Faster Through Her Forties: 50 in November…. Corina Canitz, 1st (W 45 - 49), 2016 Boston Marathon
Look at highlights below of Corina Canitz’s running resume through her forties. She’s turning 50 in November and is poised to achieve more breakthroughs.
The 49-year-old distance runner from Brookfield, Wisconsin, started competitive running at 38 and has been running her fastest marathons not in her early but in her late forties.
She just won her age division among women 45 to 49 in the Boston Marathon (“one of my favorite races”) in 2:51:33 at a 6:30 pace, continuing a streak of marathon times around 2:51 and 2:52 that she’s been posting in her later forties. Despite the easterly winds that challenged this year’s marathoners in the third of the race particularly, Corina feels that this year’s marathon was easier than last year’s. “The rain last year was challenging.”
In her early forties she was running marathons in about 3 hours at a 6:40 pace. Since she started running 11 years ago, she has run 21 marathons and 6 Boston Marathons (in 2006, 2008, 2010, 2013, 2015, and 2016) – about two marathons a year (with a few exceptions). At 46 she won the 45 to 49 age group in the Boston Marathon and ran a personal best (2:51:26). There she also placed as the fourth master in 2008, placed second in the 45 to 49 age group in 2015, and then won her age group again this year. At 5”3” and 105 pounds at her racing weight, Corina is built for marathon training. “My body really likes the long marathon training cycle,” she said.
Two main factors have contributed to her increased speed, she said. The first is that she has upped her mileage. A wife and mother of four girls who are now 17, 15, 13, and 10, Corina says that she has more time now than seven or eight years ago when her girls were younger. Since they’re more independent now, she has more time. So she has upped her mileage from about 75 to 80 miles a week in her early forties to about 100 to 105 miles per week with 10 runs a week including three “doubles” – three days a week when she runs twice.
She prefers focusing on threshold rather than interval running. And she runs alone, with 80% of her runs on the treadmill. “I’ll do 22 miles on a treadmill many, many, many times…..In a state like Wisconsin where winters are hard, not worrying about the drivers or conditions helps. I can train on my treadmill at home or at the gym when I’ll talk with friends.”
The second main factor is that an injury – a high hamstring injury (a partial avulsion of the hamstring) – followed by 14 months of platelet rich plasma therapy, rest, and then rehabilitation with physical therapy led to an increased focus on strength training and balance. They have played a critical role in her improved performance. Three times a week for 30 minutes each Corina focuses on strength, balance, and core training, with many single leg exercises.
Today, she says, “I feel as good as ever.” What’s next for Corina, given that she turns 50 in November?
“I would be so grateful to continue on as I have injury free and to be able to make more improvements on my race times, especially at the shorter distances.” Her personal bests are 18:25 for the 5K, 38:30 for the 10K, and 1:23:28 for the half (on route to the 2009 Boston Marathon).
“I feel terrific,” she said.
-Cathy Utzschneider
Look at highlights below of Corina Canitz’s running resume through her forties. She’s turning 50 in November and is poised to achieve more breakthroughs.
The 49-year-old distance runner from Brookfield, Wisconsin, started competitive running at 38 and has been running her fastest marathons not in her early but in her late forties.
She just won her age division among women 45 to 49 in the Boston Marathon (“one of my favorite races”) in 2:51:33 at a 6:30 pace, continuing a streak of marathon times around 2:51 and 2:52 that she’s been posting in her later forties. Despite the easterly winds that challenged this year’s marathoners in the third of the race particularly, Corina feels that this year’s marathon was easier than last year’s. “The rain last year was challenging.”
In her early forties she was running marathons in about 3 hours at a 6:40 pace. Since she started running 11 years ago, she has run 21 marathons and 6 Boston Marathons (in 2006, 2008, 2010, 2013, 2015, and 2016) – about two marathons a year (with a few exceptions). At 46 she won the 45 to 49 age group in the Boston Marathon and ran a personal best (2:51:26). There she also placed as the fourth master in 2008, placed second in the 45 to 49 age group in 2015, and then won her age group again this year. At 5”3” and 105 pounds at her racing weight, Corina is built for marathon training. “My body really likes the long marathon training cycle,” she said.
Two main factors have contributed to her increased speed, she said. The first is that she has upped her mileage. A wife and mother of four girls who are now 17, 15, 13, and 10, Corina says that she has more time now than seven or eight years ago when her girls were younger. Since they’re more independent now, she has more time. So she has upped her mileage from about 75 to 80 miles a week in her early forties to about 100 to 105 miles per week with 10 runs a week including three “doubles” – three days a week when she runs twice.
She prefers focusing on threshold rather than interval running. And she runs alone, with 80% of her runs on the treadmill. “I’ll do 22 miles on a treadmill many, many, many times…..In a state like Wisconsin where winters are hard, not worrying about the drivers or conditions helps. I can train on my treadmill at home or at the gym when I’ll talk with friends.”
The second main factor is that an injury – a high hamstring injury (a partial avulsion of the hamstring) – followed by 14 months of platelet rich plasma therapy, rest, and then rehabilitation with physical therapy led to an increased focus on strength training and balance. They have played a critical role in her improved performance. Three times a week for 30 minutes each Corina focuses on strength, balance, and core training, with many single leg exercises.
Today, she says, “I feel as good as ever.” What’s next for Corina, given that she turns 50 in November?
“I would be so grateful to continue on as I have injury free and to be able to make more improvements on my race times, especially at the shorter distances.” Her personal bests are 18:25 for the 5K, 38:30 for the 10K, and 1:23:28 for the half (on route to the 2009 Boston Marathon).
“I feel terrific,” she said.
-Cathy Utzschneider