Terry L. VanderWert, Author at Senior Triathletes

The 5 Things New Triathletes Over 50 Must Get Right

Terry L. VanderWert on January 17, 2026

Having a group with whom you can train is important for long-term triathlon success

Lessons from Laura Rossetti, four-plus decade triathlete and coach

Starting—or restarting—triathlon after age 50 is not about doing everything right. It is about getting a few critical things right early, the things that make the difference between struggling through the process and finishing races with confidence and enthusiasm.

Few people have a longer or more instructive view of that process than Laura Rossetti. Laura began racing triathlons in 1985 at age 29, long before coaching, data platforms, or training plans were widely available. More than 40 years later, she is still training, still coaching, and still racing—now in her 70s.

Her perspective is rare because it is not theoretical. She has lived through the sport at multiple ages and stages, and she has seen what helps athletes stay—and what causes them to disappear.

When asked for the five most important things older athletes must get right, her answers were grounded in experience, not trends.

Laura’s Top 5 List for New Triathletes

#1. Find Your Group: Everything Is Easier To Accomplish With Your Tribe.

“If you don’t always have a community, you just don’t do the work.”

Laura places enormous importance on training partners and community—not as a nice bonus, but as a requirement for consistency and enjoyment.

When she moved to Georgia in her early 50s, she “didn’t know a soul. Not one soul.” What made the difference was finding people through masters swimming and local training circles. Without that group, she said training would have been “really challenging and tough,” and she doubts she would have enjoyed the sport nearly as much.

Laura believes that building community gets harder with age. “It’s much harder to make connections when you’re 50, 60, 70. You have to put yourself out there or it’s not going to happen.”

For athletes over 50, community provides accountability, shared learning, motivation, and emotional support. Bike shops, running stores, pools, gyms, and even casual conversations with people who share an interest in swimming, biking, or running are all natural places to begin building that community.

Through our discussion on this point, I (Terry) realized that even though I self-coached, I was never truly alone. My community included the friend who talked me into doing my first triathlon, my daughter, and the people I met at my local bike shop, pool, and gym. It also included countless triathletes I met only briefly—often just once—who were generous with their time, advice, and encouragement.

#2. Hire a Coach—or Train with People Who Truly Know the Sport

“You don’t know what you don’t know.”

Laura raced for years without a coach because, when she started, coaches barely existed. Today, having a coach—or an experienced triathlete—to help guide training is a must-have for many athletes. For older athletes balancing work, family, stress, and recovery, a coach provides two keys to success: accountability and knowledge to define training that is objective, enjoyable, and realistic for the athlete’s life.

One story Laura shared illustrates the value of objectivity. A fellow coach recently tested a new athlete who believed she was “really fit.” After bike and run testing, the coach told her she was not as fit for triathlon as she thought. The data simply did not support her self-assessment.

As Laura explained, “Without someone looking at your data, you have no ability to be objective about it.” A good coach—or knowledgeable training partner—can help interpret data, adjust training when life intervenes, and reduce the risk of boredom or burnout.

Communication with your coach is critical. Look for a coach with whom you can communicate easily and honestly and are willing to follow. Read reviews or talk with clients of potential coaches. Your coach must be a fit for what you are looking for and how you think and live—not just your age.

Laura Rosetti says that one goal of every triathlete should be to enjoy what they are doing in training and racing. — Laura Rosetti practices what she preaches: at least one goal for every triathlete should be to enjoy what they are doing in training and racing.

#3. Do Not Let Data Overwhelm You

“Data is valuable; the only way to know if you’re improving is with data.”

Laura has completed Ironman races with little more than a heart-rate monitor. While she values modern tools, she cautions beginners against starting with everything at once.

For athletes over 50, she believes the most useful early metrics are the minimum needed to let you know if you are improving. This can include functional tests such as the time to complete a known distance, a test easily done for running and swimming. A coach will check to see if you are completing these in the same or lower time after the same amount of rest.

Heart rate is another useful metric. Training with a heart rate monitor can reveal issues athletes might otherwise miss, such as fueling problems, electrolyte imbalance, or accumulated fatigue. On the other hand, power meters and advanced analytics can come later, once the basics are understood.

Laura also emphasized the value of using Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE)—learning what easy, moderate, and hard actually feel like. Without that internal awareness, numbers can become confusing or misleading.

“The real value of whatever metrics you use comes from knowing how to interpret them and improve them over time.”

#4. Set Goals—Especially Early On

“I just want to see you cross the finish line loving what you just did.”

For first-time triathletes, Laura believes “finishing the race with a smile” is the right goal. Enjoyment, pride, and learning matter more than time goals early on.

Many athletes over 50, she notes, never had the opportunity to participate in endurance sports earlier in life. For them, the first race is about discovering what they are capable of—not proving anything.

