I have to say, my generation is pretty lucky as far as runners go. As beneficiaries of the current masters athletes, we’ve been able to take advantage of many things they didn’t have in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s — aspects of the sport that they have built up as the sport has progressed. We have races at every distance just about every weekend, huge crowds at big road races, prize money, and the opportunity for anyone to jump into a race and feel confident they’ll be accepted by a great running and/or cycling community.
Along with the tangible benefits from those that came before us is the knowledge they learned along the way. As the next generation enters those years when we’re starting to wonder how to keep going as strong as we can for as long as we can, most masters are happy to share their own secrets. There are masters runners breaking records regularly. They’ve been able to continue competing. And while they haven’t necessarily been getting faster, they’ve certainly lessened the downhill slope and remained competitive at a high level.
So, how do they do it? Several of the best masters runners from the mile to the 100K distance live in the Northwest. Lucky for us, they were willing to share some of their secrets. Incredible athletes like Meghan Arbogast, Ahrlin Bauman and Mike Blackmore have great stories about their competitive careers that make them legends in their day. But perhaps more intriguing is how they’ve been able to continue their training at such a high level deep into their masters years.
In addition to experience, research in sports science has expanded our knowledge to back up what we see in real world situations. We now have the ability to know what’s going on with our bodies as we age, and if there’s anything we can do to slow the effects of aging.
Jay Dicharry (MPT), one of the country’s premier biomechanics, now resides in Bend, OR. He is the author of Anatomy for Runners and says there are four things that have big implications as we get older: soft tissue stiffening, declining VO2max, declining muscle mass, and a slower rate of repair. Each of these properties is important to competitive athletes, so the trick is how to limit the decline.
Jay’s advice on slowing (but not stopping) the decline:
“As we age, our soft tissues become stiffer. It’s important to make sure you are making some type of aim to keep your body supple. While this can be stretching, it’s not always. Most runners’ efforts would be better spent spending time working on muscle mobility rather than muscle length. Foam rollers, trigger point tools, the stick, and other toys go a long way here.”
Losing VO2 doesn’t have to mean that we stop competing. Here’s Jay’s suggestion: “Switching to longer distances doesn’t really favor the person with the highest VO2, so older runners can enjoy lots of success at longer distances. There is a reason why you don’t see 50-year olds in the Olympics in the 1500m. It takes a lot of horsepower to run sub-four minute miles.” He postulates, “Can running, faster stop the VO2 decline? No, it can’t.”
Getting older also means less muscle mass — an important attribute to running fast. Jay adds, “When you lose muscle mass, you lose the ability to produce force quickly, and this is absolutely essential for running.” Those of you who have never touched a weight as a runner, now is the time. In fact, the group of runners who MOST needs to lift weights is the aging runner. Even the great Frank Shorter said, “Each year I get a little bit slower from where I was in my peak, but each year since I started lifting, I’m still getting stronger!”
Perhaps the most noticeable and most talked about trait of the aging runner is the increase in recovery time. I’ve even started to notice recently that I just can’t do all that I used to be able to. Luckily, Jay has an answer, and it’s one that successful masters athletes have figured out as well: “You can still do long runs, you can still do weekly speed work, you can still do lots of good tempo work. The thing you are going to have to pay attention to is timing. When you were younger, you bounced back quickly from workouts. As you age, you’ll still recover, but it will take longer. You may notice that it takes longer. Remember, training breaks the body down, and it’s critical that you go into your next workout READY. Going into a workout strong means you’ll be able to put in a strong effort and reap full benefit. Giving sub-par efforts during training produce sub-par benefits. Taking more rest as we age isn’t being lazy — it’s being smart!”
Meghan Arbogast is a monster on the trails — especially in ultras. She regularly beats women 20-30 years younger. And we’re not talking soft ultra races here; these are highly competitive ultras against the best women in the country. Ahrlin Bauman, while just recently squeaking into that masters range, has been competing his entire life. He’s figured out how to maintain a drive in a sport where most elite athletes burn out between 25-30 years old, and just recently won the USATF Masters XC National Championships. And Mike Blackmore, a former sub-four-minute miler at the University of Oregon hasn’t slowed all that much in 28 years. In 2011, he set a world record in the 1500m (for the age of 49) — clocking 4:03.
Maintain Fitness Past Your Peak
One of the keys consistent with each of the athletes is the individual nature of their training. After years of competing and training, these athletes now have the experience and know-how to remain healthy. Each has his or her own way of doing this, but as Mike says, “Being really fit and broken just doesn’t work.” Staying healthy is the key. And figuring out that balance is different for everyone.