Predicting Master Running Success

If you are a Master's runner, do you ever wonder if you can achieve long-term excellence in your sport? A 2008 study surveyed some successful Master athletes and determined four factors are seen in successful Master athletes:

1. They maintain years of uninterrupted practice. The best Master athletes tend not to take a month/year off;

2. They have shorter off-seasons. Successful Masters tend to limit long lay-offs;

3. Spend more time practicing the sport than other athletes-particularly the preceding five years;

4. Tend to avoid injury.

This four points seem pretty common-sense. However, there are numerous implications and unanswered questions here.

How does a runner "tend to avoid injury" while still "practicing more than other athletes"? Does a higher amount of training increase injury risk for runners and other Master athletes? In other words, are success points #3 and #4 in conflict?

I will address these issues in future posts. Until then, train hard and train safe!

Young B, Medic N, Weir P, Starkes J., Explaining Performance in Elite Middle-Aged Runners:Contributions From Age and From Ongoing and Past Training Factors, Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 2008, 30, 737-754.