Youth VS Vintage Running

What's so different from running in your 20s and running as a mature adult?  Since I did not run/race in my 20's, I can only guess.  According to an article "Keeping the Fire of Youth, New ideas for older runners......in "Running Times" that surveyed runners ages 37 to 80, the most important factor is the warm up.  The older you are the longer the warm up is needed before hard running.  The body comes slower to the point of fast running.  This is a lesson for me, as I am not one to "warm up" much at all before a race, preferring the idea of keeping all my energy for the actual race.  Since the upcoming NASA 5K is intended to be a practice race for me and Ben, I am going to try beginning with a warm up run.  Its all about that pace.  Muscles that are warmed up respond better and quicker.  I can say that the first 1/4 mile I do every run is a bit sluggish.  Before actually training, I have been known to come off the starting gun way too fast, and then am almost needing CPR when crossing the finish line.  Thats what we fondly call "hitting the wall", being totally out of steam at the finish.  The negative splits I learned to incorporate from the running coach we met with in the winter, stressed that.  Today at the end of running 4 miles, I added on a sprint at the end, just to get my body used to being called upon for a final burst of speed.

My Granddaughter teaching me the " starting stance"
AND the "Race Face"  

The next point raised was planning.  According to what I read, there is a total agreement that peaking is even more important as you age.  If you want to race well, pick goals(races), say 2 or 3 per year and shape your whole training to be ready for them.  One runner shared that he does base work, then gradually gear up fitness with speed work and races to peak at the right time.  The work to the goals should include long runs, faster repeats, tempo and recovery.  I have been trying hard to not peak in my training for the Senior Games too soon.  Holding onto the reins is challenging, but necessary to prevent burn out or injury.  Our number one goal right up until July 6th is to remain uninjured and keep running daily.  Long slow running is the key to older runners injury prevention.  It makes it difficult to train hard for races.  The recommendation is to do track and tempo sessions, but instead of 8 weeks before a race, to limit them to 4 weeks before.
Recover post race takes longer than for younger runners.  Signing up for too many races can actually  stagnate your run effort.  The article suggests treating some races as building blocks in your training program. This takes self control.  At the end of the day, or the training run, it does boil down to water, food, and hard work.
No matter what your age, running demands mental strength, and so does adjusting to what time will slowly do to all of us.  For me running is fighting back against it.

With all this information sinking in, I am deciding to pace myself more.  I am taking a calendar and making a plan to get me from today to lining up in July.  I don't want to over train now and not peak when the time comes.  To start this new way of thinking for me, Saturday when I race, I am going to take a short 10 min. or so jog before race time to warm up.