Ageless Athlete - Longevity Insights From Adventure Sports Legends

What does it really take to stay strong into your 70s — physically, mentally, and emotionally?In this episode, I sit down with Steve Swenson, one of America’s most respected alpinists, to talk about endurance, aging, and the habits that have kept him moving for decades.Steve has climbed Everest and K2, completed first ascents in the Karakoram, and summited Everest without supplemental oxygen — an experience that strips away ego and rewards preparation, judgment, and restraint. But this conversation isn’t about chasing summits.It’s about what Steve has learned over a lifetime of extreme environments: why endurance matters more than talent as you age, why strength training becomes non-negotiable in your later years, and why staying uninjured is often the biggest win of all.We talk about:What climbing Everest without oxygen actually feels likeHow Steve trains to stay strong and capable into his 70sWhy consistency beats intensity over the long runStrength training, sarcopenia, and aging wellPartnership, judgment, and making smart decisions under stressThis is a grounded, experience-driven conversation for anyone thinking seriously about longevity — not just in sport, but in life.--- 🚀 Love the show? Here’s how to support it If something you’ve heard here has stayed with you, made you smile, or helped you keep going, I’d be honored if you’d consider supporting the show. 👉 https://buymeacoffee.com/agelessathlete 📰 Subscribe to the Ageless Athlete newsletter ! 1-2x a month, no spam. We share behind-the-scenes reflections, longevity tips, and athlete wisdom you won’t find anywhere else. You can sign up at https://www.agelessathlete.co/newsletter/ 📩 Support the show

What really keeps the brain sharp as we age — and what quietly puts it at risk?In this episode of the Ageless Athlete Podcast, host Kush Khandelwal speaks with Dr. Tommy Wood, neuroscientist, physician, and strength athlete, about the science of cognitive reserve and why long-term brain health depends on challenge, learning, and effort — not comfort or flow.Flow states feel rewarding, but as Dr. Wood explains, they don’t create the kind of stimulus the brain needs to adapt over decades. Instead, the brain thrives when it’s pushed to learn new skills, navigate uncertainty, and stay engaged through physical movement, mental effort, and diversified identity.This conversation connects neuroscience, exercise science, and psychology in a practical, accessible way — especially for adults who care about aging well, staying mentally sharp, and maintaining performance into midlife and beyond.🧠 Topics Covered in This EpisodeWhat cognitive reserve is and why it matters for healthy agingWhy flow states don’t build long-term brain resilienceHow struggle, learning, and novelty stimulate neuroplasticityExercise as brain insurance — what that actually means biologicallyIdentity diversification and why tying yourself to one role is risky as you ageHow comfort and over-specialization can accelerate cognitive declinePractical ways to invest now for cognitive returns later📚 Featured Resource — Upcoming BookDr. Wood’s upcoming book expands on the ideas explored in this conversation:📖 The Stimulated Mind: A Breakthrough Plan to Future-Proof Your Brain from Dementia and Stay Sharp at Any Age🗓️ Release Date: March 24, 2026The book explores how stimulus, challenge, learning, and environment shape brain health across the lifespan — and why cognitive decline is not inevitable.🔗 Learn more and pre-order:https://thestimulatedmind.com(Pre-orders meaningfully support this work.)🔗 Where to Find Dr. Tommy WoodWebsite: https://drtommywood.comPodcast: Better Brain Fitness (with Dr. Josh Turknett)Book: The Stimulated Mind (2026)Speaking & Writing: https://drtommywood.comResearch & Teaching: University of Washington School of Medicine--- 🚀 Love the show? Here’s how to support it If something you’ve heard here has stayed with you, made you smile, or helped you keep going, I’d be honored if you’d consider supporting the show. 👉 https://buymeacoffee.com/agelessathlete 📰 Subscribe to the Ageless Athlete newsletter ! 1-2x a month, no spam. We share behind-the-scenes reflections, longevity tips, and athlete wisdom you won’t find anywhere else. You can sign up at https://www.agelessathlete.co/newsletter/ 📩 Support the show

This week’s episode is a little different. Instead of interviewing a legendary athlete or coach, I was invited onto the Adventure Sports Podcast to talk about the questions that many of us — everyday athletes, weekend warriors, late bloomers, and lifelong learners — wrestle with as we get older.If you come to Ageless Athlete for honest conversations about aging, movement, and staying curious in a changing body, this episode is very much in that spirit. We recorded this conversation back in May, but the themes feel even more relevant now: How do we keep doing the outdoor sports we love? How do we adapt with age? And how do we stay connected to joy when progress shifts shape?In this episode, we explore:what aging actually feels like for an an everyday athletewhy our relationship with our sport changes over timehow to stay motivated when improvement slowsthe role of curiosity in lifelong performancehow community shapes longevity in outdoor sportswhy reinvention is normal — and sometimes necessaryThese aren’t lessons from the mountaintop — they’re observations from someone who’s simply been asking these questions alongside you, year after year, conversation after conversation.If you’ve ever wondered:How do I keep climbing, running, biking, surfing as I age?What do I do when my body surprises me — in good or difficult ways?How do “regular people” stay active for decades?This episode offers perspective that’s honest, relatable, and grounded in real experience — mine, and the many people I’ve learned from.⭐ THANK YOU & CREDITSA big thank-you to the Adventure Sports Podcast for the invitation and for allowing us to share this conversation here. You can find their show at: https://adventuresportspodcast.comAnd thank you — truly — for sticking with Ageless Athlete through 103 episodes. This community means more than I can say.--- 🚀 Love the show? Here’s how to support it If something you’ve heard here has stayed with you, made you smile, or helped you keep going, I’d be honored if you’d consider supporting the show. 👉 https://buymeacoffee.com/agelessathlete 📰 Subscribe to the Ageless Athlete newsletter ! 1-2x a month, no spam. We share behind-the-scenes reflections, longevity tips, and athlete wisdom you won’t find anywhere else. You can sign up at https://www.agelessathlete.co/newsletter/ 📩 Support the show

