Kymberly Williams-Evans, MA and Alexandra Williams, MA
Dear Fun and Fit Godessses,
I am 52 years’ old (emphasis on the “old”) and want to feel young again without causing any wear and tear on the old joints. I used to run often but a knee injury derailed me. I enjoyed the “runners high” and can’t seem to find that feeling from non-impact activities. How do you propose I get back to running or do I just accept my fate?
Sincerely, former jogger
Dear Jaugernaut!
Kymberly: First, like you, we are into accurate names and fun names. Accurate = “Goddesses;” Fun = “Jaugernaut.” Second, in our world, 52 is not old, but sprightly, especially if you are active. So let’s focus on the “I want to feel young again and get high” part of the question. We assume you want to reach that goal without going back to the 70′s and relying on other, non-recommended methods. You know what “they” say about the 70′s: “If you remember them, you weren’t there.” That leaves us with the critical point that you have only two knees for the rest of your life. (Acquiring someone else’s knee parts through surgery does not count.) So the priority is to hang onto those precious knees and get lifelong use of them. As Will Shakespeare never said:- get thee to a non-runnery. How about heading to an elliptical machine, stationary bike, or row machine? If being outdoors is what brings you that youthful feeling, hop onto a bicycle and enjoy the scenery. All the listed options minimize joint impact while allowing you to create as much or little intensity as you want.
Alexandra: One thing is to check your footwear. Lately, there’s a lot of research indicating that less is more when it comes to running footwear. If you think wearing “barefoot” shoes 
would decrease your knee pain, consider that as an option. Or run in the pool. That is much easier on the knees and you will get that “impact” feeling.
Kymberly: But we get it that what you really want to do is keep running. It could be that you have reached your lifetime limit on that much impact. Oooorrr, there’s still hope. Try integrating strengthening exercises for your hip abductors, hamstrings, and quads into your workouts (courtesy of this IDEA article). Check your form (or get a friend to check it or videotape you running). Heck, send me a check for that check! Maybe you are pronating, landing oddly, doing some kind of whacked out–yet subtle–form fault over and over, that you can fix once you know about it. If not, those nice, reduced impact cardio machines are waiting for you and your knees. Pant pant run run…..
Readers, runners, and exercise highsters: What gives you “runner’s high” without actually running?
Thanks for sharing. I have had pets all my life and letting go never gets easy. I put down my last little sweety at age 8. It was so unexpected. She kept getting sick and the last time at the vet the visit ended in my leaving my little Chloe at the c
Get professional advice – I never ran but walked thousands of miles in my life and ended up in the past 10 months with 2 new artificial knees because I could no longer walk – cartilage gone – running is hard on the joints even more so if you already have pain – have you tried competitive swimming? You can get in the “flow” litterally – and it’s great for your figure, and your knees.