Seasoned Athlete

On today’s episode I’m sharing why NOW is the time to run your first obstacle race. You may be feeling “blah” from sitting around more than usual during the pandemic, and feel you’re just too out of shape to do it. Or maybe you think your age is a reason that obstacle racing just isn’t for you. I’m busting these myths today. 

Obstacle racing truly is for everybody, and in this episode I want you to leave PUMPED and ready to set off on your first (or next) race. 

We discuss:

- How races can  make you feel like you can conquer the world.

- Why it doesn’t matter what age you are, you can do this for the first time.

- A story about my first obstacle race.

- Why you’ll be able to do more than you think.

- Why we need more women over 40 on the courses. 

… and more!

Here are some highlights.  

What exactly is an Obstacle Race?

“Obstacle races are a type of race that combines running with completing various obstacles throughout the race course. They're typically held on trails, but not always. They can vary in length, usually anywhere between a 5k distance to a 50K distance, and there are even some 24-hour obstacle races out there!

Obstacles include anything from climbing over walls to barbed wire crawls, to rope climbs, monkey bars, heavy bucket or sandbag carries and more. There are different race brands like Spartan, Tough Mudder, Savage race, and they all have their own signature style and signature obstacles. You typically have options to race competitively, where you would have to do all the obstacles on your own or race in what is usually called an open heat where teamwork is allowed and encouraged.”

You Can Do More Than You Think.

 “I'm guessing the biggest thing holding you back is that you think you'll fail every obstacle, or you don't think you'll make it to the finish line. You have the ability to get from start to finish, in some ways, that aspect of obstacle racing is easier than a traditional road race, because the running portions are broken up with obstacles, so you aren't necessarily running non-stop like you would at a 5K, 10K or half marathon. As for the obstacles, will you fail some of them? Sure, most likely.  It's a rare person who can complete every obstacle in their first race, that's just the real deal right there. Certain obstacles take strength and technique that is generally built over time. It's a mostly unrealistic expectation to be able to complete every obstacle on your own in the first race, so with that in mind, don't let that hold you back from getting out there.

 But here's what you may not realize: you will be able to do more than you think. Although it's an unrealistic expectation to be able to complete every obstacle on your own in your first race, don't let that set a new expectation that you won't be able to do anything, because there will be plenty of obstacles that, yes, you will be able to do.”

You’ll Meet the Nicest People.

“Something that might make you apprehensive about signing up for an obstacle race is that you might think the people in the course are either six-pack having, buff meathead Bros or that they're gonna be watching you and judging you. You're afraid that you're gonna look bad out there and that people are gonna judge you for it. I'm here to tell you that this couldn't be further from the truth.”

Racing is for Everybody...and EVERY body.

“Another thing that holds people back from doing obstacle races is that they think you have to have a certain body type to run a race, and that's just not the case. When you go to an obstacle race, you'll see people of all ages, sizes and walks of life. It's a place where we can all challenge ourselves and all feel accepted. Everyone who shows up for a race, we'll have different strengths and abilities, and everyone who shows up has it within them to make it to the finish line, it only takes gathering the bravery to get to your first race, to realize that you belong.”

Doors are now open for Age Is No Obstacle, my signature coaching program created to help women over 40 get strong, confident and ready to run their first obstacle race, or their first competitive race, in just 12 weeks.

Age Is No Obstacle includes a fully customizable online 12-week training program designed to give you the strength, stamina and endurance to rock the race distance of your choice.

You'll also get access to the Age Is No Obstacle audio course, giving you all the things you need to know to train fuel, recover and prepare for your race.

Finally, connect with your fellow Ageless Athletes and get on-the-spot coaching with ongoing live workout and group coaching sessions.

Unlock over $500 in bonuses if you pay in full, including a FitFighter Steelhose Home Gym Set to get you fully set up to hit the ground running with your training.

If you have an obstacle race on your post-pandemic to-do list, ditch the guesswork and skip the trial and error that so many new racers go through. Instead, get into Age Is No Obstacle before doors close on Wednesday at 5pm PT and get yourself ready to rock that race in just 12 weeks.

Grab your spot now at robinlegat.com/obstacle.

Menopause is something that all women will eventually experience, but more often than not, they aren’t equipped for dealing with all that comes with it. Whether it’s the gap in medical understanding of it, hormone coaches pitching unfounded science, or women just feeling left in the dust, it can be truly challenging to go through. 

