06/18/2026
This is my dad. He turned 80 in January.
This week he trained in the gym three times. He walked about 7 to 8 kilometres most days (with my mom; as he does most weeks). My dad went for a hike that lasted a few hours and he worked around the yard, maintained his pool, and spent time fixing his fence.
To him, that’s just another day.
He’s not trying to set a record and doesn’t have anything to prove. He just wants to keep doing the things he enjoys.
Meanwhile, I’m 49 and currently dealing with a shoulder injury that flared up after sleeping on it wrong. One minute you’re training for races and planning the next event and the next you’re trying to figure out how you got injured while unconscious.
Aging is humbling. Over the last few years I’ve dealt with a number of overuse injuries from the foot and ankle, to patellar tendinopathy that forced me to stop running for weeks at a time (while training for a major competition in 2026), along the normal wear and tear that comes from decades of training and competition.
I coach people through hip and knee replacements, cancer treatments, arthritis, and many joint irritations and muscle injuries. It doesn’t matter who you are, your body does not get a pass when it comes to aging. Bodies wear down. Recovery takes longer.
The answer isn’t to stop. The answer is to make adjustments and keep moving.
That’s why I believe in strength training. It helps you be independent and free. It will keep you hiking, travelling, gardening and carrying your groceries. It will keep you doing the things that make your life worth living.
When I look at my dad, I don’t see an 80 year old who won the genetic lottery. Instead I see someone who has spent decades investing in his health and is now collecting the dividends.
That’s what I’m training for. Not next year. Not my next race. I’m training for 80.