There are many excellent benefits to running in later life – it builds strength, reduces the risk of several diseases, including heart disease and cancer, and is a powerful antidote to depression. But, as we get older, it’s important that we take the realities of a mature body into account in order to avoid injury. Here’s how.

1. Set realistic goals
You may not feel a day over 40 mentally, but if you’re running into your 60s and 70s, it’s important to take your (real) age into consideration when setting exercise goals. You may have thought nothing of running five or six times a week in your youth, but putting your body under that much stress in later life is likely to leave you injured and unable to run for days, if not weeks. The answer? Cut down the frequency of your training as well as the distance you’re covering. On your ‘off’ days, try another form of exercise like walking, swimming, Pilates or yoga.

2. Warm up
Every. Single. Time. Why? Because running without a proper warm-up, especially as you get older and your muscles have less elasticity, is your quickest route to an injury. Verywellfit.com recommends kick starting your warm-up with a 5–10-minute walk or gentle jog followed by dynamic stretching like arm circles, heel raises and lunges.

3. …and cool down
Stretching or completing a series of yoga movements after a run, when your muscles are warm, can help to improve your flexibility, which in turn reduces your risk of injury.

4. Listen to your body
Don’t push yourself too hard. If your body feels like it’s taking strain, take some time to rest. If you’re in pain as a result of an injury for more than 8–10 days, make sure you get your doctor to check you over.

5. Build your strength
A natural consequence of aging is the loss of muscle mass, which causes additional strain on your joints. To combat this situation, which ultimately leads to injury, make time for weight training and include exercises like squats and lunges in your routine.

Thinking of taking up running?

It’s never too late to start, provided that you:

• Visit your doctor for a full physical and get the thumbs up to start your new exercise plan.
• Buy yourself a decent pair of running shoes that offer the right support.
• Start slowly. There are plenty of fitness apps that can help you navigate your way safely from the couch to running regular 5km routes.

And remember: Pay careful attention to your body and what it’s telling you along the way and make sure to rest when you feel like you may be overdoing things.