Aug 13

Off the Beaten Path with Nita Sweeney – Ageing Runner Reads #12

Welcome to the latest Ageing Runner Reading (or listening) recommendation.  You can see a list of all my recommendations here and sign up for the Ageing Runner newsletter here. Keep upto date with the latest research on running as we get older – Chris.

I listened to this Off the Beaten Path podcast on my way to Parkrun yesterday. It included an interview with Nita Sweeney, author of ‘Depression Hates a Moving Target’ and advocate of writing as a pillar of maintaining positive mental health.

I know that I use writing as a tool to learn new things. I often don’t know what I am going to write until I have written it. It helps sort out the swirling mass in my head. I had not really considered that it was also important for my mental health but looking back I can see that it is. My first post on Ageing Runner was a release. I was emotional after I had written it. It had been bottled up and I needed to express it. To get it out.

Nita uses writing as one of three pillars (meditation, writing and movement) to support her wellbeing. I can relate to that. The three pillars of Ageing Runner are reading, writing and running. I need all three. Nita cites the work of Natalie Goldberg, particularly her book ‘Writing down the bones: Freeing the writer within’. Goldberg advocates using a prompt, setting a timer and free writing. We keep the pencil, pen or fingers moving at all times.

I can see the appeal of that. The release of getting thoughts out and onto paper. I do something similar using John Mason’s principle of ‘noticing’.  When something resonates or jars with me during the day, I jot a key word or phrase down. I then take that prompt to capture a brief, vivid description of it later. I guess I am creating own prompts.

Yesterday, I set a timer, used one of my prompts and kept my fingers moving. It was a release. It got the bones down. It gave an outlet to the swirl and helped me let it go…and the freeing knowledge that I come back to at a later date knowing that it is safe and sound. It is captured and no longer smoke between my fingers.

 Nita provides a daily writing prompt on most social media platforms and also has a new book (A Daily Dose of Now) coming out soon. In it, she will provide daily primer to mindfully experiencing the world. She gave a great example of noticing which foot you use first when you pass through a doorway. Simple but effective strategies to live life as it is happening.

 You can visit Nita’s website for more information. It is well worth a look. 

I have also added Nita to our Run Chat Smile connection page.

Run, Chat Smile! – Chris

References

Development, P. (n.d.). Episode 95: Off the Beaten Path with Nita Sweeney. [online] www.podbean.com. Available at: https://www.podbean.com/media/share/pb-auscw-1457d6f?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=nitasweeney&utm_content=selfpromonew#sq_hgolkwti83 [Accessed 13 Aug. 2023].

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Aug 13

CARP initial literature search

I created Ageing Runner to solve a problem. I want to be running in my 80s but I don’t properly understand how to best increase my chances of doing that. Chris’s Ageing Runner project (CARP) is basically a piece of first-person action research. My academic life has been about how as practitioners, we develop an understanding of our work and relate to the world around us. I intend to apply the same processes to my life as a runner and ensure that my CARP endeavour has some proper social science methodology behind it.

As a starting point, I speculated that those running successfully into later life were managing to stay free of both debilitating illness and injury and they were also retaining their motivation for running as they got older. You can read more about my initial thoughts here. The next job was to see where these initial thoughts sit in the landscape of prior research on the subject.

The initial plan is to systematically review the academic literature around being an ageing runner. The first trawl (read more about the process here) is now complete. I discounted those papers that were not freely available to all. I plan to ask the opinion of runners and feel it is important that runners can read the source material if needed. This has left me with 98 papers as a starting point.

I then coded the papers using the original categories of disease, injury and wellbeing. I used the terms ‘mortality’ as a synonym for ‘disease’ and ‘musculoskeletal’ as a synonym for ‘injury’ as I felt these more accurately captured the essence of the papers. I also speculated that longevity might be a more upbeat term than mortality to shift the emphasis to living longer rather than simply death. This was top-down coding. I was comfortable with that at this point. I know that themes will emerge as I go, however, I did at this point also add ‘ageing’ as a category in itself as well as the smaller rogue categories of ‘performance’ ‘nutrition’ and ‘training.

