Brain Science and Beyond Flow States — How to Build Cognitive Reserve For The Long Game

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 EpisodeWhat 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 BookDr. 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, 2026The 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 WoodWebsite: https://drtommywood.comPodcast: Better Brain Fitness (with Dr. Josh Turknett)Book: The Stimulated Mind (2026)Speaking & Writing: https://drtommywood.comResearch & 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/ 📩 Pure Tested Peptides - GLP-3, BPC 157, CJC-1295, ipamorelin, ss-31, epithalon, SLU-pp-332 99% pure research peptides for longevity muscle and metabolic healthSupport the show

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 & CREDITSA 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.comAnd 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/ 📩 Support the show

What happens when a life in climbing spans five decades, multiple eras, and some of the most surprising moments in outdoor history?In this episode, legendary climber Russ Clune takes us inside the world that shaped him: the Shawangunks (“the Gunks”) of the 1970s and 80s — an unlikely counterculture just two hours from Manhattan where artists, dirtbags, misfits, and pioneers built the early soul of American climbing.Russ shares rare, behind-the-scenes stories from his incredible career, including:• Competing in a government-run climbing event in Cold War Russia Painted red lines on limestone cliffs, leather-gloved belayers, Soviet stadium crowds, and a Wyoming cowboy becoming a national hero overnight. It’s a chapter of climbing history almost no one has heard.• The quiet era of “competitive free soloing” in the Gunks Russ recounts the friendly, unspoken one-upmanship among friends that culminated in his iconic solo of Supercrack. A moment that revealed both the power and limits of the mind — and marked the end of his soloing career.• What longevity really looks like at 66 Not superhuman strength — but consistency, humility, curiosity, and the ability to redefine performance as the decades unfold.• How to stay connected to your sport when your body changes Russ talks openly about becoming the belay anchor instead of the rope gun, and why aging in climbing can feel meaningful in its own way.📘 Russ’s Book: The LiferWe talk about his excellent memoir, The Lifer, which chronicles his adventures across the Gunks, Yosemite, Europe, South America, and beyond. It’s full of laughter, history, and insight — a must-read for anyone who loves climbing or stories of a life lived with passion.👉 Highly recommended: search “Russ Clune The Lifer” wherever you buy books.--- 🚀 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/ 📩 Support the show

What happens after you run for five straight days — 466 miles, 111 hours, two broken ribs, a torn hamstring… and then go right back to teaching high-school civics on Monday?In this rare, intimate conversation, ultrarunner Harvey Lewis shares a front-row look into his healing journey after Big Dog’s Backyard Ultra — widely considered one of the toughest and strangest endurance races in the world.This is not just a running episode. It’s about recovery, identity, and the small, consistent choices that help everyday people rebuild and age with strength.Harvey opens up about:How he cracked his ribs and tore his hamstring on Day 5Why he kept going for 12 more hours after the injuryThe exact recovery tools he used (sleep, sauna, red light, ART therapy, movement)How he distinguishes “trying harder” from “trying smarter”Why purpose (his Haiti fundraiser) kept him movingThe mindset shifts that matter more at 49 than mileage ever didHow a human-powered commute — even on crutches — became part of his rehabThe real meaning of resilience, especially after setbacksThis episode is shorter than usual as Harvey had to get back to class — but we hope to bring him back for Part Two.And a personal note: We just crossed 100 consecutive weekly episodes of Ageless Athlete. Thank you for being here, for listening, and for making this community possible.Timestamps00:00 — Breakfast, the run commute, and showing up to school 03:00 — How the injuries happened during Big’s 07:00 — The surprising pace of his healing 10:00 — What “trying harder” actually means in recovery 13:00 — The role of sauna, red light, ART therapy, and sleep 17:00 — Why nutrition matters more than protein myths 22:00 — Motion as medicine: walking, cycling, gentle running 26:00 — The Backyard Ultra: explained in simple terms 33:00 — Mindset in hour 80–100: hallucinations, purpose, micro-rest 40:00 — Running for David in Haiti 45:00 — Veganism, misinformation, and fueling as an ageless athlete 51:00 — Harvey signs off to rush back to classReferences & LinksBig Dog’s Backyard Ultra — Race format & rules https://backyardultra.comHarvey Lewis Instagram https://instagram.com/harveylewisultrarunner--- 🚀 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/ 📩 Support the show