She stresses the important of perspective for those beginning in the sport. Completing a triathlon—at any pace—is something most people will never attempt, and that accomplishment alone deserves recognition and gratitude.

Over time, goals evolve. Early success builds confidence, which leads to new challenges and deeper commitment. Without goals, Laura said plainly, “I don’t know how to get good without having them.”

#5. Do Not Jump to Ironman Without the Process

“You need to start small to get big.”

Laura shared the story of a friend who decided at age 50 to do an Ironman without ever having completed a triathlon. Against the odds, he finished—but she is clear that he is the exception, not the example.

He had unusual durability, few outside obligations, and informal mentorship. Most athletes do not.

For Laura, the real risk is not failing to finish—it is shortening an athlete’s relationship with the sport through injury, burnout, or disillusionment. She strongly encourages progression through shorter distances to learn pacing, fueling, and recovery before attempting Ironman.

Through this progression, an athlete will also learn about themself. “Are you a slow twitch or fast twitch person?” In other words, are you wired for speed or endurance. If the former, the Ironman distance may not be for you.

Longevity, in her view, is the true measure of success.

The Long View

What stands out most about Laura Rossetti is not her podium finishes, but her continuity. She continues to race each year. She still trains with people she met decades ago. And, she cherishes the friendships the sport has created and continues to create.

Triathlon can be a lifelong pursuit, even when you start—or restart—after 50. But only if you respect the process, surround yourself with people, and make decisions that support the long view.

As Laura’s experience shows, how you begin often determines how long you stay.

What Questions Do You Have For Laura?

Leave your questions and comments for Laura in the Comments section below.

Comments: Please note that I review all comments before they are posted. You will be notified by email when your comment is approved. Even if you do not submit a comment, you may subscribe to be notified when a comment is published.

Editor’s Note

Thank you to Dr. Sarah Gordon for introducing me to Laura Rosetti. You can learn more about Laura’s triathlon journey at The PhD Journey Podcast, Episode 19 at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c3tvxaadYlU.

Toe Strength, Aging, and the ToePro®: A Senior Triathlete’s Perspective

Terry L. VanderWert on January 14, 2026

As we age, the first meaningful losses in lower‑extremity strength often occur at the foot and ankle—particularly in the toes and calves. This decline shows up subtly at first: shorter stride length, reduced push‑off, less confidence when leaning forward, and, eventually, the shuffling gait so common in older adults. For endurance athletes, these changes affect not only balance and fall risk, but also efficiency in walking, running, and even cycling and swimming.

Dr. Tom Michaud, founder of Human Locomotion, emphasizes that toe strength plays a critical role in controlling forward momentum and stabilizing the body during running. When toe strength diminishes, the ability to safely control forward lean—the so‑called “anterior fall envelope”—shrinks. This increases fall risk and reduces propulsion. This framing resonated strongly with me as a senior triathlete, because it explains why foot and toe training can have magnified benefits relative to the small muscles involved.

The Science Behind ToePro

Traditional toe exercises—such as towel curls or marble pickups—primarily strengthen the toes in shortened muscle positions. However, during walking and running, the toes generate force while lengthened, especially during late stance and push‑off. Research cited by Michaud shows that strength gains are highly angle‑specific: muscles trained in functionally relevant, lengthened positions produce more transferable strength.

Dr. Michaud designed ToePro explicitly around this principle. By positioning the toes on an angled, compressible surface, the device loads the intrinsic foot muscles and toe flexors in positions that closely resemble real‑world demands. The result is not just stronger toes in isolation, but improved integration of the toes, calves, and lower leg into coordinated movement patterns that matter for balance, gait, and propulsion.

Performing the exercises with slightly bent knees transfers more force through the gastrocnemius to the soleus, working the latter harder. Soleus volume is a predictor of marathon running performance. Weakness of the soleus is a predictor of injury to the achilles tendon and to the knee through valgus collapse.

Doing them with straight knees (standing tall) works the gastroc muscles more selectively. These muscles are the ones primarily responsible for balance.

The ToePro Protocol (as Demonstrated by Tom Michaud)

The ToePro protocol (demonstrated in this video) begins conservatively and emphasizes technique over intensity—an important point for older athletes.

The initial phase consists of a warm‑up exercise demonstrated early in Michaud’s video: A controlled forward lean, allowing the toes to press into the foam while maintaining upright posture and relaxed breathing.

After the warm-up, the protocol progress to toe raises, performed both with straight knees (biasing the gastrocnemius) and bent knees (biasing the soleus), followed by isometric holds at the top of the movement. Sustained holds are valuable because they teach the nervous system to maintain force at end range, which is exactly where stability is most often lost with aging.

The guiding principle throughout is restraint: start with low volume, pay close attention to technique, and allow adaptation to occur gradually.

Human Locomotion ToePro demo — Screenshot from the ToePro instruction video. Throughout the video, Dr. Michaud documents the science behind the design and use of ToePro for strengthening muscles below the knees.

