Floris Gierman here, running coach and Co-Founder of Path Projects.
Last week, a 41-year-old runner asked me a question I hear all the time:
"Be honest. Are my fastest days behind me?"
My answer to him: probably not.
Here's what I've learned from coaching recreational endurance athletes and interviewing elite athletes for over a decade: Age doesn't stop adaptation. Poor training does.
Your body still responds to stimulus. It still builds aerobic capacity. It still gets stronger. What changes as you get older isn't what's possible, it's how you get there.
What elite athletes tell us
A fascinating trend appears when you look at world-class endurance athletes: the longer the event, the older the peak performance age.
Elite marathoners peak around 27-30. Eliud Kipchoge ran some of his fastest marathons between 33-35.
Ironman triathletes peak later, around 32-34. Jan Frodeno won Ironman World Championships at 34-38.
Ultra runners? Often 35-45 or beyond. Courtney Dauwalter dominated into her late 30s and continues to win and compete at the very highest level at age 40.
The longer the distance, the more it rewards efficiency, pacing, and mental toughness. These qualities that improve with experience.
Training adaptations by age
In my conversation with six-time Ironman World Champion Mark Allen, he shared something eye-opening.
"Somebody who's 20, 22, 24 they might plateau aerobically in maybe one or two months but then they can manage speed work once or twice a week for 6, 8, 10, 12 weeks. Somebody who's older, if they're training aerobically, they might see that they are continuing to get faster and faster for 3, 4, 5 months without any kind of speed work."
Elite peak age doesn't equal recreational peak age
Many recreational runners started structured training later, trained inconsistently through their 20s and 30s. Often out of shape and injured they start to look at a more gentle, sustainable approach to training in their 40s or 50s.
That means while an elite marathoner might peak at 30, a recreational runner might peak at 42, 51, or 63. Not because biology changed, but because the training approach changed.
The biggest mistake I see runners make after 35? Trying to train like they're still 20. More intensity. More pressure. Less patience.
The runners who keep improving do the opposite. They build aerobic fitness patiently. They make strength work non-negotiable. They respect recovery, prioritize sleep, and train with long-term consistency.
Running injuries are so common among recreational runners, especially as we age. Mark Allen told me he started strength training at 33 because he noticed he didn't have the same snap and power. For anyone over 35, two days a week of strength training can make a massive difference in both performance and injury prevention.
It’s all in your head
One of my heroes is Path Projects customer and member of my PB coaching program Walter Liniger from Switzerland. At age 68, he ran his first 100km race, with an incredible amount of joy in his training and racing.
In our conversation he shared:
“Be patient and let joy lead your training, not your mind. Who says you have to be fast or strong to be happy? You are living now, not tomorrow or in the next second. This brings a feeling of ease, joy and freedom.”
So I'll leave you with this question for February:
What would change if you believed your best running was still ahead of you?
And by "best running," I don't mean only race times - this can be more joy in your running, running injury-free, feeling strong on every run.
That belief alone might be worth more than any new training plan.
Have fun out there on your runs!
Cheers,
Flo
