Running after 40, 50, & Beyond: Masters Running Tips

You can run or even start running at any age. Master’s runners just need to pay attention to the “little things” like warming up, nutrition, strength training, and sleep to off-set age-related changes such as the decline of tissue elasticity, mobility, and muscle mass. Read on to learn how to run after the age of 40.

If you want to get me fired up, start talking about the limitations of age when it comes to running. I refuse to let age by a boundary or an excuse for not getting faster. Indeed, I vehemently believe that running after 40, running after 50, and beyond is not only possible— it’s possible to get fitter and faster even when “over the hill.”

(I would be remiss to not mention mother runner Sinead Diver who ran a 2:21 marathon at the age of 45 last year!).

What are the main differences in running between younger and older runners?

I think I am so passionate about this subject of masters running because my dream to run a 2:40-something marathon happened right as I was cresting 40. Unfortunately, I had two major injuries at this time. And many people joked that I got injured because I was now “over the hill. I bit my tongue. My injuries came from taking risks, challenging myself, and pushing my body to become stronger and faster than it ever has been. They weren’t from sitting on the couch.

I got hurt because I was running 100 miles a week while also raising young kids and working full-time from home with them.

Get me fired up by also telling me that running is bad for your knees (WRONG) and bad for your body (WRONG again). Haters gonna hate. Maybe because they can’t or they won’t.

Truly, running is the gift that keeps on giving for the body and the mind—regardless of age.

Mental health benefits for older runners include:

Better mental acuity
Better memory
Less stress and anxiety
Better sleep

Some physical health benefits for older runners include:

Lower disability rates
Better balance (fewer falls)
Stronger bones
Fewer diseases
Stronger cardiovascular system
Better overall health metrics like weight, heart rate, blood pressure, cholesterol, BMI, and more.

That said, running or jogging after 40+ will look different than of those running at the age of 25, for example. My goal with this article is to set master’s runners up for success so they can keep on chasing the dream!

What are the main differences in running between younger and older runners?

There are differences between those running at a young age and those running after 40 or running after 50, and so forth. I regularly race and train with those in their 20s. The other weekend, a competitor at the age of 25 beat me. I later learned she was out late the night before partying. That’s something we older runners can’t get away with.

Older runners must pay attention to the details that keep us healthy all around including mobility, strength training, nutrition, sleep, and recovery. That’s because our rate of recovery is diminished. We just don’t “bounce back” as quickly as our younger selves —literally and figuratively.

Specifically, research shows that the main differences between younger and older runners include: