Ageless Athlete - Longevity Insights From Adventure Sports Legends

Kush Khandelwal
  • 5.0 (64)
  • ALTERNATIVE HEALTH
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Uncensored and deep conversations with extraordinary rock climbers, runners, surfers, alpinists, kayakers and skiers et al. Tap into their journey to peak performance, revealing stories, hidden strategies, and the mindset that defies aging and other limits. Get educated and inspired to chase your own dreams. Come for the stories, leave with tools, tips, and motivation! Hosted by Kush Khandelwal. 

  1. At 62, David Green Broke Free of Supplements, Found His Best Shape, And Ran Across Europe

    2D AGO

    At 62, David Green Broke Free of Supplements, Found His Best Shape, And Ran Across Europe

    At 62, David Green did something radical. He stopped outsourcing his health to protocols and supplements—and started paying closer attention to how his body actually responded. What followed wasn’t decline. It was clarity. In this conversation, David shares why stepping away from supplements helped him simplify his training, sharpen his instincts, and ultimately find his best shape—strong enough to run across Europe in his sixties. David has spent decades in endurance sport and long-form adventure, where consistency matters more than hacks and where the body reveals its truth slowly, over time. Through experimentation and patience, he learned that progress often comes not from adding more, but from removing what no longer serves. We explore: Why David chose to step away from supplements—and what changed when he didHow simplifying nutrition helped him train with more clarity and confidence at 62Why long-form adventures demand trust over optimizationThe difference between listening to your body and chasing certaintyHow restraint, not intensity, often unlocks longevityWhat running across Europe taught him about resilience, recovery, and self-beliefDavid also reflects on aging, judgment, and decision-making under physical stress—and why the athletes who last longest learn to work with their bodies instead of constantly trying to override them. This episode isn’t anti-supplement.  It’s about agency—about knowing what you’re taking, why you’re taking it, and when it might be time to let your own experience lead. Stay to the end for David’s reflections on intuition, adaptability, and what becomes possible when you stop trying to shortcut the process. About David Green David Green is an endurance athlete, retired entrepreneur, and author of Lucky: A True Story, a book I read cover to cover and  strongly recommend. He documents his long-form running projects and writing at davidgreen.run, where he shares trip journals, interviews, and reflections from the road. Recent supporters for the show via Buy Me A Coffee include: Chits, Himalayanadventurer, Deepak Karnwal, Margit, Geoff Barstow, Someone, Loree Bolin, Mandy Hostetler, Amit Verma, and Bob Becker. Thank you! --- 🚀 Love the show? Here’s how to support it If something you’ve heard here has stayed with you, made you smile, or helped you keep going, I’d be honored if you’d consider supporting the show. 👉 https://buymeacoffee.com/agelessathlete 📰 Subscribe to the Ageless Athlete newsletter !  1-2x a month, no spam. We share behind-the-scenes reflections, longevity tips, and athlete wisdom you won’t find anywhere else. You can sign up at https://www.agelessathlete.co/newsletter/ 📩 Courageous Alignment3Tools and insights for a more aligned, present, and truthful life. Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify Support the show

    1h 30m

  2. JAN 21

    Aging Is Leverage (Best of 2025 - Part I)

