Ageless Athlete — Healthy Aging for a Strong, Capable Life

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When the Consequences Are Final - Climbing a Death Route at 74 | Rob Matheson Jun 12, 2025

Show notes

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 by chasing risk, but by understanding it more clearly.

We get into:

What changes (and what sharpens) after decades of climbing
How judgment and composure start to matter more than raw strength
The difference between fear and actual danger
The role of mentorship—from his father to his son
How outside attention can distort decision-making, even late in life
Why he keeps going back—not to prove anything, but to explore what’s still there

There’s something deeper running through this conversation.

Not just climbing—but how we relate to challenge, identity, and growth as we age.

Check out Rob's fantastic Youtube channel!

Marek Health: Deeper look at your health with comprehensive bloodwork and personalized guidance. 10% off with code AGELESS at https://agelessathlete.short.gy/marek

Timeline: Support cellular renewal and mitochondrial function with Mitopure, featuring Urolithin A. Up to 20% off at timeline.com/AGELESSATHLETE

Support The Show Love the show? Here’s how to support it https://buymeacoffee.com/agelessathlete

INFORMEDISH: Real life. Artificial cohost.
Movies, parenting and life's absurdities. Jason and his AI cohost Heather take sides.

Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify

Ageless Athlete is a podcast about healthy aging for people who want to stay strong, active and capable for life. Conversations explore strength, endurance, mobility, recovery, VO2 max, muscle and bone health, and what it takes to keep doing the things you love as you get older.

Follow Ageless Athlete — How to Stay Strong, Curious & Capable for Life for new episodes each week.

Why Some Athletes Keep Going Into Their 70s, 80s & Beyond | Bob Babbitt, 73 Jun 04, 2025

Show notes

Why do some people keep racing, training, and showing up well into their 70s and 80s—while others gradually stop?

Bob Babbitt has been part of the endurance world since the earliest days of Ironman. Now in his 70s, he is still racing, training, and surrounded by athletes who have kept going for decades.

In this conversation, Bob shares what he has learned from a lifetime in endurance sports about staying active as we age.

We talk about:

Why community may be one of the most underrated parts of longevity
What keeps athletes showing up decade after decade
How Bob uses sauna and cold plunges as part of his routine and recovery
Why continuing to race gives training purpose
What he has learned from athletes competing into their 80s and even 90s
Why movement becomes easier to maintain when it is social
The remarkable early days of Ironman—and how the sport grew from a tiny experiment into a global movement

Bob’s philosophy is refreshingly simple: sometimes the reason to keep doing it is simply because you still can.

Marek Health: Deeper look at your health with comprehensive bloodwork and personalized guidance. 10% off with code AGELESS at https://agelessathlete.short.gy/marek

Timeline: Support cellular renewal and mitochondrial function with Mitopure, featuring Urolithin A. Up to 20% off at timeline.com/AGELESSATHLETE

Support The Show Love the show? Here’s how to support it https://buymeacoffee.com/agelessathlete

INFORMEDISH: Real life. Artificial cohost.
Movies, parenting and life's absurdities. Jason and his AI cohost Heather take sides.

Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify

Follow Ageless Athlete — How to Stay Strong, Curious & Capable for Life for new episodes each week.

What One Impossible Swim Can Teach You About Identity, Grit, and Starting Over | Sarah Thomas May 28, 2025

Show notes

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 like hers.

In this powerful episode, Sarah opens up about more than just world-record swims. She reflects on how to start over after loss, how movement can become a form of healing, and what it really means to “still float”—physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Whether you're an athlete, a survivor, or simply navigating your own midlife turning point, her story is a quiet masterclass in resilience, reinvention, and grace.

🔑 Key Themes & Takeaways

Rebuilding After Crisis: Why Sarah’s swim wasn’t about proving strength—it was about rediscovering identity in a different body.
Grit ≠ Perfection: How embracing her limits post-cancer helped her redefine success, and why being “less than 100%” doesn’t mean giving up.
Movement as Healing: The power of returning to the water—emotionally and physically—as a space of control, anonymity, and joy.
Longevity Lessons: What Sarah’s approach to endurance can teach us about aging well, training smart, and honoring the long arc of performance.
The English Channel as a Metaphor: How a swim so steeped in history became her proving ground for something deeper: presence, surrender, and quiet strength.
Start Small, Stay Present: Why big goals demand micro-focus—and how thinking one stroke at a time can carry you through life’s hardest miles.

