Ageless Athlete — How to Stay Strong, Curious & Capable for Life

In Part II of our deep conversation, Andy Donaldson takes us into the heart of open water swimming—where the body aches, the mind wanders, and sometimes… things go wrong. We pick up the story after his return to the sport. But this time, it's different. Andy isn’t chasing medals—he’s chasing meaning. And the path leads him through shark-infested waters, swollen throats, and swims so long and...

What does it take to walk away from something you’ve trained for your entire life… and then find your way back — stronger, wiser, and with a whole new purpose? In this two-part conversation, we sit down with world-record-holding swimmer Andy Donaldson. But Part One isn’t about records. It’s about the reset — the season of burnout, career shifts, mental struggle, and the slow, imperfect process of...

Seb Berthe didn’t just train for a legendary big-wall objective — he built the entire pursuit around a constraint: no flying. So he and his partner sailed across oceans, lived simply, trained creatively, and arrived at the wall already shaped by the journey. This episode isn’t only about climbing. It’s about what happens when your values become part of the plan — and how the “how” can change what...

What happens when your life as an elite athlete is stripped away—and you’re forced to rebuild, not just your body, but your identity? In this powerful and personal episode, we sit down with Jamie Whitmore —a world-class endurance athlete whose story is less about podiums and more about persistence. Jamie was once one of the most dominant XTERRA racers in the world—winning races across continents,...

What does it take to climb your hardest route at 50—and then hold the rope while someone else pushes that same line even further? For Neil Gresham, that moment came on Lexicon , a bold and beautiful E11 route he developed and climbed later in life. In this conversation, Neil shares the full story—from discovering the line in the Lake District to the deep personal shift that allowed him to reach a...

Wendy Fisher was once one of the fastest women on skis. A U.S. Ski Team racer and 1992 Olympian, she seemed destined for a long career in elite competition. But by her early 20s, she was burned out, struggling with identity and disordered eating, and quietly unraveling inside a system that prized performance over well-being. This could’ve been the end of her story. Instead, it became the beginning...

At 74, Rob Matheson climbed one of the UK’s most serious routes: The Bells, The Bells! — a sea cliff climb in North Wales known for poor protection and real consequences - a fall can mean catastrophe, even death.  This isn’t a nostalgic story about what he used to do. It’s about what he’s still choosing to do now. In this conversation, we talk about what it means to stay bold as you get older—not...

“I call my age group the 70 to death—and we show up early, because we still can. If you want to feel young, hang out with people chasing PRs, not prescriptions.” Bob Babbitt has raced more than 300 triathlons, co-founded Competitor magazine, helped popularize the Rock ’n’ Roll Marathon Series, and has spent decades spotlighting athletes of all abilities through storytelling. At 73, he’s still trai...

At midnight, Sarah Thomas stepped off the coast of England into darkness—swimming into history as the first person to complete a four-way crossing of the English Channel, nonstop. That alone would be astonishing. But what makes her story unforgettable is what came before: a breast cancer diagnosis, grueling treatment, and the slow, painful journey of rebuilding trust in a body that no longer felt...

What if your best climbing wasn’t behind you—even at 65? This episode is a masterclass in longevity, discipline, and duality. Our guest is a rare figure who has spent decades pushing hard at the edge of two very different worlds: as a tenured philosophy professor and a lifelong climber still sending 5.14s. Bill Ramsey started climbing before sport climbing existed. He trained on treadwalls before...

Ketones and fasting get marketed like shortcuts. This conversation is the opposite: a grounded look at how your body actually produces energy—and what changes as you age. Dr. Brianna Stubbs is a researcher at the Buck Institute for Research on Aging and a world-class endurance athlete. We talk about metabolic flexibility (your ability to switch fuels), what ketones can and can’t do, and when fasti...

Bob Becker didn’t start running until his 50s. Now, in his 80s, he takes on 100+ mile ultramarathons—long, lonely efforts where the real challenge isn’t fitness. It’s staying steady when everything hurts, the clock is closing, and quitting would be easy. This isn’t an episode about “defying age.” It’s about why people keep going—what purpose does to pain, how community changes endurance, and the q...

