How Running Changed My Life: Ann's Story

This week's "How Running Changed My Life" posting dovetails perfectly with Saturday's post, "Older Doesn't Mean Slower!" Ann Singer is one amazing lady. In her own words, here's Ann's story.

Although I am called Grannie Annie by many, especially my beautiful granddaughter, Emma, I do have another life.

At age 50, overweight, under exercised, and wondering what I was going to do with the second half of my life until age 100, I decided to start walking. Oh I walked anywhere—to town, to the stores—give me a road and some time and off I would go. Running came later.

One day I asked my very athletic husband if someone so unathletic like myself could ever complete a marathon. He said "Yes!" And so for the next 15 years from age 50 to 65 I started my marathon quest. Thanks to the 50 states marathon club and many running organizations I traveled the country doing a marathon in each state. At age 65 in Maui, HI, I completed the 50 states quest. This November I will attempt my 70th marathon doing the town I love and live in—New York.

Each and every morning as soon as the sun comes up I go out and train. I run 5k's 10k's and Half Marathons to keep in shape. We have a "Swifty Sixties" club of men and women who compete with the New York Road Runner's Team in Central Park once a month. I also do weight training exercise as well as the Bosu and Stability Ball Core training.

My one big fault in life was I started many things, but never completed them. Well I can't say that for my marathons, because unless you cross the finish line you are not counted in the game.

At age 66, I can enjoy my three year old granddaughter to the fullest. Grannie Annie can push a stroller with the best of them—longer and stronger.

May all who read this know that by your diligent training you will ensure a life when you get older that is active, enjoyable and healthy. —Ann Singer, Suffern, New York

Thanks for sharing your story Ann! You Rock! We'll be rooting for you in November!

Older Doesn't Mean Slower!

The big 45 is looming around the corner (about 3 months to be exact). I've always been the youngest in many of the landmark events of my life. I was really young when I got married. Were were young when we had our first child. When I got my first teaching job, I was the youngest on the staff. When I moved into educational publishing, I was one of youngest editor/writers on staff. When I joined my running group, I was one of the youngest.

Guess what?! In a blink of an eye, I'm no longer the youngest. Quite a twist of fate. I'm one of the oldest students in my personal trainer/nutrition consultant certification class. My young whipper-snapper of a workout partner the other day, asked me when I started running. I had to tell him, "Before you were born." That hurt.

It's funny hearing the 18-, 19-, and 20-something-year-olds in the class talk as if when you reach your 40s you're basically washed up. I and the students older than me in the class (in their 50s) quickly correct this thinking. But, it is funny how so many young folk and even some seniors think you're doomed after 40, 50, or 60. These doomsdayers need to meet a group of senior ladies from my church that are some serious walkers. These ladies can book! I dare say they could teach those youngsters a few things.

Well, one thing I've noticed as a runner, is that the competition doesn't get easier as you age. Matter of fact it intensifies! In my 30s, I often placed in my age group. Now that I'm in my 40s it's getting harder and harder to place. And, not because I'm getting slower. Oh contraire...my competition is getting faster! 50+ year-olds running sub 20-minute 5Ks! I'm having to find more and more small-town races with fewer people in order to place. Ha!

My original thinking was that, if you're still running in your 40s and 50s, the fair-weather runners have been weeded out and the ones left are hard-core. That may be a factor, but I ran across some interesting research that says older runners actually pick up speed quicker than younger runners. So, instead of getting slower, in many cases, they're getting faster!

Peter Jokl, M.D., professor of orthopedics, and his co-authors, Paul Sethi, M.D., and Andrew Cooper, all of Yale School of Medicine did a study that showed marathon runners 50 and older, and female athletes in particular, are showing greater improvement in running times than younger runners.

Jokl and his colleagues looked at the running time, age, and gender of all of the runners in the New York City Marathon (415,000 runners total) from 1983 through 1999. In addition they evaluated the performances of the top 50 male and top 50 female finishers by age categories. They classified Master Athletes as those 50 and older.

The study showed that women marathon runners ages 50-59 improved their average race time by 2.08 minutes per year. This was a lot greater than male runners of the same age whose running time improved on average about eight seconds per year. However, older male runners increased their running time at a much greater rate than younger male runners (ages 20-30). The younger runners (male and female) did not significantly improve their running times.

Who had the most significant trends in improved running times? Surprisingly enough, the study showed that the most significant time improvement occurred in the male category age 60-69 and 70-79, and for women ages 50-59 and 60-69. Grandma and Grandpa, you rock!

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[Click here] to check out a post from my blogger friend, Thomas, about how masters ultra runners are getting better with age too!