A 76-Year Old’s Perspective on Running Performance After 70
Caption: Jim Riley with Julie Moss after the 2017 Oceanside IM70.3.
A 76-year-old triathlete shares his perspective and experience on advice given in another Senior Triathletes post for reducing a decline in running performance after 70.
Introduction: Setting the Stage
by Terry VanderWert, Editor, SeniorTriathletes.com
Last month, I published a post titled How To Slow Age-Related Drop in Running Performance. After reading that post, Jim Riley wrote me a long, personal email with his comments. His email ended with, “I felt I needed to respond for all those trying to be the very best for their age.”
I thought his perspective and detailed comments worthy of a dedicated post rather than a comment at the bottom of the post. Jim agreed to share his thoughts on age-related performance decline with our community.
In the post which prompted Jim’s comments, Coach Kurt Madden referred to an article in Triathlete magazine about the documented increased times with age. The May 14, 2024 article titled How Much Slower Will You Get As You “Age Up” in Triathlon? graphically presents Ironman 140.6 and Ironman 70.3 finish times and swim, bike, and run splits. Specific to running, this article documents slower Ironman times that begin in our late 20s or early 30s and progress with age.
What is less obvious but still represented in the data is that for some legs, including the run for both the IM140.6 and IM70.3, the rate of decline (slope of the graph) increases with age, especially for those in the 70s age groups.
With that introduction and background, here are Jim Riley’s remarks.
The 70s Are Different Than the Late-60s
by Jim Riley
I am in the same competitive mode as Kurt but seven years older. He is correct in everything he says [in How To Slow Age-Related Drop in Running Performance]. However, he is not 76, so cannot yet feel what happens from 69 to 76 even if you are doing everything he advocates.
Please tell your over-70 set to be very careful with running training. Trying to do what he suggests in getting uncomfortable with more Zone 3 and 4 training can result in a greater chance of injury and frustration.
My times for 70.3 distance events have declined every year since my comeback as a 69-year-old. Yet, I have never missed a podium finish.
I am still so frustrated to see my times slow even if I have gone to more strength, mobility, and core training, more Zone 2 on the bike, harder swim sessions, and even more zone 3 and 4 running, including running in the pool. Also, I am getting at least 100 grams of protein in a day — it’s very hard to get to 150,
The irony is that even with all this, performance declines occur more rapidly after 70, no matter what you do with nutrition or training.
The key in my humble opinion is to check winning times for those 65 to 69 (Kurt’s age group). Then, compare these to the 70 to 75 and the 75 to 79 age groups and see the decline. When Kurt was 65, he blew away all his competiton. Now, like I did as a 69 year old, he still makes the podium. But, he is no longer always first. That tells you something. The critical challenge is to tailor a plan for your age group and go from there.
Keys To Enjoying Fitness With Age After 70
Lower your expectations each and every year after 70, If you don’t, you may never be able to enjoy fitness into your 80s and 90s.
Also race more sparingly over 70 as recovery from racing takes more time. If you are determined to do a full Ironman, just try and enjoy it rather than checking your watch. If you focus on your time, you will be destined for disappointment.
Here are some specific steps I recommend:
- Start slowly with each aspect of all areas of training, especially running.
- Go to the gym more. Besides weights, get on the stair climber and elliptical to build strength without the pounding outside.
- Do pull-ups and hang from a bar in a door jamb at home. These will help with swimming, biking, and running.
- Incorporate mobility every day and more stretching and foam rolling. There are many great programs if you have a peleton
- Add more protein every day. It is easy to get to 60 grams per day. But, you will need to take protein pills to get close to your body weight. Warning: with the pills comes farting issues, which can be annoying. Find a balance that works for you.
Then you can set a training program tailored to expectations, rather than one from coaches that are not your age. This is a problem for everyone over 70 as the decline is so much more significant.
Share Comments and Questions About Running Performance After 70
Several years ago, I cited an article about running for masters athletes. Once readers realized the article was written by a 40-year-old man, I quickly learned of the frustration, even anger, of older athletes, especially those over age 70, a group in which I now reside, being lumped together with athletes age 40 and above.
What has been your experience with running decline after 70? What are your thoughts on Jim’s comments? Or, maybe you have questions for Jim.
Post them in the Comments section below.
Comments: Please note that I review all comments before they are posted. You will be notified by email when your comment is approved. Even if you do not submit a comment, you may subscribe to be notified when a comment is published.
Lovely advice!
Jim : Thanks so much for your insight .I was the subject of last months article on age related run decline in triathlon.I agree few coaches at 40 or even 50 have the knowledge to accurately provide training advice to those of us that are in our late sixties and seventies. Advice from another athlete who is experiencing first hand is greatly appreciated. Protein increase and more strength training are two of my takeaways from your article.stay healthy and good racing.David
Hi David — I appreciate your kind words — every day after 75 we seem to learn more and more about the challenges of trying to be the best we can be – I have a whole program now each and every day that can be boring and mundane but necessary —happy to answer any questions you may have —-good luck !!
Both posts are fascinating and useful to me.
I will turn 74 in September, one day after I race at the Ironman Cozumel 70.3. And I am looking forward to racing in the 75–79 year-old triathlon groups next year.
These more conservative “counterpoints” seems reasonable to me, especially as we get into that rare 75-79 group.
But… I tend to believe that we do need both the stress as well as the LSD.
I believe in Joe Friel’s Fast After 50 and Matt Fitzgerald’s 80/20 training plans.
Maybe Joe will eventually solve the argument with a Fast After 75 book…
Every individual experiences something different over 70 but especially over 75 — the hardest part is accepting slower times and more bad races than good — there seems less and less participants now in the over 75 category for 70.3s and certainly for fulls.— yes we do need to put the body into stress but sometimes we get carried away and suffer the consequences – injury !! —for example my strength training was going so well at the gym that last week I upped it to three days with more intensity and sure enough I pushed a little too hard and now have a minor abductor injury.—I keep saying to myself everything in moderation but as a very competitive individual I cannot help myself.I will be fascinated how you perform between 75 and 79 as easy to make the podium but the age progression starts to fight you at every step —a prime example is “cold” —at 70 I never noticed it but now after swimming in cold water even with a wetsuit neoprene head gear and booties the affect on my riding creates new challenges.-WEIRD !!—-happy to give you my ongoing perspective if interested.
Thanks! I am also fascinated by the “growth process” and how we can get the most health and enjoyment from our old bodies as we age. It’s a good problem to have – for sure