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How Aging Impacts Runners’ Goals of Lifelong Running Cover

How Aging Impacts Runners’ Goals of Lifelong Running

Physical Activity and Health
Volume 3 (2019): Issue 1
By: Scott Murr and  Bill Pierce  
Open Access
|Sep 2019

Figures & Tables

Table 1

Number and Percentage of Survey Respondents.

ParticipantsMFAll
Surveyed146119265
Respondents10679185
Response Rate72.6%66.4%69.8%
Table 2

Workshop Participants and Survey Respondents-Female Demographics.

Femalesnage(years)height (cm)weight (kg)BMIBody fat (%)VO2MAX(ml/kg/min)
Participants13346.4 ± 8.3164.4 ± 6.360.8 ± 8.922.5 ± 2.726.0 ± 7.543.5 ± 6.4
Respondents7946.9 ± 7.6164.7 ± 6.260.3 ± 8.322.5 ± 2.925.3 ± 7.244.2 ± 5.9
p valuep = .67p = .99p = .54p = .39
Table 3

Workshop Participants and Survey Respondents-Male Demographics.

Malenage (years)height (cm)weight (kg)BMIBody fat (%)VO2MAX(ml/kg/min)
Participants16450.5 ± 8.9177.4 ± 7.077.9 ± 10.124.7 ± 2.920.6 ± 7.448.2 ± 7.2
Respondents10651.1 ± 8.9177.2 ± 7.677.6 ± 10.324.6 ± 3.020.7 ± 7.547.6 ± 9.9
p valuep = .61p = .91p = .95p = .78
Table 4

Survey Respondents Still Running by Age Group and Gender.

AgeAll RespondentsStill RunningPercent Still Running
MFAllMFAllMFAll
<60 yrs.5965124545911392%91%91%
≥60 yrs.47146141125387%86%87%
All10679185957116690%90%90%
Table 5

Male Respondents Running Status by Age Group.

Age GroupStill RunningNo Longer Running
<60 yrs.54 (91.5%)5 (8.5%)
≥60 yrs.41 (87.2%)6 (12.8%)

[i] Note: Χ2 (1) = .518 p = .47 Numbers in parentheses indicate row percentages.

* p < .05 There is no difference in the percentage of respondents still running related to age group.

Table 6

Female Respondents Running Status by Age Group.

Age GroupStill RunningNo Longer Running
<60 yrs.59 (90.8%)6 (9.2%)
≥60 yrs.12 (85.7%)2 (14.3%)

[i] Note: Χ2 (1) = .323 p = .57 Numbers in parentheses indicate row percentages.

* p < .05 There is no difference in the percentage of female respondents still running related to age group.

Table 7

Current vs. Previous Number of Weekly Runs by Age Group and Gender.

Age GroupAverage Runs per Week CurrentlyAverage Runs per Week 10 Years Ago
MFAllMFAll
<60 yrs.3.153.383.273.083.773.43
≥60 yrs.2.802.922.823.454.083.60
Table 8

Average Weekly Running: Current vs. 10 years Ago by Age Group-Male.

Age GroupAverage Current Weekly RunsAverage Weekly Runs 10 Years Earlierp value
<60 yrs. (n = 52)3.15 ± 1.433.08 ± 2.37p = .58
*≥60 yrs. (n = 39)2.80 ± 1.033.45 ± 1.87p = .03

[i] * p < .05 One-tailed t-test. The 60 or older age group has a significantly lower average number of runs. The less than 60 age group does not have a significantly lower average number of weekly runs.

Table 9

Average Weekly Running: Current vs. 10 years Ago by Age Group-Female.

Age GroupAverage Current Weekly RunsAverage Weekly Runs 10 Years Earlierp value
<60 yrs. (n = 53)3.38 ± 1.183.77 ± 2.10p = .12
*≥60 yrs. (n = 12)2.92 ± 1.084.08 ± 1.62p = .03

[i] * p < .05 One-tailed t-test. The 60 or older age group has a significantly lower average number of runs. The less than 60 age group does not have a significantly lower average number of weekly runs.

Table 10

Current vs. Previous Annual Racing Frequency by Age Group and Gender.

Age GroupAverage Races per Year CurrentlyAverage Races per Year 10 Years Ago
MFAllMFAll
<60 yrs.4.544.194.363.925.584.76
≥60 yrs.3.644.833.924.376.414.85
Table 11

Average Annual Races: Current vs. 10 years Ago by Age Group-Male.