Each paper was assigned a primary category with some also assigned a second and even a third category.

CARP – Number of papers by initial category
Primary Secondary Tertiary Total
Ageing 11 2 0 13
Mortality 39 10 0 49
Musculoskeletal 12 8 4 12
Wellbeing 9 3 0 12
Nutrition 2 2 0 4
Performance 16 1 0 17
Training 1 0 0 1

My initial thoughts are that there is a bi-directional relationship between each of the category headings and running. For example. Ageing has an effect on running and running also has an effect on ageing. Categories also impact on each other and do not exist in isolation. My thoughts are developing and I now no longer think this is simply about longevity and living longer. It is about retaining a quality of life as I age.

I plan to start with the ‘ageing’ category and take the papers in chronological order so that I see how ideas in the field have developed over time. I will be using the connected papers tool to take key papers and see where they sit in the academic landscape and widen my review. I will let you know how I go on.

 

Aug 09

Ageing Runner – Running Diary 9th August 2023

Tuesday 1st August 2023
I was up early again and ready to write. Woke up thinking about Ageing Runner. It is a website about learning as much as anything. It is about the nature of the world and how we make sense of it. It is Reading, writing, running. – Learning through the process and then helping people do all three. I think that my niche is helping people journal with purpose and make running work for them. Help them find the things that make them fulfilled and happy. Timelines of joy.

·      It feels good to have some structure, especially during the holidays. A reading and writing plan, a training plan and running club sessions add some structure to the week.
·      Having paper in my pocket and by my side helps me dump ideas and reduces (doesn’t stop) me going down rabbit holes and losing hours. It gets the ideas out and parks them. I am realising that I don’t need to follow up on them all and act on impulse. I just need them out of my head and to stop worrying that I will lose them.
·      The top of my left ankle is sore this morning. I have the sense that I am pushing it to the limit. Causing me some anxiety. I need to barefoot.
·      Shappi Khorsandi’s book talks about decluttering not being about having a tidy room but about be more able to live in the moment rather than being weighed down by the past. I think I need to devote some time to that rather than just being hostage to my ongoing need to press on. It feels like a compulsion. I need to tidy my life a little…or a lot. And then make time to keep on top of that. It is a discipline.
·      I saw someone’s bio on twitter saying that ‘Being kind is a lifestyle choice’. I agree. I am getting a lot from commenting on tweets from people who have done something which they are personally proud of. It takes something to put yourself out there. I can see the pride in their faces. Reminds me of Parkrun (just volunteered again). Runners need prizing. I met a runner this morning who said ‘You’re so fast’. I should have stopped and said ‘You are awesome’ for just being out there.
·      2 mile warmup with Mac, 8 miles tempo (4xJumbles loop) and wonderfully slow barefoot mile to finish). I think that there is something about tempo running that hits a sweet spot. I have no issue with any niggles whilst running. Left me feeling relaxed and that I was capable. Enjoyed sitting on top of the pace and my confidence on the trails increased through each lap.

Wed 2nd Aug 2023
·      After listening to a Doug Richardson on Running Tales podacst, I feel inspired to do three things. The first is to run 25000 miles across 25 years, the second is to do a track 10k and the thrird is to become a run leader. All feel important for different reasons. Impetus to keep getting out of the door, scaring myself a bit and meeting new people. I have created a new Excel log to track the mileage.
·      I ran a barefoot mile in the rain this morning to stretch things out. Feels important after 3 heavy running days. Rest feels important.
·      Wednesday Whizzers session tonight. 1 mile warm up then interval session  Lots of groaning at the start. Ran my way into it and ended up running a 2:46 final lap. Right ankle stiff. Two effort seesion on consecutive days is too much.
·      Whizzers was fun. I am grinning from ear to ear because I was awarded with a battered old medal and some pink ankle weights for coming first in my age category in the murder mile. Connection more than the medal. It is the banter and the laughs. Nice to feel part of the group. Chatted about joining Horwich RMI Harriers and doing things like road relays. I miss that kind of thing.
Thursday 3rd Aug 2023
·      Rest day today. I am glad.
·      Had a great chat in Wetherspoons with a chap today. There is a lot of loneliness about. It was good to sit and just give him time to connect and talk. It feels important.
·      Knuckles sore – I am wondering about arthritis and inflammation. I went for a follow up hearing test today. It looks like I might need hearing aids in both ears. I can cope without but it was so much clearer with them in. It is more about preventing problems in later life than about hearing clearly now.