    This episode brings together moments from conversations recorded across the first half of 2025 — voices from different sports, environments, and stages of life, each describing how they continue to train, move, and stay engaged as conditions change. These clips span endurance running, climbing, paddling, cycling, swimming, and exploration. What connects them is more than performance level or accomplishment, but also the way each athlete thinks about adaptation — physically, psychologically, and over long stretches of time. If a particular segment resonates, the full conversations are available in the Ageless Athlete back catalog. Below is a guide to the original episodes featured in this compilation. Episodes Featured in This Collection  Ray Zahab (Episode Name and Release Date)  👉 Full episode: Impossible To Possible: Build That Toughness That Can Help You Overcome Even Cancer  📅 Jan 7, 2025 Chris Bertish  👉 Full episode: 93 Days Alone On The Ocean - When There’s Nowhere Else to Go  📅 Feb 18, 2025 Travis Macy  👉 Full episode: One Mile at a Time: The Healing Power of Movement and How You Can Fight Mental Decline  📅 Feb 25, 2025 Ned Overend  👉 Full episode: Chasing Momentum: How To Train To Win In Your 70s From A World Champio  📅 Mar 25, 2025 Andy  👉 Full episode: The Movement Optimist: Knees, Shoulders, Elbows, Hips, Bulletproof Yourself! Never Late to Get Strong!  📅 April 8, 2025 Jerry Moffatt  👉 Full episode: Jerry Moffatt’s Revelations: The Power of Obsession, and His Surprising Key to Success  📅 May 8, 2025 Dean Karnazes  👉 Full episode: Fighting Fit in Your 60s — Dean Karnazes Keeps Running While Everyone Else Slows Down  📅 April 15, 2025 Bob Becker  👉 Full episode: Unstoppable: The 80-Year-Old Who Runs 100+ Mile Ultramarathons—and Reminds Us Why Showing Up Still Matters  📅 May 8, 2025 Bill Ramsey  👉 Full episode: The Thinking Climber: What a Philosopher’s Double Life Reveals About Curiosity, Reinvention, and the Long Arc of Mastery  📅 May 21, 2025 Lisa Smith Batchen  👉 Full episode: Reversing Time: Aging Is Your Superpower To Break Through Limits  📅 Feb 11, 2025 Bob Babbitt  👉 Full episode: Racing Strong at 73: Daily Rituals For Recovery, Energy, and Clarity  📅 Jun 4, 2025 Sarah Thomas  👉 Full episode: Four Times Across the English Channel: What One Impossible Swim Can Teach You About Identity, Grit, and Starting Over  📅 May 28, 2025 --- 🚀 Love the show? Here’s how to support it If something you’ve heard here has stayed with you, made you smile, or helped you keep going, I’d be honored if you’d consider supporting the show. 👉 https://buymeacoffee.com/agelessathlete 📰 Subscribe to the Ageless Athlete newsletter !  1-2x a month, no spam. We share behind-the-scenes reflections, longevity tips, and athlete wisdom you won’t find anywhere else. You can sign up at https://www.agelessathlete.co/newsletter/ 📩 Courageous Alignment3Tools and insights for a more aligned, present, and truthful life. Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify Support the show

    1h 40m
  3. Use It or Lose It: Why Buzz Burrell Never Stopped

    JAN 14

    Use It or Lose It: Why Buzz Burrell Never Stopped

    What does “use it or lose it” actually mean after 60 — when recovery slows, strength is harder to regain, and stopping even briefly can change what’s possible? Buzz Burrell is one of the quiet architects of modern mountain and trail culture, to talk about consistency — not as motivation, but as survival. Buzz ran his first ultramarathon nearly six decades ago, long before endurance sports had language, infrastructure, or spectators. Since then, he’s lived a migratory life shaped by mountains, deserts, canyons, and long routes where commitment matters more than speed. Today, he’s slower than he once was — and more relevant than ever. We talk about: Why “use it or lose it” becomes literal with ageHow consistency replaces intensity as the real long-game skillCanyoneering and environments where commitment is irreversibleWhy aging athletes can’t afford long layoffs — physically or psychologicallyStaying engaged with movement even when progress slowsWhat it means to keep going without pretending you’re improvingConsistency isn’t glamorous. But it’s what survives. Buzz Burrell Mountain runner, outdoor industry veteran, co-founder of the Fastest Known Time (FKT) movement, and lifelong explorer of wild places. Recommended: 🎙 Podcast — The Buzz (Buzz’s long-form conversations on trail and mountain culture) 🌐 Website — fastestknowntime.com 📸 Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/bbolder/ --- 🚀 Love the show? Here’s how to support it If something you’ve heard here has stayed with you, made you smile, or helped you keep going, I’d be honored if you’d consider supporting the show. 👉 https://buymeacoffee.com/agelessathlete 📰 Subscribe to the Ageless Athlete newsletter !  1-2x a month, no spam. We share behind-the-scenes reflections, longevity tips, and athlete wisdom you won’t find anywhere else. You can sign up at https://www.agelessathlete.co/newsletter/ 📩 Courageous Alignment3Tools and insights for a more aligned, present, and truthful life. Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify Support the show

