Up the hill, but not over it.

Pressure is building because it's been over two weeks since my last post.  I usually formulate ideas while running, which I shall call Method A.   But since nothing has come to mind lately, I'm deferring to Method B, which is sitting at the computer with fingers poised on the keyboard, and waiting .....

Hmmmmm.....  okay, here it comes.  As I said in the sidebar of this blog, advice written to the older, senior-type runners, is in short supply.  At races, older age divisions are called Masters which, I suppose, is a kindly-meant gesture intended to make us feel valued.   Runner's World magazine, in its latest issue, offers an article addressed to our geriatric group.  Finally.  Except it includes the 40-somethings.  Do you know how long it's been since I was forty???  Don't answer that.

So let's talk about that article.  What does it say WE need to do that's different from the rest of the running crowd?

~More rest days.  Done.  I'll take it.
~Lower expectations.  Don't try to compare your today's Best, with your Best of 10 years ago.  Since I don't HAVE a ten-year-old Best, that's a non-issue for me.  I'm just trying to keep up with last week!
~Train by time, not by miles.  This means if six or seven miles used to take you an hour, stay with that hour even though you cover less distance now.  I'm considering this approach.
~Cross train.  This means adding to your regimen, any type of exercise that is NOT running.  I tried that with weights and I lasted four months.  I keep hearing that yoga is almost better than chocolate.  Is that possible??  So I'm considering it too.  
~Slow down.  I've been slowing down since my first mile over three years ago.
~Keep pinning on bibs.  Ha!  Your mind immediately went to drool, didn't it.  No, we're talking about racing bib numbers.  Although, I suppose, you COULD use them to catch drool ....  The point is to keep entering races.  It says there's something valuable about competition and accountability. Here's the GOOD news:  The older you get, the less competition there is in your age group.  If you hang in there long enough, odds are you'll eventually win a medal.  And when you do, you have MY permission to proudly wear it everywhere for at least a month or two.

That's about it.  Well, there was more, but overly long posts tend to bore the reader.  But before I close, I'd like to add a few suggestions of my own:

~Cute running clothes.   I may not FEEL as perky on the inside as my striped leg warmers would imply, but I can look the part.
~Remember how many in your age group are NOT outside, running up hills.   Feel superior to all self-imposed couch potatoes, especially the YOUNG ones.
~Do NOT compare yourself to younger, stronger, faster runners.  Instead, keep in mind fond memories of your own dear grandmother, who ALWAYS wore sensible shoes and a flowered dress.   Fifty is the new forty.  Yes, it is.  And in a few years, SIXTY will become the new forty.  Just wait.  You'll see.