COACH’S CORNER – ‘OLD BUGGER’ RUNNING

Kate Dzienis • October 24, 2018

COACH’S CORNER IS A NEW FEATURE FOR OUR AURA MEMBERS, WHERE QUALIFIED TRAINED PROFESSIONALS PROVIDE YOU WITH ADVICE AND TIPS ON IMPROVING AND ENHANCING YOUR ULTRA RUNNING PERFORMANCE.

I am often asked how it is that at my age I am still running ultra marathons – don’t my knees and ankles hurt or get worn out? People are still telling me that in a few years’ time I will suffer badly from arthritis! Perhaps it’s just I’m blessed with good musculoskeletal genetics; that may be the case but I prefer to believe that I look after myself and train reasonably sensibly (for me). So what does ‘reasonably sensibly’ mean and can it apply to other old buggers, like you?

Conventional wisdom appears to be that as you age:

Do less: Long runs
Do more: Cross-training
Do less: Days per week of running
Do more: Quality workouts
Do less: All-out sprints
Do more: Intermittent intervals
Do less: Frequent racing
Do more: Selective racing

All of this sounds logical, even sensible, but as we know everyone is different and what works for one person does not work for another.

The two main reasons given for us getting slower have to do with

Fast and slow twitch muscles (as you age you lose fast twitch muscles)
The muscles decreasing ability to repair (recover) and adapt after training/racing

It’s difficult to record here what my typical weekly training is because it varies depending on the phase I am in (maintenance, specific race prep, improve endurance, improve speed etc), but in the maintenance phase I will be looking at doing 100 to 130ks a week which is made up of the following mandated outings – two interval sessions, one tempo session and one long slow run.

I normally run six days a week so the remaining kilometres are made up of gentle efforts of somewhere between 10 and 20ks

As the years are passing, I am becoming more convinced of the need to include specific strength training into the routine, so three times a week I will do a strength session (with weights) that covers two of: legs, upper body and core.

In relation to the second reason why we slow as we age (slower recovery and adaption after exercise), I try to spread the training out over the day/week and do regular stretching and rolling.

I also monitor my heart rate during the more gentle sessions, so that I run burning predominantly fat, as opposed to trying to run at a specific pace.

If you need any more information head to Keith’s Run Training Facebook page and leave a message.

< Older Post

Newer Post >

Australian Mountain and Trail Running Championships 2027

By Jin Kato • July 8, 2026

The world-class trails of Kunanyi/Mt Wellington will play centre-stage for one of the country’s fastest-growing sports, after the Kunanyi Mountain Run (KMR) was awarded the hosting rights for the first-ever combined Australian Mountain and Trail Running Championships (AMTRC). KMR was awarded the National Championships after a competitive bid process, overseen by the Australian Ultra and Trail Running Association (AUTRA) and Australian Athletics (AA). AUTRA President, John Claridge, said that KMR “offered everything we were looking for”. “World-class trails, proven event management and a passionate community. It provides the perfect stage for Australia's first combined National Trail Championships," he said. It’s expected that Australia’s elite mountain and trail running athletes, and support crew, will travel to Hobart, as they vie for a spot in the Australian team that competes at the 2027 World Mountain and Trail Running Championships. "This is a landmark moment for trail running in Australia,” Mr Claridge said. "We're excited about what this championship represents; not just next year, but for the future of trail running in Australia... helping grow the sport and inspire the next generation of trail runners." The 2027 AMTRC at KMR will be the first time that all championship distances have been held together, at the one festival. “It aligns us more closely with the way World Championships are presented, creating a stronger pathway for athletes and raising the profile of the sport,” Mr Claridge said. KMR, a 3-day trail running festival which has been held annually since 2022, expects to draw more than 1500 runners and hikers from across Tasmania, Australia and internationally next year. The AMTRC will be embedded within KMR’s existing event program, allowing elite athletes to compete for the national titles, while sharing the same spectacular trails and event-experience as recreational runners. “We’re honoured to have been selected as host,” KMR’s founder and director, Lincoln Quilliam said. “KMR continues to welcome runners, and hikers, of all abilities. From the elites who want to represent Australia on the world stage, the group of mates or work colleagues who run the team relay together, the mums returning to running after having a baby, as well as those who are trying trail running for the very first time,” Mr Quilliam said. Tasmanian runner, Jessica Collins, who has represented Australia, said it was exciting news for KMR, Tasmania and the sport. “This is such a great opportunity for Australian athletes. I’ve run many of the KMR events and know the courses and the terrain are on par with what we see at the World Champs,” she said. The City of Hobart has supported Kunanyi Mountain Run since its inception, and Lord Mayor Anna Reynolds said she was “thrilled” with the news. “Events like this not only showcase the natural beauty of our region but also reinforce Hobart’s reputation as a vibrant destination for world-class outdoor experiences.” The 2026 edition of KMR brought in $4 million to the Tasmanian economy, generating more than 8000 bed nights across the state, which Alex Heroys, Chief Executive of Destination Southern Tasmania, said was a “significant return for the visitor economy”. “Kunanyi / Mount Wellington is one of Tasmania’s great natural assets, and the Kunanyi Mountain Run shows exactly how powerful events can be in driving regional tourism,” he said. “We have an epic mountain right on Hobart’s doorstep, an airport less than 30 minutes away, and a city that is well set up to welcome thousands of visiting athletes, support crews and spectators.” “This event also reinforces Tasmania’s growing reputation as a world-class trail running destination. With steep, technical trails and real mountain terrain, Kunanyi offers conditions that are genuinely comparable to what athletes will experience at the World Championships, making it an ideal place to compete, train and visit.” For more information: Kunanyi Mountain Run Dates: 19-21 March 2027 Pic credit: David Nolan & Ryan Slater