    1h 10m
  4. The Long Game - What I Learned About Food After 100 Conversations With Top Athletes

    JAN 7

    The Long Game - What I Learned About Food After 100 Conversations With Top Athletes

    What do world-class athletes actually eat — not in theory, not on Instagram, but in real life, day after day? After more than 100 conversations with elite climbers, ultrarunners, surfers, and endurance athletes, I started noticing a pattern I didn’t expect. It wasn’t about optimization.  It wasn’t about trends.  And it definitely wasn’t about eating something new every day. It started with breakfast. On nearly every episode of Ageless Athlete, I ask a simple question: “Where are you right now — and what did you have for breakfast?” Over time, a clear through-line emerged across sports, ages, and disciplines:  the athletes who last tend to build simple, repeatable defaults, especially around food. This isn’t a nutrition lecture.  I’m not a scientist.  And this isn’t about macros or perfection. It’s a human, experience-based conversation about how consistency, environment, and intention durably shape performance — especially as we age. In this episode, we explore: Why many elite athletes eat the same breakfast most daysWhat breakfast reveals about routine, discipline, and decision fatigueWhy consistency often matters more than noveltyHow environment matters more than willpower when it comes to eating wellWhat I had to relearn about protein, micronutrients, and recoveryHow my own diet evolved from gym culture to outdoor sports to a mostly plant-forward approachReferenced conversations Lionel Conacher — big-wave surfer, first surfed Mavericks at 59Jerry Moffatt — one of the most influential climbers in historyLynn Hill — first to free climb The Nose on El CapitanSteve McClure — elite climber still performing into his 50sHarvey Lewis — one of the most accomplished ultrarunners aliveGary Linden — big-wave surf pioneer with six decades in the ocean, now surfing in his 70sKitty Calhoun — legendary alpinist climbing strongly into her 60sAlso referenced: my conversation with EC Synkowski on practical, evidence-based nutrition for active people. Key takeaway: The nutrition that lasts isn’t exciting. It’s repeatable. --- 🚀 Love the show? Here’s how to support it If something you’ve heard here has stayed with you, made you smile, or helped you keep going, I’d be honored if you’d consider supporting the show. 👉 https://buymeacoffee.com/agelessathlete Support the show

    34 min
  5. Young Salt At 60 — The Most Exciting Chapter Yet (Here’s Why)

    12/31/2025

    Young Salt At 60 — The Most Exciting Chapter Yet (Here’s Why)

    “When I tell people I started sailing at sixty, they’re shocked. We don’t see our sixties as a place to begin — which is tragic, especially if you’ve invested in your health. What’s the point, if not to do something fantastic?” In this New Year’s Eve episode of Ageless Athlete, I sit down with Deborah Hammett, a former school principal who did something most people never consider — she learned to sail at 60, moved onto a boat, and now lives and travels solo by sea. Deborah’s story isn’t really about sailing. It’s about what happens when identity loosens. When long-held roles fall away. When you choose to become a beginner again — not because you have to, but because you want to feel alive. We talk about fear and solitude. About real consequences — like fixing an overheating engine thirty miles offshore with no help coming. About competence earned slowly, and confidence that comes not from comfort, but from adaptation. This conversation explores aging not as decline, but as a long arc of learning. It’s about reinvention without theater. About staying open to awe. About asking a better question as we move into a new year: what would you do if the next chapter didn’t need to look like the last one? Deborah shares the lived reality of life aboard a sailboat — the beauty, the friction, the quiet moments, and the hard-earned lessons — with honesty, humor, and humility. If this episode resonates, I highly recommend her book Young Salt at 60, where she tells the full story of learning to sail late, making plenty of mistakes, and choosing a bigger, more meaningful life after retirement.  You can also follow Deborah on Instagram for real, unfiltered glimpses into life at sea:  📸 @youngsaltat60 And to you, the listener — thank you. For being here. For your curiosity. For supporting the show by listening, sharing, or buying me a coffee. These conversations exist because people are willing to show up honestly — and because you choose to listen. Happy New Year! --- 🚀 Love the show? Here’s how to support it If something you’ve heard here has stayed with you, made you smile, or helped you keep going, I’d be honored if you’d consider supporting the show. 👉 https://buymeacoffee.com/agelessathlete 📰 Subscribe to the Ageless Athlete newsletter !  1-2x a month, no spam. We share behind-the-scenes reflections, longevity tips, and athlete wisdom you won’t find anywhere else. You can sign up at https://www.agelessathlete.co/newsletter/ 📩 Courageous Alignment3Tools and insights for a more aligned, present, and truthful life. Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify Support the show