What does it take to paddle into a 50-foot wave—and then keep choosing that life after burnout, setbacks, and real fear? Big wave surfer Bianca Valenti has built a career where the consequences are immediate. But this conversation goes beyond surfing. It’s about what happens when you commit to something that demands your whole self: the training, the recovery, the mental discipline, and the identi...

In this special highlight reel, we revisit the most unforgettable moments from the past few months of Ageless Athlete . These are stories that stuck with me—narratives that challenged how I think about fear, recovery, aging, and what the human body (and spirit) can do when fully committed. You’ll hear: A nurse in her 50s swimming 30 miles through 43-degree water toward the Farallon Islands—without...

Dean Karnazes has been called one of the fittest humans on the planet — and he’s not slowing down. In his 60s, he’s still running ultramarathons on the weekends, living part-time in Greece, and exploring the historical roots of endurance itself. In this episode, Dean takes us through: What running looks like for him today Why Greece has become his spiritual and physical home The true story of the...

Physiotherapist and coach Andy McVittie returns to the podcast for a deeper dive into the aging body — what breaks down, why it happens, and how to keep moving through it all. In this episode, we move from big-picture thinking to the specific joints and patterns that affect everyday athletes most: shoulders, elbows, fingers, and knees. Andy shares how to work around pain, when to push and when to...

Before climbing was mainstream—before comps, cameras, and careers—J erry Moffatt was already pushing the edge. He trained with a rare intensity, took real risks, and became one of the most influential climbers of his era. But the part that makes this conversation last isn’t what he climbed. It’s what happened after: Jerry stepped away while he was still at the top—and had to rebuild a life that wa...

What does it take to stay at the top of your sport for over four decades—and still be competitive at 70? In this episode, we sit down with Ned Overend , the first-ever UCI Mountain Bike World Champion and six-time national champion, who’s still toeing the line with athletes half his age. But this isn’t just a story about biking—it’s about reinvention, smart training, and building a body and mindse...

Physiotherapist, coach, and lifelong climber Andy McVittie challenge the myths about aging and physical decline. Andy brings decades of hands-on experience, working with outdoor athletes and everyday movers who want to stay active, resilient, and injury-free well into their 40s, 50s, and beyond. We discuss why it’s never too late to get strong, how to prevent the aches and pains that cause many at...

Tara Tulley’s story is an ode to the power of resilience, determination, and self-belief. At 45 years old, she stood at the start line of a grueling 140-mile ultra-marathon—not as a runner, but as a spectator. Weighing over 250 pounds, battling the effects of POTS, and having stepped away from running for years, she made a bold promise: One year from now, I will be here, and I will run this race....

“Fear doesn’t have to destroy you—it can become rocket fuel if you learn to harness it. That mindset carried me through big waves and even bigger challenges on land.” In this episode, we dive deep with Shawn Dollar , a big-wave surfer known for paddling into massive 60-foot waves—twice—earning him two Guinness World Records . As awe-inspiring as those rides were, Shawn opens up about an even more...

“What do you do when the person who raised you starts slipping away?” In this episode, I sit down with ultra-endurance athlete and coach Travis Macy—but this isn’t really about racing. It’s about what happens when the real challenge begins at home. Travis’s father, Mark Macy, was once his teammate—racing Eco-Challenge together at the highest level. Today, he’s living with Alzheimer’s. And yet… the...

At 50, Chris Bertish has built his life on pushing the boundaries of human endurance. From conquering Mavericks with no sleep and borrowed gear to paddling 4,600 miles across the Atlantic solo , his story is proof that commitment, mindset, and resilience can rewrite what we think is possible. In this storytelling episode , Chris takes us inside his biggest challenges—the brutal storms, the mental...

Lisa Smith-Batchen has done things that are hard to even picture. She completed the Badwater Quad—running from Death Valley to Mount Whitney and back. Twice. 584 miles. But what stood out to me in this conversation wasn’t just the distance. It was how she thinks about aging. Lisa believes she’s stronger now than she was when she was younger—not because she trains harder, but because she’s clearer....

🎙️ Ageless Athlete Podcast is back with Part 2 of our Best of 2024 series! In this special episode, we revisit some of the most powerful, thought-provoking, and inspiring conversations from the past year. If Part 1 was about pushing limits and redefining aging through adventure, Part 2 dives deeper into the mindset shifts, personal transformations, and philosophies that keep athletes and adventure...