Sorry, please forgive me, but I am still in a state of disbelief that I ran a 5k road race this past Sunday afternoon. Wife and I work out 365/year but I am just not a runner. I am 6' and 275#...strong for a 55 year old guy, but just not the same build as the 30 year old 150# guys.

We did a "5K Run for God" Bible study starting in early February and the study culminated with us participating in a run.

I may not have set any land speed records but by God (literally) I finished the dang thing and got my t-shirt. Plan to keep running, as I can tell my legs are twice as strong as when working on treadmill/eliptical trainer as in the past....no comparison. Same goes for heart/lung capacity.

All you overweight old farts out there...it can be done...I'm living proof.

October can't get here soon enough!

Great work!

It aint easy, but once you've finished, you know that no one did it but YOU! And that's a great accomplishment.

FC

Thanks....guess no one else gives a rip....That's fine too....hope I can post some hero pics here the 2nd week in October. Fingers crossed...

i'm 63 and run 5-6 days a week. i have been a runner since high school. keep it up, and don't over-do it. you'll be amazed at the weight you'll lose, and how much better you will feel. running isn't for everyone, particularly those with foot/knee/hip problems, but for those up in years who can ease into running (and keep with it), one will find many benefits. best of luck and remember, long, slow distance (lsd).

Running is the best bang for your buck when it comes to exercise. Works upper body, core, and obviously legs. Keep up the good work. When is your next race?

I wish I could run. Never could, since I was a kid. Lungs burn, heart races. I always could and still can walk briskly over rough terrain all day, at least...

Ran until I was 45. Then it all went at once, back, knees, ankles. Now I just walk a leasurely two miles everyday. I get spooked when I see 50 somethings (I'll be 55 in Oct) keel over from running. You don't see it as much in any other age group.

My brother is 55 and started training 14 months ago. He did a couch potato to 5k training deal to get started. After not running any in 30 years, he has stuck with it. He has now lost 50 pounds, dropped his blood pressure, cholesterol, and his joints all feel better. Heck, he is deep in training for a marathon now and race is end of April. Looks like he will do fine on it.

That is a little extreme in my opinion. I like to do 3 to 4 runs per week, 3 to 5 miles each and lift some weights. Congrats on your first race though and hope you stick with it.

Keep it up. It gets harder every year. I'm 62 and I noticed about 10 years ago that I can't lay off for several months after my annual elk hunt in Colorado and get to the level I want to be to deal with 10k' hunting levels. I realized that to get to the level I want to be, I keep working out at a moderate but somewhat lower level all year and then I can "ramp up" through the summer more easily.

Even so, I'm still sucking wind when the climbing gets steep at 10k'.

Good going and congrats on the effort. You're going to be an elk hunting/packing machine by October.

I'm always impressed what some older guys do. A guy from my unit and I ran a half-marathon trail race at South Mountain, NC a few weeks back. There were two guys about your age that it took me nearly 10 miles to catch and pass. Both of us agreed we'd like to be those guys in 20 years.

Keep up the work.

congrats!!! good work

I�m 64 and have been running since high school. I ran marathons and ultra-marathons until I was in my mid-forties. Now it�s only 4-5 times a week and 3-5 miles at a time. Still makes a difference when backpacking at and above timberline in places I don�t take the horses. Running is great training for the mountains if you live in the west or are coming out from someplace else.

I�ve got my application in this year for an elk hunt in an area I have wanted to hunt for over 20 years but it is not an area I can take the horses due to access across private land. Don�t know if I have waited too long �.�.but I am not getting any younger so I guess I�ll take the challenge. My best friend and hunting partner for over 30 years is going to tag along and will be very helpful��..he is only 62!

I started running at age 50 and now at 63 I think it is the best thing I ever did. There is no better feeling than entering a 5K at my age and beating some of the slower runners in the 20 to 29 age group! Can still finish in the 23 minute range and in the smaller races that will get you 1st or 2nd place for the 60 to 65 age group. No doubt I am climbing the hills and mountains better now than when in my thirties and not running. Whatever you do keep training!

I admire the runners, indeed. And I also tore a left knee meniscus in 3 places last time I was doing it regularly. So now I'm back on my bike - year round (in the basement if need be). I'm not sure it is as appropriate for elking as running but it might be a titch less likely to cause damage for some. I'll run later this year in preparation for chasing high altitude elk, but I'm going to do the bulk of CV work on a bike.

I used to race bikes so I tend to enjoy them more anyway.

Congratulations. That's a great start. I am certain that running and losing weight make it easier to climb the mountains in the Fall. Especially by about day 3.

Congrats! Only ever wanted to run to score baskets or get away from trouble!
I notice a difference between the elliptical machine and actual walking uphill. My knee is sore either way, but the walking uphill is a better workout, hands down. Oh yeah, I'm 59.

"I wasn't gonna go for a run but them cops came out of no where." Just kidding, heh new to here and am soaking up as much information as possible. This year will be my first year of hunting elk in Colorado and I am looking forward to it. I am turning the big 50 in a week and try to stay in shape. For me the best thing is to get out and hike in the mountains to simulate the hunt.

Great job GODOGS57. Hurry back to New Mexico for some Elk Hunting.

First week of October!!! Can't wait! Getting it bad right now.....want to head out now...

Good for you. Heck, I'd hate to run a 5k right now and I'm 35 and in decent shape! My joints just don't like turning in the miles. I will say that running can do a lot for you and can be done in many different ways. Even guys who lift weights and squat will be sore after throwing in a sprinting session every now and then. I nearly crippled myself last year when I ran a few dozen 50yarders after a warm-up. The next day was bad!

Congrats!!! And keep up the good work!

When I was about 42 I did a duathlon with the wife cold turkey. The first 5 K wasn't bad. The whatever bike ride maybe 12K or 20 K? Wasn't bad either. The last half of the last 5K run about did me in... but I survived. That was 6 years ago.

I need to get back into it all again seriously. But it seems like there just isn't time that I make to do it anymore. WHen I have all that needs to be done outside by dark done, I don't want to run and be wide awake till midnight then....
And unfortunately I'm not so much of a morning person...

Good on ya Dogs...It takes a hell of a lot of determination to go after it at our age....and our size. My knees and lungs just won't let me anymore....

Congrats on the race! I've found that working for a race is a good motivator to keep going on the workouts. I've never really appeared "in shape". Funny (at least to me) story about the first sprint triathlon I did. We had to show up the night before to get our race packet/info. When I went to the table, the pretty, thin young lady proceeded to tell me that volunteers were to sign in at the table to the right! She was a bit embarrassed when I stated I was there to do the race not work it.