Age GroupAverage Current Annual RunsAverage Annual Runs 10 Years Earlierp value
<60 yrs. (n = 52)4.54 ± 5.293.92 ± 4.33p = .23
*≥60 yrs. (n = 39)3.64 ± 4.424.37 ± 4.08p = .74

[i] * p < .05 One-tailed t-test. Neither age group has a lower average number of annual races.

Table 12

Average Annual Races: Current vs. 10 years Ago by Age Group-Female.

Age GroupAverage Current Annual RunsAverage Annual Runs 10 Years Earlierp value
<60 yrs. (n = 53)4.19 ± 4.405.58 ± 6.87p = .23
*≥60 yrs. (n = 12)4.83 ± 4.436.41 ± 5.90p = .11

[i] * p < .05 One-tailed t-test. Neither age group has a lower average number of annual races.

Table 13

Selected Modes of Cross-Training.

Cross-Training ModesMFAll
Cycling71%58%66%
Swimming30%24%28%
Rowing33%40%36%
Cardio Machines32%31%32%
Yoga22%45%31%
Other40%57%47%
Table 14

Injury by Age Group and Gender.

AgeNot InjuredInjured% Injured
MFMFMF
<60 yrs.2728323654%56%
≥60 yrs.14533970%64%
All4133654561%58%
Table 15

Injury by Age Group-Male.

Age GroupNot InjuredInjured
<60 yrs.27 (45.8%)32 (54.2%)
≥60 yrs.14 (29.8%)33 (70.2%)

[i] Note: Χ2 (1) = 2.815 p = .09 Numbers in parentheses indicate row percentages.

* p < .05 There is no statistically significant difference in the percentage of male injury by age group.

Table 16

Injury by Age Group-Female.

Age GroupNot InjuredInjured
<60 yrs.28 (43.8%)36 (56.2%)
≥60 yrs.5 (35.7%)9 (64.3%)

[i] Note: Χ2 (1) = .304 p = .58 Numbers in parentheses indicate row percentages.

* p < .05 There is no statistically significant difference in the percentage of female injury by age group.

Table 17

Injury Interruption by Age Group-Male.

Age GroupNone or Less than 3 Months3 Months or More
<60 yrs.38 (64.4%)21 (35.6%)
≥60 yrs.28 (59.6%)19 (40.4%)

[i] Note: Χ2 (1) = .260 p = .61 Numbers in parentheses indicate row percentages.

* p < .05 There is no difference in the percentage of male injury duration interruptions related to age group.

Table 18

Injury Interruption by Age Group-Female.

Age GroupNone or Less than 3 Months3 Months or More
<60 yrs.42 (65.6%)22 (34.4%)
≥60 yrs.7 (50.0%)7 (50.0%)

[i] Note: Χ2 (1) = 1.20 p =.27 Numbers in parentheses indicate row percentages.

* p < .05 There is no difference in the percentage of female injury duration interruptions related to age group.

Table 19

Current BMI Classification for Survey Respondents by Age Group and Gender.

Age GroupUnderweight (<18.5)Healthy (18.5–24.9)Overweight (25.0–29.9)Obese (≥30.0)
MFMFMFMF
<60 yrs.0%6.7%54.2%80.0%33.9%13.3%11.9%0%
≥60 yrs.2.1%7.1%61.7%85.7%27.7%7.1%8.5%0%
Table 20

Healthy Weight or Underweight Runners Who Changed Classifications.

Age GroupUnderweight To HealthyHealthy to UnderweightHealthy to OverweightHealthy to Obese
MFMFMFMF
<60 yrs.0%1.7%0%1.7%1.7%5.0%1.7%0%
≥60 yrs.0%1.7%2.1%1.7%2.1%0%0%0%
Table 21

Overweight or Obese Runners Who Changed Classification.

Age GroupOverweight To HealthyOverweight to ObeseObese to Overweight
MFMFMF
<60 yrs.3.3%6.7%5.1%0%1.7%1.7%
≥60 yrs.12.8%0%8.5%0%2.1%0%
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5334/paah.42 | Journal eISSN: 2515-2270
Journal RSS Feed
Language: English
Submitted on: Jul 5, 2019
Accepted on: Jul 31, 2019
Published on: Sep 16, 2019
Published by: Ubiquity Press
In partnership with: Paradigm Publishing Services
Publication frequency: 1 issue per year
Keywords:
running,
BMI,
active aging,
physical activity

© 2019 Scott Murr, Bill Pierce, published by Ubiquity Press
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

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