Introduction
Introduction
Why you need this book and how to get the most out of it.
New to The Forever Runner Method Book? Catch up on the Chapters you’ve missed by visiting the Table of Contents.
It's Monday morning 5am and I'm down at the Crossfit gym doing my warmup. Just an easy spin on the bike and some floor exercises. I sit down on the bench and this warm flush comes over me, I get light headed and start to sweat profusely, then the all too familiar chest pain comes on...
I went in for a procedure that day and fortunately, quickly recovered. I had dodged the bullet but something was wrong.
I was just 62, was my running career over?
Have you ever asked that question?
Now you may have never experienced a heart attack, But, you may unknowingly be on your way to losing your running lifestyle.
It’s tough getting old as a runner. We get slower, stiffer, injured more often and it gets harder and harder to get out that door for a run. This can lead to frustration, lack of enthusiasm, or a career ending injury. I’m sure you have some running friends who no longer run.
In this intro, I’ll go over the five common mistakes that I saw most older runners make during my 8 year coaching career. The rest of the chapters in the book are simple solutions to all five mistakes I learned for myself that can dramatically change your running and make it more effortless and enjoyable. This will keep us all running until we get into our 80s and 90s… Run to 100!
Common Mistakes Older Runners Make
Mistake #1: Running Too Hard
The number one mistake older runners make is running too hard all the time. It's not your fault. Part of running is wanting to run faster because it feels good. Additionally, when you run with friends or a running group, you might run at their pace, which may or may not be your proper pace.
As a result, every time you go out for a run, you're running at too high of a heart rate and putting in too much effort. This does a few things: it gets you out of that basic aerobic zone where you primarily burn fat for fuel and build those slow-twitch muscles that support most of your running. Running at a higher heart rate limits your fat-burning ability and stresses your aerobic system instead of building it. Consequently, you have a very difficult time recovering, which leads to aches, pains, overtraining injuries, and eventually quitting.
The real fix is to do 80-90% of your runs at a low heart rate, called your Maffetone training heart rate or Zone 2 heart rate. For people in their 60s and 70s, you should be able to run on level ground at a heart rate of around 125 beats per minute. Sound impossible? It takes some consistent training, but you can get there.
When you run with a lower heart rate, you aren't punishing your body every time you go out. Yes, you're running slower than maybe what you're used to, but it's much more enjoyable, effortless, and you have a lower chance of injuring yourself. You can even run more often and longer distances without causing more damage. So, slow it down, run at a low heart rate, and you'll see a big difference after several months.
Mistake #2: The "SIT Run"
The second mistake is what I call the "SIT run." This involves leaning forward at the hips, which forces your feet to land a little ahead of you every time you take a stride. This is a common issue due to years of sitting—whether at home, at work, or in school—which tightens your hip flexors and affects your posture. This is why your running may feel more like plodding along!
Ideally, when running, you want to have a straight posture, leaning forward from your ankles, not your hips. This means your foot lands right underneath you instead of in front of you, which prevents you from putting the brakes on every step. To fix this, incorporate mobility exercises into your routine to stretch and work the hip flexors, allowing your stride to work naturally. Along with working on your cadence and pacing, you should be able to run more efficiently and faster.
Mistake #3: Eating the Wrong Foods
When I started running, I thought I could eat whatever I wanted because I was doing so much exercise. For years, I ate high-carb foods, thinking they were necessary for running. The reality is, many runners are still stuck on the old belief that high carbs are essential for running performance. However, following the standard American diet is problematic.
I spent years carrying around 5 to 10 pounds of excess weight despite intense training. It wasn't until I learned about Dr. Phil Maffetone and reduced sugars, processed foods, and harmful seed oils that I saw a dramatic improvement in my weight and energy levels. As soon as I changed my diet, the weight fell off, and I had more energy throughout the day.
Many runners believe they need carbs for fuel. In reality, you have about two hours worth of glycogen in your body at all times. Once you transition to becoming a natural fat burner, you'll be amazed at the difference in your energy levels and the reduction in food cravings. Focus on eating whole foods, a balanced diet, and sufficient protein to support muscle mass maintenance as you age.
