In a world obsessed with youth in sports, there's a quiet revolution happening among athletes in their 50s, 60s, 70s, and beyond. These masters of endurance aren't just participating – they're demolishing expectations and rewriting the rules of athletic performance. It’s fantastic to see, and gives me hope for my future as an ageing athlete. 

That makes me sound old when in reality, I’m only just reaching my 40th year. I still feel like I can train in a similar way to what I did in my 20s - going hard with limited recovery. Though, perhaps that isn’t the smartest way to train as I age.

When I recently sat down with Joe Friel, the author behind 'Fast After 50', he revealed insights so powerful they're transforming how we think about aging in endurance sports. What he shared isn't just another training theory – it's a blueprint for athletic longevity that's backed by decades of coaching elite masters athletes. 

What follows isn't just advice – it's a complete shift in how we approach athletic performance after 40. It has made me rethink my entire approach to training and actually highlights how much rest plays a role. I especially like the sound of that, with three young children I’m currently running around after. More rest sounds very good to me.

While anticipation builds for Joe's updated "Fast After 50," the principles in his current work remain foundational. The key insight isn't just about training adaptation – it's about embracing the sophisticated interplay between experience, wisdom, and physical capability that defines masters athletes.

Joe made it clear through our conversation that your age isn't merely a number – it's a competitive advantage. As an older athlete you already have not just the wisdom to train intelligently, but the experience to execute with precision. The future for you as a masters athlete isn't about defying age – it's about defining it on your own terms and training for the life you want to live.

 

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

HRV4 Training

Fast After 50 - Book

Joel's Website

 

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