🔗 References & Resources

🌐 Sarah Thomas’s Website: sarahthomasswims.com
📺 TEDx Talk – “Go Big”: Watch on YouTube
📚 Ocean’s Seven Challenge (Wikipedia): Learn More
📰 TIME Magazine – “Sarah Thomas Swims English Channel Four Times Nonstop After Surviving Cancer”: Read Article
🎖️ WOWSA Hall of Fame Inductee: World Open Water Swimming Association Profile
📍 Lake Champlain 104-Mile Record Swim: Coverage by Marathon Swimmers Federation

Marek Health: Deeper look at your health with comprehensive bloodwork and personalized guidance. 10% off with code AGELESS at https://agelessathlete.short.gy/marek

Timeline: Support cellular renewal and mitochondrial function with Mitopure, featuring Urolithin A. Up to 20% off at timeline.com/AGELESSATHLETE

Support The Show Love the show? Here’s how to support it https://buymeacoffee.com/agelessathlete

INFORMEDISH: Real life. Artificial cohost.
Movies, parenting and life's absurdities. Jason and his AI cohost Heather take sides.

Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify

Follow Ageless Athlete — How to Stay Strong, Curious & Capable for Life for new episodes each week.

He Outperforms Climbers Half His Age — Still Improving at 65 | Bill Ramsey May 21, 2025

Show notes

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 they were popular. And today, he still maps out meticulous 8-hour training days—designed not to get stronger, but to stay sharp, adaptive, and resilient.

This isn’t about avoiding aging. It’s about rewriting the rules.

🧗‍♂️ In This Episode, We Cover:

Balancing the cerebral and the physical: how philosophy and climbing feed each other—and why he believes doing both makes him better at each
The “Pain Box”: his metaphor for rethinking discipline, suffering, and the tradeoffs behind fulfillment
What changes (and what doesn’t): honest insight into how the body, mind, and motivation evolve from your 30s to your 60s
How to train in your 60s:
→ self-coached 8-hour training days
→ projecting with purpose
→ the importance of fingerboarding on send days
→ ice-cold hand tricks to climb harder in the cold
→ why he avoids certain types of dynamic board problems to prevent injury
Redefining success: why mastery isn’t about grades or PRs—but about curiosity, adaptability, and the joy of still trying
The inner life of a veteran athlete: what 50 years of climbing has taught him about loss, community, and legacy
Being a mentor, not a martyr: how he shares wisdom without needing the spotlight
Aging without apology: why aches and recovery delays are just part of the deal—and how to climb through them with grace and fire

🧠 Why It Matters:

Whether you're a dedicated athlete, a desk-bound dreamer, or someone wondering how to keep chasing meaning as the years stack up—this episode offers more than inspiration. It offers a roadmap.

You’ll walk away with:

A mindset for long-term performance
Tools to stay physically and mentally engaged
A fresh way to think about identity, reinvention, and the decades ahead

Marek Health: Deeper look at your health with comprehensive bloodwork and personalized guidance. 10% off with code AGELESS at https://agelessathlete.short.gy/marek

Timeline: Support cellular renewal and mitochondrial function with Mitopure, featuring Urolithin A. Up to 20% off at timeline.com/AGELESSATHLETE

Support The Show Love the show? Here’s how to support it https://buymeacoffee.com/agelessathlete

INFORMEDISH: Real life. Artificial cohost.
Movies, parenting and life's absurdities. Jason and his AI cohost Heather take sides.

Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify

Follow Ageless Athlete — How to Stay Strong, Curious & Capable for Life for new episodes each week.

What Actually Improves Metabolism as You Age — Ketones, Fasting, and Fueling for Endurance | Dr. Brianna Stubbs May 15, 2025

Show notes

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 fasting helps—or backfires—depending on training load, recovery, and goals.

In this episode:

What “metabolic flexibility” really means (in plain English)
Exogenous vs. endogenous ketones—and why the difference matters
Fasting, performance, and muscle: where people get it wrong
What endurance athletes can reveal about aging physiology
Practical fueling principles that support longevity—not fads

The goal isn’t extreme restriction or constant optimization. It’s building a metabolism that stays resilient, adaptable, and recoverable over decades.

Marek Health: Deeper look at your health with comprehensive bloodwork and personalized guidance. 10% off with code AGELESS at https://agelessathlete.short.gy/marek

Timeline: Support cellular renewal and mitochondrial function with Mitopure, featuring Urolithin A. Up to 20% off at timeline.com/AGELESSATHLETE

Support The Show Love the show? Here’s how to support it https://buymeacoffee.com/agelessathlete

INFORMEDISH: Real life. Artificial cohost.
Movies, parenting and life's absurdities. Jason and his AI cohost Heather take sides.

Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify

Follow Ageless Athlete — How to Stay Strong, Curious & Capable for Life for new episodes each week.

In His 80s, He Runs 100-Mile Ultras — What Keeps Him Going | Bob Becker, 82 May 08, 2025

Show notes

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 quiet ways one person’s persistence can ripple outward. Bob shares a moment from a race finish that reframed what “showing up” can mean for someone else.