When Loree Bolin was told she’d never run again, she didn’t just defy expectations — she redefined them.At 70, Loree completed her 11th Ironman triathlon after years of battling knee osteoarthritis. But this isn’t just a story about sport. It’s about service.A retired dentist and lifelong endurance athlete, Loree sold her practice at 60 to launch a nonprofit bringing medical and dental care to underserved communities across Tanzania. Her work now includes safehouses for girls fleeing forced marriage, business programs for widows, and a school for over 200 kids — all in regions where access to care and education was once nonexistent.In this episode, Loree shares how sport fuels her purpose, how she rebuilt her knees without surgery, and why your most impactful years might be the ones still ahead.🙌 Support Loree’s WorkWant to get involved with Health & Hope Foundation — or help fund their next school, clinic, or safehouse? Visit healthandhopefoundation.org to donate or volunteer.🎧 Love the Ageless Athlete Podcast?If this episode moved you, share it with a friend — and leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Your support helps us keep telling stories like Loree’s.🧭 Topics & Timestamps[00:02:00] Why she left dentistry to pursue humanitarian work full time[00:08:00] Her first volunteer trips — and the moment that changed everything[00:14:00] Grandmothers breaking rocks, and the birth of a business program[00:21:00] Starting a school in rural Tanzania for 200+ kids[00:30:00] How she manages teams and funding from Seattle[00:39:00] What most people misunderstand about volunteering[00:43:00] Training for Ironman while traveling overseas[00:56:00] Cultural barriers, custom inspections, and resilience[01:06:00] Reversing osteoarthritis and getting back to racing[01:13:00] What Ironman feels like at 70[01:22:00] Strength, recovery, and mindset for long-term health[01:33:00] Her vision for the next decade — and advice for those wondering what’s next--- 🚀 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/ 📩 Support the show

This quarter on Ageless Athlete brought together some of the most surprising and meaningful stories of the year — from record-setting endurance swimmers to rebel skateboarders, alpinists, paddlers, big-wall climbers, and athletes redefining what’s possible in their 60s and 70s.Across ten very different conversations, one theme kept surfacing: Courage in uncomfortable places.Not the loud kind — but the quiet courage that appears at the edge of uncertainty, identity, aging, and ambition. This “Best of Q3” highlight reel pulls together the moments that stayed with me long after the mics were off.Featured Guests & ClipsThis episode includes curated highlights from:Sonnie Trotter — Precision, conviction, and breaking big goals into tiny stepsJudi Oyama — Rebellion, falling and rising again, skating with fire at 65Andy Donaldson — What the ocean reveals when everything falls apartJamie Whitmore — Choosing light and purpose after cancerAndy McVittie — Making movement safe again; rebuilding confidence through simplicitySusan Marie Conrad — A night with whales, weather, and the wild in AlaskaJim Donini (Part I and II) — Partnership, trust, grief, and a lifetime in the mountainsSeb Berthe — Integrity over convenience; sailing to the Dawn WallJoan & Doug Beyerlein — Curiosity, partnership, and staying in motion at 75Chris Anthony — Mongolia, humility, and finding perspective far from homeWhat You’ll LearnWhy courage often shows up in small, humble decisionsHow elite and everyday athletes navigate fearHow aging can deepen, not diminish, athletic purposeThe role of values, integrity, and long-term devotionWhat it means to reinvent yourself without losing yourselfThe emotional cost — and reward — of chasing a life in motionWhy This Episode MattersMore than athletic stories — they’re reminders of how to live. Every clip is a moment where someone stepped forward despite uncertainty, discomfort, or change. If one of these voices resonates, go back and listen to the full episodes from Q3 — each conversation goes far deeper than this highlight reel can capture.Listen to the Original EpisodesAll full episodes from Q3, 2025 can be found in all popular podcast apps or at www.agelessathlete.co--- 🚀 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/ 📩 Support the show

