We do the same robotic running every day or many times a week and we are starting to feel the pain. Mix it up as we are now 50 or 60 or 70 years of age. This is supposed to be fun so do not fall in the trap of “I must run every day” even when you’re losing your edge or are hurting.
I have a neighbor who lives for marathons and he looks haggard and just plain unhealthy. If he is willing to pay the price then it is what it is, but too many of us have a running addiction and need to be reprogrammed. Sorry, I just hate to see people not seeing the signs as we all love to run too much, and the drugs from running is tough to beat.
So some do biking or swimming as an alternative but I am going to lay out a program to think about for staying in shape as we age that requires zero preparation to keep us active between running days as most of runners must stay active for our own mental frame work.
The almighty push up (wow, hard to beat), a perfect combo of aerobic and anaerobic. Any time, any place, just hit the floor. Is it hard? Well yes, but us runners are used to pain. Two sets of 25 after waking up. One before coffee in the morning and another after. Big lunch? Do another 25. Still feel stuffed? Do another 25. Come home from work and quick refresher, 25 more.
The steps can be done well anywhere there are steps. I live in a condo building with a nice set of steps to our courtyard. Five sets in ten minutes, yea baby! Raining or bad weather? There are seven floors here, just do the same inside. You can find some steps in your home anywhere. Going up no problem, going down be careful.
Hand Grippers are great. I like the one below as I can adjust it. I like one hand at a time at highest tension of sets of 100 per hand. This is a process and will work up to it. Feel stressed? get out the gripper. Need a break and the same.
Adjust your weights accordingly – I like heavy weights here
Dumbbells are great and can be kept anywhere. I like curls where I stick my elbow near the groin area, 25 reps per arm, 35 pounds. Work your way up to your comfort zone. There are many schools of thought of high reps verses higher weights and lower reps, find what’s right for you. I like several exercises as depicted below but do what feels right for you.
HERE IS THE GREAT LINK:
https://www.jenreviews.com/dumbbellexercises/
So philosophically speaking, if the Lord will give us 90 years of life or 100 years of life, we want to be able to run. But how can we make it there for the sport and the breath of life we love so much? Well, I laid out my prescribed method to save our knees and strengthen our bodies and an easy method that takes no real preparation like swimming or biking does but it’s all good. Love swimming, biking, and rowing all all all, but the above can be done at any place, any time. Pick your spots like an ocean swim or a tandem bike ride with your partner, but let’s hope we will always be able to run till death do us part, ha ha.