In this episode:

Starting late—and building a second athletic life
The mindset that carries you through dark miles
What extreme ultras reveal about aging and identity
Purpose, responsibility, and the meaning of finishing
How he balances training, family, and community over decades

If you’ve ever wondered whether it’s too late to begin—or whether your effort matters more than you think—this conversation will stay with you.

Marek Health: Deeper look at your health with comprehensive bloodwork and personalized guidance. 10% off with code AGELESS at https://agelessathlete.short.gy/marek

Timeline: Support cellular renewal and mitochondrial function with Mitopure, featuring Urolithin A. Up to 20% off at timeline.com/AGELESSATHLETE

Support The Show Love the show? Here’s how to support it https://buymeacoffee.com/agelessathlete

INFORMEDISH: Real life. Artificial cohost.
Movies, parenting and life's absurdities. Jason and his AI cohost Heather take sides.

Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify

Follow Ageless Athlete — How to Stay Strong, Curious & Capable for Life for new episodes each week.

Facing Fear in Big Waves — And Building a Second Act | Bianca Valenti May 01, 2025

Show notes

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 identity shift that comes with a true “second act.”

We talk about how Bianca prepares for massive swells—physically and psychologically—plus what she learned the hard way about sustainability: how to push the edge without burning out, and why age can become an advantage when you train with more wisdom.

In this episode:

Fear as information (not a stop sign)
Training the mind as seriously as the body
Recovery, breath, and staying composed under stress
Rebuilding after burnout and redefining the goal
Helping older athletes push boundaries safely

Whether you surf or not, this is a field guide for anyone learning to stay capable—and brave—through the long game.

🔗 References & Resources

Bianca’s Website & Coaching Programs: https://www.bigwavebianca.com/
Follow Bianca on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bigwavebianca/
New York Times Magazine Feature (2019): “The Fight for Gender Equality in One of the Most Dangerous Sports on Earth” https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/02/07/magazine/women-surf-big-wave.html
Upcoming Documentary: She Change, directed by Sachi Cunningham

Marek Health: Deeper look at your health with comprehensive bloodwork and personalized guidance. 10% off with code AGELESS at https://agelessathlete.short.gy/marek

Timeline: Support cellular renewal and mitochondrial function with Mitopure, featuring Urolithin A. Up to 20% off at timeline.com/AGELESSATHLETE

Support The Show Love the show? Here’s how to support it https://buymeacoffee.com/agelessathlete

INFORMEDISH: Real life. Artificial cohost.
Movies, parenting and life's absurdities. Jason and his AI cohost Heather take sides.

Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify

Follow Ageless Athlete — How to Stay Strong, Curious & Capable for Life for new episodes each week.

Cold Oceans, Chemo Miles, and the Body’s Breakthrough - Best of Q1 2025 Apr 25, 2025

Show notes

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 a wetsuit.
A son running beside his father through the fog of Alzheimer’s.
An ultra-runner finding joy mid-chemo.
A solo paddleboard crossing of the Atlantic Ocean.
Affirmations taped to walls that became lifelines.
And reminders that fear, suffering, and setbacks are often the path itself.

If you're new here, this episode is a great introduction to what Ageless Athlete is all about. And if you're a regular, this is a chance to revisit the stories that deserve a second listen.

🧭 Featured Guests & Episode Titles

🎙️ Amy Gubser 🏊‍♀️
Into The Depths: No Wetsuit, 43 Degree Water, and 17 Hours Non-Stop to Make History With The First Swim to Shark Island

🎙️ Travis Macy 🏃‍♂️
One Mile at a Time: The Healing Power of Movement and How Adventure Can Fight Alzheimer’s

🎙️ Jamie Justice 🧬
The $101M Global Race to Redefine Aging: Jamie Justice on the Science of Longevity, and Why Aging Is an Opportunity, Not a Decline

🎙️ Ray Zahab 🏜️
Impossible To Possible: How Ray Zahab’s Adventure Mindset Helped Him Overcome Cancer and Redefine Resilience

🎙️ Chris Bertish 🌊🏄‍♂️
Chris Bertish Is All In: Paddling the Atlantic Solo, and Fear, Failure & Finding Strength in the Unknown

🎙️ Steve McClure 🧗‍♂️
Beyond Limits: Steve McClure’s Unorthodox Methods, Peak Performance at 54, What Causes Decline, and the Best Fixes for Long-Term Success

🎙️ Shawn Dollar 🌊
Beyond Two Guinness Records: How Shawn Dollar Overcame Traumatic Brain Injury—and Why You Must Advocate for Your Own Health

