Runners Learn to Master Aging

By Cheryl McGinnis

Runners are among the few groups I know who actually get excited about getting older.  Every five years we get to move into the next age-graded award category.  We pride ourselves on dodging the limitations of age traps and focus on trying to be the best we can be.

I liken us to the aboriginals in "Mutant Message Down Under" who express confusion at the description of an American birthday, complete with party, cake, song, gifts and an extra candle each year.

"Why would you do that?" they inquired.  "To us celebration means something special.  There isn't anything special about getting older. It takes no effort. It just happens!  We celebrate if we are a better, wiser person this year than last."

Too often we let age and, consequently, negative thoughts rob us of life's joys and victories.  After reaching the dreaded 40s, which many consider the midpoint of their lives, it's common to feel that there's nothing exciting ahead.  

I never thought that at 46 my dream of winning a marathon and breaking a finish ribbon would come true.  But it did.  I have 80-year-old friends ("grand-masters") who still run marathons, water ski and climb mountains.  My 70-year-old mother has run marathons, conquered the Pikes Peak Ascent, bikes hundreds of miles a week and competes on the USA World Duathlon Team.  Magic happens when we forget how old we are and focus instead on celebrating life, striving to be the best we can be.

I recently read a story about a bored, middle-aged housewife who decided on a whim to visit a fortuneteller.  The psychic examined the woman's palm, and then said something that changed her life forever.  "Lady," she said, "You ain't done livin' yet."

Becoming a masters runner, at "the wise old age" of 40+, is one of the fastest-growing trends in running.  More are running at older ages, living longer because they are running and enjoying a better quality of life.

Loss of muscle strength is usually thought to be part of the natural aging process, just something we all have to accept along with other undesirable changes in our bodies.

But researchers at the University of Bridgeport College of Chiropractic have concluded that "loss of strength in the elderly is not an inevitable result of the aging process, but rather, it is the inevitable result of sedentary lifestyle choices often associated with aging and retirement."

What is really fascinating is that - just like a younger person - an older person, with high-intensity exercise, can restore and increase muscle strength lost to atrophy.  This is good news for aging athletes concerned with holding on to their fitness levels.

It is well known that consistent weight-bearing activities, such as running, add mass to your bones.  This is especially important for women, since they have comparatively lower bone mass than men throughout their lives.  Inactive women above the age of 35 will typically lose about one percent of their bone mineral content each year.  However, endurance training helps keep the bone structure similar to that of a young adult.

Running also significantly lowers the risk of cardiovascular diseases that occur more frequently as we grow older.  Intense training aids the heart in pumping more blood with less effort and makes the circulatory system more efficient than that of sedentary individuals.

We peak athletically between 25 and 30 years of age, after which race times generally decline.  Aging causes a loss of lung capacity, muscle strength, joint mobility and elasticity. Furthermore, our cardiac output drops about one percent each year.

However, despite these apparent setbacks, masters athletes do reap some benefits from years of running.  They are often capable of endurance performances that match those of younger competitors because their muscles are able to process oxygen
and remove lactic acid more efficiently.

Furthermore, recent studies show that there is only a five percent decrease in performance after age 30 if the individual maintains a consistent training program.  The intensity of the workouts determines how well we can hold on to our performance.

But we must be careful.  The older we get, the longer it takes to fully recover from hard workouts and races and we are more likely to sustain injuries.

If you've been sedentary, it would be wise to have a doctor's evaluation and approval before beginning an intense exercise program.  But, if you're already active, keep it up.

Instead of shutting down at what you think might be the mid-point of your life, determine to live the next chapters to the fullest.  Rediscover childhood joys, renew lost enthusiasm and embrace challenges. 

Remember, "You ain't done livin' yet."

Cheryl McGinnis has a B.A. in English from Centre College, where she served as communications associate, cross-country coach and sports information director.  Cheryl was Kentucky 's NCAA Woman of the Year (1993) and National Inspirational Athlete of the Year (1994).  She is a member of the 2004 USA Triathlon World Team and was named All-American in triathlon and duathlon (2003).  She is also a certified personal fitness specialist and spinning instructor and co-owner of RESOLUTIONS, a motivational company.  To contact Cheryl, call 228-0872 or email offrunnin@yahoo.com.