Beverly wrote:
Welcome, Beverly. I'm 57, female, and started more structured running
about 4 yr ago. I've had an active life style (hiking, etc) and had done
short runs (20-30 min) a few times a week for a number of years before I
got interested in going longer - mainly stress relief.
Quoted message said:I recently started a beginner's running program. I'm not new to exercise,
just running. I currently work out with weights and cycle. I'm a 62 yo
female who has never run but hopes it will help in saving bone density
Were you diagnosed with low bone density or just interested as a
preventive measure? (My bone density scan a few years ago was ok, but I
have added some strength work for added measure. I was already running.)
Since you are probably reasonably aerobically fit from your cycling,
you may need to pay more attention to legs on buildup, esp. if have low
bone density to start so you don't overdo things.
and
Quoted message said:increase my endurance level. I'm finding it takes a totally different type
of endurance to run than it does to ride a century (metric) on the bike.
The program alternates walking/running until you're able to run for 30
minutes. My question is about the running portion. I'm currently using my
treadmill as there's still a lot of snow and ice on the ground at the
moment. Is 5 mph a reasonable speed for the running portion?
Generally, start with a speed where you could talk comfortably with the
person next to you (or yourself if your tm is at home). 5mph is probably
reasonable for starting.
I don't want
Quoted message said:to start out too fast and risk an injury but on the other hand I don't want
to be going too slow. The training book doesn't specify any speed - just a
comfortable jogging pace.
Yep, that's exactly what it is - a comfortable jogging pace or
conversational effort. As you might imagine, someone who has been a
couch potato all their lives might find running at all a chore while
someone who has a fair amt of aerobic fitness, may be able to do 4-6 mph
or faster, depending on age.
Quoted message said:
The training program increases the running time each week but I'm thinking I
may want to stick to a slower pace of increasing the running time since I'm
taking up running a little late in life 🙂
That's fine. Listen to your body. You may be used to this from cycling,
but you may find you develop minor aches/pains in the feet and legs
being used in running. When first starting, sometimes it's really hard
to distinguish just normal startup-type aches/pains from injury-type
pain (been there, done that). If you're not sure, err on the cautious
side and either don't increase the run portion or backoff a little. As
I'm sure you know, healing takes longer as you age. Best bet is to keep
uninjured.
I'm not preparing for any
Quoted message said:particular race so I don't have a time schedule. I would eventually like to
enter some 5K runs in the area but I'm a long way from there right now.
Bob made a couple good suggestions about running outside and running
with groups. Here's a couple more. I'm not sure if you like hiking or
other offroad activities or even have done much walking, period, as
opposed to cycling. But dirt trails are frequently more forgiving of
older legs. However, if uneven, they can work a lot of fine balance
muscles that may not be ready for it. You might start with hiking in
your running shoes to build up the ankle. Then add run / hikes.
Aerobically, hiking up a steep hill can raise your heart rate as much as
running.
You could also include some mtn biking. If the hill's too steep to ride,
then walk or run it. The hiking/running parts would be more important
than the riding part for you. I've used this for rehab. You might also
consider a duathlon down the line.
If running with groups, be careful not to get sucked into too long or
too fast a run for what you're ready for. You may need to find a group
that fits your personality or needs or is flexible. Some people like
large groups while others, like myself, prefer low key, let's go
exploring in the woods, type groups. Actually, I prefer running alone,
but it's fun to go with a small group to a new trail, esp. when we
realized that nobody really knows where the trailhead is 😉
But, take your time building up carefully, and you'll find a wonderful,
exciting world out there running. Listen to your body and learn how to
interpret it can be more valuable than a running program, since they
usually aren't designed for us later-in-life-beginner folks. Enjoy!
Dot
--
"You try to slow down and enjoy it. You try to look at the scenery. But
your brain can kind of go blank. All you want to do is tell your feet to
keep working."
-Cedar Petrosius, women's winner 2004 Matanuska Peak Challenge (14mi,
9000ft up and down)
