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 Lifer

We 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.

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🚀 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/ 📩

Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify

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 5
• Why he kept going for 12 more hours after the injury
• The 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 moving
• The mindset shifts that matter more at 49 than mileage ever did
• How a human-powered commute — even on crutches — became part of his rehab
• The real meaning of resilience, especially after setbacks

This 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.

Timestamps

00:00 — 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 class

References & Links

• Big Dog’s Backyard Ultra — Race format & rules
  https://backyardultra.com
• Harvey Lewis Instagram
  https://instagram.com/harveylewisultrarunner
  
  

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🚀 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 Work

Want 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

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🚀 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