It’s easy to see running as a young person’s game. Lots of the narrative around ageing in the UK is one of slowing down, not speeding up, and as a consequence, older people tend to be less active.

A recent you should run in your 60s and beyond. Here’s showed that that while 69% of people aged 16-34 achieve the recommended 150-minutes of moderate physical activity per week, the figure drops to 66% in the 35-54-year-old age group and 60% in the over 55s.

exercises to help you live four years longer.

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‘Exercise can change the trajectory of ageing,’ says Dr Lyndon Joseph, exercise physiologist at the National Institute on Aging in US. ‘The physiologic systems take longer to decline, and the point at which declines – and the diseases associated with ageing begin – is pushed back. Yes, you lose muscle strength and mass, but not as fast as someone who is sedentary.’

This helps to explain why runners are 25-40% less likely to die prematurely than non-runners and why their typical lifespan is three years longer. It also explains why, at 75, the late Ed Whitlock could run a 19:07 5K and 3:04:54 marathon while many of his contemporaries were struggling to leave their armchairs.

When of the best hill training workouts for runners author and runner Richard Askwith turned 60 and found himself succumbing to the idea that his running days were behind him, he decided to do something drastic: signing up for the 2022 World Master Athletics Championships. ‘This challenge, I told myself, would mark my definitive transition from being a runner who struggled miserably with ageing into an altogether more positive creature: an enthusiastic late-life runner with dreams in his head and hope in his heart,’ he said.

The following adventure is described in Askwith’s to do it, where he takes a deep dive into the benefits of running as we age. ‘The rewards are huge,’ he says. ‘Late-life runners don’t just live longer. They live better, with vastly extended ‘healthspan’ – that part of your life which is not limited by chronic illness or disability – as well as lifespan. They tend to live cheerfully, too, enjoying greater independence than their sedentary peers, more connection, more sense of purpose. It is, as one 90-year-old runner told me, a virtuous circle: “A positive mental attitude helps you keep running, and running helps you have a positive mental attitude.”’

So, that’s why you should run in your 60s and beyond. Here’s how to do it...

9 ways to run longer and stronger in your 60s

1. Walk before you can run

    ‘My advice to anyone taking up running later in life would be to just start walking first,’ says Eileen Hieron, 81, the oldest finisher at the 2023 Summer running gear sale. ‘Add a bit of trotting now and then. And I’m a great advocate, especially at our age, of “Jeffing” (The Run-Walk approach synonymous with its most famous advocate Jeff Galloway).’

    Try: 60 seconds of walking, 60 seconds seconds of jogging. Then increase the run-to-walk ratio as your fitness improves.

    2. Respect recovery

      ‘The older we get, the more recovery we need,’ says Askwith. ‘The ageing body can still cope with intense training, and benefits from it greatly. But high volume leads mainly to fatigue. The smartest ageing runners keep training hard – breathtakingly hard in some cases – but allow themselves more and more time to recover, both between and within sessions.’

      Try: Being a fat runner.

      3. Strength training

      ‘Exercises should be slow and heavy,’ says gait analysis specialist Dr Rebecca Leitch. ‘Aim for 3-4 sets of 6-8 repetitions, 2-3 times a week. Make it progressive – start with body weight and add load as exercises get easier. Work your calves, as research shows calf activation declines from 40 onwards.’

      Try: Step-ups. Stand with your right foot on a bench or step (shin to lower-knee height). Push up through the right foot to straighten knee and hip, driving your left knee up and forwards. Lower, aiming to land ‘quietly’ by controlling the movement.

      4. Sprints

        Professor Jamie McPhee of Manchester Metropolitan University recommends weekly sprints to provide a strong stimulus to muscle fibres. Sprinting also provides a stronger stimulus to bones, helping to preserve density.

        Try: 5 x 8-10-sec hill sprints with 90-120 secs’ recovery. Warm up thoroughly, and use a hill steep enough to pose a challenge but not so steep you can’t run with good form. Add one sprint rep per week until you reach 10, then switch to flat sprints or a mix of both.

        5. Balance work

        Age-related changes to the visual and vestibular system, along with weaker, stiffer muscles can affect balance, upping injury risk.

        Try: Stand on one leg with hands on hips. Hold for 30 seconds. Swap sides. Progress by closing your eyes, or standing on something soft such as a cushion. Incorporate balance work into your warm-up or cool-down, or ‘attach’ it to a regular daily activity such as brushing your teeth.

        6. High-intensity training

        Research at the Mayo Clinic, US, found that 12 weeks of high-intensity interval training improved mitochondrial efficiency and insulin sensitivity in older people.

        Try: Study subjects did 4 x 4 minutes of hard effort, interspersed with 3 minutes’ easy recovery.

        7. Protein punch

        Protein intake is particularly important as we age because it helps to minimise muscle loss and research shows that older runners need more protein than younger runners for effective muscle protein synthesis. ‘Taking in protein just after a run is optimal, as it is when the signal for growth in your muscles is switched on,’ says McPhee. University of East Anglia research shows vitamin C is also key in reducing age-related muscle loss.

        Try: If you are 50+, consume 35-40g of protein post-run. Also ensure that you consume 1.4-2g of protein per kg of body weight per day. Keep vitamin C levels topped up with fruit and vegetables.

        8. Stay flexible

        Loss of flexibility is one of the causes of a shorter stride length as we age, but regularly taking joints through their full range of motion can help. Post-run stretching, or Pilates, yoga or tai chi fit the bill.

        Try: Hip flexor stretch. ‘This targets both quadriceps and hip flexor mobility,’ says Dr Jessica Leitch. Take a large step forward with your left leg, bending the knee and allowing your right knee to rest on the floor, shoelaces facing down. Bring your torso upright and curl your tailbone under, then gently press the right hip forward, squeezing the glute. Swap sides. Do 2-4 stretches on each leg, holding for at least 30 seconds.

        9. Cross-training

        In Dr Scott Trappe’s extensive studies of older athletes, lifelong ‘purist’ runners experience the most orthopaedic challenges. ‘Balance running with other cardiovascular activities,’ he recommends.

        Trappe, 54, has switched from solely running to triathlon for this reason. ‘I want to extend the number of years that I’ll be able to run,’ he says.

        Try: lsquo;How I overcame paralysis and ran a half marathon&rsquo.