Bill Powell, 51, a sales manager by profession, has been running since high school. His best marathon finish was a 2:59 back in 1983, and today he runs 50 or 60 miles a week. He's training for the 30.5-mile Jay Challenge, in northern Vermont, held at the end of July.
This off-road, cross-country run is just one of dozens of long distance races across the country this summer. Distance races come in many flavors, but there are some standard formats. The traditional triathlon consists of a one-mile swim, a 40-mile bike ride, and a 10-kilometer (6.2-mile) run. The marathon is a 26.2-mile run. And the Ironman race involves a 2.4-mile open-water swim, a 112-mile bike race, and a full marathon run.
How older runners train
To keep in shape for these races, "training has to be habitual," Powell says. "I run early in the morning. If I don't do it then, I'll find a reason not to. If I have to interrupt my afternoon routine to get in a run, it feels like a chore. The hardest thing about running is putting the shoes on. Once I'm out the door, it's easy." When the weather keeps him from running outdoors, he swims.
Mary Ann Buxton-Barthold, 65, now retired after careers in software administration and sportswear design, has competed in triathlons and Ironman competitions for decades. During the mid-'80s she ran a marathon or triathlon every weekend, often winning her age category. She met her husband Bart, an information technology trainer, through Ironman racing. Bart had bypass surgery in November, 1995, but resumed hiking within two weeks to stay in shape.
Now the couple is training for the Imogene Pass race in September, a 17-mile course with a 5400 vertical climb to cross the 13,200-foot pass. They live in the high mountains of Colorado expressly to train in thin air. They vacation by cycling through the hilly but low-elevation wine country of southern France.
"It's a lifestyle"
Buxton and Barthold race for love, not to come in first. "The winners do it in 2 hours and 35 minutes, but we'll race-walk it in about five hours," says Buxton. Thousands of older athletes manage to continue their daily endurance training, but the operative word, Powell thinks, may be "continue." In 2005, about 8278 members of USA Triathlon, the national sanctioning organization, were age 50 or older.
"It's a lifestyle," said Powell. "It's easy to do if you've always done it. Starting is harder. Changing your lifestyle is like quitting smoking. People are entrenched in their ways."
Buxton suggests that older folks interested in the benefits of endurance training start with low-impact sports like cycling and swimming - specifically to save wear and tear on joints and muscles. "I found that ultra-distance running was very tough on my body," Buxton says. "That's when I got serious about triathlon. The cycling and swimming varied my routine and gave my body time to heal between runs."
You can do it!
Want to join the long distance crowd? Take the slow route, experts suggest.
Start easy. Consult your physician for any specific warnings about your limitations. Then head for the swimming pool. Swimming is easy on joints and forces rhythmic breathing habits. If you can't swim, "jogging" in chest-deep water provides smooth resistance training without jarring ankles, knees, or hips. You can also go cycling or rowing. Or walk on smooth, hilly trails.
Join a support group or find a training buddy. Peer pressure is a great way to maintain a training schedule until it becomes habitual. And the camaraderie is a reward in itself. Bill Powell has a regular morning swim group. My brother, at 54, is one of the strongest cyclists in his Massachusetts club, which spins at least 100 miles each weekend.
Log your training. Powell recommends that newcomers do this so they can see their progress week by week and month to month, A log is a daily reminder of your obligation to yourself to lace on the shoes. An early goal could be to complete a local 10k (6.2-mile) run or a century (100-mile) bike ride.
