself & the competition within my AG.  I keep it all in perspective.  I always like to check results of previous yrs to have an  idea of  my chances in AG but  dont choose races just for that reason alone.  but if I get lucky & happen to place then  its always fun to tell people.

                             

                            my youngest daughter got me to start saving bibs & awards about 2 yrs ago.  Wish I had started saving them 30 yrs ago.


                            delicate flower

                              I don't really care about these awards - I don't think I've saved any.

                               

                              Hmph.

                              <3

                              malaney64


                                 

                                Hmph.

                                 

                                It just feels like bragging and that's not me. Maybe if my 5k times were under 20 minutes instead of 22-something, I'd feel like I really earned them.

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