Longtime runners, too, are hurting more as their bodies approach the finish line. They have “pristine cardiovascular systems,” says Bryant, and in general they’re healthier than their sedentary peers. But as they age, their ligaments and tendons shorten and tighten, and they develop muscle imbalances—tight lower backs, taut hamstrings, overdeveloped calf muscles and comparatively weak shin muscles. The result, says Bryant, is that “if you’ve run, run, run every day, and then you join the company softball team, you can easily strain your hamstring sprinting to first base.” After which, of course, you’ll want to walk (don’t run) to the doctor’s office.
