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Running can be enjoyable and rewarding at any age, from your teens right through to your sixties and beyond.
Thinking of the stereotypical runner conjures up one of New Zealand’s many brilliant middle-distance athletes - in their twenties, thin, honed, and generally male. Yet the average female runner in New Zealand looks nothing like Peter Snell or John Walker. She is more likely to be older, heavier and less muscular - and running not for glory but for health. For that average runner, ageing gracefully can seem like an oxymoron. From the giddy heights of improvement and achievement in one’s teens and twenties, athletic performance in one’s later years can seem disheartening. But lifelong runners experience more highs than just personal bests, and the joy of jogging can be a permanent passion.
In your teens Your advantage: flexibility The teenage years are where many people begin a lifelong love affair with running. The flexibility an athlete has in their teens is never again matched, which is why sports calling for enormous flexibility - like gymnastics - are often dominated by teenagers. In running, this flexibility allows for fast recovery and a great capacity to soak up training. Your disadvantage: a changing physique Enthusiasm and a huge physical capacity for exercise seem like a recipe for success, but teenaged runners can strike problems with this combination. Teens who are super-keen can push themselves to extremes, and when you add greater flexibility to that it can mean a greater potential for injury. Serious injuries occurring in the teenage years can continue to trouble an athlete throughout life if not properly healed, so teenagers need to follow doctor’s orders throughout recovery periods. Reaching your potential: don’t overdo it Enjoy your running, but try to keep a balance in your life and have plenty of rest. There is some risk that excessive running can damage the growth plates. It’s not recommended that those under 18 should run marathons, and those under 14 should probably stay on the down side of 21 km.
In your twenties Your advantage: rapid recovery Runners aged 20 to 29 have oxygen absorption levels that are at their absolute peak, and their stamina means that this group can recover very fast from every workout. Using this strength, those in their early twenties can build up a running base that will allow them to reach their zenith as they approach 24 years of age. The world’s best sprinters are usually in their late twenties, as are many excellent distance runners. This is the ideal age to set up a running habit that will continue throughout later years. Your disadvantage: over-confidence The ‘bulletproof’ feeling experienced by many twenty-somethings carries its own dangers. Over-confidence can see a runner enter a race under-prepared, or keep jogging even as pain escalates. This can lead to a new injury or the exacerbation of an old war wound that’s never been allowed to fully heal. Reaching your potential: listen to your body By pushing a body that’s fresh, but resting one that needs a break, runners in their twenties can make every workout count. Making running a regular activity sets up a healthy activity that can last for life. Plus, the weight-bearing aspect of running gives bones a headstart by increasing bone density and starting the fight against osteoporosis.
In your thirties Your advantage: endurance The best female marathon runners are usually in their thirties, and women seem to hit the peak of their endurance at 28 to 34 years of age. In fact, as distances get longer, women get closer and closer to men in their performances. At the same time, as running distances increase, there is a slight increase in the age of the average winner. The amateur runner may experience many personal bests in distance running throughout her thirties with the right training. Your disadvantage: slower recovery A runner who was training at a very high intensity during her twenties may find her ability to keep this up declining. Toward 35, slowed recovery means a longer recuperation time after each hard workout, meaning a decreased overall workload. This can cause losses in performance, but it doesn’t have to. Mixing cross-training in with running more effectively and training for only a few peak results each year can still garner personal records. Reaching your potential: keep it up Physical decline happens in your thirties because you simply give it away. Aerobic capacity drops up to one percent per year during the thirties, but any drops in this decade can be substantially offset by continued regular exercise.
In your forties Your advantage: distance Any runner aiming at the marathon need not worry that they will be too old - the average age of a non-elite marathon runner? 41. In theory, performance past 40 years of age should show a definite decline. However, many runners discover that this decline is much slower than anticipated, allowing for many extra years of good performances. Joni Shirley, 58, began running at 35 and holds a world record in the indoor mile for her age group. Shirley believes she peaked when she was approximately 46 years old, when she ran her personal best marathon in 2 hours and 56 minutes. Those who are so discouraged by slower times that they quit running are the real losers - give up any activity and that’s when the rapid downward spiral begins. Your disadvantage: slower reactions The chances of setting sprint records are nil at this age, because athletes in their forties are simply slower. Because kidney function becomes diminished, it is also harder to stay hydrated, so forty-plus runners need to be more aware of dehydration. Reaching your potential: accept your limitations Enter an event in your age group to keep you motivated. You’ll never see a happier group of people than the ones I find in over-forty (or fifty, sixty, seventy or even eighty) fitness groups. By being unconcerned about being younger, you’ll enjoyed tough competition in your age group.
In your fifties Your advantage: versatility Despite drops in cardiovascular and muscular strength, athletes in their fifties retain excellent co-ordination. This means that cross-training with new sports is a good way to prevent running-related injuries. This cross-training, with staggered workouts and plenty of rest, can assist the fifty-something runner to stay lithe and limber. Your disadvantage: reduced strength This is the time at which many runners find age seriously catching up, with injuries flaring up and speed rapidly dwindling. But declining mobility, joint stiffness and reduced flexibility are all telltale signs of non-active aging. For this reason, it’s better to prolong current habits of exercise if it can be done. Reaching your potential: focus on technique Think about getting every stride right, running very slowly if necessary, to perfect technique. Further injuries may be avoided by being hyper-vigilant about running surfaces and conditions. Steer clear of potholes, uneven or slippery surfaces, dark or poorly-lit areas and steps or drops on the path. But continue to jog if at all possible, no matter how slowly. For those who cannot maintain their running, now is the time to switch to walking - similar distances if possible to maintain condition for the maximum amount of time.
In your sixties and beyond Your advantage: experience Runners with more than forty years of training under their belts are some of the healthiest senior citizens in the world. Perhaps because of their experience, runners in their sixties appear to be very good at preventing injuries. One survey of marathon runners over the age of 60 years found that, while the injury rate was high, it was comparable to the expected rate in younger runners. Your disadvantage: continual decline Those in their sixties are looking down the barrel of physical degradation, with strength in all areas reducing as the years pass. Yet this rate of decline can be slowed markedly by continued exercise. Reaching your potential: keep it up People beyond sixty are looking at high rates of cancer, but scientists believe that fully a third of cancer-related deaths can be prevented with diet and exercise.
Article reproduced courtesy of DASH magazine, click here to check out their website and find out more about the mag
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your teens right through to your sixties and beyond. 
Your advantage: flexibility
Your advantage: rapid recovery
Your advantage: endurance
Your advantage: distance
Your advantage: versatility 
In your sixties and beyond