In this episode, we are talking to Amanda Thebe, a personal trainer and nutrition coach with nearly thirty years of experience in the fitness industry. She is a force of nature for women who are experiencing menopause hell and want to start feeling healthy and fit in their 40s and beyond.

We discuss:

• The medical industry leaving menopausal women behind.
• Supplements and the fallacy around estrogen production. 
• Why strength training can really improve a woman's health.
• How accountability can help you stay on track with your athletic goals. 
• Making fitness part of your schedule so you won’t skip it.

… and more!

Here are some highlights.  

Menopause can be hard to diagnose. 

“Women at this phase of their lives, we go through this stuff and we don't know what's happening and we don't have an answer for it. At least now we can say, is it her menopause? Is this thing I'm going through perimenopausal? The symptomatology is just so different for everybody. We hear about hot flashes, that's very, very common. We don't hear about clinical depression. We don't hear about migraines with auras. We don't hear about vertigo. We don't hear about that stuff as much. So when women are going through something like that, they may not realize that this could be related to menopause. And you were going to your nose and throat doctors who are not gonna give you the answer you need at that time.”

The movement for better care has to be grass roots. 

“I think the movement has to be from the grass roots up. And I always say that like [people] with a decent sized platform are already fairly vocal and are talking about it a lot, but Karen next door can go and speak to her friend Susan and have a chat, and it starts the ripple, it starts the conversation. And the first time you say menopause, you wanna cringe and it feels awful, but the second time it's easier. And then the third time you don't even think about it. When we normalize the conversation and when we share it with our friends, it snowballs, and I think every woman of this generation needs to do that writing for the next generation coming. And it's promising that it's happening now, and that gives me hope for the next generation.”

Pseudo Science around menopause. 

“I do get really frustrated. We know the supplement industry is non-regulated in the US, in most countries as well, and so we don't know the efficacy quality or bioavailability of the supplements we're taking. A lot of menopause targeted supplements contain herbs and tinctures that have been very poorly studied or are not studied at all, usually in small and small trials. And so they're marketed as the solution to menopause, and I have a problem with that because it's sort of not addressing the problem. When you talk about menopause, we know it's a natural thing that's gonna happen to most women. Some women, it happens in a more fast manner, if they have had constitutional historic issues or they literally get thrown into menopause in the deep end. Nothing's gonna stop that happening, and that's my point. It doesn't matter how many supplements you take, it doesn't matter how many coaches call themselves hormone balancing coaches, you can't change the fact that your hormones are going to decline. You can't introduce estrogen in food to stop that happening. The message is so confusing for women.”

Connect with Amanda Thebe: 

WEBSITE: AmandaThebe.com

SOCIAL:

Instagram | www.instagram.com/amanda.thebe

Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/amandathebex

Twitter | https://twitter.com/amandathebex

FREEBIE: 

Grab my 12 Week Core Program, ABS ON FIRE

https://www.amandathebe.com/abs-on-fire/

BOOK:

Menopocalypse: How I Learned to Thrive During Menopause and How You Can Too!

www.amandathebe.com/books - all buying options listed here.

If you've been wanting to run a Spartan Race for like ever now, or level up to your first competitive race, I've got good news for you! 

Races are back on the calendar and I want to help you make this goal happen!

Join me on Saturday May 22 for Start Line Strong, a movement-based masterclass that will take you from feeling overwhelmed and underprepared to on fire to run your first Spartan Race or your first competitive race.

Part workout, part workshop, Start Line Strong will give you the tools you need to ditch the fear and feel ready to sign up and show up for your first Spartan Race or your first competitive race, all while getting an amazing all levels workout in the process.

Start Line Strong takes place on Saturday, May 22 at 8am PST, 11am ET, and it's free to attend!

Reserve your spot now at RobinLegat.com/start

On today’s episode I talk about the joys that running can bring to your routine as well as your athletic life. It’s no secret I did not start off as a runner, in fact, I avoided running at all costs. But I have found a love in running and I think you can as well.

Running can be one of the most fulfilling and rewarding parts of your day and in this episode, I have included some steps to finding the runner in you.

We discuss:

- Running as a journey not a process.

- Being patient with yourself and trusting the process.

- Incorporating strength training.

- Treating yourself to running shoes.

- Incorporating speed training.

… and more!

Here are some highlights.  

Pushing Yourself.

