RunningAHEAD - Topic: At what age do you think you will have to quit running?

Bugs

posted: 3/6/2008 at 8:59 PM

My life seems to be surrounded by retired runners that say they can't do it any more. At what age do you think you will have to stop?

Bugs

zoom-zoom

rectumdamnnearkilledem

posted: 3/6/2008 at 9:51 PM

I don't know about stop, but DH's aunt and uncle used to be hella serious and gifted runners, but they are both in their 50s and definitely slowing down. I know she no longer does marathons. She has told me that most runners have 10 really good years. I started running when I was 33, so I figure by my mid 40s I may slow down some, but I don't intend to stop for a long time...health willing.

Getting the wind knocked out of you is the only way to

remind your lungs how much they like the taste of air.

~ Sarah Kay

perfesserr

Imminent Catastrophe

posted: 3/6/2008 at 10:02 PM

My friend and fellow Marathon Maniac Ashis is now 75 yrs old and has run 75 marathons. He's planning at least 3 more (probably more) this year. He's slowed down, but still going strong. I think it's an individual thing, and there's no hard and fast rule.

"Able to function despite imminent catastrophe"

"To obtain the air that angels breathe you must come to Tahoe"--Mark Twain

"The most common question from potential entrants is 'I do not know if I can do this' to which I usually answer, 'that's the whole point'.--Paul Charteris, Tarawera Ultramarathon RD.

√ Javelina Jundred Jalloween 2015

Cruel Jewel 50 mile May 2016

Western States 100 June 2016

Trent

Good Bad & The Monkey

posted: 3/6/2008 at 10:03 PM

Ashis (Dr. Roy)! Great guy!! I gotta get him to run Monkey someday. It would be an honor. PerfesserR, can you help? More importantly, do you like monkeys?

I'm running somewhere tomorrow. It's going to be beautiful. I can't wait.

Poor baby

perfesserr

Imminent Catastrophe

posted: 3/6/2008 at 10:22 PM

Trent, it should be abundantly clear by now that I love monkeys, although I also fear them. And apes (a nod to Jake), lemurs, and primates of all persuasions. I might be able to influence Dr. Roy to run the Monkey, but I see two roadblocks. One, he doesn't like hills due to his arthritic knees which cause him a lot of pain. Yet he registered for the ING Georgia despite my cautions that it has hills (though nothing like the monkey). Two, he usually returns to India in September. Incidentally Dr. Roy is running Grandma's, as am I. Finally. Although I had to give up Deadwood. "Swedgin!"--a reference that "Deadwood" fans will get.

"Able to function despite imminent catastrophe"

"To obtain the air that angels breathe you must come to Tahoe"--Mark Twain

"The most common question from potential entrants is 'I do not know if I can do this' to which I usually answer, 'that's the whole point'.--Paul Charteris, Tarawera Ultramarathon RD.

√ Javelina Jundred Jalloween 2015

Cruel Jewel 50 mile May 2016

Western States 100 June 2016

Trent

Good Bad & The Monkey

posted: 3/6/2008 at 10:25 PM

Criminy. I would love to run Gramma this year. And I will be just 40 minutes away. But I won't be able to break free to run. Y'all wanna drive down to Beautiful Lake Nebagamon WI, 54849, for a bite?

I'm running somewhere tomorrow. It's going to be beautiful. I can't wait.

Poor baby

Run To Win

#2867

posted: 3/6/2008 at 10:30 PM

Quote from Bugs on 3/6/2008 at 8:59 PM:

At what age do you think you will have to stop?

I don't know. How old will I be when I die?

Run to Win
25 Marathons, 17 Ultras, 16 States (Full List)

JakeKnight

posted: 3/6/2008 at 11:32 PM

I honestly can't even tell which are serious questions any more. Is this a serious one? I'll assume it is. And the answer is pretty obvious: I'll quit running the day I die. There is no age to stop. Running (and other hard exercise - especially strength training as you get older) just makes you that much fitter as you age. Every runner should welcome aging, because it means that many more age group awards. In 50 years or so, I'll have a whole shelf full of trophies.

