Begginner... any older females out there??

[Elaine]

I have started the Couch to 5K (C25K) program and I am on Week 4. I am a 49 year old female and loving getting out there and giving it a go. When I say I am loving it, I mean I am LOVING it! I am slow but getting less so with each week, and I get out of puff pretty quickly, but that is getting better every week too. I had all sort of problems with my knees at the beginning and a trip to a sports physio sorted that out. I have entered a 4.5k to raise money for the Cancer Council which is next month. I might not be able to run the whole thing, but I am really looking forward to it. I am repeating Week 4 as I am not ready for the step up to Week5 and concerned about injuring myself. I guess as long as I am making progress, that is the main thing.

I am in Adelaide and we have had some really stormy weather recently. Nothing could stop me putting on my gear and getting out there. I loved the sessions in the wild and wooly weather... it was great running in the rain. I always run on grass and find the whole thing exhilarating. I guess I have caught the 'bug'. I doesn't matter if I am the slowest one out there I just love the fact I have found something great that I love!

When I am out doing my sessions in the park I have noticed there are very few older females out there running. In fact I have only ever seen one. Maybe running is less popular with the ladies? Anyway, I am not a runner yet, but I have noticed in a few short weeks my stride is getting better and greadually I am getting fitter with every session I do

Any ladies out there around 50??

[rohan]

you are not a runner yet?.. that's an old debate.
if you run you are a runner, just because you want to be more adept at it doesn't mean you aren't it already.

not so many 'older' women, but I am coached by a 47 year old woman. (is that sufficiently old?) who ran a 3;16 marathon last year.

there are women in their late 40s/early 50s in my running club too.

is 49 an 'older female' anyway? chances are you're only somewhere around the midpoint of your life.

[Elaine]

Em I hesitated using the term 'older'. What I mean is 'relatively older', just to make the point that I am not a youngster. Anyway, don't want to get too much into the label thing. The one woman that I saw running would have been in her late 50's, and she looked amazing, she was so graceful and fit. As for not calling myself a runner, I think beginners get that, I think you earn your stripes through hard work, and then, once you reach that mental state in your head, then you are a runner.

[kayles]

Hi Elaine, good on you - I am one of those that you speak about and took up running consistently when I turned 51 - am about to do my second half marathon in October and while I may not be fast I am consistent and that is just as important. Good luck with your running and keep it up, bugger the age is what I say.

[Rowey]

Excellent to hear from you, Elaine........... 50 is the new 30 !!!...... age/shmage!!!!...........

cheers

rowey (47)

MM2010

[Elaine]

Kayles! What a great story.... what an inspiration! Where is the half marathon? I think that is absolutely brilliant! I am very new to all of this. I used to do 1.25 hr cross country runs at school in the snow and it wan't even difficult. Now 5 minutes is a challenge. My Dad was a long distance runner and did the Ben Nevis every year, he ran until he was nearly 80. I hope I have his genes :O)

[Elaine]

Rowey! Hahaha, the new 30!!! I WISH!

[Beki]

Well there is the wonderful Lucky Legs who is in her 80's and just ran her 11th marathon last weekend - she also got herself another Australian record and qualified for Boston

Here's her blog if you want to check it out: http://luckylegs.blogspot.com

You are never too old!

[margot]

Well there is the wonderful Lucky Legs who is in her 80's and just ran her 11th marathon last weekend - she also got herself another Australian record and qualified for Boston

Here's her blog if you want to check it out: http://luckylegs.blogspot.com

You are never too old!

Thanks for sharing the blog!! what an inspiration!!!

[kayles]

Oh my gosh, what a strong, determined woman she is...think Lucky Legs is now my new hero. Thanks for posting this Beki

[Elaine]

What an incredible woman!

[kazd]

I think that running is definitely you grow into as you get older.

Not sure what counts as older, but I know I've seen heaps of older runners, both male and female, running me into the ground in events and I always think "I still want to be doing this when I get to that age".

