This Is 48: Tools for Thriving in Sport and Life as We Age
If you read my last post about pivoting when you’re ready for something new, this one picks up there. I just turned 48, and that milestone has me thinking about aging, competition, and what it means to keep showing up in this next season
Turning 48, and Still Racing Forward
I turned 48 yesterday. That number used to sound old to me. Now, it feels like a mark of strength—earned through experience, resilience, and showing up year after year. And while I’m definitely training and recovering differently than I did in my 30s and even early 40’s, I’m not slowing down—I’m shifting. There’s still fire. There’s still fight. And yes, sometimes there is still a place on the podium.
The passing of Colorado Poet Laureate and activist Andrea Gibson this week, just shy of their 50th birthday, hit me hard. Their work explores the fragility and beauty of life and love. And it reinforced for me again: aging is a gift. Not everyone gets to grow older, to move through the world in a healthy, capable body. As we age in our sports, we might not always be chasing PRs, but we’re rich in perspective, experience, and the ability to pursue what matters most.
So, no, I don’t believe aging is a limitation. It's just a new chapter with a different set of tools.
Reframing Aging: Not Less, Just Different
From a sports psychology lens, aging isn’t synonymous with decline. It’s a shift in how we approach performance. Our potential isn’t capped by age; it’s unlocked by how well we adapt our mindset, our goals, and our habits.
I know this to be true: You can still compete and perform at a high level. Recent race results from around the globe give testament to this reality. But sustainable excellence means leaning into recovery, aligning with purpose, and letting go of rigid definitions of what “peak” should look like.
This summer, I aimed to compete at a high level in the Leadville 100, but something shifted. After the Leadville Marathon, I finished strong, but I wasn’t inspired. These familiar courses no longer called to me the way they used to. It wasn’t failure—it was evolution.
Mike noticed it first. After the Leadville Marathon, where I showed up with all it seemed I had for the day but missed the top age-group spot, he said, “You don’t seem that excited.” He was right.
While others buzzed with post-race energy, I felt flat—grateful, but disconnected. It wasn’t burnout or even dissatisfaction; I knew I’d had a solid day and raced with what I had. But something deeper was missing. I realized I’d been showing up out of habit—not hunger.
Giving myself permission to step back was a huge relief. Missing that top spot—and the LT100 entry that came with it—actually freed me. Instead of pushing out of obligation, I’ve pivoted toward goals that feel aligned and fun. There’s a big difference between chasing a challenge you love and chasing one you think you should.
A few weeks later, I jumped into a 5K with friends, carrying minimal expectations. And just like that, I felt the fire again. Short, fast, intense—I was engaged. Focused. Competitive. Curious. That race reminded me that performance doesn’t end with age—it just sometimes needs a new path. And perhaps not surprisingly, when the excitement and passion are there, the performance often follows. I ended up running my second-fastest 5K ever—off ultra trail training—and finished hungry for more
So how do we stay in the game and keep thriving? Here are some mindset tools that help me—and many others I work with—navigate aging and competition.
Psychological Principles to Keep You in the Game
1. Growth Mindset over Fixed Limits
We age. That’s real. But what limits us more than biology is belief. A growth mindset means seeing every season of life as a space for new strengths to emerge—strategy, mental toughness, patience, and perspective. Sure, I race against others in my age group, but I’d be lying if I said I don’t also enjoy the fun challenge of seeing how I stack up against athletes 20 years younger.
2. Purpose-Driven Goals
As life expands—with parenting, career, marriage, and other obligations—our time and energy become even more valuable. That’s why it’s so important that our goals align with our why. Everywhere you turn these days, people talk about ‘knowing your why’ in sport and in life—and for good reason. When your goals truly reflect your values, they fuel motivation in a way that’s sustainable.
For me, that next aligned goal is the Abbott World Marathon Age Group Championships next May in Cape Town, South Africa. It’s big, and it’s exciting, and I can not wait to see how this chapter evolves. I don’t know if a PR is possible, but I know I’m training to find out.
