Beginners and Beyond

1

Is this a function of age? (Read 83 times)

Love the Half


    Something I have noticed recently is that I am frequently way slower in the beginning on harder workouts than I am once I settle into it.  I was always somewhat slower in the beginning, even after a good warm up, but the gap seems to have widened in the last 6-12 months.  A couple of recent examples.

     

    Four mile tempo run:

    Mile 1 - 6:35

    Mile 2 - 6:21

    Mile 3 - 6:18

    Mile 4 - 6:12

     

    800 VO2max workout:

    3:05

    3:00

    2:59

    2:59

    2:54

    2:56

    2:59

    2:50

     

    Bear in mind that I try to do all of my workouts without looking at the Garmin during the workout so these are run purely by effort.  This held true even on that 20 mile long run I did a few days ago with Mile 16 @ 6:52, Mile 17 @ 6:40 and Mile 18 @ 6:25.  Thus, even after I am obviously exceedingly warmed up, I'm at a much slower pace in the beginning.

     

    I would also note that there are a couple of guys in this area who are a few years older than me and they are also a bit faster than me.  In every race I have run with them, they are behind me in the first mile or so but then pass me and keep increasing the gap.  They're running their races like I run these workouts.  So, what I'm wondering is if this slower start is simply a function of aging.

    Short term goal: 17:59 5K

    Mid term goal:  2:54:59 marathon

    Long term goal: To say I've been a runner half my life.  (I started running at age 45).

    RSX


      No

        I don't know because I never ran while young, and never really compared to anyone else, but it does seem to take me a very long time to warm up. I can't do anything without 3 slow miles to start. An awful lot of my runs end up being an unintentional negative split or progression. And the later miles in any quality portion often end up being easier and/or faster.

         

        Maybe this is not unusual for any age? IDK. But the slowness of starting also seems to get worse deeper into a heavy training cycle. Also it seems worse when I run first thing in the AM (which is 95% of the time).

         

        All my non-marathon races (small sample size) have been pretty strong negative splits. I have just attributed to going out too conservatively, and think I need to start more aggressively. But maybe it's just the way I run, or maybe it is typical of older guys.

        Dave


        delicate flower

          Well being old certainly isn't helping.

          <3

            Well being old certainly isn't helping.

             

            It never really does.

            Dave

            onemile


              I don't know because I never ran while young, and never really compared to anyone else, but it does seem to take me a very long time to warm up. I can't do anything without 3 slow miles to start. An awful lot of my runs end up being an unintentional negative split or progression. And the later miles in any quality portion often end up being easier and/or faster.

               

              Maybe this is not unusual for any age? IDK. But the slowness of starting also seems to get worse deeper into a heavy training cycle. 

               

              +1 to all of this.  My first intervals is almost always the slowest.  I am 32.


              Walk-Jogger

                Brad, my guess is that it is not a function of age, and is just a function of the type of runner you are.

                 

                I run my hard workout times exactly like you do, slower at first, faster as I warm up. I also run faster at the start of races than the one guy in my age group who always beats me. He starts out slower and passes me somewhere between .5 and 1 mile into it. He is tall and thin with a very short and choppy stride, while I am short and somewhat muscular with a longer stride. I love doing sprints and speedwork in practice, and he almost never does these. I've always run this way, and have not noticed it anymore now in my late 50's. Different body builds and different running styles.

                Retired &  Loving It

                Docket_Rocket


                  I have always taken a long time to warm up.  3-4 miles.  My first interval is always my slowest too.

                  Damaris

                   

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                  Love the Half


                    Brad, my guess is that it is not a function of age, and is just a function of the type of runner you are.

                     

                    I run my hard workout times exactly like you do, slower at first, faster as I warm up. I also run faster at the start of races than the one guy in my age group who always beats me. He starts out slower and passes me somewhere between .5 and 1 mile into it. He is tall and thin with a very short and choppy stride, while I am short and somewhat muscular with a longer stride. I love doing sprints and speedwork in practice, and he almost never does these. I've always run this way, and have not noticed it anymore now in my late 50's. Different body builds and different running styles.

                     

                    This is me exactly.  I love sprints and speedwork.  I hate tempo runs with a passion.

                    Short term goal: 17:59 5K

                    Mid term goal:  2:54:59 marathon

                    Long term goal: To say I've been a runner half my life.  (I started running at age 45).

                      But the slowness of starting also seems to get worse deeper into a heavy training cycle. 

                       

                       

                      I agree with this. And I'm not sure if it is an age thing but for me the last couple of tempo/MP miles in my training runs "feel" a whole lot easier to hit pace than the first couple.

                       

                      But I notice it more with my interval work. 800m - mile repeat stuff. The first couple I really have to work at hitting the pace I want and then I get into a groove. I sometimes wonder if my body just needs a little warm-up after the warm-up. Like, o.k, you're shifting gears so give me a little bit to get there.

                       

                      Some if it may be no doubt mental. I'm with you LtH in that I much prefer sprints/intervals over longer tempo runs. I don't think I hate them but they are the one workout I don't often look forward to doing. I know I feel good when I'm done.

                       

                       

                       

                      Slymoon Runs


                      race obsessed

                        Dunno, at 43 it takes me 2 miles to 25 minutes of running before my hips and legs relax.

                        At that point I naturally get faster.

                         

                        Even so, my 3rd of 4 intervals is always the fastest.

                        workinprogress11


                           

                          It never really does.

                           

                          This made me laugh.

                           

                          My first two miles of anything whether it is speed work, tempo runs, easy runs or races longer than 10k are always slower. They always have been. It takes my body that long to accept that I'm really going to keep going. I'm 49 and a later in life runner like yourself, though not nearly as fast.

                          wcrunner2


                          Are we there, yet?

                            When I've given this any thought, my conclusion is that it is age related. Muscles and tendons are less elastic or flexible. Overall it seems to take longer to respond to training stimuli. I could get by with a mile jog and 3-4 strides to warm up for a good interval workout 40 years ago. Now it takes a couple miles and 5-6 strides. Even then I may still be  a couple seconds slow on the first interval, but I don't want to take any more time for the warm up.

                             2024 Races:

                                  03/09 - Livingston Oval Ultra 6-Hour, 22.88 miles

                                  05/11 - D3 50K
                                  05/25 - What the Duck 12-Hour

                                  06/17 - 6 Days in the Dome 12-Hour.

                             

                             

                                 

                            B-Plus


                              Looks like how I get into a workout, especially when running higher mileage.