Why More Seniors Are Lacing Up Their Jogging Sneakers

There is one thing that I have learned over the years is that I am not a graceful runner. I struggled with it in school when we had to run daily and I struggle with it as an adult. However, one other thing that I know is that using running as a means of pumping up your walking is a huge plus.

I am not in the senior age range yet, but I am close enough to think that the information here is valuable. I do not want to be a lazy senior. Feeling poorly and sitting in front of the TV or computer because I did not take care of myself today. I want to remain as active as my body allows me which is why I am finally putting me first now.

While I know I will probably never be a 5k or 10k runner, I am slowly working on adding some running, or at least sprinting, to my outdoor exercise routine. I want to share some important information and a new book with you that will maybe help you kick start your exercise routine.

Running into Retirement-Why More Seniors Are Lacing Up Their Jogging Sneakers

In sports medicine, the years between 35 and 40 are usually considered a turning point for serious athletes. Endurance typically peaks around age 35 and slowly decreases until age 60, when the decline becomes much steeper. Understandably, these older adults tend to be less active; only one-third of Americans over the age of 65 are considered physically active, compared to approximately 80 percent of the general population.

Within the minority of active seniors, however, some have held on to or even increased their athleticism. In recent years, a growing number of senior citizens have begun competing in marathons and triathlons, with runners over the age of 40 representing over 50 percent of male finishers and 40 percent of female finishers.

Award-winning runner and columnist Dave Griffin is well aware of the importance of staying active at all stages of life; he founded the Flying Feet Running Program, which supports runners of all ages and experience levels, and recently released In the Distance: Why We Struggle Through the Demands of Running, and How it Leads Us to Peace, a book that takes a look behind the reasons we run and how it benefits us both physically and mentally.

In the Distance:
Why We Struggle Through the Demands of Running, and How it Leads Us to Peace
By Dave Griffin

HOW THE PATH TO ACHIEVEMENT IN RUNNING MIRRORS PRINCIPLES OF SUCCESS IN LIFE

Running has many indisputable health benefits; reducing the risk of cancer, helping individuals achieve a healthy weight and preventing disease are only a few examples of what steady exercise will do. But how can the principles of becoming a runner help you succeed in your personal and professional life?

Award-winning runner and columnist Dave Griffin explores this correlation in his latest book, In the Distance: Why We Struggle Through the Demands of Running, and How it Leads Us to Peace. In this fascinating, philosophical look behind the reasons we run, Griffin outlines the challenges runners often face and how it imbues them with the confidence to face obstacles in their lives.

“Runners often feel a connection to one another, a bond formed with mutual respect, but running is deeply personal, reminding us of our earliest days when we could find simple joy in fresh air and excitement in the rhythm of our movements,” says Griffin. “Running is not child’s play, however; it can be a weapon against our deepest fears, giving us a means to fight our apprehension and doubt. In the process, we learn a lot about ourselves, realizing we’re capable of more than we thought possible.”

While In the Distance is a book about running, it’s also a book about living. Readers will become immersed in the heartwarming stories—they will feel a connection to the child, the competitor, the fighter, the learner, the seeker, the father and the philosopher, all of whom appear within the same person, traversing through life one mile at a time.

“There are many running books, but few that provide philosophical insight into the life of a runner,” adds Griffin. “Most runners can associate with the stories in the book and appreciate that someone has explained why we struggle with the demands of running.”

Deep yet relatable, In The Distance explores:

• Aspects of running that have never been exposed, such as why the runner’s high is truly therapeutic and how we all can benefit from the physiological response.
• How running takes us back to our early childhood years and why it is important to be in touch with that part of ourselves.
• Why the self-discipline of training to run helps us learn to face challenges head-on in all areas of life.
• That running helps us appreciate the clarity inner peace brings, as well as the comfort needed to be truly content.

Dave Griffin began running in 1976 as a high school freshman. He ran competitively through 1989 with PRs that include a 25:43 5M, a 32:11 10K and a 1:12:24 half marathon. After a 12-year period of casual running when his children were young, he returned to competitive running as a master. Griffin started the Flying Feet Running Programs in 2004 while his daughter, Katie, was running in high school. The program has since grown to provide year-round coaching and support to runners of all experience and talent levels in the Carroll County, MD area. Griffin began writing about running and life in 2006, when his bi-weekly column, Dave Griffin on Running, was introduced. In 2010, Dave published his first book, After the Last PR – The Virtues of Living a Runner’s Life.