“The idea of running for 10 minutes without stopping seemed completely ludicrous to me, just out of control, crazy, insane. But I did it. It was hard, but I finished, and I was damn proud of myself. Eventually, the app asked me to run 20 minutes without stopping, same thing. Did it hard, finished. Proud of myself. I kept building to the point where I could run a 5K race, then a 10k race. The weekend of my 40th birthday, I ran my first half marathon.”

Understanding Your Body

“A big mistake that new runners make is to just run without doing any other type of strength training. I mean, I did it back when I started, but here's why, this is a mistake that can be holding you back from making progress. Running is a repetitive stress movement meaning you're using the same muscles in the same way over and over again, and in a fairly high impact way. If you don't strengthen your body to support this repetitive stress, it can lead to injury, which most definitely will not help you run farther, run faster or be unhappy. This is why strength training is important.”

Starting off on The Right Foot

“Another common thing that new runners do is to run on beat up shoes. It makes sense, this is a new hobby and you're not sure it's going to stick. So you don't want to throw down a bunch of money to buy shoes that you don't know if you're going to wear for the long term. But here is why I encourage you to get yourself new running shoes, as soon as you are able, because they can change your running game.

If you've been wanting to run a Spartan Race or similar obstacle race, or level up to your first competitive race, I've got good news for you. races are back on the calendar and I want to help you make this goal happen.

Join me on Saturday May 22nd for Start Line Strong, a movement-based masterclass that will take you from feeling overwhelmed and underprepared to on fire to run your first obstacle race, or your first competitive race.

Part workout, part workshop, Start Line Strong will give you the tools you need to ditch the fear and feel ready to sign up and show up to race, all while getting an amazing all levels workout in the process. Start Line Strong takes place on Saturday, May 22nd at 8am PT/11am ET, and it's free to attend.

Reserve your spot now at robinlegat.com/start

On today’s episode I talk with Stacy Griner, Owner and Operator of Kika Stretch in Atlanta, Georgia. Stacy wasn’t always an athlete, in fact she grew up avoiding sports and sweating all together! Through big life events and changes, Stacy found her inner athlete at age 41 and began her journey as a cyclist, marathon runner, triathlon competitor, and traveler. 

Though Stacy has not been an athlete her entire life, her journey is what makes her story and message that much more special. Stacy has overcome many challenges in her life to reach an inner peace that can only come with experience and reflection.

We discuss:

- Life events that change us for the better.

- Pursuing a dream you never knew you had.

- The transition and rebirth as an athlete.

- Shifting your mindset when it gets tough and always pushing forward.

- Finding that peace within yourself and continuing to grow.

… and more!

Here are some highlights.  

Finding Your Community

“At the time it was really a matter of  finding myself and finding my voice. Coming to some realizations about who I am and who I love. I found this organization called Black Girls Run and they didn't have a big following in the South Bay but they had quite a presence in Oakland. I connected with a few women and I got in community with these women who were into running and they were like, ‘Hey, you can do a half marathon.’ And I was like, “I don't even run, like, I don’t even know if I can run a mile without stopping.” But, they were very supportive and they were like, ‘Well then you can walk it.’ And I didn't even think about walking a mile. Like, I knew I was out there, but I just... I wasn't aware of measurement like that.”

Standing in Your Truth

“I started to train for my first marathon that I did in Paris that I actually was like, gosh I’m sweating. And by that time, I had come to the realization that I was standing in my truth as a queer woman. I was just out, proud of who I was and that journey I was starting from there to  after I had finished that first half of marathon, it was like laying the foundation for me standing in my truth. And then from there it was just building on that muscle and building on that to make myself stronger.”

Having Something Just For You

“My entire life I did not have to have anything just for me. Like my career, my marriage, all of this stuff was for other people, and becoming an athlete was all me. Which was one of the reasons why I love it so much, because it was the one thing where I was able to show up for myself and really prove to myself that I could do something. Now mind you, obviously I had other accolades like, I’m a Mom, I have a great career, but for some reason… that felt great, but becoming this athlete was just something that I didn't ever dream of. Like, when I was young, I dreamed of getting married and having children and having a great career. I never dreamed of running a marathon. I never dreamed of riding my bike 545 miles. I never dreamed that I was going to do an Iron Man. I just didn't have those kinds of dreams.”

If you’ve been out of the fitness game for a while, you know how hard it can be to get back into a consistent exercise routine. Make it easy on yourself by starting with Your First Five Days.

