A method for preparing cis-1,4-polydienes, the method comprising the steps of preparing a preformed, active lanthanide-based catalyst, aging the active lanthanide-based catalyst for more than 5 days to thereby formed an aged catalyst, and introducing the aged catalyst and conjugated diene monomer to be polymerized to thereby form an active polymerization mixture in which the conjugated diene monomer is polymerized to form a polydiene having a reactive chain end.