Mistake #4: Neglecting Strength Training
Many runners believe that running alone is enough to maintain strength, but this isn't true, especially for us older runners. Every year, we lose muscle mass, but we can counteract this with resistance training. Start with daily calisthenics like push-ups, lunges, squats, planks, and pull-ups to keep your overall fitness. Add in more intense resistance training a couple of times a week using kettlebells, dumbbells, or even Olympic weights (under supervision) to build and maintain muscle mass.
Strength training is crucial for longevity and maintaining an active lifestyle as you age. It will also help your running by allowing you to feel more comfortable during and after long runs.
Mistake #5: Following the Wrong Advice
Finally, the fifth mistake is following the wrong advice. With so much information available, it can be overwhelming to find what works for you, especially as an older runner. Many training plans and advice are designed for younger runners, not taking into account the different needs and capabilities of us older runners.
I've had personal experience with this. After a heart attack at 50 and a decade of following standard advice, I had another heart attack event. Discovering Dr. Phil Maffetone’s methods, tailored for older runners, transformed my running after turning 62. We need advice that fits our specific situation, enabling us to keep running and maintain our fitness.
Following the right advice isn't about quick fixes. It's about consistent, long-term plans that build your running lifestyle, not deplete it.
If you don't change now, you're more likely to experience poor health, muscle pains and injury, leading to losing that running lifestyle. I'm sure you have many friends that don't run anymore.
But imagine not having to worry about losing your running lifestyle, being fit and health, able to have freedom, independence, and vitality as you get older. So you can keep up with the grandkids, take adventures, not be a burden or dependent on your loved ones.
The Goal of this book
My goal in this book is to share with you the Forever Runner Method model- what it is, why it works, and how to apply it in your day to day life to achieve the fitness and health goals you want, and to actually enjoy the process of making it happen.
That said, everything I share won’t boil down to a simple set of steps that you can mindlessly apply to improve your fitness and health. But of course, you already know that. Your smart enough to realize that the outcome of your training will take some effort to create.
How to use this book
Think of this book not as a set of “how to” steps to follow, but rather as a “how might I?” invitation to wonder and explore. Use the ideas and activities in this book to stretch your thinking, and ask yourself how you might apply them to your particular daily habits, eating or training routines. Connecting these dots is a big part of the learning process and what will make it possible for you to come away from this book with new knowledge and a new skill set, which will serve you for years and decades to come.
We’ll explore these “How might I?” ideas through 3 main Key concepts, which are:
KEY #1 BUILD - Build your aerobic capacity and run injury free!
KEY #2 BURN - Switch your metabolism into a fat burning machine!
KEY #3 MOVE - Use it or lose it, activity beyond running!
Each key builds on the next one to create the foundation that you need to run efficiently and injury-free.
Let me explain. To run injury-free, you need to be strong, which is included in KEY #3, but it doesn't help to be strong if you're running isn't efficient, which is what we cover in KEY #1. To maximize your running efficiency, you need to eliminate that joint killing inflammation and burn body fat for fuel, which we cover in KEY #2
In the next nine chapters, I'm explaining each of the nine steps that are part of the Forever Runner Method program. To help you progress, I’ve included actions steps and homework at the end of each chapter.
I’m here for the action takers!
Once you complete all the keys and master these steps, you'll become a Forever Runner. As a Forever Runner, you won't have to worry about chronic pain or injury anymore, and you will enjoy more freedom, independence and vitality as you age!
Thanks for taking a look. I would appreciate some honest feedback on this chapter. This review is not about spotting typos. Instead, the most useful feedback is about stuff like:
Where do you get confused or lost or have an unanswered question.
Where do you disagree, or have different experiences.
Where you start to get bored and feel like skipping ahead or giving up.
Anything you find especially interesting or helpful.
You can leave comments below(paid member) or email them to me at: Herb@foreverrunner.com
Next Chapter: Chapter 1: Jog - Discover the Magic of low heart rate training for older runners.