 Friday 4th Aug 2023
·      Ran to Friday Feeling group this morning. 8.8 miles altogether with the last mile barefoot. I could feel it stretching my feet and ankles out.
·      There were 8 of us this morning. Good to go steady and chat to start the day.
·      I have just registered myself with English Masters and as a qualifier in the Chester and Manchester marathons. I don’t think that I will be selected but the 3hrs 20 min qualifying time is something good to aim for. It set me off looking at a world of masters running that I was not aware of. There is a track 10k that I fancy. Never done one before. What a scary challenge.
·      I found out that my Catforth 5k time of 19 mins 51 pouts me 440th nationally in my age group rankings. I didn’t know they existed either. That was higher than I thought.

Saturday 5th Aug
·      Woke up with some arch discomfort in right foot. Barefoot mile was lovely in the rain this morning. Running through puddles feels therapeutic.
·      Really looking forward to Parkrun volunteering this morning. Very genuinely looking forward to cheering on people. All with personal stories.

Sunday 6th Aug 23
·      Riverside Half marathon today. Really looked forward to it. A flat grind of a race which I seem to quite like. Ran well within myself to start with and found that hard. 7:10 pace throughout which was faster than the 7:30 I planned to run. Averaged 7:09 so judged it pretty well. Started to struggle at about 8.5 miles. I feel like my strength is weak in my hips and. Last 2 miles brutal. Ran them at 7:30 pace. Pleased with the 1 hrs 34 mins 16 secs. Blister in last few miles on left foot. I felt my engine was good though. I can tick the miles out, the body was letting it down.
·      I made the effort to go and chat to people before the race. That is new for me. Worthwhile to make connections. Also did a bit of that during the race with a chap from new Zealand.
·      I listened to Richard Askwith’s interview The way of the runner podcast) on drive up. I was interested in the chat about being a runner and writer. Writing makes you more mindful so that you notice things. That is what this blog is about. They discussed how they recall things. AF said no-one can talk to him until he has written things down. I have piece of paper in pocket. It resonated with Mason and the discipline of noticing. They also talked about it being ‘Are you doing your best’ or just cruising. I think age is a red herring. It has always been about doing your best with what you have available. We are all given different bodies. I have never compared myself to Steve Cram, why would I compare my now self to my younger self. Different body available.  Ibrahim – ‘Those days are gone’ and a new mountain to climb’. Ageing runners fit in that category of being in a valley yearning after the old days. We need a new mountain.
·      Whilst categorising my first set of papers on ageing and running, I have used the word ‘mortality’. Perhaps ‘longevity’ would be a better word.


