Although I don’t mention it much, it’s no secret if you’ve been hanging here with me for the last year or 5…or 10 that my runs have slowed down. A lot. Not everyone slows down to the same degree at the same stage of life and certainly in the world of social media we’re drawn to those who are racing often and throwing down PR after PR, but in general, sooner or later, despite our best efforts, those PR days end.
How I Cope with Running Slower
Slowing down with age may be beyond our control, but, like so many things in life, how we react to it is completely up to us. There’s no one right or wrong way, to each his/her own. But life’s way too short to let something we do for fun and relaxation become a source of anxiety.
Rest assured I’m not making excuses for myself and you shouldn’t either. But as long as you’re doing the best you can with what you have on any given day, it’s all good. Here are some things I think about when running is a struggle:
The health benefits are still there. Perhaps, like me, health is the reason you started running in the first place. Biological age on the cellular level is determined by measuring the length of a cell’s telomeres, which are basically tiny caps on the ends of DNA strands. They’re there to protect the DNA from damage that occurs during cell replication and division. With age, these telomeres tend to shorten and fray. According to a study published in Medicine & Science in Sports and Exercise, lifestyle factors like smoking, insomnia, diabetes and obesity accelerate the fraying while good diet, exercise, stress management and social support are associated with longer telomeres in “older” people (the study group was aged 40-65). My point here is that ANY exercise will help keep those telomeres nice and long, which correlates to slower cellular aging. You don’t get less benefit when you don’t run as fast. In fact, the study found that the most benefits were found when people engaged in a VARIETY of exercise for example: running, walking, strength training, and biking. If that’s not a compelling reason to embrace variety and change up your workouts, I don’t know what is.
Shift your focus. It’s been years since I ran a PR…unless you count this 15k PR from last fall since I was new to the distance. It’s also been years since I focused on hitting goal paces. Honestly I don’t even look at the pace on my Garmin anymore. I run by effort. By heart rate range. At the same time though, I’m every bit as strong, and in some cases stronger, than I was 20+ years ago. Life ebbs and flows. We can’t be slaying it in all areas all at once. When running is hard, think about all the other things that are going great for you. Are you loving Barre? Spin? Yoga? Strength training? Are you accomplishing great things in your career? Immersed in the joys of family life? Spend time every day thinking about all that is wonderful in your life. In the scheme of things, running is just a fraction of who you are.
Stop forcing and start flowing. You are not a pansy or a wuss if you listen to your body and do a different workout when you’re not feeling a run or not hitting a goal pace. I’m not giving you permission to glue your behind to the couch but it’s more than okay to cut yourself a break and not run or embrace walk intervals if you’re really not feeling it.
Stop judging. Drop the labels of “good” and “bad” runs. Any day I get out and run is a GOOD run. It doesn’t matter how fast or slow it is, how hard or easy it feels or even if I run the number of miles I set out to do. Getting my heart rate elevated for X amount of minutes is what I aim for.
Get over yourself. This may sound harsh but people are busy with their own lives and their own issues. Nobody cares how fast or slow you are as much as you do. If you’re feeling envious or “less than” people on social media running faster/better/farther than you are, that’s a cue to look away.
Be grateful. Running has taken us all to wonderful places physically and mentally and spiritually. Nobody can take those experiences and memories away. Even though I’m not clocking blazing fast paces and those “effortless” runs barely exist anymore, I’m not going to let my decline detract from the runner I was. Running is a huge confidence builder. It teaches you that you can persevere and accomplish very hard things. Don’t let that positive, can-do state of mind fade the minute you can’t run as fast as you once did. That chapter will always be a part of who I am and I am beyond grateful to have had the experience.
At the end of the day remember that any activity you enjoy is great. Running, exercise and good lifestyle choices are gifts you can and should give yourself every day.
Do you struggle with getting slower? Does running pace affect your confidence? Do you diversify or periodize your workouts? Did you enter my giveaway?
I’m linking up with Running on Happy, Crazy Running Girl, Train with Marc and Coach Debbie Runs for the Coaches’ Corner linkup!
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I’ve definitely slowed down, but it is what it is. As long as I can keep running at whatever pace my body is happy to do, I’m fine with it. I always joke that I’m going to age into my BQ, just by running until I’m in my 80s LOL.
I honestly couldn’t love this post any more than I do! I love what you said about running being only a fraction of your life ….and this is what we all need to remember. As much as I enjoy running, it is only a part of who I am and there are many other fulfilling aspects of life. Yes, growing older typically means slowing down …but my motto has been ‘adapt and overcome’ because fighting it will only leave us frustrated and disappointed. It’s really all about the journey!
What you’ve just said…GOLDEN 😉 I have never been an all-out, competitive, speed-driven runner (nor do I have the genetics for it). Being side-lined last year really gave me time to appreciate all that is running (and being fitness-driven), and not to dwell on what others are doing/achieving/celebrating. Every run is a gift, and every run deserves respect because there will always be something to be learned from lacing up those shoes. Great post, Marcia 😉
LOVE THIS! Dealing with knee issues for the last couple of years certainly taught me this lesson. Slow running is better than no running (which is where I am now), but fitness of any kind is gratifying!
I feel like you wrote this for me because I’m narcissistic like that! :p Seriously, tho, this just reinforces what we talked about last week and have talked about. Some of us have a little more trouble letting go but every time you and I talk slowing down and aging, it gets just a little bit easier for me. Glad I have you to help me navigate these scary waters.
