I have been running for approx 13 years now, averaging about 20 to 30 miles a week, and amazingly, after being stuck in a rut with my race times for about 8 years I seem to have suddenly become faster even though I've reached my mid 40's.  This certainly bucks the trend and proves it can be done!  The only difference I've made in the last couple of years is I've lost a bit of weight and kept this off (but not a significant amount) and started doing a circuit training class once a week (including quite a bit of core work).  I wouldn't say I have been training any harder particularly and I've always tried my best in races.  Has anybody else had the same experience?

Its a good feeling isn't it!  It just shows all is not lost at our age!  Good luck with the marathon - I've managed to get a 10K and a half marathon PB recently so its encouraged me to do another marathon while I've got a chance of getting a PB on that - not until October though so a lot of training to get through!

I'm age 28 and after 8 years out of athletics decided to return to do road runs. I'd like to think that at age 40 plus i will still be running and going for PB'S I ran my first ever 10k race last year in 45:10 and if I don't beat it again this year i would be suprised. I hope that I don't peak at that and never improve because the feeling of success when it comes to physical fitness is non comparable to any other type of success e.g. a 70 thousand pound a year job interview success.

Daniel

Yes - we are very keen on age-grading at GRG as you can probably guess.  Personally, its kept me going for years trying to maintain or even increase my percentage.  I know that my PBs will probably be short-lived but if I try and hang on to the same age grading I will be happy.

As I have engaged more and more with GRG and enjoyed 'analysing' my running, age-grading ticks my box - to the extent I have stated a goal to get to 65% on my grades within 6 months.  Last run was 63%ish over 4 and a bit mlles - can't wait to have a crack at 6 miles.

I'm 50 and still on the upward PB curve after only taking up running 15 months ago with a current age grading of 72.66% for a 10k race. This might be surpassed tomorrow with my first half marathon with the main concern being the heat. I ran solo a couple of weeks ago a measured 13.1 miles mainly on the flat in 1:41 which ranked third in my age grading.

This week has been taper week reducing my overall mileage from 43 miles to 33 miles including the race distance with a killer trackwork on monday of 20 x 300m runs with 1 minute rest inbetween and a hill session on thursday of 4 x 400m on a 1:12 hill interspersed with a couple of easy runs on wednesday and friday.

Total rest today, having a barbie, where are those prawns?

you should have a like button like facebook so we can like derek's post.. hehe Thats some mean sessions you have going its probably what i should be doing to improve.

Thanks Daniel/Marge, I find encoragement like that goes a long way and it is really appreciated. As I mentioned in the Cov thread I managed 1:39:38 in blistering heat which was my target time but I did not better my best age grading but that's ok there are other opportunities to have a crack at that.

I have been invited by the running club to be part of their team for a 10 mile race on Sunday which I have signed up initially against my better judgement as it is only a week on from the half marathon, but with some lighter training days and two rest days instead of one I think I am ready for the race on Sunday. As this is what I call a runners race, which is mainly club runners and small field I am looking at coming in the first 50% with a time around 1:15.

I'm then going for a complete rest on racing for 2 weeks when I go back to 10k races.

Just an update, finished the Burton 10 mile race in 1:11:53 which I am really pleased as my target was 1:15, I just was in a gnats wisker of improving on my age grading and I would probably have done so if I didn't have a conversation with a runner at the 9 mile mark before I overtook him, but never mind it's social event as well as being competitive. I came in the first 35% of the field (59th) which was good as this was part of the Burton Summer League event and the majority of the 185 strong field was club runners. 

Two weeks rest now from races and then back to the 10k's, might now have a chance of getting back to some routine training.

Hi Louise 

Any thing is possible for older runners who have just started at a late age, it just takes a little more time. At first PB s are very easy to come by, and even for runners who have done fantastic times in their youth, with the age graded performance, you can still improve on what you where doing 25 years ago.

I started running about 5 years ago at the age of 47. At first it was easy to get PB s but soon got a lot harder. then after a race one day I got talking to a guy who had done it all in his youth, and had just got back in to running. He explained to me that he had set goals that he wanted to achieve. He said I quote “ you know when you are a good runner and not a jogger when you can run 3k in under 10 min 5k in under 17 min 10k in under 36 min 5 mile in under 28 min 10 mile in under 60 min half marathon in under 1h 20 min and marathon in under 3 hours. “ Tall order I know. But he was 55 at the time and I was 50. From that day on I had my goals, if he could do it so could I. I had my first success new years day 2009 with a 10k in 35:55

I am still trying with the rest had a 10:10 for 3k a 28:10 for 5 mile and a 3:00:48 for the marathon . I am 52 and still having a go at under 3 hours for the Mablethorpe marathon Oct 3^rd . Once I have cracked the marathon I am going to concentrate on the shorter distances. As my coach had said to me many times it’s a different animal the marathon. Takes a different approach , and then he would quote to me what John Clark one of Lincolnshire’s best runner in the 80s said “ the dam ruining of many good runner the marathon”

Alas my coach Mick Hall died this year, suddenly on the way to a race meeting the way he would have wanted to go I think. Well one last thing for you to think about, another of Mick’s athletes’

Daphnia Ellmore set the female 60 world record for 10k at Woodhall spar just a few weeks after he died. 

Same he wasn’t there to see it but he always new she could do it. And because he believed she believed. And that’s all you need the belief in yourself