    1h 24m
  6. Stay Strong Into Your 70s — Lessons From Five Decades on the World’s Highest Mountains

    12/24/2025

    Stay Strong Into Your 70s — Lessons From Five Decades on the World’s Highest Mountains

    What does it really take to stay strong into your 70s — physically, mentally, and emotionally? In this episode, I sit down with Steve Swenson, one of America’s most respected alpinists, to talk about endurance, aging, and the habits that have kept him moving for decades. Steve has climbed Everest and K2, completed first ascents in the Karakoram, and summited Everest without supplemental oxygen — an experience that strips away ego and rewards preparation, judgment, and restraint. But this conversation isn’t about chasing summits. It’s about what Steve has learned over a lifetime of extreme environments: why endurance matters more than talent as you age, why strength training becomes non-negotiable in your later years, and why staying uninjured is often the biggest win of all. We talk about: What climbing Everest without oxygen actually feels likeHow Steve trains to stay strong and capable into his 70sWhy consistency beats intensity over the long runStrength training, sarcopenia, and aging wellPartnership, judgment, and making smart decisions under stressThis is a grounded, experience-driven conversation for anyone thinking seriously about longevity — not just in sport, but in life. --- 🚀 Love the show? Here’s how to support it If something you’ve heard here has stayed with you, made you smile, or helped you keep going, I’d be honored if you’d consider supporting the show. 👉 https://buymeacoffee.com/agelessathlete 📰 Subscribe to the Ageless Athlete newsletter !  1-2x a month, no spam. We share behind-the-scenes reflections, longevity tips, and athlete wisdom you won’t find anywhere else. You can sign up at https://www.agelessathlete.co/newsletter/ 📩 Courageous Alignment3Tools and insights for a more aligned, present, and truthful life. Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify Support the show

    1h 17m
  7. Protect Your Brain as You Age — Cognitive Reserve, Focus, and What Actually Matters

    12/17/2025

    Protect Your Brain as You Age — Cognitive Reserve, Focus, and What Actually Matters

