The Triathlife Word of 2025 - Resiliency
What does it mean to be resilient?
During the managerial portion of my illustrious career, one of my go to interview questions for prospective “Schmitty’s Crew” candidates was — “give me an example of a time where you faced a challenge where you took initiative to figure a way forward.” What I am looking for with that line of questioning is…are you capable of doing hard things and what is your self reliance quotient? Or to put if more simply, I was asking “are you resilient?”
What Makes Midlifers Uniquely Resilient?
Let’s be honest…the current crop of midlifers are solidly Gen X. Gen X-ers are known to be a pragmatic, skeptical, resourceful and independent bunch (plus the music of our youth kicks the music of your youth’s ass). Over time these attributes have given us perspective, made us adaptable and our inner drive is stronger than ever -
Perspective from Experience: By now, we have weathered our fair share of personal and professional storms. Our own self reliance helping us to do so. These experiences have forged mental toughness, a key component of resiliency (we can do hard things…we are comfortable with being uncomfortable). We understand the power of perseverance, often turning setbacks into growth opportunities.
Adaptability: midlife brings inevitable changes in physical capacity, but we excel at adapting (as we always have). Adaptability is a super power when it comes to training and racing. We didn’t grow up with “what’s fair is fair”…and that’s ok. Embracing flexibility and adaptability allows us to do the hard things (get used to this…I am going to say this a lot this year)…to embrace the suck….and ultimately raise our floor so “rock bottom” becomes shallower and shallower.
Purpose-Driven Motivation: As midlifers we are fueled by intrinsic goals — movement, competition, the pursuit of personal bests…not the fake glossy veneer of social media perfection.
You’re Are a Bad Ass, Resilient, Midlife Athlete
How do we use this resiliency to our advantage as midlife athletes?
Your not getting old…you’re still growing!
Rid yourself of the “getting old” narrative. For midlife athletes resilience means viewing every day as an opportunity for growth. Carol Dweck, author of Mindset, explains, “In a growth mindset, challenges are exciting rather than threatening. So rather than thinking, ‘Oh, I’m going to reveal my weaknesses,’ (or getting old) you say, ‘Wow, here’s a chance to grow.’” Midlife athletes can use this mindset to try something new or go back to something old and begin again.Three Words - Recovery
Triathlon coach Joe Friel, author of Fast After 50, emphasizes the importance of recovery for older athletes. “Your capacity to recover is the limiting factor in how much training you can handle,” Friel notes. You’re not 20 or 30 anymore. Sure I could bounce back faster when I was younger but I was also so stoopid about a lot of things. Being older means being smarter. Incorporate rest days, optimize sleep, and sprinkle in mindful practices like yoga (stretching) or meditation.Compete as the athlete you are now
Celebrating incremental progress can keep midlife athletes motivated. Tracking small victories, such as shaving a few seconds off a swim split or completing a challenging trail run, reinforces resilience. However, Jen and I have reset the way we talk about PR/PB (personal record or personal best). I am not ever going to run a 3:21 marathon again. That happened when I was 38. I’m three age groups further down my life path. So I’ve reset talking about all my bests to “Masters PR” or “best over 50.” And that’s ok. I have new standards and goals and I want to compete against the athlete I am now versus the athlete that I was.Community (and not the TV show))
Resiliency thrives in connection. Being part of a supportive athletic community—like a local run or triathlon club or online forums (like THE TRIATHLIFE) —offers encouragement, accountability, and shared wisdom. As Simon Sinek asserts in Leaders Eat Last, “Working hard for something we don’t care about is called stress; working hard for something we love is called passion.” Surrounding yourself with like-minded individuals fuels that passion.
Strategies for Cultivating Resiliency in Midlife Training and Racing
Reframe Getting Older: Change the narrative. YOUR ARE STILL GROWING!
Set Realistic Goals: Understand that your peak at 45 or 55 may look different than at 25—and that’s okay. Progress is still progress.
Stay Adaptable and Flexible: Experiment with new training techniques, nutrition plans, or even a different race distance or type of race to keep the your journey fresh and engaging.
The Resiliency Advantage
For midlife athletes, resiliency is more than a trait; it’s a lifestyle. As you navigate the inevitable ups and downs of training and racing, remember this: your midlife journey is your greatest asset. YOU ARE RESILIENT!
What is The Triathlife?
We are building a vibrant community of midlife individuals united by a commitment to fun, fitness, and embracing new challenges without judgment. Through supportive camaraderie, we inspire each other to train, to race and to thrive in mind, body and soul.
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This is great! Especially enjoy the reframing of athletic accomplishments for Masters athletes idea.