Join Hilary Cairns and Michael Wardian as they catch up on recent adventures, training, and insights from their latest interviews. They share personal stories, training tips, and reflections on staying active and motivated as they age.

Sixty year-old Tammy Albanese shares her journey from dance and cheerleading to bodybuilding and now powerlifting. She discusses the ins and outs of powerlifting, how she has set records, and the impact of injuries on her training. Tammy shares what motivates her, how she transformed herself after potentially career-ending injuries and other health issues resolved through hard training and a vegan diet. She's a grandma, an architectural designer, and an athlete with eyes on competing for decades to come!

Gene was a self-described mediocre runner in college, but he started racing again in his 50s and proceeded to get faster and faster. He improved his marathon times throughout his 60s, eventually running the fastest marathon ever by a 70 year old, a mind-blowing 2:54, which is 6:38 per mile for those of you wondering. In addition to his marathon prowess, Gene has set multiple age group records in ultramarathons and has competed in races up to 200 miles. Gene has proven again and again that high-level performance doesn’t have to end at a certain age.

We learn about how he trains, competes, and redefines expectations about aging and performance. Gene has faced some challenges along the way, including a nagging injury at issue today, and we get to hear what has changed as he’s gotten older, what drives him, and what he’s learned about staying competitive later in life.

In this episode Michael and Hilary recap their races at Cherry Blossom--the USA Track & Field 10-Mile Championship--along with some other races and training. They also touch on coaching, books, and what's on their horizons.

Nicholas Thompson is the CEO of The Atlantic, an accomplished ultrarunner, and proof that getting older doesn’t mean backing off big goals. In this episode of Aging Athletically, Nick talks with us about balancing high-level work and high-level training, what still drives him to compete, and how curiosity, discipline, and endurance continue to fuel performance in midlife and beyond. He also shares insights into his new book, The Running Ground, a great read for runners and non-runners alike!

Welcome to Aging Athletically! In this first episode we introduce ourselves and talk about a little of this and a little of that. Michael is a pro ultrarunner and Hilary is a long-time competitive endurance athlete in triathlon, running and most recently, Hyrox. Thanks for joining us at the beginning!

In this episode we go more in-depth on who we are and some goals for the year.

We interviewed our longtime friend and pillar of the DC running community, Chris Farley. We discuss Chris's history in the sport, what running means to him, how he keeps at it, while also learning about the growth of Pacers Running.

In this episode we interview Rich Rouhonen and learn how he defied expectations by competing in the 2026 Winter Olympics at age 54. He shares the physical, mental and strategic approach that has sustained his elite athletic career alongside a demanding role as a trial attorney. From curling strategy to courtroom psychology, Rich reveals how resilience, discipline and adaptability can unlock excellence at any age.

Today we interview Hyrox star and coach Amy Bevilacqua. Amy shares the athletic journey she started as a young girl all the way to her current passion at age 52. In addition to being an elite athlete, Amy is a mom of 5! We discuss all things Hyrox, training and taking on new challenges.