54 ERIN CARSON 2019 FINISHER, IRONMAN 70.3 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
• ‘IN MY 50S, I don’t need volume. I need interval work and strength sessions to maintain speed, muscle strength and mobility.
‘I do a long run every 10 days or so instead of every Sunday. And I do mobility work most days and after every run, including foam-rolling. I also use Eric Goodman’s Foundation Training to activate my posterior muscle chain, anchor my hips and decompress my spine. In your 50s, you want a big open chest, supportive upper back muscles, and mobility to pump your arms and drive your speed.
‘I love heavy strength-training, like deadlifts, because you get a full-body hormonal response that lowers cortisol [a stress hormone that increases inflammation]. Twice a week I follow my run with four sets of six deadlifts.
‘My strategy now is to outwit, outplay and outlast my age group by staying strong. I’ve been able to maintain my speed in my 50s by putting as much focus into recovery as I do into the rest of my training. Sleep is when everything repairs, so I keep a consistent schedule and I protect my sleep quality by limiting alcohol to one glass of red wine at night and allowing two hours before bed to digest dinner.’ • THE EXPERTS SAY Build mobility to prevent injury, says sports medicine specialist Dr Jordan Metzl. ‘Muscles and connective tissues lose elasticity, which shortens your stride. People who only run tend to develop injuries, as they get tight and lose strength. Building mobility through your kinetic chain – all the muscles, ligaments, tendons and bones running the length of your body – is vital,’ he says. That’s especially true for women, because they start with less muscle than men. Managing stress is important, too, because lower levels of oestrogen can result in increased anxiety. Strength-train and get at least six hours’ sleep a night.