Good morning...

Since I had off yesterday (schools were closed) and it was an incredible 71° here in Richmond, VA, I decided to do something way more harder and physically tiring than riding my C&V '85 Fuji.

I WENT JOGGING 6.0 MILES -- 1 hr, 00 min, 45 sec, and burned 1,168 calories!

However... This morning when I got up, I was so sore and stiff. My body was yelling at me about being almost 55 and that I should quit thinking that I am 20!

Does anyone else go jogging besides riding a bicycle?

I'm almost 60, and the few times I've gone jogging were in my far-off youth. However, I think of jogging as a high-impact sport; I believe it's rougher on your knees and hips than bicycling. As always, opinions vary.

In my 60s; jogging, running, trail running has replaced my enthusiasm for cycling. It is more demanding for sure, but not so sure how many years I can make this my primary cardio work-out. We'll see. It's nice to think that if injury ends up making running impossible, cycling is always waiting.

So the last two years biking has been pure recreation, sight seeing. Lots of 20-30 miles round trips, but I couldn't care less about the pace. I've removed the speedos and cadence sensors off all my bikes, .. pure joy riding.

If you want to begin a little running, it is important that you start out by running a short distance (maybe a quarter mile if you are in decent shape). Then, you rest a day, at least. When I started out running, at age 50, I was so sore doing the walk-to-run program, I had to wait a week until my next run. You must take it systematically.
Research the Couch-to-5K program, or the similar Walk-To-Run program. Local running clubs will help. Also, go over to the Cool Running forum at Active.com.., there are some great people there.
Running without a system is inviting injury and discouragement.
Proper resting, stretching, foam rolling, massage, Epsom salt baths and nutrition are all necessary parts of successful running. Staying mostly "to-the-book", I ran my first marathon in under 4 hours, 18 months after beginning running, so I was rewarded for listening to the advice I was given.
I had to quit running last year because of what I think is a meniscus (kneecap) tear. I hope it heals.
Give yourself a week's rest, get a massage a few days before your next run, and start out with a quarter mile every other day, or as your muscles will allow.

well done Sir, but wow, that's a lot, especially out of the blue. whatever possessed you? and where did you run? streets?

I run regularly, but indoors only on a treadmill. I used to do this outside on sidewalks but they can be dangerous, then I switched to HS tracks but they are sometimes busy and in winter snow/ice covered so I gradually was won over by treadmills. lately I've been incorporating hills with preset programs but also some manual intervention. an hour of that kicks my butt and after 2 days in a row I might take a break. I'm used to being able to do modest 20 minute runs every day sometimes twice a day. short and sweet, most enjoyable.

+1! :-)

At my age, if I were to go bipedal, rather than running or jogging (which did in my flat feet and lower back, when I did do it) I'd do power-walking with weights, or hiking with a big heavy stick.

In a side note, the few times I run short distances (such as chasing escaped mail in a gale-force "breeze") I've been running using the balls of my feet to soak up the impact of my landing feet, rather than doing the heel-to-toe running that did such damage to my lower back way back when.

Being a track runner (sprinter) I am well aware of the impact and how that affects the joints. No way am I giving up the pedals.
[MENTION=355925]ButchA[/MENTION] have you tried mountain biking?? If impact is what you seek, try that. But dont give up the roadbiking until you have done your share of intervals, sprints and grueling hillclimbs.

Thanks everyone!

I have been a runner for a number of years (and got myself down from 235(max) weight). I took it very slowly at first and ever so carefully increased my distance. I did the Monument Ave 10K last year (a very well known run in Richmond, VA) and that was about my max distance.

I have an old Schwinn Alum Comp MTB that I no longer use (tweaked it a little, and reset it down a few notches for my wife to use). But when I did go all out on it, I did have some scary moments, and didn't want to crash and burn. I was trying to keep up with the 20 & 30 yr old guys, going airborne and defying gravity.

I run, I bike ride, I try to fight off the aging process for as long as I can. I am by no means a marathon runner, nor am I a Tour de France racer. I have found out that running is harder on the body than bike riding. That 6 mile run that I did burned 1100 calories or so. In order to burn 1100 calories on a road bike, you'd have to ride about 25 or 30 miles at a pretty good cadence!

There is little doubt that, if you don't have knee or back problems, running is probably the best single form of exercise.

Unfortunately many of us 50+ers do, and that is where other forms of exercise such as swimming, walking, cycling, tennis come in.

For my part I started to cycle because I could no longer run due to the above problems, so that exercise was the primary motivator. I found that, after a while, I enjoyed it so much that enjoyment became the primary motivator, with exercise taking secondary importance.

In an ideal world I would cycle a few times a week for enjoyment and exercise, and run a few times a week for exercise and enjoyment.

Other forms of exercise that I do (besides running and bike riding) is playing golf. I don't have a problem walking a 9 hole or 18 hole course. The pros do it all the time! I just want to break 80 ....someday!

& cycling is a good sport to use to recover from an schilles strain from running

if you bike enough to be on this website, then your heart/lung organs are probably in good to great shape and will probably allow you to run faster then your unused running muscles will agree to. A sure way to get sore muscles if not a sports injury that will keep you from doing both.

