Started running
I started running when I was forty-two and for the first couple of years I was very much off and on, I managed to run 200km in 2020 and the same again in 2021. In 2022, I decided to take my running more seriously and let’s just say, 2022 was quite different to the previous two years. I ran 1285km.
Progress
So, what does running progress look like at 45? Well, slow and steady. I imagine this is true regardless of your age but as I can’t go back in time, all I can tell you about is what I know.
The Numbers
Below I’ve detailed some of the numbers so you can see my progress and how things have changed.
| Metric | Jan 2022 | Dec 2022 |
|---|---|---|
| Average pace across all runs | 6:15 / km | 5:19 / km |
| Average cadence across all runs | 158 spm | 168 spm |
| Average stride length | 1.05 m | 1.13 m |
| VO2 Max | 45 | 50 |
| Weight | 85 kg | 79 kg |
Disappointed?
I’d like to have gotten faster this year but that wasn’t ever going to happen. One of the most crucial factors for improving your running is sleep. With a 3-year-old who still refuses to sleep through the night, our own sleep has been poor for a while. We appear to be turning a corner, but we aren’t too hopeful just yet. Our other son started sleeping more consistently around the same age so who knows?
Where next?
I haven’t been working on speed, my goal for a while has been distance. I’m aiming to complete one or two ultramarathons this year. Later in the year with the ultramarathons under my belt, I will move to more speed work. In the short term I’d love to get my 5k down to 21mins and my 10km down to 46mins. These times aren’t outrageous, they are both times that my watch thinks I could achieve given the right conditions. I have a stretch goal for under 20mins, that may be pushing it, we will see.
