I have been running for the past 49 years (started at 28), and I have never strength trained. I have completed 17 marathons, as many half marathons, and many more 5Ks and 10Ks. I have no desire to strength train and will probably not start anytime soon.
You are a step ahead of a lot of people in recognising that life is seasonal.
Most people have an "ideal life investment profile" - what they see as a perfect spread of where they spend their time. Unfortunately they measure themselves against this ideal and put a lot of pressure on themselves to do it all. The challenge is realising that the "real investment profile" is different at various stages of their lives. It's all about making intentional choices about what they are going to do and choosing to do it. This also mean letting go of those things they are not going to do - for the season at least.
What makes me feel truly alive? A run in nature. I have never found a better answer. And when I ignore the call of running, I ultimately regret it. And I would speculate most runners feel the same. At the age of 79, I am starting over again because I no longer feel truly alive. And that's a feeling I can no longer tolerate...
Okay there’s a lot going on there, Clark! I’m all ears if you feel like sharing more. (Though I feel that too sometimes; I feel like I go through cycles with that!)
Nothing profound or worrisome. I just know how much better I can feel and my daily one hour walks aren't cutting it. I did a very slow, deliberate 2 mile run today on dirt trails and was thriving the rest of the day. Whatever aches or pains will surely visit this aging body are well worth it. Thanks for checking in. My only unsolicited advice: don't get out of shape. The incline to aerobic fitness gets steeper as we age. Stick with it Terrell. Make it one of life's "non-negotiables".
This resonates for me! I was getting back into running after healing from some injuries when, in March 2025, I got into the NYC marathon by the lottery. I hadn't planned on doing anything close to the marathon again until I slowly built up to it over a couple of years. But I got in, so I just HAD to run it! So I trained during the year, had some setbacks in my training, and barely finished it after 7+ hours. A month or two later, I started to run a couple of times, and I would up in pain. I don't have the money for PT, so I just stopped for a while. And I felt some depression about that.
Then I came up with a plan. I'd start with strength training and get some of my resilience back before starting to run again. I'd start with just body-weight at first, 10-15 minutes a day, just to build the routine, and then I'll slowly add on. But even starting that has been on and off. And this gut isn't getting any smaller. I'm struggling.
So thanks, Terrell, for posting about your struggle. It helps.
Derek, I feel you big time, on everything you've written above. Life just gets so full sometimes, there's a lot to juggle -- and you trained for the NYC Marathon in the midst of all of that! That's an accomplishment, even if it took you 7 hours. You still finished it!
I try to remember that line from the 90s/00s movie Vanilla Sky: "every day is a chance to turn it all around," you know? I try to acknowledge the struggle while always remaining hopeful... some days it works, some days it doesn't. But you just never know, you know? I'm right there with you, my friend 🙌
After 17 consecutive years (there was a brief 18 month window where I could barely walk after a cycling crash during a 150 mile ride, but that’s a story for some other time) of year-round running, I now have a running related injury. Well I don’t know for sure if it is running related yet. Some pain popped up in February, but I ignored it and continued running 40-50 miles a week to ensure nothing got in the way of my running the 2026 Boston Marathon. I waited to have that pain checked out in June, about five months after it first showed up. Luckily the pain only surfaced when I engaged my core muscles when I initiated a run or sat up or coughed.
The doctors are trying to figure out what’s causing the pain, maybe some core muscle micro-tears, but I’ll know more soon. Until then, I have some PT and brisk walking to do. I’m anxious to get back on the street, but I have to be patient so I can be ready to buildup miles and run the 2026 Chicago Marathon.
So far this year, I’ve run 802 miles, hopefully soon I can resume running.
Carlos, I'm seriously in awe, my friend. You clearly have a drive and a stick-to-it-iveness the rest of us can learn a lot from. I hope your pain subsides soon and your doctors figure out what's going on. Hope to maybe meet you on the roads someday! 🙌
I feel like the universe put this article in front of my face, and it was written just for me. I ran a half-marathon in May (the day before I turned 53), and ever since that, I wake up, look at my running shoes sitting and waiting for me, and decide to sleep in for another hour. I was hating myself for doing it, and feeling like "I used to be a runner." Your article helped me check myself, and accept that, "yeah, I'm still a runner, I'm just taking a break right now." Thank you for this.
I know the feeling!! When I started this job back in March, I promised myself I'd be able to get up at 6:00 am every day and go run. Well... that hasn't worked out so well! I'm about to make a change to my commute so it'll be a lot shorter, and hopefully I'll be able to get in more runs during the week. But sometimes you realize there are only 24 hours in the day, you know? I totally feel where you're coming from -- sometimes you just need to take a break. I know you'll be back someday soon :)
Once again, you write a posting about running, and it really is about life. I am at a point right now where I needed to hear what you had to say about exercise. Thank you.
I just started running 4 days ago and completely forgot I’m subscribed to this Substack. I saw a notification and immediately remembered how I use to follow this page judiciously some years ago. I have never understood the benefits of running , but now that I do run, I have come to appreciate how much of a hard discipline it is and why I need to keep pushing. Life is truly seasonal. I’m glad to be back here.
I have been running for the past 49 years (started at 28), and I have never strength trained. I have completed 17 marathons, as many half marathons, and many more 5Ks and 10Ks. I have no desire to strength train and will probably not start anytime soon.
