October 12, 2026 | By Coach Stephane
Can you get back into good running shape at 60? I believe you can. And I’m going to put that belief to the test.
Tomorrow, October 13, I start rebuilding my running fitness.
I’m 60 years old. I’ve been a runner for years, and I coach runners, particularly those over 40 and 50 who want to return to running, improve their fitness, or simply keep doing what they love.
Now it’s my turn.
I have two herniated discs. My running has been inconsistent for several months. I haven’t stopped being active, but I’m nowhere near the running shape I was in earlier this year.
I believe that with motivation, discipline, and the right training, you can get back into good shape, even better shape than before. Age makes some things more challenging. It doesn’t mean we should stop setting ambitious goals.
I’m going to find out what I can achieve at 60.
And I’ll document the process, week by week.
No shortcuts. No miracle workouts. Just training, consistency, and results.
What Happened to My Running in 2026?
I started the year in the mountains. Between skiing, snowshoeing, and ski touring, I was active, but I wasn’t running much. Just seven runs in January and February.
In March, I started running regularly again. Fourteen runs, 67 miles. April was almost identical: 14 runs, 68 miles.
I was building a decent base.
Then my back started giving me trouble.
I have two herniated discs, and training for a motorcycle race in April aggravated the problem. This wasn’t just a little soreness. My back became a real limitation, and I had to work around it.
Despite that, May was my biggest running month of the year: 19 runs, 116 miles, averaging about 26 miles a week, with a peak week of 36 miles.
After that, running became increasingly difficult to maintain.
June dropped to six runs and 39 miles. July was just three runs.
I was traveling extensively, often in places where running wasn’t straightforward. And my back wasn’t always cooperating.
In August, I managed 13 runs and 51 miles. September was down to six runs and 21 miles.
But I wasn’t sitting around. I was hiking, walking, and staying active whenever I could. In September alone, I covered 63 miles in six days of hiking, with roughly 17,000 feet of climbing.
The activity was there. The regular running wasn’t.
October so far: two runs.
That’s where I stand. Not because I stopped caring about running or lost my motivation. My circumstances made consistent running difficult, and my back added another challenge.
Now I’m in a position to give running the attention it deserves again.
My Running Fitness at 60: The Starting Numbers
Here’s what my 2026 training log tells me.
413 miles of running this year, across 84 recorded runs.
116 miles in May, my biggest month.
22.6 miles over the last four weeks, from five runs. That’s about 5.7 miles per week.
44.7 miles over the last eight weeks, from 12 runs.
I’m not starting from the couch.
I’ve remained physically active throughout the year. That matters. I haven’t lost all my aerobic fitness.
But being active and being ready to run consistently are not the same thing.
My running-specific conditioning has declined. My weekly mileage is a fraction of what it was in May.
That’s my starting point. Not zero fitness. Not the shape I was in last spring, either.
Something in between.
Returning to Running With Two Herniated Discs
My two herniated discs have been part of my running life for years. Managing my back has to be part of my training.
I’m not going to pretend the problem is minor. It affected how much I could run this year.
I have a high pain tolerance, but I also know that tolerating pain isn’t the same as training intelligently.
I believe in staying active when possible. Movement has been an important part of how I’ve managed my back problems. But that doesn’t mean pushing through every symptom or ignoring warning signs.
Today, my back is much better. Some stiffness, but no real pain.
That’s encouraging, but it doesn’t give me a free pass to increase my running mileage too quickly.
I’ll have to earn that fitness back.
My experience isn’t a recommendation for everyone with a herniated disc to run through back pain. Symptoms and individual circumstances matter.
Why My First Runs Were Harder Than They Should Have Been
My last two runs were on October 8 and 10.
Both were 6.25 miles.
The first averaged 11:09 per mile with a heart rate of 142 bpm. The second, 10:37 per mile at 140 bpm.
Both were hilly, so comparing pace with a flat run doesn’t tell the full story.
But the effort was higher than I want for easy aerobic base-building.
And here’s the irony.
I tell my athletes all the time to slow down.
Keep easy runs easy. Build your aerobic base. Don’t turn every run into a fitness test.
I know all that.
Knowing and doing are two different things.
Starting tomorrow, I’m going to coach myself the same way I coach my runners.
My Running Comeback Plan: Build the Base First
My long-term goal is to run 50 kilometers, or about 31 miles.
I’m not putting a deadline on it yet.
First, I need to become a consistent runner again.
Here’s how I intend to approach it.
Easy running comes first.
Most of my runs will be at a conversational effort. If I need to slow down, I slow down. If I need a walking break, I take one.
I’m not going to chase the paces I ran earlier in the year.
Gradually rebuild running volume.
I’ll increase my training as my body adapts, rather than forcing an arbitrary mileage target every week.
Consistency matters more than hitting one impressive workout.
Get stronger.
Core stability, balance, and basic strength work will be part of the routine. Eventually, I’ll add more demanding exercises, including plyometrics, when my body is ready.
Respect recovery.
At 60, recovery isn’t something I can afford to ignore.
I’ll pay attention to how I’m feeling, my sleep, my back, and how well I’m handling the training.
And I’ll adjust when I need to.
Nothing revolutionary. Much of it will be pretty boring.
That’s how good training often works.
What I’ve Learned About Getting Back Into Running After 60
I’m only at the starting line of this comeback, but there’s already something worth pointing out.
Being active is not the same as being trained for running.
Hiking, skiing, walking, and other endurance activities helped me maintain some fitness. They didn’t replace the consistent running needed to prepare my legs and body for regular mileage.
That’s why I can’t simply pick up where I left off in May.
And that’s a mistake I see people make when returning to running.
They remember the runner they were. They remember their pace, distance, and weekly mileage.
Then they try to resume training at that level.
But your training needs to reflect where you are today, not where you were six months or six years ago.
That doesn’t mean giving up your goals.
It means giving yourself a realistic way to reach them.
Why I’m Sharing My Running Comeback
Because it’s easy to give advice when you’re the coach.
Be patient. Trust the process. Stay consistent. Don’t chase fitness.
I tell my athletes those things every week.
Now I get to demonstrate them.
And there’s a question I want to answer for myself.
How fit can I become at 60 if I train intelligently and consistently?
I don’t believe my best running is necessarily behind me.
I’m not trying to beat my 30-year-old self. I’m interested in finding out what this 60-year-old body can do.
Maybe you’re in a similar situation.
You used to run regularly. You were in good shape. Then injuries, work, family, or life made training difficult.
Getting back into running can feel harder than it should.
But you haven’t necessarily lost everything. And you’re not too old to start again.
You just have to start where you are, not where you used to be.
That’s my Zero Point.
Tomorrow, October 13, the work begins.
I’ll share my running progress every week: mileage, heart rate, training decisions, setbacks, and lessons.
Next article: Why I’m Starting Slow. Very Slow. Even When It’s Frustrating.
Coach Stephane
Follow My Running Comeback at 60
Every week, I’ll share what I’m doing to rebuild my fitness, what the numbers tell me, and what you can learn from it.
Real training. Real progress. No miracle solutions.
About Coach Stephane
Coach Stephane is the founder of Motivation Running and a running coach who works primarily with recreational runners over 40 and 50. He helps runners return to training, build endurance, and develop the consistency needed to reach their goals.
At 60, he’s documenting his own running comeback, applying the same coaching principles he teaches his athletes.
