39. Kirk Larson: Mastering Aging and Slowing Down Less

More Than Miles

In Episode #39 of the More Than Miles Podcast, physical therapists Dr. Kate Mihevc Edwards and Dr. Kacy Seynders interview accomplished master’s athlete Kirk Larson, who has been running for 47 years. Kirk’s accolades include having been a member of of 21 national championship teams with master’s 60+ and 70+ Atlanta track club teams, he has medaled at every distance from 1 mile to 15k at the USATF national championships, and nearly every year his “age-graded” times have improved They discuss Kirk’s introduction to running in graduate school, his love of how running makes him feel, and his competitive successes as a master’s athlete. They also discuss some of his training and recovery habits and especially those that he feels have kept him healthy and running for such a long (and successful!) career. Kirk describes how he schedules his training including speed work, hills workouts, and long runs over a 5 day per week schedule. He also emphasizes the importance that he has placed on stretching, physical therapy, and other recovery tactics such as massage. They also talk about the idea of, “age grading,” that allows an individual to predict what times may be expected at different ages, which can be incredibly motivating for athletes as they watch their race times (necessarily!) get slower as they age. Kirk’s passion for the sport of running and his engagement in the running community are truly inspiring. You will not want to miss this conversation with Kirk Larson!