Running Late: Starting To Run At Age Fifty?

First, let’s describe what running over 50 is NOT. It’s probably not going to involve running with the elites. It’s probably not going to allow for sub 5 minute miles, 35 minute 10k’s or marathons in less than 3 hours. It may not facilitate faster leaps out of bed in the morning, boundless energy lasting all day or the return of the endurance you had as a 20 year old. But, take note that everything on that list had a qualifier. Because any of them are possible. Maybe some, or all of them are your goals. That’s great. Just don’t let unrealistic expectations deter you from starting to run.

So, what about it? You’re 50, or close to 50, or well over 50. Maybe (probably) you would like to make a more shallow footprint in the sand at the beach. After a flight of stairs, you breathe faster than you should and at your last annual check-up, your doctor not so subtly suggested that elevated blood pressure, glucose and cholesterol are all related to weight. Those jeans keep shrinking after each wash and it’s such a relief to loosen that collar on the way home from work. You try to watch your diet and if you just had the time and energy you would go to the gym. But running? Get serious—not at your age. Besides, you may have hated running in gym class or the Army. Your friends will make fun of you, neighbors will roll their eyes and embarrassment is not your idea of a fun day. As it that wasn’t enough, everyone knows of at least 1 case where some guy dropped dead while running.
If you’re still reading, and in agreement with most of the previous points, let me tell you why you may want to start running—at your age. There is no other aerobic exercise that will burn more calories in less time than running. Each mile is worth approximately 100 calories immediately, with some residual burning effect lasting well after you’ve stopped. Unlike purchasing an expensive gym membership, or the newest treadmill or exercise equipment, running does not involve great expense. Buy a good pair of shoes for around $75, and you’re on your way. The feeling that you will have when you finish running is one that will last and keep you coming back. You should have learned by this time in your life that what people think or say about you is only partially dictated by what you do. In other words, people will talk about you regardless of what you do, so why not do something positive for yourself?

Don’t stop reading this and start running. Instead, why not start walking short distances and make that doctor’s appointment you’ve been putting off. Once you have the OK from Doc, start integrating some very slow, intermittent running into your walks. Take a few weeks to transition from all walking, to some running and eventually to MOSTLY running. Don’t be discouraged if you need to take walk breaks. You SHOULD be taking walk breaks. It may be a couple months before you are running the majority of the time. That’s alright. The 2 most important things about your running are that you 1) Start and 2) Continue. Times, distances and even frequency are irrelevant. You should set goals, but don’t be too hard on yourself. You’ve waited 50 years to start; if you miss a few days, it doesn’t matter. In a short amount of time, you’ll learn the runner’s secret: it’s not running we love, it’s the after-running feeling we love.