Your First Five Days is a free mini-challenge that's all about setting that foundation to get you back into your body, your energy and your confidence with simplicity and ease.

Each day during Your First Five Days, you'll get simple tips and action steps on how you can make fitness a part of your everyday life in a way that doesn't feel heavy, hard or stressful.

You’ll also get a daily private podcast episode that you can listen to while you move.

Where will you go from there? The sky’s the limit! It all starts with Your First Five Days.

Get it for FREE at www.robinlegat.com/five

On today’s episode, I talk about why age is not just a number and why we should shift from this mindset.

If you've been following Season Athlete for a while, you may have noticed something about the way I talk about older athletes. Since day one, I have never said age is just a number. It's a phrase I've seen over and over again in articles about aging athletes and the phrase is ubiquitous. 

Something about this concept and phrasing has always felt off to me. So today we talk about why the concept of “age is just a number” is highly flawed and all the reasons why age is in fact more than just a number.

We discuss:

- Why the mindset of “age is just a number” is flawed and dismissive.

- Age should be acknowledged and celebrated.

- The challenges and the benefits that come with age.

- Younger Athletes vs Aging Athletes.

- The American Culture surrounding aging women.

… and more!

Here are some highlights.  

What You Don’t See.

“Let's start with the phrase itself “Age Is Just a Number.” It's completely dismissive. What do I mean by that? Well, imagine you see an article online about an athlete in her 60s with the headline “Age Is Just a Number.” What you usually see is, of course, an amazing and inspirational story of a person doing something that is completely unexpected of someone their age, right? And the moral of that story is hey, age is just a number, so what's stopping you? Let's dissect this for a bit. Let's talk about what you are not seeing.”

“You're not seeing this athlete's training regimen and how age is factored into it. You're not seeing the recovery routine and the extra steps and time needed to stay mobile and avoid injury. You're not necessarily seeing how these practices have changed as they got older and what adjustments they've had to make due to age. You don't have a deep understanding of their athletic and their life experience leading up to this point that helps inform their decisions in a way that can only come with age.”

Age is an asset, not a side effect.

“I like to say that age is an asset. That's actually what I've been saying since day one on my website. I believe I say age is more than just a number, it's an asset, because it shows that age is a contributor to your story, not a side effect of your story. That age is very much woven into who you are as a human and as an athlete. All those challenges and all those benefits work together to create the athlete that you are today. And it's clear that the athlete you are today is not the athlete you were when you were younger.”

Women and anti-aging in American Culture.

“I feel like in some ways this concept plays into what is at least an American cultural standard. That age is something to be denied and avoided, and of course, women in particular are constantly bombarded with these anti-aging messages. We are raised from an early age to fight aging at all costs. People who are older are generally considered less than. There are activities that are appropriate for someone of a certain age and activities that are... well, not. So when you do something that is unexpected for someone of a certain age, age is just a number is there to suggest that whatever you bring to the table has nothing to do with your age.” 

If you’ve been out of the fitness game for a while, you know how hard it can be to get back into a consistent exercise routine.

Make it easy on yourself by starting with Your First Five Days.

Your First Five Days is a free mini-challenge that's all about setting that foundation to get you back into your body, your energy and your confidence with simplicity and ease.

Each day during Your First Five Days, you'll get simple tips and action steps on how you can make fitness a part of your everyday life in a way that doesn't feel heavy, hard or stressful.

You’ll also get a daily private podcast episode that you can listen to while you move.

Where will you go from there? The sky’s the limit! It all starts with Your First Five Days.

Get it for FREE at www.robinlegat.com/five

On today’s episode, I talk with Jenn Drummond, an American motivational speaker, mountaineer, adventurer, and founder of Bold Brave Beautiful —a blog and community where she invites people to become more conscious of their life purpose and take action toward achieving what seems “impossible.”  

Jenn, a mother of seven, left the finance world after a life changing event to pursue what she describes as “A Calling to the Mountains.”

Though Jenn did not grow up identifying as an “athlete,” she recognizes that being new to the aging athlete club comes with a different mindset and new goals to pursue with her family and within herself.

We discuss:

- Life changing events that cause you to take pause and pivot.

- The inception of Bold Brave Beautiful and the call to inspire others.

- The journey to becoming the first woman to complete the Second Seven Summits.

- Living your life in parallel with your family and children.

- Finding any opportunity to train, even while helping with homework assignments.

