How can athletes strike a balance between normal discomfort and understanding the constraints of aging?

Olympic swimmer Dara Torres joins the podcast to talk with Kelly and Maria about how she stays active but respects the boundaries of her body as she ages. She also talks about parenting and what she’s up to now.

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MORE ABOUT DARA TORRES

Dara Torres is one of the greatest Olympic swimmers of all time, with five Olympic performances (1984, 1988, 1992, 2000 and 2008) and 12 Olympic medals. She is most known for her age-defying comeback at the 2008 Olympics, where at age 41 and as the mother of a 16-month-old, she became the oldest swimmer to stand on the podium, winning silver in the 4 X 100 relay and silver in the 50 meter.   

Dara is also an entrepreneur and bestselling author, writing two books, Gold Medal Fitness and Age is Just a Number. She’s a regular keynote speaker, has worked as a model and regularly works in sports media. Dara is involved in charitable work to raise money for cancer research and drowning prevention, and since 2019 she’s been the health and wellness officer for  CanIBrands, a CBD health and wellness company.

Episode Topics and Mentions

Olympic swimming

Gold Medal Fitness by Dara Torres

Age is Just a Number by Dara Torres

CanIBrands, a CBD health and wellness company

Aging

Psoriasis

Pilates

Spin classes

Surfing

Paddle boarding

Parenting

Jill Sterkel

Sportsmanship

Better sleep

Injury recovery

Takeaways

Kelly

1. Underschedule yourself as an aging athlete and allow yourself built in rest days and periods of time.
2. When you just accept what you look like, or other parts of your identity, you are able to release anxiety around it and others accept you, too.

Maria

1. It’s hard for athletes to “listen to your body” but as you age, you need to balance out the pain/discomfort with discipline. 
2. Kindness is admirable and makes a bigger difference than athletic performance.

Quote of the Week

“The people I admire aren’t always the ones who come in first place. It’s the ones who try their best and who treat people how they want to be treated.” -- Dara Torres

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Email us at [email protected]. Opinions discussed are not medical advice, please seek a medical professional for your own health concerns.