{"id":206826,"date":"2025-11-29T17:23:39","date_gmt":"2025-11-29T17:23:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/206826\/"},"modified":"2025-11-29T17:23:39","modified_gmt":"2025-11-29T17:23:39","slug":"add-these-two-fast-running-workouts-to-your-training-to-fight-ageing-and-increase-your-heart-health","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/206826\/","title":{"rendered":"Add these two fast-running workouts to your training to fight ageing and increase your heart health"},"content":{"rendered":"<p data-journey-content=\"true\" data-node-id=\"1\" class=\"css-6wxqfj emevuu60\">While maturity can increase <a href=\"https:\/\/www.runnersworld.com\/uk\/training\/a773966\/9-ways-to-boost-your-mental-strength\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-vars-ga-outbound-link=\"https:\/\/www.runnersworld.com\/uk\/training\/a773966\/9-ways-to-boost-your-mental-strength\/\" data-vars-ga-ux-element=\"Hyperlink\" data-vars-ga-call-to-action=\"mental strength\" data-node-id=\"1.1\" class=\"body-link css-b8iqzl emevuu60\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">mental strength<\/a> and some runners even improve with age when taking on endurance events, we all slow down somewhat with each lap of the sun. Much of this is down to a decline in maximal <a href=\"https:\/\/www.runnersworld.com\/uk\/training\/beginners\/a65101556\/aerobic-capacity\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-vars-ga-outbound-link=\"https:\/\/www.runnersworld.com\/uk\/training\/beginners\/a65101556\/aerobic-capacity\/\" data-vars-ga-ux-element=\"Hyperlink\" data-vars-ga-call-to-action=\"aerobic capacity\" data-node-id=\"1.3\" class=\"body-link css-b8iqzl emevuu60\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">aerobic capacity<\/a> (VO2 max), which \u2013 unless you\u2019re Benjamin Button \u2013 drops as you get older. <\/p>\n<p data-journey-content=\"true\" data-node-id=\"4\" class=\"css-6wxqfj emevuu60\">But why, exactly, does this happen \u2013 and is there anything that you can do to stop the process? A group of research scientists recently set out to answer these questions and their <a href=\"https:\/\/go.redirectingat.com?id=127X583555&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Flink.springer.com%2Farticle%2F10.1007%2Fs00421-025-06031-6\" target=\"_blank\" data-vars-ga-outbound-link=\"https:\/\/link.springer.com\/article\/10.1007\/s00421-025-06031-6\" data-vars-ga-ux-element=\"Hyperlink\" data-vars-ga-call-to-action=\"findings\" data-vars-ga-product-id=\"a1692fe0-3b1e-492d-81c6-f7fe97453c25\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" data-node-id=\"4.1\" data-href=\"https:\/\/link.springer.com\/article\/10.1007\/s00421-025-06031-6\" data-product-url=\"https:\/\/link.springer.com\/article\/10.1007\/s00421-025-06031-6\" data-affiliate=\"true\" data-affiliate-url=\"https:\/\/go.redirectingat.com?id=127X583555&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Flink.springer.com%2Farticle%2F10.1007%2Fs00421-025-06031-6\" data-affiliate-network=\"{&quot;afflink_redirect&quot;:&quot;\/_p\/afflink\/10274\/springer-cardiovascular-and-peripheral-factors-affecting&quot;,&quot;site_id&quot;:&quot;c91c7c9d-f32f-4a0e-85a6-41c49b9e34ef&quot;,&quot;network&quot;:{&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Skimlinks&quot;}}\" data-vars-ga-product-price=\"$0.00\" data-vars-ga-product-retailer-id=\"5196c3e1-0845-414d-972b-dcbc6c8ec236\" data-vars-ga-link-treatment=\"(not set) | (not set)\" class=\"body-link product-links css-b8iqzl e1aq0z090\">findings<\/a> might just change your running routine.   <\/p>\n<p><strong data-node-id=\"6.0\">Run fast, lift weights<\/strong><\/p>\n<p id=\"interval-training-forces-your-body-to-take-in-and-use-oxygen-at-a-different-rate-to-regular-running-triggering-the-development-of-new-blood-vessels-and-capillaries-which-promotes-blood-flow-and-nutrient-delivery-to-your-hard-working-muscles\" data-journey-content=\"true\" data-node-id=\"8\" class=\"body-text css-6wxqfj emevuu60\">One key message is that it pays to run fast. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.runnersworld.com\/uk\/training\/a773582\/interval-training-how-it-works\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-vars-ga-outbound-link=\"https:\/\/www.runnersworld.com\/uk\/training\/a773582\/interval-training-how-it-works\/\" data-vars-ga-ux-element=\"Hyperlink\" data-vars-ga-call-to-action=\"Interval training\" data-node-id=\"8.1\" class=\"body-link css-b8iqzl emevuu60\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Interval training<\/a> forces your body to take in and use oxygen at a different rate to regular running, triggering the development of new blood vessels and capillaries, which promotes blood flow and nutrient delivery to your hard-working muscles.