Cookie Policy The added impact helps ward off osteoporosis, and since it's more taxing on your cardiovascular system, it may offer better blood pressure control, too, says Debbie Casola, CSCS, 59, a Virginia-based personal trainer and certified running coach. Adding family members helps ACTIVE find events specific to your family's interests. The “40-minute-run” training programme was created to allow anybody to take up running and achieve 40 minutes of uninterrupted run in a healthy and stress-free way. But the research shows that: Running is not bad for your joints – research proves that; Running will not cause injuries unless you go too hard too fast. "Everyone's a runner. For her upcoming 60th birthday, Casola, her husband, and eight running friends will be celebrating at a half-marathon. ACTIVE is the leader in online event registrations from 5k running races and marathons to softball leagues and local events. Here's what every beginner over 40 should know before getting started: First, the good news: Sticking to a consistent running routine may help keep age-related health concerns at bay better than walking. Here's how you might start, according to Bennett Cohen, author of Injury Free Running for Women over 40. Some people just haven't discovered it yet—and it's never too late." Some people I run with have become lifelong friends. That may mean that when you first start out, you'll be doing more walking than running, but if you train consistently and stick with it, over time you should see your pace increase while your effort level remains consistent. If you're generally healthy, you've been exercising consistently and things are going well, then beginning or continuing a running program is a great idea. On your days off consider foam rolling or doing yoga or Pilates to soothe sore muscles and maintain a healthy range of motion. Sign In. ... 6 Rules for Running After 40. That's why top running coaches have their athletes run most of their miles very slowly. While researchers and doctors agree that running can improve many health markers in older adults, it's also a fact that as we age, more recovery time is needed between workouts, otherwise the risk of injury goes up. How to Start Running or Jogging . ", MORE: 6 Tricks A Celebrity Trainer Uses On Herself To Keep The Weight Off, Here’s What Sugar Really Does to Your Brain, This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. "I affectionately call some of the women I've coached 'adult-onset runners,' meaning they weren't athletic in their youth," says Cohen. Learning the proper mechanics of running before you get started will go a long way toward keeping you healthy. Here's how you might start, according to Bennett Cohen, author of Injury Free Running for Women over 40. But that doesn't mean you should jump right in. PREVENTION PREMIUM: Is It Worth Working Out Just One Day A Week? It's about taking control of their bodies and wellbeing." In those moments, "keep the end goal in mind," Cohen says, whether it's running in a race you signed up for, getting into shape so you can keep up with your kids, or simply feeling happier and healthier. Sitemap However, if you are overweight, have an elevated risk for any chronic conditions, have been diagnosed with osteoarthritis, or have had a past musculoskeletal injury, then you should talk to your doctor before you begin a new running or exercise program. We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back. Start by adding some short pickups (eg 10-20 seconds fast, 30-60 seconds recovery, repeated 10 times) to a routine run. Running with poor form is bad for everyone, but it can be especially damaging to older runners' joints, muscles and ligaments. Join Active Together, the two of you can map out a plan to safely take you from where you are today to becoming the runner you aspire to be. When you’re obese and want to start running (or become more active), your first step should be … From GPS watches and wireless headphones to compression sleeves for their legs and arms, they can't get enough. You shouldn’t expect to be able to go from doing nothing to running a couple of miles, or even 1/2 mile. In general, you want to run with an upright posture and an open chest (shoulders wide, not hunched forward), and you want your body to make a straight line from your ears through your shoulders, hips and knees, to your ankles (not bent forward at the waist).