What happens when a life in climbing spans five decades, multiple eras, and some of the most surprising moments in outdoor history?In this episode, legendary climber Russ Clune takes us inside the world that shaped him: the Shawangunks (“the Gunks”) of the 1970s and 80s — an unlikely counterculture just two hours from Manhattan where artists, dirtbags, misfits, and pioneers built the early soul of American climbing.Russ shares rare, behind-the-scenes stories from his incredible career, including:• Competing in a government-run climbing event in Cold War Russia Painted red lines on limestone cliffs, leather-gloved belayers, Soviet stadium crowds, and a Wyoming cowboy becoming a national hero overnight. It’s a chapter of climbing history almost no one has heard.• The quiet era of “competitive free soloing” in the Gunks Russ recounts the friendly, unspoken one-upmanship among friends that culminated in his iconic solo of Supercrack. A moment that revealed both the power and limits of the mind — and marked the end of his soloing career.• What longevity really looks like at 66 Not superhuman strength — but consistency, humility, curiosity, and the ability to redefine performance as the decades unfold.• How to stay connected to your sport when your body changes Russ talks openly about becoming the belay anchor instead of the rope gun, and why aging in climbing can feel meaningful in its own way.📘 Russ’s Book: The LiferWe talk about his excellent memoir, The Lifer, which chronicles his adventures across the Gunks, Yosemite, Europe, South America, and beyond. It’s full of laughter, history, and insight — a must-read for anyone who loves climbing or stories of a life lived with passion.👉 Highly recommended: search “Russ Clune The Lifer” wherever you buy books.--- 🚀 Love the show? Here’s how to support it If something you’ve heard here has stayed with you, made you smile, or helped you keep going, I’d be honored if you’d consider supporting the show. 👉 https://buymeacoffee.com/agelessathlete 📰 Subscribe to the Ageless Athlete newsletter ! 1-2x a month, no spam. We share behind-the-scenes reflections, longevity tips, and athlete wisdom you won’t find anywhere else. You can sign up at https://www.agelessathlete.co/newsletter/ 📩 Support the show

What happens after you run for five straight days — 466 miles, 111 hours, two broken ribs, a torn hamstring… and then go right back to teaching high-school civics on Monday?In this rare, intimate conversation, ultrarunner Harvey Lewis shares a front-row look into his healing journey after Big Dog’s Backyard Ultra — widely considered one of the toughest and strangest endurance races in the world.This is not just a running episode. It’s about recovery, identity, and the small, consistent choices that help everyday people rebuild and age with strength.Harvey opens up about:How he cracked his ribs and tore his hamstring on Day 5Why he kept going for 12 more hours after the injuryThe exact recovery tools he used (sleep, sauna, red light, ART therapy, movement)How he distinguishes “trying harder” from “trying smarter”Why purpose (his Haiti fundraiser) kept him movingThe mindset shifts that matter more at 49 than mileage ever didHow a human-powered commute — even on crutches — became part of his rehabThe real meaning of resilience, especially after setbacksThis episode is shorter than usual as Harvey had to get back to class — but we hope to bring him back for Part Two.And a personal note: We just crossed 100 consecutive weekly episodes of Ageless Athlete. Thank you for being here, for listening, and for making this community possible.Timestamps00:00 — Breakfast, the run commute, and showing up to school 03:00 — How the injuries happened during Big’s 07:00 — The surprising pace of his healing 10:00 — What “trying harder” actually means in recovery 13:00 — The role of sauna, red light, ART therapy, and sleep 17:00 — Why nutrition matters more than protein myths 22:00 — Motion as medicine: walking, cycling, gentle running 26:00 — The Backyard Ultra: explained in simple terms 33:00 — Mindset in hour 80–100: hallucinations, purpose, micro-rest 40:00 — Running for David in Haiti 45:00 — Veganism, misinformation, and fueling as an ageless athlete 51:00 — Harvey signs off to rush back to classReferences & LinksBig Dog’s Backyard Ultra — Race format & rules https://backyardultra.comHarvey Lewis Instagram https://instagram.com/harveylewisultrarunner--- 🚀 Love the show? Here’s how to support it If something you’ve heard here has stayed with you, made you smile, or helped you keep going, I’d be honored if you’d consider supporting the show. 👉 https://buymeacoffee.com/agelessathlete 📰 Subscribe to the Ageless Athlete newsletter ! 1-2x a month, no spam. We share behind-the-scenes reflections, longevity tips, and athlete wisdom you won’t find anywhere else. You can sign up at https://www.agelessathlete.co/newsletter/ 📩 Support the show