Because You Can Do Hard Things
“As an older runner, you’re better at problem-solving and you’ve been through so much, you’re prepared for those challenges.” — Karen Guttridge
Aging, I’ve been told (often by people who don’t appear to be aging AT ALL), is a privilege.
And of course, it is. To live in an environment with free health care, away from war and famine, and with a long life expectancy, I recognise is not the norm for many millions.
But aging brings its own challenges. Don’t get me wrong, I’m still relatively young. I’ve got years of falling over while eyeballing a sheep left to do (true story), and many more opportunities to undertrain for horrifically long events (current status).
But for female runners, there are of course the additional pressures that come from a changing body, and there are two things we can do about that: normalise and equip.
Speaking From Experience
I was listening to an interview with the woman quoted at the beginning of this article at the National Running Show last year.
It would have been easy to bemoan the changes women go through in their physical and mental health post 40, but that’s not the message she (or I) wants to get across.
As you begin to notice what’s going on with your running — the slowing down, the increased fatigue, and the effort it takes to complete what were your staple training routes, it’s way too easy to start panicking.
It’s tempting to flounce off and have a wobble (as witnessed by my friends and family when I was overtaken by a man dressed as Peppa Pig in a half marathon once). But instead, please just hit pause. Take a look back at where you’ve come from. The hard runs you’ve finished. The ones you didn’t, but still got back up and out the next day. The runs where you came home caked in mud, got lost, or picked up an injury.
Take a look at your life — the work you’ve done, how you’ve strived and moved forward as a professional, a mother, a volunteer, or any combination of those things and more.
You run because you can, but you finish because you have grit.
And grit, unlike bone density, does not fade. If anything it’s more like belly fat, it increases.
Adapt or Die
Plus, change is inevitable. It’s good, even when it feels bad. You’re evolving into the next stage of your life and though it really does feel that we carry the majority of the aging burden, we must learn to adapt to our new capabilities.
Slowing down and taking it easy? No thanks. If anything, I’m more determined than ever to walk further, run longer, chase down times.
But to do that, I have to be smart. For me that means more time in the gym, working on strengthening my hips and knees. Because I’m old? No, because it makes me a better runner and this is a lesson that comes with experience.
We are problem solvers. It’s what makes us great colleagues and strategists. It’s what makes us great runners.
Do your research. Figure out a training and nutrition strategy if it feels right. This you, the one right now battling through, this you will emerge as the most determined, best version of yourself yet. And I know this because you can do hard things.
