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Running is a phenomenal form of exercise. To get started, all you need is a pair of sturdy sneakers, the great outdoors, and the motivation to improve your life. You can run in the morning, on lunch break, or after nightfall, making it easy to fit into a busy schedule.
Running, according to the Runner’s World website, like any form of regular, vigorous exercise is associated with longevity. These benefits apply to older adults as well. As long as you exercise safely and allow time for recovery, you can benefit from this simple and exhilarating workout at any age.
Running is Good for Your Knees
It is a myth, claims The Independent, that running is bad for the knees. When care is taken to run in a safe and consistent way, the knee joint actually gets stronger and more resilient with each sprint.
Although running is a high-impact activity that causes the body to absorb up to three times one’s bodyweight, your knee is designed to carry these loads. Knees contain flexible cartilage and movable joints that break down when sedentary for long periods.
By contrast, running and other forms of high-impact exercise, only cause a temporary deterioration in cartilage. Within hours of finishing a run, the cartilage bounces back to full thickness. This process might help move nutrients to the area. Additionally, runners tend to have stronger bones and cartilage than non-runners.
This means that older adults don’t need to worry that running will harm their knee joints. In fact, a 2020 study published in PLOS found that high-intensity exercise was both safe and effective for older adults.
Start Slow
Healthline suggests that senior runners start slow and build intensity over time. This allows joints and muscles to get used to the high-impact demands of this sport.
Start with walking, then jogging, and gradually build up speed, and distance. Additionally, running on a soft surface like grass puts less impact on the joints than running on concrete and may be a good way for older adults to ease into the exercise.
Build in Time for Recovery
Runner’s World explains that the natural loss of muscle mass that happens with aging puts beginning runners who are seniors at greater risk of injury.
To combat this, exercise physiologist and registered nurse Polly de Mille tells Runner’s World, older adults should incorporate more time for recovery into their exercise routines. “The workout is the stimulus and the gains come during recovery,” she explains.
During recovery, the body builds muscles, replaces the glycogen that fuels muscles, strengthens bones, and repairs soft tissues.
Stay Hydrated and Well-Fed
Older adult runners need to fuel their bodies for success. This means consuming between 1.6 - two grams of protein per kilogram of body weight on training days.
“When you’re older,” sports nutritionist Heidi Skolnik said, “Your body is more resistant to growth and repair – it takes more protein to press that muscle-building button.”
Carbs are another key nutrient; they help with power and endurance. Carbs are like fuel, says Skolnik. “If you’re doing the work, you need the fuel. Even if your car’s old, it still needs the gas tank filled,” she explains.
Food isn’t the only important pre-and post-run component necessary for recovery. Sufficient water can prevent dehydration and loss of electrolytes. The more you sweat, and the warmer it is where you are running, the more you need to drink.
Running is a fantastic exercise. It is exhilarating, invigorating, and can help you get stronger and live longer. It is safe and useful for older adults. Age shouldn’t be a barrier to racing ahead in your journey to a healthier lifestyle.
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