3. Reframe Comparison
It’s easy to fall into the trap of comparing yourself to your younger self or to others who are still chasing the goals you thought you would still be chasing. But sports psychology reminds us how important it is to focus on process over perfection. Real progress comes from measuring yourself against who you are today, not who you were then. And honestly, that has to be enough—especially if you want to stay in the game with joy, not external pressure or shallow comparisons.
I get excited when I relive past races and accomplishments, but I also know that to keep performing at the level I want, it doesn’t help to keep aiming for something that’s no longer realistic. What does help is focusing on what I can control: my effort, consistency, recovery, and setting goals that align with where I am now.
Competing While Life Is Full
For most of us chasing that elusive, nearly impossible life balance, life is full. In my world, it’s full of raising teenagers, nurturing my marriage, meeting with clients, growing a business, and still trying to train at a level I enjoy. The other roles I love don’t pause just because I want to train hard for a race. But that doesn’t mean my competitive drive has to fade. It just means I need a new framework.
The key for me is integration, not separation. Sport doesn’t live in a silo—it’s part of a bigger life. And when I am able to train in alignment with that life, I show up more fully.
Some days, that means tempo runs. Some days, that means trail miles with friends. Some days, that means rest and paddleboarding with my kids on my favorite lake.
Mindset Strategies for Staying Competitive with Age
Here are mindset tools I use—and recommend—for athletes and high performers navigating both aging and life transition:
Mindful Self-Check-Ins
Questions to ask yourself: Am I excited? Am I connected to this goal? How do I feel day after day, aiming for this goal? Mental fatigue often masks as a lack of motivation. Tune in often, and pivot when needed.
Reframe “Slowing Down” as Strategic Adaptation
You’re not going backward—you’re adapting forward. Choosing smarter training, prioritizing recovery, and making space for joy is progress. This is where having a coach who understands these principles becomes especially valuable—someone who can work alongside your own inner voice, not override it.
Set Process-Oriented Goals
Instead of focusing only on finish times, set goals around consistency, focus, or emotional resilience, because those are the building blocks of long-term success. You can still chase outcome goals (I know I do, and I have very specific ones I’m training for), but they’re no longer the end-all for me. They’re part of the picture, not the whole. And that shift has brought a lot more freedom—and joy—into the sport I love
Embrace Self-Compassion
Talk to yourself like you would to a friend or training partner. When things get hard, it’s not a sign of weakness—it’s a sign you’re human. Growth is happening. Sometimes it’s also a cue to consider a new direction or to learn how to be OK with results that take a little longer to achieve.
Reconnect to the Bigger Picture
The reason I’m still competing? Because it makes me feel alive. I love it. And I’m genuinely curious about where these newer versions of me can go. These are the reasons that matter—and the ones I keep coming back to.
You Can Still Compete—and perform at a high level
Let’s break this myth wide open: aging doesn’t mark the end of competition—it just means stepping into a new arena.
You can still be fierce. Still set PRs. Still earn a place on the podium.
The difference now? It’s about training and recovering smarter—not harder. It’s about aligning your goals with who you are today and allowing this version of you to be powerful.
You don’t need to prove anything to your younger self—or to anyone on your feed.
What matters is showing up for the athlete you are now—with clarity, confidence, and purpose.
And if competition isn’t your thing, that’s completely okay. Knowing your why means honoring what feels right for you. This blog reflects my own experience with aging and shares themes from the many athletes I’ve worked with in my practice.
Lessons from my Last Lap Around the Sun
Aging isn’t a limitation—it often requires deep reflection and new strategies.
When fire fades, it’s a sign to listen and evolve—not quit.
Shorter distances and altered goals can spark big purpose.
Alignment beats intensity—every time.
Your “why” evolves—and so should your goals.
What’s Fueling Your Fire?
As you move through your own season of life and sport, take a moment to ask these questions:
What goals excite me now?
Where might I be training out of habit instead of alignment?
What part of competition still brings me joy?
You’re not done. You’re just getting started in a new phase of excellence.
Let’s keep showing up—not as who we used to be, but as who we are now.
Still in the game. Still growing. Still capable of great things.
“Getting older doesn’t mean you have to stop pushing your limits—it means learning how to push smarter.” -Chris Boardman