Jim Newtobn
You are a step ahead of a lot of people in recognising that life is seasonal.
Most people have an "ideal life investment profile" - what they see as a perfect spread of where they spend their time. Unfortunately they measure themselves against this ideal and put a lot of pressure on themselves to do it all. The challenge is realising that the "real investment profile" is different at various stages of their lives. It's all about making intentional choices about what they are going to do and choosing to do it. This also mean letting go of those things they are not going to do - for the season at least.
What makes me feel truly alive? A run in nature. I have never found a better answer. And when I ignore the call of running, I ultimately regret it. And I would speculate most runners feel the same. At the age of 79, I am starting over again because I no longer feel truly alive. And that's a feeling I can no longer tolerate...
Okay there’s a lot going on there, Clark! I’m all ears if you feel like sharing more. (Though I feel that too sometimes; I feel like I go through cycles with that!)
Nothing profound or worrisome. I just know how much better I can feel and my daily one hour walks aren't cutting it. I did a very slow, deliberate 2 mile run today on dirt trails and was thriving the rest of the day. Whatever aches or pains will surely visit this aging body are well worth it. Thanks for checking in. My only unsolicited advice: don't get out of shape. The incline to aerobic fitness gets steeper as we age. Stick with it Terrell. Make it one of life's "non-negotiables".
This resonates for me! I was getting back into running after healing from some injuries when, in March 2025, I got into the NYC marathon by the lottery. I hadn't planned on doing anything close to the marathon again until I slowly built up to it over a couple of years. But I got in, so I just HAD to run it! So I trained during the year, had some setbacks in my training, and barely finished it after 7+ hours. A month or two later, I started to run a couple of times, and I would up in pain. I don't have the money for PT, so I just stopped for a while. And I felt some depression about that.
Then I came up with a plan. I'd start with strength training and get some of my resilience back before starting to run again. I'd start with just body-weight at first, 10-15 minutes a day, just to build the routine, and then I'll slowly add on. But even starting that has been on and off. And this gut isn't getting any smaller. I'm struggling.
So thanks, Terrell, for posting about your struggle. It helps.
Derek, I feel you big time, on everything you've written above. Life just gets so full sometimes, there's a lot to juggle -- and you trained for the NYC Marathon in the midst of all of that! That's an accomplishment, even if it took you 7 hours. You still finished it!
I try to remember that line from the 90s/00s movie Vanilla Sky: "every day is a chance to turn it all around," you know? I try to acknowledge the struggle while always remaining hopeful... some days it works, some days it doesn't. But you just never know, you know? I'm right there with you, my friend 🙌
I’ve not been able to run the past three weeks.
After 17 consecutive years (there was a brief 18 month window where I could barely walk after a cycling crash during a 150 mile ride, but that’s a story for some other time) of year-round running, I now have a running related injury. Well I don’t know for sure if it is running related yet. Some pain popped up in February, but I ignored it and continued running 40-50 miles a week to ensure nothing got in the way of my running the 2026 Boston Marathon. I waited to have that pain checked out in June, about five months after it first showed up. Luckily the pain only surfaced when I engaged my core muscles when I initiated a run or sat up or coughed.
The doctors are trying to figure out what’s causing the pain, maybe some core muscle micro-tears, but I’ll know more soon. Until then, I have some PT and brisk walking to do. I’m anxious to get back on the street, but I have to be patient so I can be ready to buildup miles and run the 2026 Chicago Marathon.
So far this year, I’ve run 802 miles, hopefully soon I can resume running.
Carlos, I'm seriously in awe, my friend. You clearly have a drive and a stick-to-it-iveness the rest of us can learn a lot from. I hope your pain subsides soon and your doctors figure out what's going on. Hope to maybe meet you on the roads someday! 🙌
I feel like the universe put this article in front of my face, and it was written just for me. I ran a half-marathon in May (the day before I turned 53), and ever since that, I wake up, look at my running shoes sitting and waiting for me, and decide to sleep in for another hour. I was hating myself for doing it, and feeling like "I used to be a runner." Your article helped me check myself, and accept that, "yeah, I'm still a runner, I'm just taking a break right now." Thank you for this.
I know the feeling!! When I started this job back in March, I promised myself I'd be able to get up at 6:00 am every day and go run. Well... that hasn't worked out so well! I'm about to make a change to my commute so it'll be a lot shorter, and hopefully I'll be able to get in more runs during the week. But sometimes you realize there are only 24 hours in the day, you know? I totally feel where you're coming from -- sometimes you just need to take a break. I know you'll be back someday soon :)
Once again, you write a posting about running, and it really is about life. I am at a point right now where I needed to hear what you had to say about exercise. Thank you.
I completely agree! I feel the same way in my life right now, too. Your words have also brought me comfort and reassurance. Thank you 😊
Thank you so much, Selina! It honestly means a lot to hear that! 🙌
Thank you SO much for those lovely words, Fran!! 🙏
I just started running 4 days ago and completely forgot I’m subscribed to this Substack. I saw a notification and immediately remembered how I use to follow this page judiciously some years ago. I have never understood the benefits of running , but now that I do run, I have come to appreciate how much of a hard discipline it is and why I need to keep pushing. Life is truly seasonal. I’m glad to be back here.
So glad you never unsubscribed, Obi! Really good to have you back 🙌