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Injuries & Setbacks - The V50 Athlete Edition

Injuries & Setbacks - The V50 Athlete Edition

Overcoming setbacks and injuries as V50+ athletes

BY BECKI HALL

After following the plight of Kirsty and Stacey in their quests to continue their sprinting journeys in the masters age group, today we’re chatting to three V50+ athletes who have had to overcome similar challenges.

John, Paula and Christine all compete in very different disciplines, but each has suffered both the mental and physical impacts of long-term injuries.

John Harris - Running Coach & Athlete

John: going to complete, rather than going to compete

Compared to many, John Harris was a relative late-comer to athletics.

Having played football since he was a small child, he had a good level of fitness and wanted a new challenge.

So, aged 32, he applied for the 1995 London Marathon – and, on being accepted, started running in earnest.

Over the next few decades, John enjoyed success over long distances on multiple terrains and was relatively injury-free even into his late fifties.

But 2022 saw the start of a torrid period for John, as setbacks put a halt to several of his V60 running goals.

In October of that year, he suffered ankle ligament damage while running the Yorkshire Marathon. However, he managed to complete the race, and qualified to represent England against Wales in the Chester Marathon the following October.

He had to have six weeks off training, but despite this, he achieved his childhood dream of running the Everest Marathon in May 2023.

Over the moon with his efforts in the world’s highest marathon the previous month, John went into a local 10k race a few weeks later with high hopes.

Just past midway, John began to experience excruciating pain in his heel. He managed to limp the three miles to the end, but then had to spend the next few days on crutches. It turned out to be severe plantar fasciitis, and he didn’t run again for over three months – less than ideal for the big England vs Wales race, which was now just a few weeks away.

John went into the Chester Marathon on the back of three weeks of training, having just about managed to complete a nine-miler earlier that week. Pre-plantar fasciitis, John’s goal had been to run the marathon in 3:15. Instead, recognising that this was now completely unrealistic, he mentally reset and changed his goal to simply “getting round”, while realising another childhood dream of representing his country. He did this in a respectable 4:22 – something that John rightly says he is incredibly proud of.

And then, in April 2024, a back nerve issue began to present itself as calf pain. Once again, John was forced to take a break from running, this time for eight weeks. He also had to withdraw from the Milton Keynes marathon, which he had planned to run on 7th May.

For John, mental resilience has been key, and his ability to mentally adapt to whatever fitness level he finds himself with has enabled him to still enjoy running.

In October, he will participate in the Polar Circle Challenge – a marathon across the Arctic Ice Cap. But to make the most of this experience, John has had to accept that he won’t be going into the event fully fit, and will be going simply to take part. As a competitive person, he admits that this has required a massive change in mindset and attitude. “Instead of going to compete, I’ll be going to complete!”, he jokes.

John Harris - Running Athlete

Throughout the last two years, John has always had a strong focus and a reason to get back to fitness, whether it be the Everest Marathon, his first-ever England vest, or the upcoming Polar Challenge.

But what has also helped him is staying involved with the sport even when he’s not been racking up the miles himself.

John set up the Baldock branch of Run Talk Run – a national mental health movement – three-and-a-half years ago. When he’s not been able to lead the runs due to his injuries, he’s still gone for a coffee and a chat. He gives presentations about running and motivation to charities and organisations, and coaches at his local running and triathlon clubs.

John's top tips for overcoming injuries and dealing with setbacks:

  • Injuries are part of getting older as a runner! Accepting this is the case and that it's totally normal really helps.
  • Seek professional advice early when a niggle surfaces and have regular maintenance checks with a physio.
  • If you are injured and cannot run, set other achievable fitness targets on equipment, such as rowing machines or bikes.
  • Keep positive throughout the course of your injury.
  • Volunteer locally and feel the enjoyment of giving back whilst you are injured.
  • Listen to your body!
Paula Williams - Masters Track & Field Athlete

Paula: Struggling to take a step back

Paula Williams embarked on her athletics journey at the end of 2013, inspired by her children's involvement in the sport. At the time, she only had a brief experience with athletics in high school, having focused more on netball.

However, a conversation with a fellow athlete changed her path. "Wouldn't it be great if there was track and field for older adults?", Paula had commented. "There is. It’s called masters athletics", came the reply.

And for Paula, that very short exchange was life-changing.

She jumped into the end-of-season track and field championships that September and was immediately hooked.

For the past decade, Paula has passionately competed as a masters athlete with a huge amount of success, with medals galore at both a national and international level, both indoors and out.

But her journey has not been without its challenges.

Throughout her years as an athlete, Paula has dealt with numerous setbacks that threatened her training and competition. One of the earliest issues was a case of golfer’s elbow in her throwing arm. This injury – which she found particularly hampered her javelin training – required her to take Naproxen for pain relief and reduce her training load. Despite the discomfort, Paula adjusted her routine and managed to continue competing, albeit at a modified level.

