Running is *my* exercise, but....

[Naicecuppatea]

....will it negatively affect my face? I love running and after a year's break went for a run yesterday and it felt fantastic. I would like to get back into it again and lose half a stone of excess weight in the process.

I am worried about my face 'dropping' though, I have seen this in more than a few runners, could it be the pounding of the pavements and the gravity effect? As I'm approaching my 40th, I really would like to avoid this!

Please reassure me I'm being daft.

[PurpleWithRed]

Running causing your face to drop? That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it...

[26Point2Miles]

Lol I don't think it drops that much!

[merrymouse]

I think it's age that causes faces to drop, not running.

[Dafspunk]

But the only way you could know this is if you compared the same person's face had they spent the last year (or whatever) running and not running. Therefore, YAB daft.

[NotQuiteCockney]

Having a v low fat percentage makes for a less youthful face. Having subcutaneous fat under all your skin is a gender indication, and a sign of youth. I don't think running is the specific cause.

[Naicecuppatea]

Phew

[MajesticWhine]

I ran to the cake shop once... and my face is just fine. So don't worry

[Naicecuppatea]

Love it majestic

[treaclesoda]

This reminds me of the 'face bra' from Ally McBeal, if anyone remembers it. Trying to find a clip on you Tube but I can only find full episodes!

[merrymouse]

So the verdict is that there is no evidence that running causes face drop, but in order to maintain reserves of subcutaneous fat you must ensure that you get enough cake.

[MovingOnUpMovingOnOut]

Yeah you need a reeeeeeally tight balaclava. That'll sort it.

[MovingOnUpMovingOnOut]

Face bra

[Naicecuppatea]

Bahaha! I vaguely remember that episode too. I might improvise next time I go out with some bandages.

[OverAndAbove]

I immediately thought of Elaine and the face bra. I didn't need one at the time but I bet I do now!

[meglet]

treacle I remember Elaines face bra .

[Suzannewithaplan]

?
Do runners faces look older than their years?
Or is it just that their bodies look younger and so you get a bit of a surprise to see that the 25 year old body actually belongs to a 55 year old?
?
I doubt that running is intrinsically ageing, perhaps it's down to increased UV exposure from running outdoors.
Isn't sun exposure the primary external cause of skin ageing? ?

[Suzannewithaplan]

also I think most of the impact forces would be absorbed by the legs and trunk

[FamilyAdventure]

I think Suzanne has it.

I belong to a running club where we have several members in thier 60s and 70s. From behind, from their figures and the way they move, you'd imagine they were all 40ish, so yes when you see their face it does look older than you expect, but not older than they are.

Running has definitely kept them young in their outlook and energy levels.

[Mitchy1nge]

well I look like Gollum, in drag (the knitwear edition at this time of year) so you could be on to something OP

[TSSDNCOP]

It's not that I look old when I run, more that I look stricken.

I try to avoid it.

[ThursdayLast]

I run for fun and fitness not for weightloss.
Therefore I eat a lot

I can assure my face is as full as it ever has been

[merrymouse]

There are lots of books about running and there are lots of books about cake, but are there any books about running and cake???

I think there is a potential publishing opportunity there.

[MajesticWhine]

I once got a really nice banana cake recipe out of DH's Runners World magazine. True fact.

[feetheart]

I bet cake gets a mention in the parkrun book :)

[FamilyAdventure]

Oooh I didn't know that book existed feetheart. I might have to read it, but the newsletters always make me cry...