It seems when you reach an older age, or retire, you start to get magazines that tell you how to take advantage of being older, and wiser. Most articles deal with some part of an advanced age person’s health. It may be in the diet section of the “good for you” and the “bad for you” foods. The other most frequent topic is on the benefits of exercise. The articles seem to realize you are not young anymore and as you slow down the level of exercise changes. One problem is that not all of the senior aged people are slowing down. Most articles are aimed at a relatively average person that puts in mild forms of occasional exercise.
When I first started organizing races the upper age limit was 40 years and older. I assumed this was the age that most people, and runners, started slowing down. And at the races there were not many runners that were over 40 years of age. One master’s runner informed me that the reason runners that are older do not come to my races is that if the runner is 50 years old, they find it hard to compete with a young 40 years old. I moved my upper age limit to 60 years and now my races had almost double the number of “older” runners. One year at my half marathon race, 14 out of the top 15 runners were over 40 years old, and the overall champion for the women was in the 50 year age category.
I now have age categories for Masters (40 and over), Senior Masters (50 and over), and Grand Masters (60 and over). And I have fewer left over awards in those three categories than I do in the 19 and under, and even the 20-25 age categories. There are a few larger races that have the age category of 90 years and older. Their times might not be that fast, but if a person is 85 years old and still running a 5K race, and not finishing last, it is a special accomplishment.