… and more!

Here are some highlights... 

Sometimes your life pivots

“I think what happens is you start heading in a direction and then doors start opening that you never even knew were there before. I didn't start with the idea that I was going to do the Second Seven Summits, right? I started with this other idea and then as ideas get energy and movement and you pursue them; sometimes you pivot or turn a corner and you keep growing. And as you do that, you become more home to yourself. Life is just amazing.”

Inspiring others

“There was this other female that reached out to me across the world and she had wanted to go climb this mountain that I was going to climb, but she got diagnosed with cancer, so she couldn't. And she was like “I'm cheering you on. I’m watching you because this is the closest that I'm going to get to this opportunity.” And so I bought prayer flags for her and then I hung them at the top for her. Somebody I’d never even met before, right? But we're all so connected that if we allow ourselves to be vulnerable and share our stories and connect? We all become so much stronger.”

Balance and Intention with yourself

“It takes a lot of effort and intention and I have to be very gentle on myself at times. So my coach will build a plan out for me each week and if I can hit that plan, like I win, right? But there's many days that it doesn't happen as it's laid out. And I just have to know my kids are important and if I have a two-hour hike in there and I only get a one-hour hike in, one hour is better than zero hours. Right? I have to be gentle with myself there.”

If you’ve been out of the fitness game for a while, you know how hard it can be to get back into a consistent exercise routine. Make it easy on yourself by starting with Your First Five Days.

Your First Five Days is a free mini-challenge that's all about setting that foundation to get you back into your body, your energy and your confidence with simplicity and ease.

Each day during Your First Five Days, you'll get simple tips and action steps on how you can make fitness a part of your everyday life in a way that doesn't feel heavy, hard or stressful.

You’ll also get a daily private podcast episode that you can listen to while you move.

Where will you go from there? The sky’s the limit! It all starts with Your First Five Days.

Get it for FREE at www.robinlegat.com/five

On today’s episode, I cover three simple steps to restart your dormant fitness routine. As we start to see the light at the end of the tunnel coming out of the pandemic, it is easy to look at where you are with your fitness goals and quickly get discouraged. 

Remember, it’s okay to not be where you were with your goals and routine before going into quarantine over a year ago. And with a little guidance, you can get back to your fitness routine and start working towards your goals once again.

We discuss:

- Recognizing where you are now in your workout.

- Easing back into your routine.

- Knowing your limits and respecting your body.

- Dedicating time to your fitness goals.

- Foundational Movement Patterns.

- Simplicity and why it is important when doing the work.

- Space, equipment, and gear.

… and more!

Here are some highlights.  

Understanding where you are now

“You need to embrace that where you are now is not where you were before… it's just not. You may find yourself frustrated when you're not progressing as fast as you want or as fast as you once did. And you know what? Not progressing as fast as you once did is totally okay and it's 100% normal. 

Your fitness and your starting point? They’re simply different now. The key is to give yourself grace and be very forgiving and patient with yourself. Resist the urge to compare yourself now to where you were at any given point in the past. Resist the urge to use unrealistic metrics or benchmarks in your current fitness journey.”

Rebuilding yourself and your routine

“The methodical build starts with understanding deep down in your heart of hearts that now is not the time to go full beast mode. Even if you used to work out six, seven days a week, do two-a-days and run ultra-level miles on the weekends, this is not where you are now. I repeat, this is not where you are now. The key is a slow build at a reasonable pace. This could be that you're back to two to three days a week, max, even if used to easily pull off six to seven day weeks.”

Keeping it simple

“Make it as easy on yourself as possible to show up and do the work. This is about removing both the physical and mental barriers that will show up and try and stop you from getting consistent with your fitness routine. What do these barriers look like and what can you do? Let's start with your schedule. If you don't set aside dedicated time to exercise, you may feel like you never have time to do it. If you put it off until the end of the day, the end of that day will come more quickly than you realize. You'll probably feel like you ran out of time and you won't get it done. And yet another day will pass without a work-out.”

If you’ve been out of the fitness game for a while, you know how hard it can be to get back into a consistent exercise routine. Make it easy on yourself by starting with Your First Five Days.

Your First Five Days is a free mini-challenge that's all about setting that foundation to get you back into your body, your energy and your confidence with simplicity and ease.

Each day during Your First Five Days, you'll get simple tips and action steps on how you can make fitness a part of your everyday life in a way that doesn't feel heavy, hard or stressful.

