Things I Do Now for Lifelong Performance and Fun

Age Happily

Nov 26, 2024

Susan Lieto

These days sport “performance” pretty much boils down to maximizing the amount of fun I can have out there and minimizing discomfort or injury. I’m fascinated by all the research on bicarb and ketones, double thresholds and heat training, carbon-plated shoes and magical aero bike frames. I’ll keep listening to the podcasts and reading the publications because that feeds my curiosity, but in practice, none of this is really anything I’m going to adopt. I do love chasing Strava segments and hope to get back to racing in 2025, but my biggest performance goal is simply to keep getting dirty on the trails and backroads as long as I can.

Here are a few easy-to-maintain practices I hope will build and nourish strength, resilience, and enthusiasm for outdoor adventure.

Eccentric Strength

It’s well documented that our connective tissues become more susceptible to injury as we age. Often, discomfort that we might think is a muscular issue is really due to tendon or ligament wear and tear. As we get older, tendons become stiffer and less tolerant to stress, due to several factors. Loading these tissues by focusing on eccentric movement can help alleviate pain and increase their ability to withstand force.

Prioritize Time & Elevation Over Miles

Sadly, I’ve realized that maybe my body can’t take huge mileage weeks anymore. Finding comfort in the base I’ve built over 20 years of running, I’m enjoying steeper but slower outings. It’s not easy to let go of those mileage goals, but I do love a good mountain climb that I feel doubles as strength training. Long-term, these extended, slower adventures admittedly might even be healthier.

Acceptance Practice

Nothing is meant to stay the same. Aging introduces all kinds of physical and emotional changes that, honestly, I hoped would never come, but all are processes that are meant to be. Just like I’m gradually learning to accept unpredictable weather here in our mountain town, I’m working to recognize signals from my body or mind and adjust performance metrics, sometimes with a daily check-in.

Walking

While I still struggle with a runner’s impatience (walking is so slow!) I am trying to foster enthusiasm for the humble walk. Weekend morning walk, lunchtime walk, grocery walk - it all adds a little extra movement to break up a day of sitting and connects me to my environment.

Yes, Protein

Nutrition dogmas are constantly fluctuating but evidence on the benefits of increased protein intake seem to be pretty conclusive. Obviously we can go overboard, but adding in a few extra, easy protein sources a day can help recovery for our aging muscles, amongst numerous other benefits. The key for me here is easy; there’s no shame in a daily scoop of protein powder to supplement regular meals.