...when age is slowing you down, and what do you do about it?

A little history: I'd been a runner since the late 80's, until nasty bunions forced me to stop running and start walking about 4-5 years ago. After surgery, I stayed with walking, and started racewalking. My times improved as my technique improved, as one would expect of someone at almost any age. But I seem to have plateaued of late.

I've had a goal time of 32 minutes for a 5K, and came within a few seconds of that goal at the end of May. Since then, I've raced 2 more 5Ks, and missed my goal by about 25 and 40 seconds in each.  So naturally, (or perhaps, unnaturally) I wonder if, at age 61, I've gone as fast as I can go. How do I know if it is just a matter of training harder (or perhaps smarter, in my case...), or that no matter what I do, these legs just won't move any faster than they do now?

I know I'm an old fart, and had I kept on running, would surely accept the fact that my best times are long behind me. But since I'm fairly new to racewalking, how do I know where the performance up-curve that comes from training and technique improvements meets the performance down-curve that inevitably comes with aging? I suppose the reasonable answer is to stay focused on that goal until I reach it, or I can truly deduce that it is beyond my reach.

Please don't get me wrong: I'm not complaining, and I'm not the least bit upset or bitter about getting older and slower.  But I wonder how one knows when they are tilting at windmills, rather than chasing attainable goals?

Jay

This isn't your answer but it made me think of a question I asked a very long time ago.

I think I was about 10 or 11 maybe......That would have made my Mom around 32 - 33. I asked her..."When do you feel like your grown up?"

She answered......."when I get there I'll let you know?"

That answer never made sense to me at the time but boy can I relate to it today !

When you break your 25 - 40 secs down to a percentage the difference is actually quite minimal and could easily be explained away by distance, hills, traffic etc.

I know race walking is fairly  technical and technique orientented and wouldn't be suprised if it takes 3 - 5 years to reach that plateau. Once there I'm not sure what stimulus would be required to move forward though.

Jay, I don't have an answer but, at age 65 have had the same questions.  I consider my best year the year I was 62, about my 7th year of running.  I hope to keep running for the health benefits and keep going to races for the social aspect.  If I have a good race, it's a bonus.  Keep up the good work and I hope you get some more PRs.

TomS

...jay//.......good thread......

.......with increasing problems from old injuries, for me The Training IS the point.......

speed and racing only mean ''more injury''......

.so I guess, like the Old BackPacker Motto ''Hike Your Own Hike''

mine has become ''Run Your Own Run''

......as long as you're enjoying it,

you're doing it right.......

....................Wishing You Good Work-Outs.........