Is a ramp-up in running a smart idea at 70+ years old?

DEAR DR. ROACH » My running friends and I are in our mid-70s (with a couple of 80-plus guys), and we continue to run, albeit at a much-reduced pace. All of us have been running for about 40 years and used to be pretty good marathoners/10K racers. We now run usually three times a week, with a total of 12-14 miles weekly, around our local park. After a walking warmup, we run perhaps a half-mile and then walk a while, followed by run/walk conversation intervals. I know I need to walk when I feel my heart start to labor and my breathing becomes ragged. One of our number wants to “train up” to running an entire 3-mile loop without stopping. I say this is dangerous. He says at the pace we run, it’s not a problem. Who’s right? And do you have any thoughts or advice for us codgers? — R.W. DEAR READER » Regular exercise helps maintain many body functions, reduces cancer and heart disease, and can foster a sense of well-being. Exercise can be done safely at any age; however, it is prudent for both men and women in their 70s and older to take some precautions when exercising. The first is in duration of exercise. People who exercise for long periods of time are at risk for overdoing it. People can lose too much fluid, which is particularly harmful for older people, whose hearts and kidneys do not work as well as they did when they were in their 20s. There also is some evidence that the benefit of exercise to the heart can diminish or even go away at very high levels of exercise (more than 8-10 miles daily).

The second is in intensity. Trying to push a body to extremes is not wise at any age, but it can lead to injury or, in people so predisposed, to heart attack. Measuring the heart rate is one way to monitor intensity (ideally, done with your physician’s advice), but the old-fashioned way of slowing down when you can’t talk in full sentences remains valid.

With that in mind, I would say that 3 miles is probably NOT overdoing it for a healthy older man, as long as he is building up slowly and monitoring himself. Perhaps most important is that he’s honest enough to mention to his doctor if he feels something in his heart or breathing that makes him concerned.

READERS » The booklet on Alzheimer’s disease gives a detailed presentation of this common illness. Readers can obtain a copy by writing: Dr. Roach Book No. 903 628 Virginia Dr. Orlando, FL 32803 Enclose a check or money order (no cash) for $4.75 U.S./$6 Can. with the recipient’s printed name and address. Please allow four weeks for delivery.