How to avoid runners face?

[Yadaaday]

I’ve been running for a little while now, only 5k but it makes me feel happy and satisfied.
My question is, am I likely to get runners face from running this amount? Or do you get it when you run longer distances? Is there anything I can do to avoid it??

I have really enjoyed running (running commute so usually dark, no sun issues). Also yoga, barre and swimming. I’m intrigued though about this especially the impact part, less so the exposure. More weighing up options and seeing if it is a consideration.

Yeah, its the effect of gravity pulling on the collagen fibres and snapping them. I would stop the running. I know a runner who is the same age as me and her body is nice but she looks about 70 in the face. We are both 50

Why is the choice running & being fit/healthy & not running so therefore unhealthy/die young/overweight?

Exactly - have people forgotten weights/swimming/other sports exist? Weights are good for supporting your joints and absolutely amazing for losing weight - extra muscle tone means your metabolism is higher all day, not just when you're exercising. No saggy face either.

All exercise is good and different exercises suit people's lifestyle and interest. I was brought up around runners and do not remember saggy faces and as posted earlier the likes of Jo Pavey etc don't have saggy faces.

I don't run at the moment as spin and yoga suit me better and I enjoy them. That doesn't make running worse, just different.

Try Yoga. Headstands are very effective in keeping the face looking young. (under supervision to begin with)
Works for me anyway.

From my experience running has become very trendy now, my social media is inundated with people doing couch to 5km etc People seem to think that it’s the only meaningful exercise to do which is obviously wrong

Fact is running is massively trendy now, my social media is inundated with people starting couch to 5km or whatever, it’s like it’s the only worthwhile effective exercise going which is blatantly not true

Some not-so-subtle sockpuppeting there.
I'm out.

Sockpuppets on a thread about running - I’ve seen it all now 🙄

This thread is ridiculous. Firstly, I doubt running a few 5ks a week will affect your face, OP. On the other hand, the pp saying you have to run 100k+ to make any difference to your health and weight is crazy. People telling OP to stop running are nuts.

Yes there are other great sports available, but let’s face it, running is cheap and very accessible and should be encouraged.

Fwiw, I’d rather have a wrinkly face than be unfit. A lovely smooth face is going to be useless in old age if you have mobility problems and heart issues.

Running is also really bad for your knees

Most medical research has 'male' as the default. If you want to avoid osteoporosis, and women are prone to it, eat right and do impact exercise.

Or don't. Do whatever you like. But the narrative about impact being bad is based on men.

Is yoga face a thing?
Would be the opposite of "runners face" (which I am still deeply sceptical about).

The people with the most ageless, hard-to-judge-how-old-they-are-faces have all been yoga teachers. Eg: all/mostly grey hair, exceptionally calm, not super slim, and a 23 year old face.

Maybe if I did enough yoga and running, I could have the face of a yogi and the and of a runner?
I will test this and report back in 10 years.

Sorry, typos, meant to say the youngest looking people I have known have all been yoga teachers.
And the "and" of a runner should be "abs" of a runner.

Great post MrsTerry.

You are not going to change your race running 5K!
I am serious runner. I'm not going to post a pic of myself but I honestly don't think I have more lines or whatever than most 49 year olds. I usually get told I look younger than I am if anything.
Anyway, stay hydrated, use sun protection and a cap - like anyone should do if outside a lot.

I thought knee injuries were more common in women? generally not just related to running

Running is the cause du jour these days. Wasn't the same ten years ago, must be the Facebook/Insta effect.

I get that being active is really good for all of us. I am the laziest git on the planet but every second day I do a ten K walk uphills and down dales. I'm usually knackered after it, but sleep well!

DH ran ten or eleven full marathons. He has already had a hip replacement and is heading for knee replacement. I'm ok I hope!

I've often looked at people running and thought to myself, they don't look as if they are enjoying it at all, but maybe the satisfaction comes after a shower later or something.

Best of luck to all, I couldn't run to save my life, I'd be dead first.

Well I think it’s shocking.

Women out in public with no make up on, their hair scraped back in a pony tail, soaked in sweat, dressed with comfort and function in mind with absolutely no regard for what men find sexy, having good time with their friends and not giving a flying duck about looking gorgeous ( which is obviously their primary role in life ).

Shouldn’t be allowed.

No wonder some other women get mightily pissed off about it.

How lovely would it be to see yourself on a website as an example of Runner's Face, or Fat Elderly Jogger's Bottom or Skinny Thighed
Female Cyclist? FFS. Whatever happened to sisterly solidarity?

Whatever happened to sisterly solidarity?

Doesn't exist. Why does anyone have to show solidarity with anyone just because they're the same sex?

Women out in public with no make up on, their hair scraped back in a pony tail, soaked in sweat, dressed with comfort and function in mind with absolutely no regard for what men find sexy, having good time with their friends and not giving a flying duck about looking gorgeous ( which is obviously their primary role in life ).

The above literally describes how myself & my friends look/dress most of the time but what on earth does this have to do with the OPs question?

I think it’s the fact that the jolting and gravity drag the face down and make it jowly and stretched.

Maybe if I did enough yoga and running, I could have the face of a yogi
and the and of a runner?
I will test this and report back in 10 years.

makes note in diary

Running 5kms a few days a tek won't change anything, not your face not your weight not your health.

This is a) really discouraging for anyone currently unhealthy who is thinking of taking up running and b) completely untrue. I started running 5km a few times a week and have lost loads of weight as a consequence (haven’t changed my diet), have a much healthier BMI and resting blood pressure, and look 100 times better than I did before.

I think it’s the fact that the jolting and gravity drag the face down and make it jowly and stretched.

In theory, it could actually equally have a tightening affect as the muscles work harder to compensate. Like the way those power plate things work. The 'runner's face' woman did not look jowly or stretched. She looked very slim, with tight skin albeit with some wrinkles. However most people beyond 30 would see wrinkles if they raised their eyebrows and smiled like she is doing.

Anyway I think she looks lovely. Fit and happy! If that is 'runner's face', I'd be wearing it as a badge of honour!

Couldn't see a man who looked similar getting such scrutiny. Are women supposed to look like they have not aged beyond their early 20s?...