Some guests make you want to train harder. Mike Wardian makes you want to live wider — and stop postponing the things that matter. 

Mike is 52, a runner, adventurer, and lifelong “yes” person. What stood out here wasn’t a race résumé. It was how he builds a life where training fits inside the day, curiosity stays lit, and progress keeps happening even when time is tight. 

Mike’s story has that real-life Forrest Gump energy — he ran 3,200 miles across America on Running Home. But the reason he belongs on this show is the off-camera stuff: burpees while the toast cooks, workouts folded into errands, and the willingness to be a beginner again — whether that’s Pickleball, chess, or whatever comes next. 

I’m grateful to Mike for the Clarity and humanity he brought to this episode — ambition without bravado, urgency without panic. 

In this episode, we explore

•  “Tomorrow isn’t guaranteed” philosophy 
•  Training inside real life constraints 
•  The 4-part playbook: mindset  / planning / strength / integration
•  Humility as a Longevity skill 
•  Starting > gear, hacks, perfection 

Links:

•  Mike on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mikewardian/
•  Mike’s website: www.mikewardian.com 

🎥 Longevity insights + behind-the-scenes.
Ageless Athlete on Substack – 1-2x / month. No spam.

🎥 Want the full experience?
YouTube — full-length video. free.

📍More clips + behind-the-scenes
Ageless Athlete on Instagram – follow along.

🚀 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

Topics: longevity, fitness over 40, endurance training, Aging athletes, recovery, injury prevention

Most Recent Episodes

May 27, 2026

Seven Things 70-Year-Old Athletes Understand That Most of Us Learn Too Late

Two weeks ago, I attended Vitalist Bay in Berkeley, surrounded by scientists, doctors, founders, and researchers exploring the future of longevity.A few days later, I was in the Eastern Sierra,...

Listen · 35:51

May 20, 2026

You Start Losing Muscle After 50 — Stop Making These Mistakes | Joe Friel, 82

Joe Friel is 82, still training, and still paying attention. In the last five years, he felt the shift—power fading on climbs, muscle disappearing even with a lifetime of lifting—and he’s not...

Listen · 1:25:27

May 13, 2026

Stop Numbing Out — Awe, Presence, and Feeling Alive Again | Caroline Paul

Astronauts come back from space describing the same strange shift: a sudden connection to humanity, compassion for living things, and this visceral understanding of how fragile Earth really is.They...

Listen · 1:09:39

Load More Episodes

Kush Khandelwal Host, Ageless Athlete Podcast

I’m Kush Khandelwal, host of the Ageless Athlete Podcast. While I come from a background as a lifelong rock climber and outdoor athlete, my work is really about something much broader: how we can all stay active, vibrant, and engaged as we age.

On the podcast, I interview world-class athletes, explorers, and health experts—but the lessons go far beyond sports. Together we explore how to keep our bodies strong, our minds sharp, and our spirits resilient—whether that means walking pain-free, picking up a new hobby at 60, or simply finding more joy in everyday life.

With almost 90 episodes, I’ve had conversations with Olympians, scientists, and ageless adventurers who prove that life after 50 can be just as bold and rewarding as any other stage. My mission is to share practical insights and inspiring stories that help all of us, athlete or not, embrace the second half of life with curiosity, confidence, and energy.