The following Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Mark Sisson, and is narrated by Tina Lehman.

Why older and younger runners need to strength train.

Last month, the New York Times Well blog dropped a piece discussing the results of a recent

study of how endurance runners alter their stride as they age.

The link to this article, as well as stretches and exercises referenced later, can all be

found on today's post at marksdailyapple.com.

The article explains that investigators observed a group of 110 experienced runners aged 23 to

59, making their way around a track. Runners under 40 tended to display greater lower leg

activity as they ran, whereas runners over 40 showed impaired

lower leg activity. The latter relied more on their hip musculature, the absolute activity of which

was still lower than that of younger runners, and showed an impaired push-off.

They had weaker strides and didn't rise up as high off the ground.

Overall, the older runners used their ankles and calves less without increasing hip musculature activity to cover the difference.

They just got slower.

The study has limitations. This study was

a brief snapshot in time, rather than a decades-long study of how the same runners changed

their stride over the years. But it was quite clear. Older runners tend to be weaker than younger

runners, especially in the lower legs, and this results in a less

powerful stride, an altered running gait, and a slower running speed.

What's my take?

I'm completely unsurprised.

This is just the latest in the growing body of evidence showing the beneficial effects

...