What makes it difficult to run as we age past 80?

In fact, the difficulty of running as we age is not just a simple issue of stamina. It's because the entire body system changes.

As we age, muscle naturally decreases. Particularly, leg muscles weaken, making high-intensity movements like running more difficult.

By the age of 90, it is said that muscle mass decreases by about 40-50% compared to when we were younger. The heart and lungs are not what they used to be. Running requires the heart to pump vigorously and the lungs to supply oxygen quickly, but aging lowers heart rate and reduces lung capacity.

At 90, bones become weaker and joints stiffen. Especially, areas like the knees and hips weaken, reducing the ability to absorb shock. Just a little overexertion can lead to injury, signaling the body to "not run" at all.

Running requires quickly throwing the body forward while maintaining balance, right? However, as we age, the brain and nervous system's reaction speed slows down. This instinctively makes us unable to run for fear of falling, causing us to stop frequently.

The speed at which energy is produced in the body also slows down. What used to feel fine after running for 5 minutes now feels exhausting after just 30 seconds.

In summary, muscle weakening, decreased cardiovascular ability, weakened bones and joints, reduced sense of balance, and decreased energy - these five factors collectively make running difficult.

How long would it take a 90-year-old to run 100 meters?

Typically, we think running itself would be hard at 90, but there are actually people who participate in 100-meter running competitions. There are even world records.

The currently known world record for 90-year-olds in the 100 meters is about 18-22 seconds.

Notable records include:

  • Japan's 'Hirooka Masami' set a record of 21.69 seconds in the 90-94 age group in 2015.

  • Also, America's 'Grandpa Dickinson' set an incredible record of 18.08 seconds at age 90.

For reference:

  • Typically, a healthy 20-year-old can run 100 meters in 12-14 seconds,

  • so for a 90-year-old to run around 20 seconds is truly remarkable.

We all hope to manage our health well so that we can be healthy enough to make the news at 90.

By around 2040, with advancements in stem cell medical technology and AI healthcare technology, there might even be a 100-year Olympics, so why not live our lives to the fullest?