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. — Susan

What we’re reading →

Six Steps Toward Successful Strength Training
The article is essentially written for runners/endurance athletes. So, don’t expect to see massive gains. That said, any strength work is important as athletes, and critical as aging athletes. The author lays out some tips to get started and keep a program going.

Takeaways → Strength training may reduce overuse injuries in endurance athletes by 50%, it can improve running economy and performance, it may be superior to other training modalities to improve muscle size and strength as we age. Be pragmatic, set volumes, establish a routine, and keep it simple.

Eat at least 1 gram of protein/pound if you are active every day via hiking, running, lifting, yoga, or have a physically demanding job.

Mobility and Flexibility: Moving With Ease at Any Age
Mobility is your body’s ability to move freely and easily through a normal range of motion. It requires strength, coordination, balance and flexibility. As we age, mobility declines, a result of decreased joint fluid and reduced elasticity of tendons and muscles.

Takeaway → Use it or lose it. The more stagnant we are, the less mobile we become. The author shares 5 spine, hip and ankle focused exercises to improve and maintain mobility.