What is it about turning 40 that is so scary? It’s only a number. With age comes wisdom and experience, so perhaps it is something we should look forward to rather than dread. I think for me, the biggest issue with turning 40 was that it invoked a fear I was going to get slower at running.
I had been running competitively since the age of eight, going through numerous phases of taking it very seriously, interspersed with periods of running purely for health and enjoyment. Running was, and still is, a big part of who I am. It helps keep me sane, and gives my goal-focused brain some structure and something objective to measure myself by.
Running wasn’t my only focus in life. I had a busy life already with a wife and three young kids, which, combined with running a small physio business, was more than enough to keep me out of trouble.
Reaching 39 years of age was a trigger. I felt like I
