At what point does running start to prematurely age you?

Everything in moderation.

Anything done to excess has negative effects, like running 80-100 mpw.

Exposure to UV and pollution when heavy breathing are another issue.

Age 75 - 80

I think most runners look younger than their counterparts. What would be the most destructive is the time spent in the sun which could affect the aging process. That being said those that still run, cycle, swim, hike, paddle, etc. are generally a lot leaner than the vast majority of their peers.

At our high school reunions those of us from the XC team that are still actively doing something fitness-wise look much younger than our peers. It was very evident at our 20 and 30 year class reunions.

I’ve been interested in this topic…in my opinion Mainly sun protection and taking very good care of your teeth. Getting on treatments for hair loss if needed. Also some strength training so you don’t look like you’re starving

Two different things here: face & body.

I'm 62 and I'm often mistaken as a 70 yr old! 🥴 (it's usually "Oops...I'm sorry...I didn't know you're only 62...but you look really fit though." Lol).

My face looks like a road map & my arms/hands are full of age spots from decades of running out in the sun. 🌞 And my hair is thinning & the texture looks bad as well.

This seems to have started in my early 50s & just seems to be accelerating.

My physique is lean & muscle from decades of running & weight training - I'm in better shape than most guys half my age at the gym.

But people notice faces more than anything on a person and that's where I'm a sad sight for sore eyes. 😬

Younger runners out there - you don't want to end up looking like me.

It probably has a lot to do with genetics. I've seen 55 year old elite runner looking younger than 35 year old elite runners.

Track: Bell lap.

Road: that first time you get "chicked."

If you do all your runs out in the sun, then you're gonna look older because of your leathery skin. Also if you're not maintaining muscle mass (eating enough/not doing any sort of resistance training) as you get older, good chance you'll get that "frail" or "skeleton" look when you're 50+. But the plus is that studies continually show that, genearlly speaking, distance running correlates with longer life expectancy, so we've got that going for us!

Late 60s here and regularly taken for early to mid 40s. I religiously wore spf 40 until I stopped eating plant foods in 2017. Now I almost never wear that crap despite long days in sun, including deserts and mountains. I never burn . Skin is buttery soft with no more lines than at age 30. Some gray in beard but not up top. I eat a minimum of a pound a day of red meat, high fat dairy and a dozen raw eggs. Only plant material is fruit in small amounts.

Never overtrain. If you have to force yourself out the door something is probably wrong. Lower volume and high intensity alactic sprinting is magic. Grinding intervals and exhausting aerobic is toxic. Your body knows this.

Sugar, flour and oils are the aging accelerators. They are also highly addictive and profitable. If you are on chronic meds, alcohol,drugs or tons of supplements you are doing it wrong.

So, you're late 60s & regularly taken for early to mid-40s, and I'm early 60s & regularly taken for 70 - I must be doing something grossly wrong.

My diet over the decades has always been good - a 100% organic whole foods diet including a lot of vegetables & fruits. I eat moderate amounts of animal protein but have to watch it. I have acid reflux/Barrett's Esophagus & my GI doc says too much animal proteins can aggravate my condition. On the down side, I eat organic ice cream regularly & indulge in pastries a few times a week.

I haven't drank alcohol in 20 yrs & I go easy on caffeine. I use & have used SPF 15 & 30 over the decades. I'm on no prespection medications.

Not much with overtraining as I cross train on the spin bike & lift weights regularly.

So, if I were to modify my diet & follow yours as closely as possible - would I start seeing some reversal of all these wrinkles, lines, bags, age spots, etc, all over my face, hands & arms? Could the texture of my hair also improve?

If people are regulary taking you as a man in his early 40s when you're almost 70 - that is incredible & you've basically discovered the fountain of youth (I presume you don't take hormonal replacement therapies or anti-aging supplements?).

Can you post a pic? Not that I don't doubt you but I've got see how youthful you look - plus it'll give me motivation to make some changes.

Many pro runners train at altitude for several years (or more) which means they are receiving sunlight exposure more intensely than us sea level folk. A lot of them don’t use sunscreen as often as they should.

Personally, I run at 5:30 in the morning to fit in before work/family obligations. My skin is less wrinkly/leathery than my club teammates who are outside mid-day more. Compared to surfers who bake all day out in the water, runners appear much better.

The bug’s already bitten you, so now there’s no escape and it’s just a matter of time when one fine day you’ll abruptly transform from looking young for your age to looking crumpled. Sorry to break it you.

Is that really a reward? Plus - you live to age 85. Minus - you've not gotten laid since you were 55.

Not a problem here. I think it's more of a "you" problem.

Relax, Kenny! That wasn't directed at you. Just making light of the fact that there is virtually no hook-up scene for underweight middle-aged men that look 20 years older thanks to too much UV. OK, maybe at The Villages there are ladies that get wet for age spots, varicose veins, and scars leftover from melanoma removals?

Hogwash. People age irrespective of whether or not they eat those things. Anecdotal evidence is meaningless. I get mistaken for being couple decades younger often and I consume carbs, flour, and oils just fine. I don’t think I look younger because of eating those things but just because I got lucky.

There are no foods that will cause you to age faster or avoiding which will make you age slower.

I’m trying to eat lunch! Now I’m going to have nightmares.

Well truthfully, and this sounds arrogant, but I am 68, and I have never looked better and younger than my age-mates. Too bad I didn't look this good when I was younger, I would have appreciated it more.

I was a runner in the northeast so that might make a difference.