How I transformed my running journey at 60: A story of persistence and progress

Speaking of goals recently, I wanted to share a bit about my running turning point.

For me, it all changed just before I turned 60.

After a disappointing performance at a 30km mountain race in Switzerland – where I was over an hour slower than I’d been just two years before – I realised it was time to reset. 

I started by focusing on weight loss, shedding 20kg, which immediately made me feel lighter on my feet. From there, I steadily increased my weekly mileage to around 70 miles, building a solid aerobic base. The improvements came gradually but surely. I’ll never forget the rush of running parkruns faster each time – starting with just over 20 minutes, working down to 19, then eventually to 18 minutes at a race in the Algarve. 

Half marathons became my measure of success. I’ll never forget the icy Budapest Half Marathon in snow-covered streets – finishing in 1 hour 30 minutes even, knowing I was back on track. That winter, I found a rhythm, logging a 1:24 half in Barcelona and even winning the Thunder Dragon Marathon high in the Bhutanese Himalayas. 

The moral of this story?

No matter your age or current fitness, you can make remarkable progress with the right motivation, a structured training plan, and belief in yourself. It’s never too late to set a new goal and achieve something incredible.

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