You’ll also get a daily private podcast episode that you can listen to while you move.

Where will you go from there? The sky’s the limit! It all starts with Your First Five Days.

Get it for FREE at www.robinlegat.com/five

Today, I am talking to Dr. Helen Hsu, the Lead Outreach Specialist, Staff Psychologist, Asian American specialist, and a lecturer at Stanford University. Dr. Hsu is a marathon runner, Crossfit athlete, Obstacle racer, and trapeze enthusiast. 

In this episode we Discuss Helen’s belief in the Mind Body connection and her personal philosophy on being a seasoned athlete.

We discuss:

- Understanding what our bodies are telling us when we are showing physical signs of illness.

- The impact stress can have physically as well as mentally.

- Dealing with the muscle and bone density loss that we experience as we age.

- Exercise as a coping mechanism for mental health.

- Checking in with yourself and being in tune with your mind body connection.

- Dealing with the ongoing pandemic and how to adjust your regiment.

- Knowing your limits and doing what works best for you.

- Finding the exercise, you love the most and not judging yourself when first starting out.

… and more!

Here are some highlights.  

Figuring out what motivates you

“A big thing is figuring out what modality might be helpful for you, and also that it's okay if it evolves. So what do I mean by that? I know a lot of people who it really helps to have some competition or accountability, so they're competing with other people about steps or they've actually signed on to one of these apps that help you gamify your goals, whether that's other life goals or work or fitness goals.”

Knowing your limits

“One workout is not going to make or break me, like to rest today and allow myself what my body needs will help me be stronger, so one of the things I realized at one point when I was doing half-marathons, doing a lot of obstacle races, I did a couple of local prospect competitions. But I sat down at one point and I was like: Okay, this is taking a lot of time and energy.  I had to really ask what is my goal? My priorities are the value of my work, my community work, my family, and actually my final goal is longevity. So for seasoned athletes, I think that's a thing to think about. I realized my goal was to be as active as long as possible.”

Trying something different

”I went to trapeze school on a whim. I was on a business trip in DC. I was looking up if there is a Crossfit box or something, I can stop in between my meetings. And I said, trapeze school. And I said, Oh my gosh, alright, let's just go check it out. It was so fun, and has become a regular thing when I will be in DC. And one of my trips, there was a man up there flying overhead above the net and he was over 70, and he just said, “I just saw it and it looked interesting. So I was going to try it.” And I'm like, I love that.

Get started on your athletic aging journey by joining the Ageless Women Athletes Facebook community. This group is for women over 40 (or for those who are almost there) who want to stop feeling old and start living ageless! Inside the group you'll meet women like you who will lift you up when you're down and cheer you on to your big, bold goals.

You'll also get immediate access to videos, training and tools to help you move well, feel great and pursue the types of goals you never imagined were possible for yourself. 

In short, the Ageless Women Athletes community is here to help you age like an athlete, however that looks for you.

Click HERE to join! We'll see you inside the group!

We are celebrating the 100th episode of the Seasoned Athlete Podcast! What a better way to celebrate than revisiting some of my favorite interviews over the last four years. I chose one athlete to represent each decade from the 40’s all the way to the 90’s. From Spartan Racers to Ice Swimmers, we have had some amazing Seasoned Athletes over the last 100 episodes. 

We discuss being an athlete in:

- Your 40’s: Cath Pendleton is an Ice Swimmer and shares how she got into Ice Swimming and eventually swimming the English Channel.

- Your 50’s: Andrea Owen is a Spartan Racer and fell into racing by way of her son who convinced her to give it a shot after attending one of his races.

- Your 60’s: Sue Spencer is an Olympic Weightlifter and loves the peace and solitude going to the gym brings to her and her life.

- Your 70’s: Lynn Salvo is a Cyclist whose journeys through Canada and North America earned her two Guinness World Records and many amazing memories from the seat of a bicycle.

- Your 80’s: Libby James is a Masters Runner earning World Records for USA Track and Field in 10K and 15K distances in the women’s 80-84 age group.

- Your 90’s: Betty Lindberg is a runner who is still going at 96 and has the best advice for her younger self and what is most important for the aging athlete.

Here are some highlights.  