    What really keeps the brain sharp as we age — and what quietly puts it at risk? In this episode of the Ageless Athlete Podcast, host Kush Khandelwal speaks with Dr. Tommy Wood, neuroscientist, physician, and strength athlete, about the science of cognitive reserve and why long-term brain health depends on challenge, learning, and effort — not comfort or flow. Flow states feel rewarding, but as Dr. Wood explains, they don’t create the kind of stimulus the brain needs to adapt over decades. Instead, the brain thrives when it’s pushed to learn new skills, navigate uncertainty, and stay engaged through physical movement, mental effort, and diversified identity. This conversation connects neuroscience, exercise science, and psychology in a practical, accessible way — especially for adults who care about aging well, staying mentally sharp, and maintaining performance into midlife and beyond. 🧠 Topics Covered in This Episode What cognitive reserve is and why it matters for healthy agingWhy flow states don’t build long-term brain resilienceHow struggle, learning, and novelty stimulate neuroplasticityExercise as brain insurance — what that actually means biologicallyIdentity diversification and why tying yourself to one role is risky as you ageHow comfort and over-specialization can accelerate cognitive declinePractical ways to invest now for cognitive returns later📚 Featured Resource — Upcoming Book Dr. Wood’s upcoming book expands on the ideas explored in this conversation: 📖 The Stimulated Mind: A Breakthrough Plan to Future-Proof Your Brain from Dementia and Stay Sharp at Any Age 🗓️ Release Date: March 24, 2026 The book explores how stimulus, challenge, learning, and environment shape brain health across the lifespan — and why cognitive decline is not inevitable. 🔗 Learn more and pre-order: https://thestimulatedmind.com(Pre-orders meaningfully support this work.) 🔗 Where to Find Dr. Tommy Wood Website: https://drtommywood.com Podcast: Better Brain Fitness (with Dr. Josh Turknett)Book: The Stimulated Mind (2026)Speaking & Writing: https://drtommywood.com Research & Teaching: University of Washington School of Medicine--- 🚀 Love the show? Here’s how to support it If something you’ve heard here has stayed with you, made you smile, or helped you keep going, I’d be honored if you’d consider supporting the show. 👉 https://buymeacoffee.com/agelessathlete 📰 Subscribe to the Ageless Athlete newsletter !  1-2x a month, no spam. We share behind-the-scenes reflections, longevity tips, and athlete wisdom you won’t find anywhere else. You can sign up at https://www.agelessathlete.co/newsletter/ 📩 Courageous Alignment3Tools and insights for a more aligned, present, and truthful life. Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify Support the show

    1h 29m
  8. Stronger at 47 — The Simple Practices That Are Keeping Me Healthy

    12/10/2025

    Stronger at 47 — The Simple Practices That Are Keeping Me Healthy

    This week’s episode is a little different. Instead of interviewing a legendary athlete or coach, I was invited onto the Adventure Sports Podcast to talk about the questions that many of us — everyday athletes, weekend warriors, late bloomers, and lifelong learners — wrestle with as we get older. If you come to Ageless Athlete for honest conversations about aging, movement, and staying curious in a changing body, this episode is very much in that spirit.  We recorded this conversation back in May, but the themes feel even more relevant now:  How do we keep doing the outdoor sports we love?  How do we adapt with age?  And how do we stay connected to joy when progress shifts shape? In this episode, we explore: what aging actually feels like for an an everyday athletewhy our relationship with our sport changes over timehow to stay motivated when improvement slowsthe role of curiosity in lifelong performancehow community shapes longevity in outdoor sportswhy reinvention is normal — and sometimes necessaryThese aren’t lessons from the mountaintop — they’re observations from someone who’s simply been asking these questions alongside you, year after year, conversation after conversation. If you’ve ever wondered: How do I keep climbing, running, biking, surfing as I age?What do I do when my body surprises me — in good or difficult ways?How do “regular people” stay active for decades?This episode offers perspective that’s honest, relatable, and grounded in real experience — mine, and the many people I’ve learned from. ⭐ THANK YOU & CREDITS A big thank-you to the Adventure Sports Podcast for the invitation and for allowing us to share this conversation here. You can find their show at: https://adventuresportspodcast.com And thank you — truly — for sticking with Ageless Athlete through 103 episodes.  This community means more than I can say. --- 🚀 Love the show? Here’s how to support it If something you’ve heard here has stayed with you, made you smile, or helped you keep going, I’d be honored if you’d consider supporting the show. 👉 https://buymeacoffee.com/agelessathlete 📰 Subscribe to the Ageless Athlete newsletter !  1-2x a month, no spam. We share behind-the-scenes reflections, longevity tips, and athlete wisdom you won’t find anywhere else. You can sign up at https://www.agelessathlete.co/newsletter/ 📩 Courageous Alignment3Tools and insights for a more aligned, present, and truthful life. Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify Support the show

    1h 1m
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About

Uncensored and deep conversations with extraordinary rock climbers, runners, surfers, alpinists, kayakers and skiers et al. Tap into their journey to peak performance, revealing stories, hidden strategies, and the mindset that defies aging and other limits. Get educated and inspired to chase your own dreams. Come for the stories, leave with tools, tips, and motivation! Hosted by Kush Khandelwal. 

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