Monday 7th Aug 23
·      My first literature search has given me a flavour of what is out there. It now about digging into each section. I have 2 things going on: Lifestyle which enables me to run and then does that running impact on my longevity (perhaps and better word than mortality) – I am running a virtuous circle. Run for health, heath for running.
·      I listened to a Way of the Runner podcast with Jo Pavey – She talked about nutrition and athletes eating with a purpose. First 20 mins after a run being about a sports drink or bar and then within 60-90 mins a good meal. Body needs to rebuild. I need to know more and plan ahead. This is one of the lifestyle things an ageing runner needs to build in. We can learn from elite athletes in a way that I didn’t realise. I need to care for my body like an elite athlete. What does Jo Pavey eat and what strength training did she do?
·      Ran 7.5 miles tonight with Monday Milers. Nice to run and chat. Running alongside someone who said that joining a club has meant that they can meet people and the running gives you something in common. It was something that they struggled with but it has given them confidence in social situations. That resonated greatly with me. I can back and added #RunChatSmile to my twitter handle.
Tuesday 8th Aug 23
·      Ran 8.6 miles this morning. Legs better than I thought but I am and tired and running with some anxiety about doing too much. It is a payoff between having a challenge and anxiety.
·      Listened to The Way of Runner Podcast with Jae Gruenke (Feldenkrais) – She thinks that weakness doesn’t cause injury. Movement causes injury, it is about moving correctly. Movement then leads to strength. What resonated with me was the fact that we shouldn’t be thinking about our form, that is why most running form coaches don’t work. They can’t be with you all the time. I realised that after some of those types of session. It led to me taking off my shoes. She feels that strength training has its place but most is not beneficial.
·      Read a post about HR as a training tool. I have no real knowledge of it and did a quick google. My max HR Is 167 just on age. My max HR in races (according to my Garmin) is about 170 although it does go up from that in finishes and on inclines. The ‘tempo’ runs that I have been enjoying are at about 155 -160 bpm. That seems a useful bit of info for me as I try and find that sweet spot where I feel awesome, lose myself and feel relaxed for hours afterwards.
·      I found a track session at Horwich RMI. I stood and watched and chatted to a few runners as they rested. I can see myself fitting into this group. They were all on it and taking it seriously. I felt very relaxed here amongst these runners. I reflected on my increasing confidence as I left.

 

Aug 06

Ageing Runner Reads #11 – Doug Richards – How one runner went from being out of breath climbing the stairs to running the Marathon des Sables. 

Welcome to the latest Ageing Runner Reading recommendation You can see a list of all my reading recommendations here and sign up for the Ageing Runner newsletter here to keep upto date with the latest research on running as we get older. – Chris

I found the Running Tales podcast last week and this interview with  Doug made both me and my son smile as we listened to it in the car on the way home. It has left me with three big challenges. It may be life changing.

In his book, Once around the planet 24,902 miles, Doug descibes logging his miles over the years. He ran the equivalent of around the world. What a brilliant idea. That is a challenge for me. I have begun to do the same. I am 54 in a couple of weeks and have given myself 25 years to do the same. Pretty much 1000 miles a year for the next 25 years. I don’t know where it is going to take me but I am excited about the people I am going to meet and run alongside.

Doug is also a run leader and described the joy on the face of a woman in her 80s completing the couch to 5k programme. I am also planning to become a run leader for my local community running group. I hope I can help a few people along the way.

Finally, Doug also said ‘Don’t be afraid the scare yourself’. That resonated. You don’t have to jump out a plane to do that. I am going to enter a masters track 10,000 metres. I have no idea what that entails and I am scared. I need to shake myself up and chase the butterflies in my stomach rather than running away from them. Cheers Doug. The challenge is on.

References

Development, P. (n.d.). Doug Richards: How one runner went from being out of breath climbing the stairs to the Marathon des Sables | Running Tales. [online] runningtales.podbean.com. Available at: https://runningtales.podbean.com/e/doug-richards-how-one-runner-went-from-being-out-of-breath-climbing-the-stairs-to-the-marathon-des-sables/ [Accessed 6 Aug. 2023].

Aug 06

Ageing Runner Reads #10 – Maintain your fitness and muscle strength for healthy aging

Welcome to the latest Ageing Runner Reading recommendation You can see a list of all my reading recommendations here and sign up for the Ageing Runner newsletter here to keep unto date with the latest research on running as we get older. – Chris

This is an article in the Irish Examiner by Dr Catherine Conlon and it introduced me to the term ‘sarcopenia’ which is the word given to loss of muscle mass experienced as we age. It is generally accepted that we lose around 15% of our muscle mass every 10 years after age 50.

The main causes of sarcopenia are ageing, chronic disease, low physical activity and poor nutrition. It has made me consider the precision of my language when talking about disease. I have been using the term ‘debilitating’ whereas ‘chronic’ might be more accurate. Frailty is also a useful medical term to use when discussing the effects of sarcopenia. This piece points towards an article published in the Age and Ageing journal. In it Professor John Travers (University College Dublin) reports the benefits of a protein rich diet including:

daily milk, eggs, tuna, chicken or plant-based protein such as beans and lentils. Protein provides the building blocks for muscle and bone.

