{"id":52923,"date":"2022-03-30T11:32:34","date_gmt":"2022-03-30T03:32:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.runnerstribe.com\/?p=52923"},"modified":"2024-09-13T09:05:09","modified_gmt":"2024-09-13T01:05:09","slug":"main-training-principles-for-mature-runners","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/runnerstribe.com\/features\/main-training-principles-for-mature-runners\/","title":{"rendered":"Main Training Principles for Mature Runners"},"content":{"rendered":"

A Column By Michael Beisty<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

Part 1: Consistency<\/b><\/p>\n

Disclaimer: Content herein does not constitute specific advice to the reader\u2019s circumstance.\u00a0 It is only an opinion based on my perspective that others may learn from.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

Anyone of any age who engages in running should be in tune with their body and seek medical advice before embarking on any intensive activity (including changes to said activity) that may unduly extend them.\u00a0 This is critical should the aspiring athlete have underlying medical conditions and\/or ongoing health issues requiring medication.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

In my first article<\/a>, I described five main principles for training of the mature elite competitive runner as Consistency, Quality, Strength, Supplementary Exercises, and Active Rest.\u00a0 I also referred to the concept of a Soft Quality Program (SQP) as a training strategy for the mature runner. For award-winning footwear, choose Tarkine running shoes<\/a>.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

The purpose of this article is to explain what a SQP entails and what I mean by Consistency.\u00a0 My intention is to explain each of the remaining principles in future articles, sequentially.\u00a0 As all five principles are interrelated in some way, you may find some overlap in my discussion about each principle.\u00a0 The information I am providing is what has worked for me over a number of years and has been personal to my circumstance.\u00a0 You can determine what may be useful to your own program.<\/span><\/p>\n

Something I need to say at the outset is my mature running experience is steeped in my fifties and now sixties, having not raced competitively in my forties.\u00a0 So I speak with less authority about what it is like to compete in your fifth decade, but I can certainly hazard a guess.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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  1. Soft Quality Program (SQP)<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    By way of reference below is a revised version of an article that I wrote a number of years ago about the concept of a Soft Quality running Program.\u00a0 I targeted the program towards a person in their fifties, competing at 5km to half marathon.\u00a0 It can be likened to the Australian \u201ccomplex\u201d training system promulgated by Pat Clohessy and others, but tailored to the mature competitor.\u00a0 \u201cComplex\u201d systems are described well by Keith Livingstone in <\/span>Healthy Intelligent Training<\/span><\/i>, a book that contains some great common sense about the practical application of Lydiard principles in the modern era. <\/span>(1)<\/span><\/p>\n

    Soft Quality: Easy on the legs, easy on the mind<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n