Let me just say it straight: getting old is not easy for me. There, I said it. It’s not the final statement of life, it’s not definitive or exclusive to all else, nor should it be taken as the entire value of my worth. But for anyone who has hit their mid 40s and maybe creeping into their late 50’s, there is research to support the fact that we decline faster around 44 and 60.
Although we do not all age the same, and our mind and body may not decline at the same rate, and even our body parts can degenerate at different rates.
So we are all different, we experience decline differently, but there is no escaping it (at the moment anyway), the one thing that is equal for every human on the planet is time, and as we get older, things start to wear out, joints ache, knees crack when you squat, you take longer to ‘get going’, your vision starts to get blurry, and some days despite your best efforts your body simply says, “Nope, not today”.
I’m 51. I’ve been fit my entire life, running, hiking, climbing, mountain biking, hauling gear through the bush, leading big and small adventures – it’s part of who I am and I pride myself on it. There’s something about pushing your body, smashing out action packed Adventure Races, or fast-packing for days with little gear and no support. It makes me feel alive. Strong. Capable.
But here’s the bit you saw coming… last week, after a “just one more” training run before a big event, I woke up with knee pain. No warning, no swelling or tenderness beforehand. Just pain. Months of planning for a 140km fastpack around Wilsons Prom gone, dreams pushed to the side and people disappointed as I cancelled everything. I had been planning this adventure for a long time, my fastpack was ready to go, everything carefully weighed and tested, weather checked, tides accounted for, off track navigation mapped. I was gutted. Disappointed. Embarrassed, even. I’d told everyone I was doing it. I’d trained. I’d planned. And I felt sidelined by age.
But here’s the thing – as you get older you get wiser. I call it ‘wisdomness’ and tell the kids you get it when you turn 50. It’s just a fact of life they don’t know about yet. So a few years ago, I hurt my back, a bulged L5-SI disc that had me out of action for a year until I had a spinal quarterzone injection. I don’t do well with injury, and used to view it a weakness – something to push through and avoid acknowledging. I was performance-focused and worked harder as I got older to ensure I could keep up with myself and the mental and physical challenges I set. I was also pretty judgemental on those who didn’t push through.
But for over a decade now I have guided adventures with people of all shapes, sizes, fitness levels and mental strength, emotion and vulnerability. This has taught me something: it’s not about being unbreakable. It’s about how you bounce back when life (or your knee) takes you out.
I’ve watched people face fears on cliffs, walk through pain, carry heavy emotional baggage up mountains, and come down lighter. And slowly, I am learning this little life philosophy – your mindset matters more than your metrics. You can be disappointed. You can swear a little. But then you shift and reframe the effort.
Yes, getting old does suck but it doesn’t define your capabilities. There are thousands of stories of older people breaking their own barriers and I am personally inspired by someone I know who ran a marathon PB at 55. Your attitude, perseverance, recognition of your body’s signals and above all else, your mindset is what defines you. Not the injury. Not the missed event. Not going at a slower pace than what you used to be able to do.
Your response to the situation is what defines you.
So no, I didn’t do Wilsons Prom this time. But I got messages from so many people – clients, mates, strangers – sending support and well wishes. That connection, that community, that shared understanding was good for my brain and ergo, good for my body – because it allowed me to give it a rest.
So here’s the takeaway: injuries happen. But you’ve always got a choice. You can let it break you – or you can choose to reset, refocus, and come back stronger (even if “stronger” looks a little different than it did last year).
I’ll be back on the trail soon, running again because I enjoy it, fastpacking because that’s where my adventure lies. Growing older might suck some days – but growing wiser, now that’s something I’m starting to realise is important too.