That is a relief for me. Along with salad and a bit of fruit, it is mostly what I eat!

References

Conlon, D.C. (2023). Maintain your fitness and muscle strength for healthy aging. [online] Irish Examiner. Available at: https://www.irishexaminer.com/lifestyle/healthandwellbeing/arid-41191198.html [Accessed 6 Aug. 2023].

 

Aug 06

Ageing Runner Reads #09 – England Age Group Masters teams and races

Welcome to the latest Ageing Runner Reading recommendation You can see a list of all my reading recommendations here and sign up for the Ageing Runner newsletter here to keep unto date with the latest research on running as we get older. – Chris

I found this page on the England Athletics website after spotting a link to it in the Chester Marathon info. I had no idea that England Age group Master existed. They say:

The Age Group Masters competition programme recognises and rewards the significant contribution that these runners make to our sport. 

I must admit, that jars with me a bit. It isn’t England Athletics sport. No-one owns running. Time to get off my high horse though and I vanished down rabbit hole of exploration for a couple of hours. By the time I had come back up, I had a better understanding of the masters running scene in England and found that my 5k time from earlier in the year put me at 430th in my age group ranking for England. I love that kind of thing. I found out that the marathon qualifying time to represent England in my age group is 3hrs 20 mins and that I am already entered into two qualifying events. All I needed to do was also register myself on Roster Athletics. 3hrs 20 mins is a bit of a push but maybe, just maybe. The qualifiers also need to finish in the top three in their age group in the race. I have no chance of that but to aim for the qualifying time has given me some purpose. Chester and Manchester here I come!

References

England Athletics. (n.d.). England Age Group Masters teams. [online] Available at: https://www.englandathletics.org/team-england/age-group-masters/masters-teams/ [Accessed 6 Aug. 2023].

 

Aug 06

Ageing Runner Reads #08 – Does your strike pattern or step-rate influence your injury risk?

Welcome to the latest Ageing Runner Reading recommendation You can see a list of all my reading recommendations here and sign up for the Ageing Runner newsletter here to keep unto date with the latest research on running as we get older. – Chris

This is a post by physical therapist Zachary Walston in Runner’s Life. He says that running form is not somewhere that therapist typically go with injured runners. They tend to focus on volume, intensity and means of recovery.

This post however looks at both step rate and strike pattern. It refers to a meta analysis of step rate studies which found that increased cadence reduces load. I believe that. My cadence now averages about 183 and I believe that it contributes to shortening my stride length which in turn modified my landing pattern. The research cited found that heel strikers where 2-4 times more likely to become injured than forefoot strikers. That is interesting. I believe that I was a very injured forefoot striker who has now changed to a more gentle mid foot landing.

The piece says that it can take weeks to change your pattern. I think that it took me a year of running barefoot every day to embed a new stride pattern that was secure enough survive running in shoes again. I felt it was like taking a golf swing apart and gradually putting it back together. I rebuilt my stride pattern from the ground up. Cadence was part of that. Have a look.

Reference

OCS, Z.W., PT, DPT (2023). Does Your Strike Pattern or Step-Rate Influence Your Injury Risk? [online] Runner’s Life. Available at: https://medium.com/runners-life/does-your-strike-pattern-or-step-rate-influence-your-injury-risk-ec7a15b13a35 [Accessed 6 Aug. 2023].

 

Aug 06

Ageing Runner Reads #07 – The ageing fell runner – a meditation

Welcome to the latest Ageing Runner Reading recommendation You can see a list of all my reading recommendations here and sign up for the Ageing Runner newsletter here to keep unto date with the latest research on running as we get older. – Chris

I have read and re-read this post a few times over the last week or two. It has stayed with me. It is by Ann, a runner from North Leeds Fell Runners. She talks about the loneliness that can come with injury and ageing.

An older runner feels invisible, slow, in pain.

