Lifestyle

Nearly 70, a Former Marathoner Came Back and Finished His 50th Marathon. Then His Tendons Had Other Ideas: “Old Stu Is a Lot Less Durable Than Young Stu”

By Mike Harper · November 5, 2026

Stu introduces himself with a simple claim. “I can still run fast, run long, and run up hills,” he says near the start of a video on his channel Marathon 50 (The Long Return) (@Marathon50Stu). He is Australian, nearly 70, and chasing genuinely competitive running again after decades away from the sport.

Forty years ago, he says, “I was a reasonably brisk marathon runner.” The comeback worked far enough that he and his training reached a milestone. “We did eventually get through marathon 50,” he said.

He explains how the return has gone in his video on YouTube.

The second beat of the story is his body. “Injured again, no running,” he says at one point. The line that sticks is the one about aging: “old Stu is a lot less durable than young Stu.” He still wants to know what is left. “I really want to see what this old body can do,” he said, aiming at “genuinely competitive running at 70.”

His frustration with tendons is the everyday version of a problem sports doctors see often. The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons explains that Achilles tendinitis often comes from repetitive stress when people push too much, too quickly, such as raising mileage without giving the body time to adapt. AAOS also notes that tendons can develop wear over time, a pattern sometimes called tendinopathy, and that rest from high-impact work, then a gradual return, is a common first step.

Older adults are still urged to stay active. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says adults 65 and older should aim each week for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity, muscle-strengthening on two or more days, and balance work, while also noting that some activity is better than none when full targets are hard to meet.

Stu’s video is not a training plan and not medical advice. It is one runner’s account of a late comeback, a 50th marathon, and the reality that the same legs that once felt durable now need more recovery. He keeps showing up for the next mile, and for the next rest day when his tendons demand it.

A few practical takeaways for readers thinking about a similar return:

Build up slowly. AAOS links sudden jumps in distance or intensity to Achilles irritation.

Mix in lower-impact days. Cross-training options such as cycling, an elliptical or swimming can keep you moving while tendons calm down, AAOS says.

See a clinician for lasting heel or tendon pain, morning stiffness that worsens with activity, or a sudden pop in the calf or heel.

Stay in the game for the long haul. CDC’s message for people 65 and older is that physical activity still pays off with age, even when the weekly totals have to flex around injuries and recovery.

Stu’s own summary is blunter than any guideline. Young Stu could absorb the load. Old Stu has to negotiate with it. The 50th marathon still counts.

This article is for general information and is not financial or legal advice. This article was produced with the assistance of AI and fact-checked against the sources cited by LightWave Reports.