Can only hope

[Kaz Kokoda]

I had never thought "cardio", let alone running, until I decided to trek Kokoda in 2008, when I was 46 (my first trek ever). I didn't want to lose the fitness I gained and loved,(though I did for a while after I came home) so entered into the running scene after Christmas 2009- the Mothers Day Classic 8km run in May 2010, and the Sandy Point 10km the Aug. I hope to accomplish the Run Melbourne 10km in a sub 60 mins. I am slow, and I do not feel like a 'natual' runner by any means - it is hard work, a challange - but that is what I love, and I will never give it up. I wish I was into this 20 years ago, but then I don't think it would have meant what it does to me now.

age is no barrier, only when we compare ourselves to people younger than us - you cannot beat nature, but you can still strive for your own personal best.
KK

[ccrombie]

[color=#0000BF]Hi there Begginner, yes there are older women out there. I have two friends both pushing near 60. Both started running last year. We have only just completed the Emma & Tom Christmas run around Albert Park Lake. In our age group 50-59 they were placed mid pack (ie 11th and 17th from 33 female in that age group) I was very excited for them as they love getting out into the parks and training up for the next event which will be Portsea Run. We have found doing the "fun runs" you get to meet lots of people who are only too willing to give you advice. And the running magazines are full of useful information that will help you get the best out of your running. Keep it up, I'm sure you'll have the best time, not to mention that the impact is also good for our bones. Chris C

[MrsDawjus]

You know, I think age is something we use to give us an excuse. I am nearly 47 and have just started running. I had all the jabs about whether I should be doing this sort of thing at "my age". I thing it is the best time to start. We can do anthing we want to ! I am loving my new sport - good on you too!

[Kaz Kokoda]

Completed my first 1/2 in 2:25.08. I orginally had the goal of 2:30, but at the 10 week point I thought a 2:15 was "doable". Life, as it does, jumped in way and I was happy to just finish, and attain my original goal.

I had planned a marathon in Oct this year - I will be fifty, and it sounded like a good mile stone, but have decided to register for the 1/2 again, and aim for 2:15. Maybe the full next year.
KK

[MrsDawjus]

Well today is week 5 of my new running life and I can't believe it... From running for 1minute and walking for 1/12 I did my first 20 minute long run today. And I am buzzing. I managed to cover 3km in that time and I figure that I can just keep getting better.

[kazza6460]

Hi, i am new to this thread but would like to add. i am 48 and only took up running last year. I have completed a few 10k races and have done all of them under 54min. I am aiming to do the City to Surf this year and also compete in my first 1/2 marathon at the end of April. It is the best thing i have ever done and am so glad that i just decided to try this running game on my treadmill one day:) Have any of you that have done the 1/2 marathons used Jeff Galloways walk/run method? I am thinking about trialling it for my 1st 1/2.

[HEE-ART]

Hi, I am a new member too. I used to run before I lost a son 18 years ago, then, the old grief process set in and I became a couch potato, now, 20 kilos overweight and thought that it was time to start running again. Just bought the latest copy of RW and saw an article on starting again, so, this morning I have begun my comeback to running.
I am an older woman, 62, and hope I'm not too old to get fit and run again, I will continue with this program and see where it leads me, I'm a bit excited today, I have been walking and doing the Sherbrooke forest tracks and some uphill work (just walking), and am looking forward to running my first 5 km in the not too distant future.

[Kaz Kokoda]

No, you are never too old, just go slowly and enjoy - Sherbrooke forest - what a lovely 'training' ground. Good luck with the 5km!

[ColD1]

Yet another old lady (41) runnin' since I was a little girl and I just wish I saw ANY other runners. I seem to be the only "nutter" in this neck of the woods. And I agree - want to be runnin' for a good while yet.

[donna_b]

Dont worry ColD1, I'm 42 and am a loner when it comes to running. No running groups within cooeee and I usually don't pass many runners at all! Although lately with footy season there's been a few blokes out n about lately trying to get 'fit' prior to footy commencing.

[msmuffintop]

I am a 47 year old female, soon to be 48. I started running (again) 4 weeks ago. I enjoyed running at as a teenager. Three years ago a fractured my hip, and my "running" now more closely resembles shuffling. Nonetheless, I am enjoying it as much, or maybe more than I did when I was younger.

[PJ]

I'm a 58 year old male who began running at age 50 and joyously celebrated my first 5km non-stop run on a local bike track during my first running year. Running today is as wondrous as it was then. It is the only thing that keeps my feet on the ground, pardon the pun. Achieving a running goal, any running goal, is very cool.

And for what it's worth Rudyard Kipling: 'Fill the unforgiving minute with sixty seconds worth of distance running'.

[fuzzylogic]

Good on you Elaine. I too started in my 40s and can't for the life of me work out why I haven't been doing this earlier in life. I've recently completed my first half marathon, did it in 2:17:33 and am registered in another on 1 July on the Gold Coast. This time last year I couldn't run 200metres.

It's always so inspiring to hear the stories of new runners, and like you, I thought I wasn't a runner until I could do sub 5minute kilometers. Let's inspire others by sharing our stories and progress.

Keep up the great work!!!