E-mail: eric.fuller.mail@gmail.com
-----------------------------

JakeKnight

posted: 3/6/2008 at 11:41 PM

Quote from zoom-zoom on 3/6/2008 at 9:51 PM:

She has told me that most runners have 10 really good years.

Horseshit. Most elite runners with serious high school and college careers may have ten good years (and they're still ridiculously fast many decades later), but "recreational" runners can get better for decades. And if they slow down at shorter distances, they can just run farther. Take a look at the finishers in ANY ultramarathon. Plenty of them are in their 40s or 50s or 60s. Plenty of the people in the top ten or top two will be that old. For example, here's the recent results for Badwater, one of the tougher ultras on planet Earth. Look at the ages: http://www.badwater.com/results/index.html Look at 2005. Ignore Scott Jurek. He's a freak of nature. 8 out of 9 in the rest of the top 10 are older than 40. Three of them are older than 50. I guarantee I'll be faster in 10 years than I am today. It's one of the advantages of starting with no talent. In running, more than maybe anything else, age is just a number.

E-mail: eric.fuller.mail@gmail.com
-----------------------------

Kimmie

posted: 3/7/2008 at 7:58 AM

never

mainrun

posted: 3/7/2008 at 8:06 AM

I plan to stop at the same age my father stops. He turns 68 in July, and has not stopped yet.

Books I Have Read

Last Race: Portland Maine Half Marathon October 5 2014

C-R

posted: 3/7/2008 at 8:27 AM

Death + 1 day. I figure my body will be so conditioned for a daily run that it will still try to get out of the coffin and on the road even after the brain is gone. Hey wait a minute, my wife thinks my brains are gone already so perhaps I'm already there. Shocked

Must walk toward the bright light..........

"He conquers who endures" - Persius
"Every workout should have a purpose. Every purpose should link back to achieving a training objective." - Spaniel

http://ncstake.blogspot.com/

sully708

My legs are killing me

posted: 3/7/2008 at 8:28 AM

I ran a 5k last year and there was an who was 83 who ran it in 27 minutes. Pretty inspiring stuff. He kicked alot of 20 and 30 year old butts. Another guy, same race, was 74 and ran it in 23:40. He was flying. I really have alot of admiration for these guys. I'll run for as long as my body holds up. Hopefully, I'll still be kicking when I'm 83 and if I'm even luckier, I'll still be running.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f4B-r8KJhlE

Sockoni

posted: 3/7/2008 at 9:45 AM

Quote from JakeKnight on 3/6/2008 at 11:41 PM:

Horseshit. Most elite runners with serious high school and college careers may have ten good years (and they're still ridiculously fast many decades later), but "recreational" runners can get better for decades. And if they slow down at shorter distances, they can just run farther. Take a look at the finishers in ANY ultramarathon. Plenty of them are in their 40s or 50s or 60s. Plenty of the people in the top ten or top two will be that old. For example, here's the recent results for Badwater, one of the tougher ultras on planet Earth. Look at the ages: http://www.badwater.com/results/index.html Look at 2005. Ignore Scott Jurek. He's a freak of nature. 8 out of 9 in the rest of the top 10 are older than 40. Three of them are older than 50. I guarantee I'll be faster in 10 years than I am today. It's one of the advantages of starting with no talent. In running, more than maybe anything else, age is just a number.

Mr Inertia

Suspect Zero

posted: 3/7/2008 at 9:58 AM
modified: 3/7/2008 at 9:59 AM

A great question. I'll run till my body gives out. It'd be cool if my body held up well enough to run until I die. I'm in new territory - nobody in my family has made it to 70. However nobody has really taken care of themselves that well. We'll see what happens. Of course it could all end today. On my commute home, someone can cross the centerline and my ticket can get punched right then and there. That would totally suck because I just registered for Bayshore and it would be a waste of $65 Cry

So I enjoy it while I can. If today's my last day or 100 years from now http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/london/7275861.stm it is what it is.

At what age do you think you will have to quit running? (Read 840 times)