What happens when you mix psychedelics with some of the most fearsome waves on Earth? What does it take to stay curious, joyful, and deeply alive—well into your 70s?In this wide spanning conversation, legendary surfer Jock Sutherland joins Ageless Athlete to talk about the radical experiences, deep values, and spiritual practices that shaped his life—from surfing Pipeline in the 1960s to climbing mango trees and sharing fruit with neighbors at 77.Raised off-grid on Oʻahu, Jock came of age paddling rivers, spearfishing, and spending summers with the “Hermit of Kalalau.” His mother, Audrey Sutherland—a pioneering solo paddler—raised him on a handwritten list of survival skills that included everything from “save someone drowning with available equipment” to “dance with any age.”Jock opens up about:His early experiments with LSD, and why surfing while high never replaced the clarity of presenceWhy he left surfing at the height of his fame to join the ArmyThe life lessons he learned from injury, reinvention, and working as a roofer for over 50 yearsHow community, fruit bartering, and stretching classes help him age wellAnd what it means to stay in love with movement, the ocean, and learning—at any ageThis is a conversation about psychedelics, surfing, reinvention, and awe—but more than anything, it’s about how to live with wonder, even as the decades pass.🔥 Topics & Timestamps0:00 – The sourdough, marmalade, and mango trade that fuels Jock’s mornings 5:00 – What it means to be the “one-man fruit distributor of Oʻahu” 13:00 – Summers with the Hermit of Kalalau and Audrey Sutherland’s list of life skills 22:00 – Surfing Pipeline: early fear, speed, and beauty 30:00 – LSD, consciousness, and why surfing high didn’t last 38:00 – Leaving pro surfing to join the Army 48:00 – Rooftops, reinvention, and building a different kind of life 58:00 – Staying active at 76: stretching, herbs, and still surfing 1:05:00 – On legacy, parenting, and feeling unfinished 1:10:00 – “Too old to start?” Jock’s answer 1:14:00 – The billboard message he’d leave for Hawaiʻi📚 References & MentionsAudrey Sutherland’s list of life skills: via The New YorkerLet My People Go Surfing by Yvon Chouinard (Patagonia)Fierce Grace – Documentary on Ram DassThe Duke Kahanamoku Invitational Surfing ChampionshipThai herbal supplements mentioned by Jock (no official site – listeners should research independently)--- 🚀 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/ 📩 Support the show

After 60 years in the weight room, Dan John has distilled fitness down to its essence: Move well. Lift often. Walk every day. Recover deeply.In this conversation, Dan joins host Kush Khandelwal to share the universal rules for staying strong and mobile through every decade — especially for climbers, runners, and outdoor athletes looking to balance performance and longevity.They unpack how fit literally means “to knit” — body, mind, and life woven together — and how that philosophy can guide everything from how you train and eat to how you recover and show up for others.Topics include:How to train for decades without breaking down or burning outThe six fundamental movement patterns for lifelong mobilityHow to integrate mobility into your strength sessions — without extra timeWalking as a cornerstone of strength and recoveryHow to structure strength training alongside endurance sportsThe art of recovery and “everyday strength”Why ritual matters more than motivationThe difference between hurt, injury, and agony — and how to manage eachDan’s blunt but liberating three rules: Don’t get fat. Don’t get debt. Don’t stop walking.This is a conversation about strength, yes — but also about meaning, consistency, and how to build a body and life that last.📚 REFERENCES & RESOURCES MENTIONED🧭 Dan John ResourcesWebsite: https://danjohnuniversity.com/YouTube: Dan John Strength CoachArticles & Programs: available through DanJohn University📘 Books by Dan John40 Years With a Whistle — Reflections on coaching, teaching, and staying curiousNever Let Go — Essays on strength, life lessons, and long-term consistencyEasy Strength (with Pavel Tsatsouline) — How to get stronger by doing less, smarterAttempts: Essays on Fitness, Health, and Long-Term ThinkingIntervention — A framework for identifying what truly matters in training and lifeFrom Dad, To Grad, and Beyond — A rare personal collection mentioned during the episode📗 Other Books & Thinkers MentionedLife Lessons from a Remarkable Coach: Percy Cerutty by Alastair Gunn — On the pioneer who inspired “Easy Strength” principlesOriginal Strength by Tim Anderson — Movement resets and mobility foundations (discussed in his “Tonic Thursdays”)Gift of Injury by Dr. Stuart McGill — On spinal health and walking as medicineGray’s Anatomy — Referenced when explaining the complexity of wrists, ankles, and small joints--- 🚀 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/ 📩 Support the show