However, her most persistent challenge has been recurring Achilles tendon problems. This injury has significantly impacted her ability to train and compete at full capacity for several years.

Earlier this year, during the European Championships in Poland, her Achilles issues resurfaced. Paula underwent MRI scans to determine the severity of the injury and was relieved to find it wasn't a Grade 2 tear. However, she had to miss competing in hurdles at the March championships, which Paula says was “a blow to her competitive spirit”. The Achilles injury forced her to temporarily abandon running and sprint drills, leaving her to focus on strength training in the gym instead.

Never one to back down from a challenge, Paula shifted her focus from track events to throwing, setting new personal bests in strength training while aiming for a return to competition during the indoor season.

Coaching at her club also gave her purpose and kept her engaged with the sport. Alongside the support of her physios, consultants, and nutritionists, Paula found a way to navigate both her recent and long-term challenges and remains committed to her athletic journey.

But it’s not just been the physical pain which has caused issues. Mentally, Paula struggles to take a step back from training and competing – even when she knows it’s the best thing for her. “I’m not very good at not pushing myself; I struggle with resting and being patient. That’s probably what got me injured in the first place”, she jokes. And, Paula has found that recovery as a masters athlete is more difficult than it was in her youth. Injuries that once seemed minor now take longer to heal.

Paula Williams' Athletics Medals

Yet, through determination, adaptability, and the support of her athletic community, she continues to persevere, and simply sees setbacks as “stepping stones to future success”.

It’s this outlook that has undoubtedly contributed to Paula having yet another very successful season – despite her Achilles problems. At the recent World Masters Athletics Championships in Gothenburg, Sweden, Paula won the W50 shot put, picked up a bronze medal in the 80m hurdles, and came a credible 7th in the 100m.

Paula's top tips for overcoming injuries and dealing with setbacks:

  1. Be patient!
  2. Find something to do away from track and field.
  3. Look after your nutrition and gain support in whichever form you need.
  4. Lean on others - they want to help you.
  5. Seek advice from the masters athletics community.
Christine Anthony - GB Masters Athlete

Christine: dropping distances to increase running longevity

For Christine Anthony, adjusting her goals in response to athletic setbacks meant changing events – and surfaces!

She had been a competitive long-distance runner since her school days.

From cross-country to 10k, half-marathons, and full marathons on the road, Christine trained and competed regularly pretty much injury-free right up until her early fifties. She experienced the odd niggle here and there, which she says she “bounced back from”, and regularly ran 50-mile weeks right into her forties.

However, in her early fifties, Christine began to struggle with marathon training. She had to pretty much halve her weekly mileage, and could only run a few days a week before her body “broke down” – which understandably had a knock-on effect on her performances.

Something had to change.

So, in a bid to carry on competing in the sport she loved, Christine decided to try something she never had before, and dropped right down to the 800 and 1500 on the track.

She competed in her first World Masters championships in Malaga in 2018, picking up a bronze in the 800m and coming fourth in the 1500m.

She was well and truly hooked.

But just two years later, she suffered a knee injury. An MRI scan showed that she had torn her meniscus and also had osteoarthritis; her consultant suggested that she call it a day with running and hang up her spikes.

Christine was distraught but saw this as a challenge. She was going to prove her consultant wrong.

Working with a specialist physiotherapist, Christine set about strengthening her knees and maintaining her fitness.

She took up swimming and cycling, which she could do pain-free, and, after an Ostenil injection, she was able to add in strength work.

It took about six months before Christine was able to run again. She started with simple one-minute-on, one-minute-off sessions, but her knee pain soon returned.

Christine realised that if she wanted to compete again, she would have to change her training – and her goals.

She limited herself to three runs a week but supplemented her training with cycling, aqua jogging and gym work while dropping down again to focus on the 400m and 800m – with a very occasional 5k thrown in for old times’ sake!

Christine Anthony at Masters Athletics Competition

And her ability to adjust to her setbacks has worked wonders. As a V60, she picked up a 400m silver at the European Masters Athletics Indoor Championships earlier this year, and also claimed a podium finish in the 4x400m relay at the European Masters Outdoor Championships in Gothenburg in August.

Christine's top tips for overcoming injuries and setbacks:

  1. Allow your body the time it needs to recover from training and competition.
  2. As a masters athlete, recognise that you need extra time to prepare your body to perform (Christine does a minimum of 30 mins of warm-up drills before a training session, and 45 minutes before a competition).
  3. Make sure you include strength training in your programme - as Christine says, it "bullet-proofs my body!".

About Becki Hall

Becki Hall is a masters athlete based in Lincolnshire.

She's competed in athletics since the age of 10, starting her journey as a multi-eventer but settling into life as a thrower and part-time sprinter in more recent years. 

She competes for Peterborough and Nene Valley AC, is a higher-claim athlete with Bedford and County AC, and also a member of Eastern Masters AC

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