Years ago when I was in my 30s, I recall being afraid of having to stop running (due to surgery) for 6-8 weeks. At that time, the word was you'd lose all the benefits you'd gained over the years if you stopped running for just a month.

Surprise, surprise...after a 6 to 8-week hiatus, I started up again and within a week was right back to my previous training level, no difficulty at all.

And so over the decades, if I've had to stop running now and then--for illness, location, whatever, I've always been able to get right back into it.

Now, at 66, my only problem seems to be the inevitable decline in ability: I can still do my usual distance, but it just takes more effort to get up those hills. I don't want to think of having to stop due to age or injury. But being injury-free after 37 years of running, I have hope I'll still be hobbling along in my 80s...if I live that long!