Rode and, especially, ran competitively from college into my early 50s, but I could never do the two in a single season. Something about cycling softened up the muscles and made running a horrible, rubbery, experience and running made me ride like a stiff-legged novice. No idea how the tri-geeks do it.

All conflicts were solved a few years ago, when I compressed my cervical spinal cord, requiring a fusion and two prosthetic disks. Now I just ride and sail. Good sports for an old crumb who's into a little pain.

I had to give up running in my 20's. My knees and feet could not handle it. I walked for many years about three miles a day. I have been much happier (and fitter) since I took up cycling at 56 almost three years ago.

been a runner all my life. Have only been into cycling for about 2 years. Yeah six miles out of the gate should make you sore!!! I try and run every other day and cycle in between. Running works the lower legs more than cycling I think. If Irun, like speed work, I will cycle easy the next day, or if I cycle hard, the following day I'll run easy. You ran a slow pace, just your bodies way of asking "hey what the hell are you doing". After about 4 weeks if you get out there every other day, you should be ok, at least the soreness should begin to fade. Running in the right shoes makes a difference to. There are three types, neutral, cushioned and motion control. Which ones you need will depend on your weight, arch type, and pronation. Running in the wrong shoe will almost always lead to injury that could side line you from 4 - 6 weeks. As will pushing too hard too soon. If you are very sore I would take 48 hours to let the muscles recover prior to going out again. Truth is, the older we get the more muscle recovery time we need. Good advice from David about landing on the balls of you feet instead of heal striking. A good website I Jeff Galloways site, google run injury free.

No jogging, no way, no how. I never liked it even when I was young and healthy. Now with a cracked C2 vertebrae jogging ensures an instant dizzy spell and severe headache. That's why I resumed bicycling - much smoother and easier.

However last Friday I rode as fast as I could on a local brick paved street and the teeth-chattering vibrations gave me ferocious neck pain the rest of the weekend. Good reinforcement for why I don't jog.

But I do enjoy long walks on the beach at sunset, holding hands with Vera Farmiga, gazing deeply into her blue eyes and... oh, damn, dreaming again. Never mind, I just walk to the store occasionally.

At 59, I have been a runner for more than 40 years and an active biker for 5 or so. On average these days, I do about 10 bike rides, including two a days commuting or on the trainer, for every run. My typical run, though, is a lot farther than it used to be, in the 8 to 12 mile range.

A few weeks ago, I was on trip to the Midwest and couldn't bring my bike and trainer. The weather was nice enough that I skipped the gym and hit the road running, 10 per day for 3 days straight.

On day 3, I turned into Forest Gump. A mile away from home, I was done. Nothing in particular hurt, I was just done. By comparison, the 90 minutes on the trainer the next day, following a 14 hour drive, was a delight.

I'm thinking April at the soonest before I lace them up again.

Been a runner for decades and a biker for just a few years, but I never got the endorphin high from running that I get from a good ride.

I only ride in carts when it's mandatory, but I find that walking 18 when it's 95 degrees with similar humidity is more taxing than a 40 mile ride in similar weather. Of course I don't ride all that hard. I haven't been a runner in nearly 40 years. When I pass them on my bike they never look like they're having fun. I feel no compulsion to engage in any activity that I don't enjoy. Although some days now I fear golf may be the exception. I haven't broken 80 in over a decade and struggle to get under 90 most rounds. The short game is where you score and mine is gone. I enjoy riding because I'm not keeping score. If I decline a bit with age, it won't be a big deal.

(This being the internet, I should add the disclaimer that I'm being somewhat tongue in cheek about the enjoyment of running. I do understand the joy runners are feeling even as they grimace.)

Prior to a back fusion I would run on trails 2 - 3 times a week. It was a great way to keep weight off and seemed to complement the bike riding well. Since I am no longer allowed to run I just train more on the bike. Admittedly I really miss running and especially miss the feeling of being in the country even though the trails were in local parks. I suspect there are many of us who for physical reasons cannot run but can still maintain fitness thru cycling.

I was a runner for decades Sometimes in conjunction with cycling. Can't run/impact sports anything anymore without serious risk of ending up in a wheelchair before I get dead first. So, now back into regular/daily cycling and I'm good with that. Only downside is equipment costs...

6 miles is a heck of a way to start! The biking apparently made you too fit for your own good I do short 3-4 mile runs about 3 times a week, in between biking, and have stayed injury-free. When I up the mileage I seem to get hurt. Running is great exercise because it's so darn inefficient!

Running is hard to beat, especially for the shorter period of time required. As far as injuries or bring bad for knees or joints, that only applies if you have biomechanical issues (which can be corrected by a knowledgable sports medical professional) or rare overweight.

When starting, don't overdo it. Allow enough rest and recovery between runs. That could be going every other day at first or alternating hard/easy or long/short days.

being an old geezer myself.... wearing out my knees is a concern (it is amazing how many high school friends have new knees). But... it feels good to be able to run a little bit. I mostly just walk-jog. Running enough to get the heart rate up, then switching to a brisk walk, then jog again.

But if your heart is set on breaking into being a runner... try the "Couch to 5K" app.