{"id":631275,"date":"2026-10-15T10:16:31","date_gmt":"2026-10-15T10:16:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/631275\/"},"modified":"2026-10-15T10:16:31","modified_gmt":"2026-10-15T10:16:31","slug":"he-started-running-at-53-and-ran-a-sub-3-hour-marathon-at-70-3-habits-worth-copying-as-you-age","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/631275\/","title":{"rendered":"He Started Running at 53 and Ran a Sub-3-Hour Marathon at 70 \u2013 3 Habits Worth Copying as You Age"},"content":{"rendered":"

Last year, at age 70, I trained for a 2:50 finish at the Chicago Marathon. I was hoping to break what was then the age-group world record \u2013 2:54:19 \u2013 by three or four minutes.<\/p>\n

My training had been going really well. Two weeks beforehand, I finished the Urban Cow Half Marathon in 1:20:57, maintaining an average pace of 6:10 min\/mile. In that race, I set US records<\/a> in the 70-74 age category not only in the half marathon<\/a>, but also in the 10-mile distance, with a split of 1:01:35.<\/p>\n

Running at 6:30 min\/mile after that should have felt comfortable in Chicago \u2013 and it did, until about mile 19. That\u2019s when my hamstring completely cramped. I stopped at the medical tent, where they massaged me and gave me electrolytes. I got back out there, but it kept tightening.<\/p>\n

After three or four attempts to continue, I decided to stop and walk off the course. I knew I could finish, but it wasn\u2019t going to be a record time anymore and I didn\u2019t want to risk getting injured again. In the past, I would have run through my injuries, but not anymore.<\/p>\n

\"Runner<\/p>\n

Courtesy Jacob Nur<\/p>\n

It was hard mentally, because I knew I had everything it took to break the record. But at the end of the day, if you fall, you have to get up. It was a disappointment, but it was temporary. I just moved forward.<\/p>\n

I came home to Sacramento, took a few weeks off, then started training again. I ran the California International Marathon (CIM) in December without doing too much more and finished in 2:59:01<\/a>, which placed me second<\/a> in the Abbott Age Group World Rankings and qualified me for the 2027 Age Group World Championships in Tokyo in March.<\/p>\n

This year, I\u2019m coming back to Chicago with my eye once again on the world record. There\u2019s a new one now \u2013 2:54:18<\/a> \u2013 which Korean runner Haeng-cheol Shin ran at the Seoul Marathon in March.<\/p>\n

All this success in running has been a dream, but it\u2019s not something I had in mind, either during my childhood in Eritrea or when I started running in my 50s.<\/p>\n

What Inspires Me to Break Records<\/p>\n

I\u2019m motivated to chase records because I\u2019ve learned that nothing is impossible. I\u2019m very thankful to have the talent I would not have discovered unless I went out and tried, then tried harder.<\/p>\n

I was born in Eritrea, which was then part of Ethiopia. I joined the rebels fighting for freedom at age 17 and fought in the jungle for five years. I was so fortunate to survive. An estimated 100,000 people died in that war, including many of my friends and my brother.<\/p>\n

When I finally left, I went to a few countries \u2013 Sudan, Saudi Arabia and then Italy \u2013 until I was accepted into the United States in 1984. I moved to Florida first, where another brother lived, then to California the following year.<\/p>\n

I was 29 years old and didn\u2019t speak any English. I took ESL classes while working two jobs, as a window washer and at a gas station. In 1986, I started going to community college. I got an associate\u2019s degree, then I was accepted to nursing school and earned a bachelor\u2019s degree.<\/p>\n

Eventually, I got a job with the Veterans Affairs Department. I had been a fighter, and these men had had similar experiences on the battlefield in the Vietnam War and other conflicts. We had so much in common, and talking to them healed me.<\/p>\n

Then I started working in oncology. I saw people who had a few weeks, a few months left in life, and they were laughing and doing things. It was amazing how happy and positive they were.<\/p>\n

So many of my patients through the years pushed to do the most they could despite their limitations. That gave me a lot of encouragement and appreciation of life. So here I am. What is there that I cannot do?<\/p>\n

I am forever grateful to Eritrea, my birthplace, for giving me the strength and shaping who I am, and to the United States for welcoming me, embracing me, believing in me and giving me the opportunity to pursue my dreams and build the great life I have today. I carry both countries in my heart, always.<\/p>\n