I have felt that. I have a thing about loneliness and her post has made me think about the way I spend my time. I have changed my social media use.  I am finding myself looking for posts from runners where they have shared their achievements and no-one has acknowledged it with a comment. They have put themselves out there but no-one has replied. It takes a few seconds out of my day to value what they have done and give an encouraging word or two. It has given my aimless twitter scrolling a purpose.

I also try and connect with every runner going past me at Parkrun. A smile and positive word costs me nothing. No-one should feel invisible. Well with a read. Thanks Ann

Reference

North Leeds Fell Runners. (2023). The ageing fell runner: a meditation. [online] Available at: https://www.nlfr.co.uk/the-ageing-fell-runner-a-meditation/ [Accessed 6 Aug. 2023].

 

 

Aug 04

Ageing Runner Reads #06 – Mastering Running as You Age

Welcome to the latest Ageing Runner Reading recommendation You can see a list of all my reading recommendations here and sign up for the Ageing Runner newsletter here to keep unto date with the latest research on running as we get older. – Chris

This article is by Richard A Lovett in Runners World. My challenge is for you to read it without jumping to the section written about your age band. I couldn’t help it.

It describes runners who don’t show any sign of ageing and then suddenly reach the age of 38 or 39 and say ‘I get it coach’. It seems a pretty consistent starting point for an annual 0.7% decline per year throughout our 40s, 50s and 60s.  VO2 max and muscle mass decrease and the accumulated wear and tear makes us less flexible. Despite that, the article cites Dan Leiberman who says that humans are well adapted to run into their later years.

The article takes us through typical characteristics of runners through each of the masters age bands. Those early in the process typically bemoan their decline and a new series of what they describe a ‘personal worsts’. By the time we reach the middle masters band (45-54) reality is setting in. The importance of flexibility and strength training’s emphasised to counter common issues with calves and hip flexors (I have had those since my 30s!). It also advises running on soft surfaces. That jars with me. I like the reliability of tarmac. It doesn’t feel right.

The 55-59 age range is where the first big drop off in competitors lies. Older runners talk about the value of recovery and remaining in the game.  It is about finding a way that works for each individual that allows them to avoid breaking down. Training hard but allowing the time for recovery. It is society that wants us to stop. Keep running. Interesting read.

References

Lovett, R.A. (2016). Mastering Running as You Age. [online] Runner’s World. Available at: https://www.runnersworld.com/advanced/g20825727/mastering-running-as-you-age/.

 

Aug 02

Ageing Runner Reads #05 – Physical Activity impacts the Cocktail of Healthy Ageing

Welcome to the latest Ageing Runner Reading recommendation You can see a list of all my reading recommendations here and sign up for the Ageing Runner newsletter here to keep unto date with the latest research on running as we get older. – Chris

This is a post by Chloe Williamson in the  blog of the British Journal of Sports Medicine. It is based on the PhD project ‘ Stress Healthy Ageing and Physical Exercise (SHAPE)’ at the University of Stirling in Scotland.

It has introduced me to endocrine (hormone) health and its relationship to healthy ageing. The research describes a cocktail of healthy ageing made up of cortisol and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA). The stress hormone, cortisol increases with age. It is useful. It reduces inflammation and we need a sharp increase in the morning when we first wake up. Too much, however, is damaging. DHEA is a steroid hormone which counters cortisol but our production of DHEA reduces with age. We can mitigate that through physical exercise (PA) with physically active individuals having a better hormone balance that those who are not physically active. That DHEA production is most impactful when activity intensity is above 60% of VO2 max. That feels right to me. I love a blast. I feel rinsed after a hard session and I need to know more about VO2 max. The original paper ‘Physical Activity Influences Cortisol and Dehydroepiandrosterone (Sulfate) Levels in Older Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis’ in the Journal of Aging and Physical Activity falls into the CARP initial list search and we will get to it in time. This summary post is a quick interesting read.

References

chloewilliamson (2022). Physical activity impacts the Cocktail of Healthy Ageing. [online] BJSM blog – social media’s leading SEM voice. Available at: https://blogs.bmj.com/bjsm/2022/10/17/physical-activity-impacts-the-cocktail-of-healthy-ageing/ [Accessed 30 Jul. 2023].