It’s a lifestyle, not just a hobby

“Staying active and healthy, I think is important. I mean, I don't want to be one of those people when I get to be 70 or 80, sitting around doing nothing. I think the more active you are, the more healthier you’re going to be, the more you’re going to be able to do, so I just think just getting out and having fun and finding something that you really enjoy.” - Andrea Owen

It’s just as mental as it is physical

“I love Olympic weightlifting, and I go to the gym three times a week with my trainer, and we just work on Olympic lifts, so he basically watches me what I'm doing and occasionally comments, and it's like a solitude time, it’s a time for me, I'm just concentrating on what I'm doing, and I walk out of that gym after an hour or so, and it's like I've done a meditation or something, it's very, very relaxing in that way, mentally, you are so focused that you're not thinking about all those other things that go on in the world, and so for me, it's been amazing that way, and just being to let go of other stuff.” - Sue Spencer

Cycling through History

“Well, what happened was I'd done the two cross country rides, and then I looked at the pieces and I thought, well, I have a great friend in Wichita, that could be the hub. And then I just kind of... And then I was going to do Canada, so that was going to be the top of the peace sign. So then I just looked at what needed to be filled in in order to make a peace sign, and then I just made rides that fit those places, and then it turned out that one of them was from Wichita to Biloxi, Mississippi. And it went through all kinds of civil rights places, which was unbelievable.”

“I was a terrible history student, but being in the places being in the place where Emmett Till would have harassed the white owner of the grocery store and being in the courtroom where his murderers were tried, it was unbelievable to me so those are two highlights, but there were many, many, many of them. And then not even a month later, I cycle what I hadn't done on the East Coast, and I cycled Underground Railroad with a friend.” - Lynn Salvo

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In this episode I talk to Jill Heinerth, an underwater explorer, writer, photographer, speaker, and filmmaker. 

Jill shares how she started over after leaving her business in Toronto to pursue her dreams in the Cayman Islands, writing a best-selling memoir of her adventures, and how the pandemic and quarantine brought about a new business venture for her and her husband. 

We discuss:

- Having a successful business but ultimately realizing you would rather be pursuing deep-sea scuba and diving adventures full time rather than keeping it a hobby.

- Telling your family you are starting over while still not knowing how you are going to make money at your dreams.

- Pioneering the deep-sea diving world as a woman, photographer, and writer.

- Knowing the risk while looking fear right in the face and inviting it into your life for the better.

- Being a natural storyteller and deciding to write a book about your life and adventures.

- Having to put everything on hold, shutdown, and decide to move because of a global pandemic.

- New opportunities that present themselves as the result of quarantine.

… and more!

Here are some highlights.  

Deciding to make the change.

“I was a part-owner of an advertising company in Toronto, and that was my day job inside at a drafting table, and I loved my work. I am a creative being, I'm an artist, but nights and weekends, as often as possible, I was teaching scuba or jumping in the car to drive north to go diving, and one day, literally after a series of really high pressure jobs, I was just sort of looking around my little area going, I am not an indoor girl, I can't do this, I cannot work in an indoor space for the rest of my life, I have to find a way to be creative in the underworld. I thought, I love diving. It's the thing that I'm always trying to do, so why not get rid of this job and find a way to be creative, underwater...”

Taking what you love and expanding.

“I just knew being in the water every day is really what I wanted to do, but in terms of actually making money, I thought, Oh, you know, I don't want to teach scuba my whole life or I don't want to just do that. I was reading in the magazine, I wanted to write the articles, I wanted to shoot the pictures, and so I started submitting to magazines and pitching things, and then eventually volunteer to support an expedition. And that really opened the doors for me. I think volunteering is a great way to test the waters, so to say, or literally, and meet the people that are doing what you want to do.”

Knowing your limits.

“I believe that the rule of survivors is that you do have to be willing to bet it all, spend it all, do it all, train my butt off, and then in the heat of the moment, when I'm within a hair's breadth of what I may perceive as a complete success or the pinnacle of my career, I have to be willing to say, no, not today, and I'm much better, I'm much more peaceful about that, so I don't feel as much pressure as I used to to perform to get the notch in the belt.”

Ready to take the inspiration you get from Seasoned Athlete and put it into action in your own life? 

Grab Robin’s new pop-up mini podcast called How To Age Like An Athlete.

In this three-episode series, she shares stories of people just like you who made a choice to step into their own athletic potential at various ages and changed their lives in the process. 

Then Robin will give you a simple step by step method to make this happen in your own life right now! 

Subscribe for free and listen now at RobinLegat.com/privatepod.