Benefits of running for the elderly and precautions for running for the elderly

 　　The running population continues to grow. Participants experienced significant benefits, namely slowing human aging. Some people keep running so that they can maintain healthy , even if they do not participate in contact sports such as football and rugby. More than half of the New York City Marathon runners are over forty.

　　effects of aging

　　Since the 1930s, ordinary people's bodies have undergone some physical changes. Aerobic metabolic capacity decreases, muscle mass decreases, muscle elasticity decreases, lung tissue elasticity decreases, bone density decreases, metabolism slows down, body fat increases and the immune system weakens.

　　These changes will adversely affect human running ability. Decreased aerobic capacity and the body's ability to store energy reduce stride length during running and weaken people's leg strength. Generally speaking, running speed of any distance decreases by more than 1% per year, and during the peak decade of the 1930s, we almost lost about 9-10% of aerobic capacity.

　　Yet older athletes can continue to achieve extraordinary sporting results. Canadian athlete Ed Whitlock completed the marathon in two hours, 54 minutes and 48 seconds at the age of 73. At the age of 52, marathon runner and author Hal was able to run a 10K in 31 minutes, or a full marathon in two hours, 29 minutes and 27 seconds. Carlos Lopez even set a world marathon record at the age of 38.

　　elderly Benefits of running

　　Running has roughly the same health benefits for people of all ages. These include reducing heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure and cancer risk, reduce depression and anxiety, control weight, improve bones, muscles and joints, improve physical coordination, and gain a sense of psychological well-being. Of particular importance to the elderly is that as you get older, these risks will continue to increase, so the benefits of running are particularly important for the elderly. Running can improve muscle strength, coordination and bone density, which will reduce the risk of fractures and therefore improve the ability to live independently.

　　An elderly group is added to the running competition

　　One of the reasons running events have thrived over the past two decades has been the increasing use of age categories and prizes in many running events, which allow older runners to compete in races and have the opportunity to compare with others in their age group.

　　Age Ratings for Running Races

　　Another way to regulate athletes' performance as they age has been the introduction of age rating scales (first published in 1989). World Athletics is developing the market for older athletes, and older athletes can be found in various track and field, long-distance running and long-distance walking competitions around the world.

　　On some fitness websites you can calculate your running age rating and lock in the achievable rating threshold for your age. For example, the world record for a 53-year-old woman running 10 kilometers is 35 minutes and 41 seconds. Therefore, if a 53-year-old woman completes 10 kilometers in 47 minutes and 35 seconds, she has a fitness level of 75% for her age rating. The use of age rating scales to level the playing field between older runners and younger runners is a common practice in many running clubs today.

　　The club has age gradient champions.

　　Why older people start running

　　Running can help slow the effects of aging, improve health, fitness and mobility, and boost self-confidence in older adults. People over fifty before they start any exercise Must be checked by a doctor before planning. Doctors specifically check older people to see if they have a heart disease , diabetes and high blood pressure symptoms to ensure you can run safely.

　　Aside from a doctor's approval, a novice senior runner's entry-level running plan is basically the same as that of an average person. But you can increase your running mileage more slowly, just set goals that you can achieve.

　　Running tips for seniors

　　It is inevitable that body functions will decline with age. For example, with correct training, the decline in aerobic metabolic capacity can be slowed down by about 50% to 5% in ten years or even less. Some ways to control the effects of aging:

　　1. Reduce running mileage, but improve training quality；

　　2. Rest a few days between long runs and avoid overtraining.；

　　3. Alternate a variety of aerobic training methods, such as water running, cycling, swimming, skiing, etc.

　　4. Warm up and stretch carefully before running to protect muscles from inelasticity and injury.

　　5. Increase weight training to compensate for the impact of reduced muscle mass.