How Running Helped Me Take Charge of My Health<\/p>\n

I kept going in my career: I earned my master\u2019s degree in my 40s and was promoted to running departments at the hospital. Once I reached my 50s, I knew plenty about the risk of chronic diseases. As you get older, you\u2019re at risk of diabetes<\/a>, high cholesterol<\/a>, cardiovascular issues and dementia<\/a>.<\/p>\n

I was very aware that movement is essential. So I started exercising once or twice a week \u2013 going to the gym, lifting weights<\/a> and running on the treadmill<\/a>. But I didn\u2019t really have any structure to my training.<\/p>\n

After about two or three months, there was a guy who saw me run 10 miles on the treadmill. He said, \u2018Why don\u2019t you run a race?\u2019 I had no idea races were even happening in my community.<\/p>\n

I signed up for Run to Feed the Hungry in November 2008, when I was 53, without really training.<\/p>\n

I ran well, in my opinion. I finished the 10k<\/a> in 46:29, at a pace of 7:29 min\/mile \u2013 and I had a lot left in me. I thought, \u2018My goodness, this may be something.\u2019 The next year, I went on to do a half marathon and then another marathon, CIM, which I finished in 3:53:41.<\/p>\n

After that, I joined a team and got plenty of training advice. I\u2019m a go-get-it kind of person. I committed myself, talked to people and dreamed about what might be possible. I started a structured training plan, adding threshold runs, speed training and cross-training. I finished CIM in 2:57:23 in 2011, cutting almost an hour off my time from two years earlier. Every marathon I\u2019ve run since has been sub-three hours.<\/p>\n

Thirteen years after I started running, I set my first US age-group record. I went back to the race where I started, Run to Feed the Hungry, in 2021 and ran 35:42, at a pace of 5:45 min\/mile \u2013 faster than any US man aged between 65 and 69 had gone before. I worked hard to get there, but I knew it was attainable.<\/p>\n

I looked into some of the other records and thought, \u2018Maybe I can break those, too.\u2019 By the time I turned 70, I had four national records<\/a> in the 65-69 age group, including the 5K (17:00), 10 miles (58:34) and half marathon (1:18:00). When I was 66, I ran my marathon personal best, 2:45:21, and won my age group at the 2022 Boston Marathon.<\/p>\n

The more I did, the more I learned about myself. I have good endurance and I have speed. Growing up at high altitude in Eritrea probably played a role. But it\u2019s also my mental state and mental toughness. Going above and beyond helps, and I continue to do that \u2013 getting up at 5am to train when I\u2019d rather stay in bed and doing speed workouts with other runners, some of them much younger than I am. Once I break one record, I train harder to break another.<\/p>\n

Adjustments Allow for Big Goals<\/p>\n

I have had to change a few things about my training in my 70s, especially since Chicago last year. I don\u2019t have an official coach, but I\u2019ve taken advice from many people over the years, including the amazing teammates at the club I belong to now, SRA (Sacramento Running Association) Elite<\/a>.<\/p>\n

To start, I reduced my mileage. Last year, I was averaging 70 miles per week, but this year I\u2019m closer to 60. I run six days a week, and I used to do four hard workouts \u2013 a long run, a speed workout<\/a> and two tempo runs<\/a>. Now, I only do three: one speed workout, one tempo run and one long run.<\/p>\n

I reserve Sundays for long runs, up to 20 miles during marathon training, often with some marathon-pace miles. Tuesdays are my speed days, just to keep the VO2 max<\/a> up. I love my speed workouts, especially with friends or other members of SRA Elite. As I was sharpening for the marathon, I did six 800m repeats at a pace of 5:44 min\/mile, with three minutes of rest in between. It felt good \u2013 it felt doable.<\/p>\n

I do tempo work on Thursdays for at least 20 to 30 minutes. Friday is my day off and the other days are easy runs<\/a>, where I don\u2019t push myself.<\/p>\n

I also do a lot of cross-training, probably eight to 10 hours a week. I have time because I retired a few years ago. I do spin classes, strength classes, Pilates<\/a>, boxing<\/a> and yoga. My wife, Feruz Abduselam, is very into yoga, too. We go to classes together, but we also practise at home. Yoga clears my mind and I believe it helps prevent injury.<\/p>\n