Imagine growing up in the conservative Deep South, where young women were expected to play it safeNow imagine trading that world for Himalayan storms, frozen walls, and a seven-year stretch of living out of a Subaru to chase something bigger.Kitty Calhoun did exactly that. She became the first North American woman to summit Dhaulagiri and the first woman to climb Makalu’s West Pillar—two of the hardest, highest peaks on Earth. Along the way she’s survived avalanches, eight-day storms, and the loneliness of cutting new lines where no woman had before.But at 65, Kitty’s story isn’t about danger or glory—it’s about clarity. About the discipline, focus, and simplicity that have allowed her to keep climbing, mentoring, and living fully decades after most people would have retired their harness.In this conversation, we explore:Growing up in the Deep South and breaking gender barriers in one of the world’s most male-dominated arenasWhat surviving a Himalayan storm taught her about resilience and prioritiesHow seven years of minimalist living shaped her philosophy on focus and freedomThe difference between chasing summits and finding meaning in the climb itselfWhat she’s learned about longevity, humility, and living with purpose at 65Kitty also shares how she’s passing her lessons forward—through mentoring younger women, climate advocacy, and a renewed connection to simplicity in an age of excess.This episode is for anyone who’s ever wondered how to stay passionate, grounded, and physically vibrant as the years go by—and how courage can evolve from proving yourself to knowing yourself.🔑 TakeawaysDiscipline is freedom; simplicity sharpens focus.Strength doesn’t fade with age—it refines.True leadership is opening doors for others, not standing on top of them.The outdoors isn’t an escape—it’s a mirror.📚 References & LinksKitty Calhoun – Protect Our WintersTEDx Talk: “Last Ascents” by Kitty CalhounPatagonia Profile: Kitty Calhoun📸 Jay Smith--- 🚀 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/ 📩 Support the show

Nutrition advice is everywhere — and most of it overcomplicates what should be simple. In this replay, EC Synkowski, founder of Optimize Me Nutrition and creator of the 800-Gram Challenge, shares a refreshingly practical approach to fueling performance, recovery, and longevity.She’s coached CrossFit athletes, corporate teams, and everyday movers — and she’s one of the most grounded, science-based voices in nutrition today.🧠 What You’ll LearnThe 800-Gram Challenge: a data-driven, no-BS way to eat more fruits and vegetablesHow much protein we really need (and why “more” isn’t always better)Why consistency beats restriction for long-term healthHow to eat well when you’re on the road, in the mountains, or living out of a vanWhat truly matters more than supplements for living long and strong🥦 About EC SynkowskiEC is a licensed dietitian, CrossFit seminar staff alum, and the creator of The Consistency Project podcast. Through her brand Optimize Me Nutrition, she helps people cut through the noise of fad diets with simple frameworks that actually work.🌐 optimizemenutrition.com 📸 Instagram: @optimizemenutrition 🎙️ Podcast: The Consistency Project--- 🚀 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/ 📩 Support the show