Ageless Athlete - Longevity Insights From Adventure Sports Legends
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.
- Update frequency
- every 6 days
- Average duration
- 89 minutes
- Episodes
- 90
- Years Active
- 2024 - 2025
#90 Survival Is Not Assured (Part II): Partnerships, Loss, and the Human Cost of Bold Alpinism
Last week in Part I, we began our journey with legendary alpinist Jim Donini — exploring his surprise cancer diagnosis, his early days in Yosemite, and the philosophy that has defined his career: “Ge…
#89 Survival Is Not Assured: An 82-Year-Old Alpinist on Choosing the Hardest Lines, Why Summits Are Optional, and Why You Must Look Ahead Despite All Odds
For more than five decades, Jim Donini has defined what it means to be an alpinist. Not by chasing the tallest mountains or summit glory, but by seeking out the hardest lines in the world’s most remo…
#88 Whales, Bears, and the Will to Return: What Two Solo Voyages Through Alaska Taught Her About Risk, Resilience, and a Fragile Wild
At age 49, Susan Marie Conrad paddled 1,200 miles—alone—through the remote, storm-swept waters of the Alaskan Inside Passage.
Twelve years later, at 61, she went back and did it again.
In this powerfu…
#87 Be Badass Every Day: From 1970s Skate Rebel to World Champion at 65 — How Judi Oyama Outlasts Everybody
At 65, Judi Oyama is still lining up at the start gate — not in a “Masters” category, but shoulder-to-shoulder with athletes half, or even a quarter her age. She’s a World Champion slalom skateboarde…
#86 The Movement Optimist Returns: Strong Hips, Stable Ankles, Happy Feet—Extending Performance and Moving Without Fear
Physiotherapist, coach, and lifelong climber Andy McVittie is back for the final chapter of our three-part deep dive into aging well, moving well, and living without fear of injury.
If you haven’t lis…
#85 No Finish Line in Sight: On Pain, Joy, and the Lifelong Pursuit of What Matters Most - Best of Q2, 2025
Every few months, I pause to reflect on the conversations that left a mark—ones I keep thinking about long after the recording stops. This episode is a curated collection of those moments from Spring…
#84 The Deep End: What Cold Oceans, Swollen Throats, and the Edge of the Map Reveal About Endurance, Identity, and the Mind’s Breaking Point
In Part II of our deep conversation, Andy Donaldson takes us into the heart of open water swimming—where the body aches, the mind wanders, and sometimes… things go wrong.
We pick up the story after hi…
#83 The Comeback: A Former Accountant’s Journey Back to The Water- And to The Pinnacle of the World of Open Water Swimming
What does it take to walk away from something you’ve trained for your entire life… and then find your way back — stronger, wiser, and with a whole new purpose?
In this two-part conversation, we sit do…
#82 Climbing the World’s Hardest Big Wall by Sailboat — How Living Your Values Elevates the Goal, and Why the Right Partner Makes It Possible
Seb Berthe isn't your average elite climber. He doesn’t just send 5.14s—he sails to them. Literally. When he set his sights on the Dawn Wall—the hardest big wall climb in the world—he refused to fly,…
#81 How a World Champion Found New Strength—And the Habits That Help Jamie Whitmore Stay Fast, Focused, and Fired Up at 49
What happens when your life as an elite athlete is stripped away—and you’re forced to rebuild, not just your body, but your identity?
In this powerful and personal episode, we sit down with Jamie Whit…
#80 Lexicon, Boldness, and the Long Game: Training Smarter, Climbing Harder, Peaking Late—Because Age Doesn’t Matter
What does it take to climb your hardest route at 50—and then hold the rope while someone else pushes that same line even further?
For Neil Gresham, that moment came on Lexicon, a bold and beautiful E1…
#79 From Olympian to Freeskiing Pioneer to DJ: How One Woman Rebuilt Her Identity—and What It Reveals About Inner Strength, Transformation, and Living with Wonder
Wendy Fisher was once one of the fastest women on skis. A U.S. Ski Team racer and 1992 Olympian, she seemed destined for a long career in elite competition. But by her early 20s, she was burned out, …
#78 When the Gear Might Not Hold: Cutting-Edge Rock Climbing at 74, Mentorship Across Generations, and Why Boldness and Growth Don’t Have an Age Limit
What does it mean to stay bold — not in your 20s or 30s, but in your 70s? What does it take to trust your body, your judgment, and your preparation when the stakes are high — and there’s no one left …
#77 Still Racing at 73: Triathlon’s Wild Origins, Daily Rituals For Recovery, Energy, Clarity, and Why Sport Is the Real Fountain of Youth
“I call my age group the 70 to death—and we show up early, because we still can. If you want to feel young, hang out with people chasing PRs, not prescriptions.”
Bob Babbitt has raced more than 300 tr…
#76 Four Times Across the English Channel: What One Impossible Swim Can Teach You About Identity, Grit, and Starting Over
At midnight, Sarah Thomas stepped off the coast of England into darkness—swimming into history as the first person to complete a four-way crossing of the English Channel, nonstop. That alone would be…
#75 The Thinking Climber: What a Philosopher’s Double Life Reveals About Curiosity, Reinvention, and the Long Arc of Mastery
What if your best climbing wasn’t behind you—even at 65?
This episode is a masterclass in longevity, discipline, and duality. Our guest is a rare figure who has spent decades pushing hard at the edge …
#74 Ketones, Fasting, and Flexibility: The Science of Optimizing Your Energy Systems for Endurance and Longevity with Dr Brianna Stubbs
In this episode of Ageless Athlete, we dive into the metabolic engine room with Dr. Brianna Stubbs—world-class endurance athlete and leading researcher at the Buck Institute for Research on Aging. Br…
#73 Unstoppable: The 80-Year-Old Who Runs 100+ Mile Ultramarathons—and Reminds Us Why Showing Up Still Matters
Bob Becker didn’t start running until his 50s.
Today, at 80, he’s tackling some of the most brutal ultramarathons on the planet—100+ mile races across deserts, through mountains, and far beyond what m…
#72 Bianca Valenti’s Second Act: How She Won Equal Pay, Redefined Her Sport, and Trains Her Body and Nerves for Big Waves — and for Life
What does it take to paddle into 50-foot waves — and to paddle back out again after life knocks you down?
In this wide-ranging conversation, professional big wave surfer Bianca Valenti joins the Agele…
#71 When the Body Breaks Through: From Cold Oceans to Chemo Miles — Best of Q1 2025
In this special highlight reel, we revisit the most unforgettable moments from the past few months of Ageless Athlete. These are stories that stuck with me—narratives that challenged how I think abou…