Good tips and super relevant for me right now. I’m getting slower and also recovering from baby #2 and having a hard time getting back into running and my speed is NOT what I’m used to. (And I’m getting older) Thanks for sharing this – perfect and pertinent for me.
These are really great tips Marcia! I’ve actually gotten progressively slower since I started running. My last half marathon PR was in 2015, lol. I’m just kind of over it at this point. For some reason I thought I always needed to PR in something every year but at this point I’m just happy to run. There may be a small chance that I’ll PR in the marathon distance once day (I still don’t think I’ve run that distance at my full potential), but other than that I’m just happy to be running!
Because I haven’t run that long I haven’t yet slowed down. My aim is to keep running the rest of my life, so it will definitely happen someday. I will admit not hitting paces can sometimes effect my confidence — a little.
That 15k is definitely a PR. 🙂
It is a shot to the ego to lose speed, but there’s so much more to running than that. I’m not as fast as I was in college, and even then I wasn’t the fastest on the team. I’m OK with that. My main goals are to get the exercise and have fun at the same time.
I like that good vs bad runs. No one ever came back from a run and said I wish I wouldn’t have done that!
As Judy said, I haven’t been running as long as you have and I hope to get faster but not much.
When you are injured and you comeback, it’s the same situation. So I’ve been there.
And I will get slower and I know I will be ok with it because I don’t care about paces. I run for fun all week. I don’t even know if I am running slow or fast.
Racing is a different story but it’s always a surprise if I run fast. I have no expectations of grandeur.
I just want to race for a long time at whatever pace life throws me.
I really enjoyed reading THIS post. I must cope with slowing down due to age at every race. I have been reading about running by heart rate range lately. I think it is something I will try.
This is perfectly said ! Like you said, I know age is not an excuse, but I know I have been slowing down lately. When I mentioned it on our blog one commenter said “Age shouldn’t have anything to do with it”. (I was sort of insulted by that but o well). I disagree, But then again I know I don’t train as hard as I use to because quite frankly at this point in my life I just don’t care enough about speed…lol
I couldn’t agree more Marcia! I have never been a fast runner and over the years I have slowed to a comfortable pace, not worrying about a PR. Then all of a sudden I felt the need to try to be fast in my attempt to qualify for Boston. This is a personal “now or never” goal, after which I will happily go back to my slow comfortable pace with no regrets.
These are good things to remember when in a running rut, injured, or life is getting in the way. Thanks for sharing!
This is a great post, Marcia, and I appreciate your attitude and insights. I think as long as running is fun, it doesn’t really matter what pace we’re running… sure, we have goals and it is fun chasing those PRs but overall all the other things that running has brought into our lives are so much more important.
Although I still have beginner gains helping me, not PRing in June was something I was really struggling with at first. Going to keep this saved to re-read when I really need to hear this excellent advice again.The good & bad runs was definitely something I took on board: stop judging and call any run a good one because I got out and ran.
I think these apply to anyone at any age in any sport. I work the most with “get over yourself” and not letting social media influence me.
I LOVE the point of “get over yourself!” 100% yes to that!!! It’s so true (especially with a blog and on social media) we get caught up in paces and PRs and goal races but honestly, no one but us REALLY cares that much or even remembers what we did and when we did it. As I creep into my 40s I think a lot about “is this my last PR?” and so I tend to change things up a lot and care a little less. I’m just happy to be here and to be healthy. I’m SO SO grateful for every single day I spend outside of a hospital because my mom was already gone when she was the age I am now.
I love this post and I love your perspective! Thank you!!
I think you may be speaking right to me! As you know, I’ve been struggling with a lot of the same issues. Look forward to chatting about it with you in person.
Honestly, Marcia, I couldn’t love this more! Such a great perspective – this was a post I really needed to read right now.
LOL on getting over yourself and amen to being grateful! I really enjoy mixing up my activities. Glad to know my telomeres might benefit from the variety.
Great post! Slowing down is something I am struggling with in regards to accepting that fact but I’m getting there. These days I am just happy to be running at all! Thanks for this perspective.
It is a shot to the ego to lose speed, but there’s so much more to running than that. I’m not as fast as I was in college, and even then I wasn’t the fastest on the team. I’m OK with that. My main goals are to get the exercise and have fun at the same time.
I think what you wrote here is so important. In different stages of life, we experience different levels of fitness. I’m more of a Crossfitter and a veeery casual runner. I’ve known women at my Crossfit gym who were pregnant and felt ashamed that they had to slow down while they were pregnant. It seems totally crazy to me. Love your attitude!
I hear ya sister! This post speaks to me! I really am okay with slowing down. I still have goals and train pretty hard, but I’m happy with the results I get. BUT I do let social media get to me sometimes. Maybe because it wasn’t around when I was running my PRs and qualifying for Boston. And I do know I tend to slip some of those PRs into a blog post more than I need to. 😊 That’s one of the reasons the Perfection Detox session at Blogfest was so meaningful to me. As is this post. Thank you.
I think some of these things can apply to many, many aspects of life–not just running. We can’t always be our best, but we can always do our best! I guess since I started running so late in life, I’ve never really cared about my times. I’m just happy to finish!
This is really well written and so very true. I used to only focus on running and setting PRs. The last year or so has taught me a lot about myself, though, and I realize as long as I stay fit and active I’ll be happy. I’ll still chase those PRs for a little while longer but maybe not too much longer. I like to just run for fun. 🙂 Great post, Marcia.