Running Fast Over 50 – How Can You Still Get Faster?

This day and age with the knowledge we have of training principles, running fast over 50 is still possible. While most people at this age don’t feel this way, there are many tips and tricks to help you to run your best at 50.

Below are some simple tips to help you run fast at 50 and increase your overall fitness.

First Reduce stress
Stress is a significant part of the runners training. From work to relationships and money. Stress is a significant cause of declining run performance. It doesn’t just stop there; other factors include inflammation and anaerobic stress from your training.  This means lack of sleep, overtraining, and dehydration are some of the significant factors that influence training stress. Addressing these issues can go a long way into running fast over 50.

Learning to balance stress comes from listening to your body, whether this means adjusting your training or addressing other issues. Doing so will make a big difference in your performance, health, and happiness.

Learn To Support Your Body
Supporting your body by listening to aches and pains can eliminate lost training days. Making your training more consistent by adding some daily maintenance into your running plan. Doing so can help prevent injuries and improve running form.
As you get older, the volume you can handle is less than in your younger years. Focusing on being more efficient with your training can help improve your run performance. Moving towards a hard/easy/easy cycle by implementing structured recovery days, will see your quality go up.

Add Quality Run Workouts
Running fast over 50 is just not about recovery and stress. Adding a quality workout to your training can help bring back that lost speed. Focusing on specific intervals once per week can help increase the speed you run at. Make sure to allow added time for recovery after each interval workout. Then look to increase the duration or intensity of the intervals each week.

Space Your Workouts Apart
As you get older, the recovery time takes longer. While harder interval workouts, you are still able to complete like your younger years, you need to allow for an increased recovery period. Keep those challenging workouts split apart each week with adequate recovery.
Most runners over 50 still implement two higher intensity workouts each week and a longer run. While this usually works well when your above 40, as you get older you might see yourself easing back the harder workouts each week.

 

Plyometrics For Running After 50

As you get older, your power begins to decline and may be responsible for lack of run performance. Adding some plyometric training into your schedule is an excellent way to increase your strength again and run fast over 50.

Jump Squats
Ideal for strengthing the glute muscles, this plyometric exercise helps reduce the risk of overuse injuries. The jump squat also helps to strengthen the quads, hamstring, and calve muscles.

Burpees
Well known in the Crossfit world, burpees offer total body conditioning. Meaning works on the core muscles as well as thighs, arms, shoulders, and chest. If you limited on time, this is one of the easiest and fastest exercises to do.

Jumping lunge
One of the most running specific exercises, the jumping lunge targets all your running muscles.

Sidehops
A plyometric exercise that works all key muscles for running. Meaning it targets you hamstrings, calves, quadriceps, and glutes.

Running fast over 50 is as simple as that. Add intensity to your running workouts once per week to rebuild your speed. Then add plyometrics to help increase your power and prevent injuries. As long as you train smart and efficient, you will see an improvement in your running times.