It seemed like a miracle when I crossed the finish line of the 2022 Princeton Half Marathon nearly 15 minutes faster than my run in 2021. And a whopping 26 minutes faster than in 2020.

But it just shows that, even in your 60’s, the body works in a predictable fashion. If you do the work, you get the results.

And believe me, I hadn’t even worked particularly hard. But I had been persistent.

I’ve always been engaged in movement and exercise, though for decades running played only a minor role. For a few years when I was in my 50’s I joined members of my extended family participating in an annual 5K fund-raiser. That was the extent of my running experience.

Then, in 2020, I had a patient who was an elite level marathoner. (His personal record for the marathon distance is 2:16.) I helped him bounce back from a hip injury, and he was able to quickly return to his regular training regimen.

He realized that I had a lot of experience and skills that could help runners. He encouraged me to build my practice by targeting runners who were training for the next Princeton Half Marathon, coming up in about six months.

That sounded like a good plan to me. I knew I had a deep knowledge of body mechanics, injury recovery, and rehab exercise applicable to runners. But to establish my credentials even further, I dared myself to register for the half marathon.

So I did. I outlined my training plan and got started. On my first training run I covered 3 1/4 miles.

Since then, I’ve run persistently, finishing the half marathon each year, and, as I’ve already shared with you, shaving many minutes from my finishing time along the way.

In 2022 I organized the Happy Trails Running Club, a group of sixteen runners of all levels of experience. Some had as a goal to run a 5K for the first time. Others were targeting the half marathon distance. I invited guest experts to share their insights, led group runs, and provided training tips and conditioning exercises.

My next goal is to complete the New Jersey Sprint Triathlon in July, 2023. So I’ve been mixing in swimming and biking too.

Along the way I’ve learned lessons about consistency. How to deal with injuries. Finding new sources of motivation.

I’ve learned many of the training tips that top level coaches pass along to their athletes. About fueling and hydration. About running shoes and gear. Rest and recovery time. And the specific hurdles older runners encounter.

By synthesizing all this experience, I’ve created a program for runners to help speed recovery from injuries, increase running efficiency, avoid overuse stresses, and improve speed and endurance.  Whatever your age or level of running experience, you can benefit.

Here’s where you can learn more.

Dr. Lavine has been an innovator in the use of movement and touch to promote health since 1981. He practices in New York City and Princeton, NJ.