'We don't stop running because we get old. We get old because we stop running.'
Is it inevitable that our running performance slides as we get into our forties and beyond? Or are there things we can do to slow or even pause the decline, master our midlife and use experience as a superpower and become an ageless ace?
In Run Forever, record-breaking GB ultrarunner Damian Hall, fifty, examines the reasons why our strength and speed might deteriorate, yet how it isn't certain if we choose to do something about it. In running, like other sports, there have been phenomenal performances from masters athletes, and while ageing is unavoidable, how we age isn't. Becoming an ageless ace has potentially extraordinary healthspan and longevity benefits away from running.
Featuring chapters on speed, strength, mindset, sleep and nutrition, Hall draws on the knowledge of experts and shares the stories of other runners - including five-time Olympian and European 10,000 metres champion Jo Pavey, and record-breaking ultrarunner Nicky Spinks - to provide advice for how we can keep running strong and enjoying it for as long as possible. World-renowned sports dietitian, author and ultrarunner Renee McGregor explains how ageing affects female runners, especially around perimenopause and menopause, and leading strength and conditioning coach Pete Stables provides knowledge and exercises for the masters athlete.
Ageing is inevitable. Slowing down is optional. Run Forever gives you the tools to keep moving - stronger, smarter, longer.
Hall, Damian: - Damian Hall is a parent, accidental activist and record-breaking ultrarunner who has represented Great Britain and competed in some of the world's toughest races. His attempt to break into the top ten at the 105-mile Ultra-Trail du Mont Blanc was made into an award-winning film, Underdog; and the documentary Totally FKT followed him and John Kelly as they raced to break the Pennine Way record in 2020. Damian has also set records on the Paddy Buckley Round, the South West Coast Path, the Cape Wrath Trail, and Wainwright's Coast to Coast. He is a UK Athletics running coach and a widely published journalist who contributed regularly to Runner's World, Women's Running and Trail Running. His previous books include In It for the Long Run, A Year on the Run and the official National Trail guide to the Pennine Way. He is a big fan of midlife-crisis haircuts and tea.
McGregor, Renee: - Renee McGregor is a leading sports and eating disorder specialist dietitian with twenty years' experience working in clinical and performance nutrition. She has worked with athletes across the globe, including supporting Olympic (London 2012), Paralympic (Rio 2016) and Commonwealth (Queensland 2018) teams. Renee also works closely with English and Scottish National Ballet, leading on their diet advisory and supporting dancers of all ages and abilities. She is regularly asked to work directly with high-performing and professional athletes who have developed a dysfunctional relationship with food that is impacting their performance, health and career. Renee is also the founder of Team Renee McGregor, managing a team of practitioners specialising in supporting individuals and athletes of all levels and ages, coaches and sports science teams to provide nutritional strategies to enhance sports performance and manage eating disorders. This is reflected in her work on social media too, where she prides herself on proving an educational hub for both the professional and the everyday athlete. Renee is also a bestselling author of four books, including Training Food and Orthorexia: When Healthy Eating Goes Bad. When not inspiring others with her incredible work, Renee can be found running the mountains and chasing the trails, most likely training for a crazy ultramarathon.