🎙️ Lisa Smith-Batchen 👣💧
The Peaceful Warrior: How to Break Through Self-Imposed Limits, Use Aging to Your Advantage, and How Purpose Can Transform You

🎙️ Tara Tulley 🔥🏃‍♀️
The Ultimate Comeback: At 46, Tara Tulley Transformed Her Life, Lost 130 lbs, Overcame Illness, and Conquered a 140 Mile Ultra Run

Marek Health: Deeper look at your health with comprehensive bloodwork and personalized guidance. 10% off with code AGELESS at https://agelessathlete.short.gy/marek

Timeline: Support cellular renewal and mitochondrial function with Mitopure, featuring Urolithin A. Up to 20% off at timeline.com/AGELESSATHLETE

Support The Show Love the show? Here’s how to support it https://buymeacoffee.com/agelessathlete

INFORMEDISH: Real life. Artificial cohost.
Movies, parenting and life's absurdities. Jason and his AI cohost Heather take sides.

Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify

Follow Ageless Athlete — How to Stay Strong, Curious & Capable for Life for new episodes each week.

Fighting Fit in Your 60s — He Keeps Running While Everyone Else Slows Down | Dean Karnazes Apr 15, 2025

Show notes

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 marathon, told like only he can
How he stays mentally sharp and physically strong as he ages
What keeps him motivated after decades of pushing limits

This isn’t just a highlight reel of past races — it’s a deep dive into how to stay adventurous, purpose-driven, and physically capable for life.

🔑 What You'll Learn:

The real origin of the marathon and why it matters
Dean’s mindset around aging, recovery, and staying “ultra”
How he balances training, life, and longevity in his 60s
His take on mental blocks and how to push through them
What’s changed (and what hasn’t) in ultra-running over the decades

📬 Like this episode?
Subscribe to the Ageless Athlete Newsletter on Substack for deeper stories, behind-the-scenes reflections, and performance tips from the podcast and beyond.

📚 Amazing Books by Dean Karnazes:

Ultramarathon Man: Confessions of an All-Night Runner - My favorite!
A Runner's High: My Life in Motion
The Road to Sparta: Reliving the Ancient Battle and Epic Run That Inspired the World's Greatest Footrace
50/50: Secrets I Learned Running 50 Marathons in 50 Days

🎙️ Support the Show:
Leave a quick rating or review in your podcast app — it’s the simplest way to support the show and help others discover Ageless Athlete.

Marek Health: Deeper look at your health with comprehensive bloodwork and personalized guidance. 10% off with code AGELESS at https://agelessathlete.short.gy/marek

Timeline: Support cellular renewal and mitochondrial function with Mitopure, featuring Urolithin A. Up to 20% off at timeline.com/AGELESSATHLETE

Support The Show Love the show? Here’s how to support it https://buymeacoffee.com/agelessathlete

INFORMEDISH: Real life. Artificial cohost.
Movies, parenting and life's absurdities. Jason and his AI cohost Heather take sides.

Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify

Follow Ageless Athlete — How to Stay Strong, Curious & Capable for Life for new episodes each week.

Your Joints Hurt More as You Age — Does That Mean You Should Stop? | Andy McVittie Apr 08, 2025

Show notes

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 pull back, and how aging athletes can train with purpose — not fear.

We also explore unexpected territory:
– Are sleep positions actually causing injury?
– What’s the mental toll of chronic pain or long-term rehab?
– How can we shift from frustration to gratitude when our bodies don’t move like they used to?

Whether you’re an aging athlete, a weekend warrior, or just trying to stay active without breaking down, this one is packed with insights that go beyond rehab — and into how we relate to our bodies over time.

🎧 What we cover:

Bulletproofing shoulders, elbows, fingers, and knees
Common mistakes in managing pain and recovery
Why tendon issues don’t heal like muscle injuries
Strategies for staying active through discomfort
The surprising role of mindset and body gratitude
Whether sleep posture actually matters for pain

📌 Guest: Andy McVittie
Website: processphysiotherapy.co.uk
Instagram: @process.physio
Book: The Self-Rehabbed Climber – Available on Amazon

Marek Health: Deeper look at your health with comprehensive bloodwork and personalized guidance. 10% off with code AGELESS at https://agelessathlete.short.gy/marek

Timeline: Support cellular renewal and mitochondrial function with Mitopure, featuring Urolithin A. Up to 20% off at timeline.com/AGELESSATHLETE

Support The Show Love the show? Here’s how to support it https://buymeacoffee.com/agelessathlete

INFORMEDISH: Real life. Artificial cohost.
Movies, parenting and life's absurdities. Jason and his AI cohost Heather take sides.

Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify

Follow Ageless Athlete — How to Stay Strong, Curious & Capable for Life for new episodes each week.

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