samtridad wrote:
Are there any people out there who have managed to set a personal best at Ironman after age 50? How did you do it? What did it take? How did you modify your training from when you were younger? Did you take any (legal) supplements? Do you have any tips for a guy turning 49?!
My response goes somewhat beyond your original question, but I hope it offers you hope. I'm just short of my 51st birthday and on an unexpected streak of eight straight running races / triathlons with a PR, including a full distance (10:32). But my first full was at age 49, so that's no great accomplishment. The other races include a 70.3 (4:36) and running races at multiple distances (5k, 8k, 10k, 10-mile). My running PRs go from a six-flat to low 6:20s/ mile, depending on the distance. Some of the running PRs I broke over the last year were from my 30s.
I was a runner through from my late 20s to my early 40s, and switched to triathlons about 10 years ago. I continue to get faster as a triathlete because my swimming is getting better via a focus on technique and because my starting point was very slow. My training volume is a little higher each year. Last year it was 11.5 hours per week. 2018 was the first year I got serious about triathlons and it was just under 7 hours per week, which seemed like a lot at the time.
I am a faster runner as a triathlete than I was a pure runner. I was very injury prone as a runner and got hurt before a number of A races. Because of my tendency toward injury, I capped my training, especially in terms of weekly mileage. As a triathlete, I can train to my full potential in terms of volume and intensity. The super shoes help a lot too. Because of my tendency toward injury, I used to run in very heavy shoes that provided a lot of stability. The contrast between those old clunkers and today's super shoes is notable.
I don't think there are any secrets to staying fast as you age. Volume and consistency remain the key. I do more of my VO2 max stuff on the bike and in the pool than on the track to avoid impact injuries. I limit the length of my long run to 2.5 hours, and don't even go that long very often. The fast-finish long run is a thing of the past for me, and I'll peak around 45 miles per week in IM training. I've added strength training, which I try to do 2-3 times per week. And I sleep a lot. Not having to wake up because of young children is a huge advantage versus a decade or so ago.