<\/p>\n<p id=\"interval-training-forces-your-body-to-take-in-and-use-oxygen-at-a-different-rate-to-regular-running-triggering-the-development-of-new-blood-vessels-and-capillaries-which-promotes-blood-flow-and-nutrient-delivery-to-your-hard-working-muscles\" data-journey-content=\"true\" data-node-id=\"13\" class=\"css-6wxqfj emevuu60\">Here are two classic interval sessions:<\/p>\n<ul data-node-id=\"14\" class=\"css-kw9lqy emevuu60\">\n<li data-node-id=\"14.0\">8 x 400m repeats at your 5K pace, with 60 seconds of rest between reps.<\/li>\n<li data-node-id=\"14.1\">4 x 4 minute reps at slightly faster than your 5K pace, with 3 minutes of jogging in between.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p data-journey-content=\"true\" data-node-id=\"16\" class=\"css-6wxqfj emevuu60\">Smart runners can also concentrate on strength and resistance training, including for the upper body, to better maintain muscle density and improve the ability to both absorb oxygen and create energy. <\/p>\n<p data-journey-content=\"true\" data-node-id=\"18\" class=\"css-6wxqfj emevuu60\">And don\u2019t treat any of these things as mere add-ons to your regular running regime \u2013 view them as integral parts of staying run fit. Unlike Benjamin Button, we can\u2019t reverse the ageing process, but by implementing the above you can take steps to slow the decline.    <\/p>\n<p><strong data-node-id=\"20.0\">Why people tend to slow down<\/strong><\/p>\n<p data-journey-content=\"true\" data-node-id=\"22\" class=\"css-6wxqfj emevuu60\">Your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.runnersworld.com\/uk\/training\/a44036900\/how-to-improve-vo2-max\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-vars-ga-outbound-link=\"https:\/\/www.runnersworld.com\/uk\/training\/a44036900\/how-to-improve-vo2-max\/\" data-vars-ga-ux-element=\"Hyperlink\" data-vars-ga-call-to-action=\"VO2 max\" data-node-id=\"22.1\" class=\"body-link css-b8iqzl emevuu60\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">VO2 max<\/a> is determined by two things. First, cardiac output, which is the amount of blood that your ticker can push around your body per minute and which is typically seen as the biggest component for optimal performance. Secondly, how much oxygen your tissues can grab from that blood as it flows past, which boils down to the quality and quantity of your muscle mass, plus the state of repair of your blood vessels and the efficiency of your mitochondrial function.   <\/p>\n<p data-journey-content=\"true\" data-node-id=\"24\" class=\"css-6wxqfj emevuu60\">As the oxygen in the air that you breathe in cascades around the organs and tissues within your body, it gets funnelled through a series of tight spaces (resistors). These go from your lungs to your heart and then out along the large arteries, into the small arteries and capillaries, before squeezing through the spaces between cells and muscle fibres and finally reaching the mitochondria, where chemical energy is created. <\/p>\n<p data-journey-content=\"true\" data-node-id=\"26\" class=\"css-6wxqfj emevuu60\">Like any engine, the human heart performs less well as it gets older \u2013 a process called \u2018cardiovascular resistance\u2019 \u2013 and, until now, it has simply been accepted that this slowing down of oxygen delivery is why VO2 max drops as we age. The new study, however, focusses more on the second part of the process, examining muscle performance. <\/p>\n<p data-journey-content=\"true\" data-node-id=\"28\" class=\"css-6wxqfj emevuu60\">The news is both good and bad for older runners. The downside is that your heart works less efficiently as you get older and your muscles also become increasingly bad at using the oxygen that does get through. But cheer up, because you can take measures to improve this.  <\/p>\n<p data-journey-content=\"true\" data-node-id=\"30\" class=\"css-6wxqfj emevuu60\">During the study, scientists examined existing data on the VO2 max and cardiac output of (mostly) active, healthy men aged between 30 and 90. They discovered that, while both measurables drop as people get older, the decline doesn\u2019t happen at the same rate. Importantly, VO2 max drops significantly faster than cardiac output. While a 20-year-old\u2019s muscles typically use 80% of the oxygen delivered, that rate drops to 60% for those aged 75 to 80. <\/p>\n<p data-journey-content=\"true\" data-node-id=\"32\" class=\"css-6wxqfj emevuu60\">Basically, when you\u2019re a whippersnapper, your VO2 max score is limited only by the performance of your heart. When you become an old chugger, meanwhile, your maximal aerobic capacity is impacted by both your aging heart and a drop in the efficiency of your muscles and mitochondria to absorb oxygen effectively and convert it into energy, with the second factor being a much bigger deal than previously thought.  <\/p>\n<p data-journey-content=\"true\" data-node-id=\"34\" class=\"css-6wxqfj emevuu60\">There are multiple causes for this, from muscle mass deterioration to impaired blood vessels and mitochondrial disfunction, all of which naturally happens as our bodies age. But don\u2019t hang up your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.runnersworld.com\/uk\/gear\/shoes\/a776671\/best-running-shoes\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-vars-ga-outbound-link=\"https:\/\/www.runnersworld.com\/uk\/gear\/shoes\/a776671\/best-running-shoes\/\" data-vars-ga-ux-element=\"Hyperlink\" data-vars-ga-call-to-action=\"running shoes\" data-node-id=\"34.1\" class=\"body-link css-b8iqzl emevuu60\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">running shoes<\/a> and reach for the pipe and slippers just yet, because this isn\u2019t entirely inevitable \u2013 and being aware of why your vascular system is less able to use oxygen efficiently is the first step to addressing the problem.<\/p>\n<p data-journey-content=\"true\" data-node-id=\"36\" class=\"css-6wxqfj emevuu60\">Gentle <a href=\"https:\/\/www.runnersworld.com\/uk\/training\/beginners\/a64914113\/zone-2-running\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-vars-ga-outbound-link=\"https:\/\/www.runnersworld.com\/uk\/training\/beginners\/a64914113\/zone-2-running\/\" data-vars-ga-ux-element=\"Hyperlink\" data-vars-ga-call-to-action=\"zone 2 runs\" data-node-id=\"36.1\" class=\"body-link css-b8iqzl emevuu60\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">zone 2 runs<\/a> mixed with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.runnersworld.com\/uk\/training\/a773601\/what-is-tempo-running-and-how-do-i-do-it\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-vars-ga-outbound-link=\"https:\/\/www.runnersworld.com\/uk\/training\/a773601\/what-is-tempo-running-and-how-do-i-do-it\/\" data-vars-ga-ux-element=\"Hyperlink\" data-vars-ga-call-to-action=\"tempo workouts\" data-node-id=\"36.3\" class=\"body-link css-b8iqzl emevuu60\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">tempo workouts<\/a> help to keep your ticker in shape, but it\u2019s important to have a \u2018low-resistance\u2019 system beyond the heart for oxygen to cascade through and to keep your tissues tuned up. While regular aerobic exercise helps to slow the decline of vascular function, the smarter gains can be made through faster running and strength training where. <\/p>\n<p>Related Story<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"While maturity can increase mental strength and some runners even improve with age when taking on endurance events,&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":206827,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[278],"tags":[2320,113510,343,18,525,346,135,19,17,342,113509],"class_list":{"0":"post-206826","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-fitness","8":"tag-content-type-default","9":"tag-contentid-1f573649-fc4b-41ae-af90-16e19eb5297d","10":"tag-displaytype-standard-article","11":"tag-eire","12":"tag-fitness","13":"tag-hasproduct-true","14":"tag-health","15":"tag-ie","16":"tag-ireland","17":"tag-locale-gb","18":"tag-shorttitle-add-these-two-fast-running-workouts-to-your-training-to-fight-ageing-and-increase-your-heart-health"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@ie\/115634150741689529","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/206826","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=206826"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/206826\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/206827"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=206826"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=206826"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=206826"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}