This weekend reminded me why that distinction matters more than any number on a birthday cake.
Yesterday, I loaded up my new rucking pack for a seven-and-a-half-mile trek through the hills. When I finally weighed the setup afterward—plates in back, chest carrier up front, a liter of water—it hit nearly 40 pounds. I'd expected 30. But here's the thing: it felt good. Better than good, actually.
That's the paradox of training as an older athlete. Your expectations get recalibrated by decades of accumulated wisdom, not diminished by arbitrary age limits.
The Great Range Lesson
A month ago, my son and I attempted the Great Range Traverse in the Adirondacks—24 miles, eight high peaks, sun-up to sun-down. We didn't finish. We made the call to come down before completing the objective, and at the time, I wasn't sure I wanted to try again. Four weeks of reflection changed that. I'm absolutely going back.
The younger version of me would have been frustrated by the incompleteness. The current version recognizes valuable data when I see it. That day reminded me of the difference between pushing through and pushing smart. The mountain isn't going anywhere, and neither am I.
Structured Flexibility
This morning's 20K run perfectly illustrated how my training philosophy has evolved. I started thinking it would be a steady Zone 2 effort—that's what my recovery indicators suggested after yesterday's two-hour ruck. But as my legs warmed up, they felt surprisingly good.
So I listened. The first 10K stayed consistent—both 5K splits came in at 41 minutes and change. But I was creeping into Zones 3 and 4 more than planned. At 35, I might have ignored that and pushed through. At 49, I know when to walk the hills and when to run them.
The last 5K took over 45 minutes as I ran out of fuel on what was supposed to be a fasted run. Poor timing on my part—I should have started earlier. But that's data too, not failure.
The Ironman Decision
Speaking of not slowing down, I signed up for my third Ironman at Lake Placid. I've done this race twice—first at 30, then four years ago at 45, where I went faster. Now I'm eyeing 50 as what feels like a perfect bookend—20 years between the first and last. The goal? Make it the fastest of the three.
I really thought I was finished with Ironman after the second one. But when you're at Lake Placid supporting a friend, the energy there is intoxicating. It's hard not to want to participate when you're in that environment. So, despite thinking I was done with the distance, I couldn't resist signing up again.
Training Evolution
My current approach is split pretty equally between trail running and rucking. Lately, I haven't been all that focused on training in very specific zones. A lot of my running has just been based on how I feel or the objective I'm trying to accomplish.
Some days call for structured zone work. Others flow more intuitively. Yesterday was about time on feet with load. Today started as planned, Zone 2, but became whatever felt right as my legs warmed up.
The Weekend Win
Four hours on trails this weekend, taking advantage of perfect August weather that's rare around here. Yesterday's two-hour ruck, today's 20K run—that's the real satisfaction. Not any specific pace or power number, but the sustained ability to spend quality time doing what I love.
At 49, I'm still setting goals that challenge me. The Great Range isn't going anywhere, and neither am I. Sometimes the best part about getting older isn't slowing down—it's knowing when to walk the hills and when to push through them.
How has your approach to training evolved as you've gained more experience?
