Within the vast ranges of differences that define the human population, there are significant dividers that are not taught or even consciously selected. Most people have heard the usual ones: there are people who like cats or dogs, and others who don’t. People who love to travel and those who stay at home. One more notable: “I love to ride horses. They are so majestic.” The other side of the coin is: “I once rode a horse and he pushed me.”

One of these dividers that most have seen are runners and non-runners. They are usually easy to spot, as one tends to look like a marathoner and the other, well, no. However, there is a gray area occupied by those who used to run but no longer do, or wish they had started running when they were young and capable, and didn’t, or those who would never run who, later in life, they would. I like to try it.

Welcome to the gray zone.

For those with the basic physical ability to put second gear for more than a mile or so, running can be a very healthy, fulfilling, life-prolonging, and enjoyable hobby. You don’t have to be a marathoner with 1% body fat and six-minute miles. If the goal is simply to run, then start small. Can a “walk around the block every now and then” become a 10K participant? With the right strategy and planning, it can be done. In your forties and feeling beyond all possibilities? Keep reading and you will see.

We will all admit that the “world of sports” narrows as we add the years. Sorry for being blunt, but it’s true. As kids, skateboarding and tricks on BMX bikes and gymnastics on balance beams are walks in the park. Enter your forties, even your thirties, and the urge for such activities fades with just one touch. We can still ride a bike. Even riding a horse. We can play softball. That kind of things. Fortunately, humans only have two gears: walking, using one foot at a time, and running, with a short period of suspension between strides. Anyone can run at some level. For runners, there are speeds in second gear, from a random move to a sprint, and we can all claim a section of that speedometer for our own. Are we winning a 5K race? Maybe. Are others passing us? Probably. But are we running while others are not? Definitely. It doesn’t matter what your speed is. Being out there, spinning around your house, or spinning around the local school track, you’re running.

So to begin with, where are we today? “I’ve never run before.” “I walk a little here and there.” “I ran when I was young, but it’s been a long time.” Can you put a walker in front of you and join it? And do that over and over? That is a start. We all have physical limitations. Get a medical exam and ask if running might be something you can do. Are your joints up to the task? Heart and lungs able to improve? If it’s “no” to questions like this, can some lifestyle improvements make that happen? It is worth finding out.

We all need a starting point; today he’s huffing and puffing down the stairs. Tomorrow, we’ll probably huff and puff the same way. Next week it will improve. Continue until you are out of breath. Work your way up from there. Once you go up a moderate flight of stairs with only a slight rise in breath and pulse, get out and walk somewhere. Walk on a treadmill. Walk around the block. For the love of God, walk the dog. If you don’t have a dog, borrow one.

For the determined, hikes can be transformed into brisk hikes. Brisk walks can turn into jogs here and there. Soon jogging will overtake walking. Walk to warm up. Run your course. Take a walk to cool off. This is vital, because the body needs to adapt.

One of the main advantages that young people have over the not-so-young is overall strength. Total strength involves arms, legs, core, and range of motion. In later ages, we can not only break into an activity, we have to have all the systems in agreement. Even the digestive system plays a much bigger role in our later years. Find some power bands and hand weights. Learn some basic Pilates movements for the core muscles. Joints do their job much easier if they are supported by the surrounding muscles, and we tend to lose muscle as we age. Keep your muscles strong and give your joints a chance. Simple arm curls with light hand weights are great. Squats and lunges strengthen as well as warm leg muscles for action. Even a three second iron is better than no iron.

One cannot stress enough: the need to take care of your knees. As joints, they are perhaps the support structures that take the longest to adjust to second gear. They will eventually, if you have patience. Increase the distances little by little. If your knees agree with you, add some speed in addition to distance. When you’re done running, stretch each muscle group: calves, quads, glutes, and hamstrings.

For shoes, go for the most expensive ones. Have them adjusted at a shoe store, so your feet and legs are in the best alignment for your stride. The right shoes can make the difference between knees that last a lifetime and knees that leave you early.

Short local races are wonderful for setting goals. Most allow walking and jogging, which is ideal for the wide spectrum of skills of competitors. Keep in mind; there is a need for a 10 or 5K tag. Yes, there is a code of ethics in racing. Register early. Show up in time to get your bib number. Heating. Brush your teeth. Don’t wear cologne (please). Start in the group you belong to. Let the rabbits charge unhindered. Strollers and zippered straps can be common at races, as long as the straps don’t trip the crowd. Everyone there pays their race fees, so make each runner’s race as winnable as possible. And thank the officials and sheriffs who set up the tables and curtains, handed out glasses of water, and cut bananas to finish the sandwiches. Most of the time, everyone is a volunteer.

So we all have the potential to become a runner. Run the race that your ability allows you. Smile and thank those who cheer you on throughout your journey (there are always some). When you’ve finished your run, take a cool-down walk to cheer on those who are still aiming for that finish banner. We all have our own speeds, our own goals, our own triumphs. If we cross the goal by walking, it is also a triumph. But if you can run, keep going!