We walk<\/a> a lot, too \u2013 several miles, three or four times a week. Sometimes, I go to the bike trails and walk and do push-ups<\/a> on the bench, as well as squats<\/a>, which adds some strength and keeps it from getting boring.<\/p>\n

Now, at age 71, I have no chronic diseases. I check all my labs. I have a very supportive primary care physician, and I see him as needed when any symptom worries me. My health is really good, with just a little bit of arthritis, which isn\u2019t affecting my training. My knee hurt more before I started running.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m hopeful I get to break the record in Chicago. If not, I\u2019m happy with what I\u2019ve done so far, though I plan to continue digging deeper.<\/p>\n

This year, I\u2019m registered for the New York City Marathon and CIM, too. I\u2019ve also signed up for a 50k in February, where I\u2019m fairly certain I can break the US age-group record of 3:56:44.<\/p>\n

I\u2019d also like to lower my mile time. It\u2019s 5:32, a record-breaking time I ran in May, but I\u2019d like to shave a few seconds off it. Eventually, I\u2019d like to get the record in the 50-miler, too.<\/p>\n

For me, running and racing is not a duty or a responsibility; it\u2019s enjoyable. There is a little bit of pain to it, but it\u2019s a joyful pain. It\u2019s a way to explore the world and learn about yourself.<\/p>\n

\"An<\/p>\n

Courtesy Jacob Nur<\/p>\n

I always have a little jitter, a little nervousness before a race starts. But once I get to the starting line, that goes away; I\u2019m ready to go and I\u2019m excited. I give it 100%. I think of my wife, my children, teammates and everyone who has supported me. I remember everything that happened in my childhood \u2013 the limited resources, the limited food, the limited opportunities \u2013 and that gives me strength.<\/p>\n

3 Tips for Running Faster in Your 70s1. Keep Your Joints Moving<\/p>\n

I start warming up and lubricating my joints before I even get out of bed. I spend close to 10 minutes moving my hips, legs and glutes. I also do neck mobility to get rid of any stiffness.<\/p>\n

When I get up, I do some easy yoga. Then I do foam rolling and dynamic stretching. I touch every muscle group in my body \u2013 I do leg swings and work on my plantar fascia with a massage ball to get blood flow to my feet. I also have an incline board where I stretch my calf.<\/p>\n

Before a speed workout, I do lots of stretching with a band, too.<\/p>\n

2. Address Injuries Quickly<\/p>\n

I visit my physical therapist once or twice a month to maintain healthy mobility. I address any injuries right away, because I know they\u2019re not going to just go away. I get advice from my PT or my chiropractor about whether I should be running and how to treat it.<\/p>\n

A couple of months before the Chicago Marathon, I strained my adductor in the middle of a long run. I stopped and did all the right things \u2013 resting, stretching, strengthening and seeing my therapists. In about 10 days, I was nearly back to 100%.<\/p>\n

3. Don\u2019t Skimp on Sleep<\/p>\n

Naps are an essential part of my recovery. After I run, I come home, shower, then take a nap. I sleep long enough to recover, usually about an hour. Naps clear out the aches and pains and my legs feel so much fresher. If I miss my nap, I go to bed an hour early.<\/p>\n

I try to get at least eight hours of sleep, minimum. Your body does so much work at night to help your systems reset. You also get mental clarity after you rest.<\/p>\n

\"Headshot<\/p>\n

Cindy<\/a> is a freelance health and fitness writer, author, and podcaster who\u2019s contributed regularly to Runner\u2019s World since 2013. She\u2019s the coauthor of both Breakthrough Women\u2019s Running: Dream Big and Train Smart and Rebound: Train Your Mind to Bounce Back Stronger from Sports Injuries, a book about the psychology of sports injury from Bloomsbury Sport. Cindy specializes in covering injury prevention and recovery, everyday athletes accomplishing extraordinary things, and the active community in her beloved Chicago, where winter forges deep bonds between those brave enough to train through it.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Last year, at age 70, I trained for a 2:50 finish at the Chicago Marathon. I was hoping…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":631276,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[37],"tags":[565,199388,134,78415,111,139,69],"class_list":["post-631275","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-fitness","tag-fitness","tag-fitr","tag-health","tag-loveservice","tag-new-zealand","tag-newzealand","tag-nz"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/631275","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=631275"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/631275\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/631276"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=631275"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=631275"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=631275"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}