Major lessons learned in 35 years

(Gary Cohen, May 2008)

After thousands of miles, hundreds of races, untold numbers of track sessions, plenty of fartlek and tempo runs, reading articles and talking with runners of all ages and abilities, my brain is like a super computer that stores many gigabytes of running information. I have learned so much that it’s almost impossible to narrow it down to just several major lessons learned – but I’m going to try. I’ve broken down my 35 years of running into five year intervals and will relate one major lesson that roughly coincides with my age at the time.

Age 15: Health & fitness are keys to competing strongly. My first day of track practice as a high school sophomore included a mile time trial. I had no training, but seemed to have lots of endurance and always finished first when coaches had us run laps after basketball or football practice. I ran a solo 5:31 mile and the track coaches pronounced me a miler. I didn’t realize it that day, but 15 years of healthy eating and lots of exercise had prepared me to compete. With some specific training and many track meets, my mile time decreased to 4:45 in three months.

Age 20: The fastest runner doesn’t always win. There were two 220 yard laps left in the 1978 Southern Conference Indoor 3-mile race and I was in third place behind my teammate, defending champion Norman Blair, and Western Carolina’s Dennis Kaspryzk. They both had much more speed, so it didn’t look good for a victory. They were eying each other; both knew I couldn’t outkick them. I went into a full sprint with 330 yards to go. I never looked back as spectators were cheering and I saw my coach waving and yelling as the bell lap sounded. No one passed me and I ended up with a 20-yard victory. Afterward, Norman and Dennis said I caught them by such surprise that they couldn’t react.

Age 25: “Balance” is good, but makes it difficult to race at one’s potential. By age 24 I was married and working. My two children were born a few years later. I was still racing well, but couldn’t devote the energy and focus to running that I was able to when I was in school. Bill Rodgers said that no runner working full time could ever beat him. To further expand on his thoughts, no runner working full time can run at their ultimate potential.

Age 30: The days for personal records are gone. For runners who get started as adults, personal records can still be set for many years. But for those of us who raced at a high level in high school, college, and our early twenties, personal records are difficult to achieve as energy is spread amongst our balanced lives. I set two narrow PRs in my mid-to-late twenties. But that was it, and as I grew older I looked at setting new age group PRs.

Age 35: Competitiveness is in my blood. When I was younger I never thought much about competing as I grew older. I figured I’d become more of a fitness athlete. But I grew up as one of four competitive boys who worked to excel as students, athletes, and even at board games. Competitiveness was ingrained in me during my formative years. As much as I though about gearing down and running for fun, I just couldn’t do it.

Age 40: Weight training is vital for older athletes. When I was in college we supplemented our running with weight training, but I didn’t do much throughout my twenties and thirties. However, research showed that everyone loses muscle mass as they age into their forties and beyond. Also, strong muscles can often better handle the rigors of intense training sessions. So I added a regimen of upper body, core, and leg weight training. I feel it keeps me more fit and more able to handle my training volume and intensity.

Age 45: Trail running is great for the body, mind, & soul. Many older runners have become former runners. I have heard so many stories of aching joints that have forced some to stop running. The roads have pounded their bodies for so long that they can’t take any more. The shock absorbing properties of trail running, combined with non-repetitive foot strikes, extends the running life of our legs. Running in nature, away from the traffic and exhaust fumes of road running, keeps our mind fresh and soul filled with joy. Trail running is less like work and more like play.

Age 50: I don’t ever want to stop running. The greatest joy I have on a regular basis is when I’m out on a nice long run in the woods. Sometimes I’m alone and enjoy seeing nature, thinking, and praying. Other times when I’m with friends, conversation comes easily and the miles go by effortlessly. I don’t know how long I’ll be able to keep running, but I am doing everything I can to be healthy and stay fit so that I give myself the best possible chance of running for a long, long time.

These are eight major lessons I’ve learned over the past 35 years, but there are so many more. Also, a day doesn’t go by that I don’t learn something new about health, fitness, nutrition, training, or racing. The most important thing I have learned is that we can never stop learning. If someone stops learning, they have chosen to be on the path to decline. There is always something new to feed our brains. So, take these lessons to heart and keep on learning!

Maximize your running potential. For more information, visit www.garycohenrunning.com. Gary’s coaching philosophy emphasizes consistency and steady improvement through carefully planned, monitored, and executed training.