If you’re a Masters or Menopausal athlete, you’ve probably been fed some version of the same story: you’re slowing down, your best days are behind you, and you need to train harder just to keep up. That narrative? It’s tired. And it doesn’t serve us.
As a coach who works with masters and menopausal athletes, I’m not here to encourage toxic hustle culture or celebrate burnout as a badge of honor. I coach people who want to perform, yes—but also want to feel good in their bodies, have longevity in their sport, and stop playing by outdated rules.
Here are 10 unpopular truths I stand by—and why they matter more than ever.
1. Pushing Through Injury Isn’t Brave—It’s Avoidable
If your body is screaming at you and you’re still toeing the line? That’s not resilience, that’s recklessness. I’d rather see an athlete pivot smartly than power through pain just to prove something.
2. “Beast Mode” is Overrated
If you’re constantly drained or nursing chronic fatigue, that’s not high performance—it’s high risk. I coach athletes to train smart, not to perform for social media claps.
3. Rest is Training
You don’t get stronger during your workouts—you get stronger in recovery. That means sleep, deloads, downtime, and intentional rest days. Hustle culture can take a seat.
Backing Off is a Power Move
Knowing when to pull back shows more athletic maturity than blindly pushing forward. Athletes who learn this win in the long game.
Your Worth Isn’t Tied to Your Pace
You can be slowing down and still showing up as your most powerful, joyful, consistent self. We need to decouple self-worth from race times.
6. Menopause Deserves More Than a Footnote
Menopause is not a minor detail—it’s a whole-body shift that demands attention, adjustment, and support. I coach with it in mind, not around it.
7. Age Isn’t a Decline
There’s strength, wisdom, and fierce durability that comes with age. Let’s stop treating midlife like the beginning of the end.
8. Training Smart is Cooler Than Training Hard
Hard is not always helpful. We focus on form, function, and recovery just as much as effort. That’s how you level up sustainably.
9. The “No Days Off” Mindset is Toxic
Consistency doesn’t mean grinding daily. It means showing up with purpose, then stepping back when your body asks. More isn’t better—better is better.
10. Your Body Gets the Final Say—Always
No plan, coach, or race goal outranks your body’s signals. Athletes who learn to listen inward? They last.
There’s more to athletic success than pace charts and mileage. As a coach, I guide my athletes to train for longevity, joy, and performance on their own terms. These truths might not be popular, but they’re what keep people healthy, grounded, and thriving in sport.
The running industry still clings to outdated ideas of what makes a runner “successful.” But the truth? The best athletes I know are the ones who refuse to ignore their bodies, train with intention, and play the long game.
You’re not broken. You’re not behind. You’re just ready for a different kind of leadership.
If you’re craving coaching that actually meets you where you are—and helps you get where you really want to go—get in touch with me here. Let’s build a better path forward, together.