My Experience Using the ToePro

I was introduced to the ToePro by fellow senior triathlete Jim Riley, who encouraged me to “go easy” and use the device daily rather than aggressively. Following that advice, I began by performing the warm‑up exercise and three sets of 10 reps of toe raises with straight knees each day for the first week, focusing entirely on technique and body awareness.

During this initial period, I experienced no pain or discomfort, but I could clearly feel activation in my toes and calves, especially the peroneal muscles. Peroneal muscles are often under‑stimulated in conventional endurance training. Over time, as I gradually increased volume, the most noticeable changes were not dramatic strength gains, but improved control and endurance. Movements that initially felt challenging became more stable and repeatable.

Importantly, the benefits were subtle but cumulative. Rather than a single “breakthrough” moment, the changes showed up as greater ease in daily movement, improved confidence and stability during forward lean, and a sense that my feet were working with me rather than simply contacting the ground.

As I am finishing this post, my routine on five to seven days per week is to complete the warm-up exercise followed by two sets of 25 reps with both bent knees and straight knees (100 reps total). I end each session with a 30-second balance, as prescribed by Dr. Michaud.

Independent Corroboration: Jim Riley’s Experience

Jim Riley, a 76‑plus-year‑old endurance athlete whose story I have previously shared on SeniorTriathletes.com, provided an independent and valuable perspective. Jim noted that toe and calf weakness are often the earliest contributors to age‑related decline in lower‑body function, describing them as a primary reason many older adults’ run gait looks like shuffling.

Over time, Jim progressed to a more demanding routine: toe stretches followed by 30–40 toe lifts with straight knees, holding the final repetitions for five seconds each, and then another 30 lifts with bent knees. He reports that when he began, he was unable to sustain those final isometric holds—a limitation that resolved only after months of consistent practice.

While Jim acknowledges that objective measurement is challenging, his qualitative outcomes are compelling: fewer foot and calf issues, a more natural walking gait, reduced effort when moving, and even improvements in swimming kick mechanics. These observations align closely with the physiological rationale Dr. Michaud presents.

What This Means for Senior Triathletes

The ToePro is not a quick fix. As with strength training in general, its benefits may not be immediately obvious. For senior triathletes, its value lies in restoring and preserving a foundational capability that underpins everything else we do: the ability to generate and control force through the toes.

The key takeaways are straightforward:

Toe strength declines early with age but remains highly trainable.
Training in lengthened, functional positions matters.
Daily, low‑intensity consistency appears more effective than aggressive loading.
Improvements may show up first as better control and efficiency rather than raw strength.

Looking Ahead

This review focuses exclusively on the ToePro. I strongly encourage you to watch the first 13 minutes of the linked video.

For senior triathletes interested in longevity, balance, and efficient movement, targeted strengthening of muscles below the knee deserves far more attention than it typically receives. The ToePro provides a practical, physiology‑based way to address that gap.

Human Locomotion’s Rockboard, which Jim also recommended and which I have not yet begun to evaluate, will be reviewed separately to maintain clarity and objectivity.

Affiliate Disclosure and Reader Discount

SeniorTriathletes.com is a participant in the Human Locomotion affiliate program. If you choose to purchase a ToePro using the link below, I may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. This relationship had no influence on my evaluation or the conclusions shared in this article.

For a limited time, readers of SeniorTriathletes.com can use the coupon code seniortriathletes at checkout to receive a 10% discount on the purchase of ToePro.

You can review the full affiliate disclosure here.

Let Us Know What You Think?

What did you find most interesting about this post? What questions arose as you were reading it and/or watching the ToePro video? Share your thoughts in the Comments below.

Editor’s Note

The ToePro used for this evaluation was provided by Human Locomotion for review purposes. Human Locomotion had no editorial input into this article, and all observations and conclusions reflect my independent experience and assessment as a senior triathlete.

Why Even “Injury-Free” Streaks Can End Suddenly

Terry L. VanderWert on December 11, 2025

Senior triathlete experiencing an unexpected injury during a training run

by Joseph R. Simonetta and edited by Terry VanderWert

Editor’s Introduction

Senior triathletes know the satisfaction of training consistently for weeks or months without interruption—only to have an injury appear out of nowhere and derail progress. These episodes often feel mysterious or unfair, especially when they arise during an easy workout instead of a hard one.

In late 2025, longtime endurance athlete Joe Simonetta, age 82, experienced exactly that kind of setback. After more than five months of uninterrupted, injury-free training, a calf strain emerged during a controlled, moderate run—something he had done thousands of times.

Joe’s story matters because it illustrates a principle well-supported in research: the body’s vulnerability is often invisible, especially in the days following illness or heavy physiological stress. Exercise immunology and muscle-injury research shed light on what really happened and why these situations are more predictable than they appear.

With that context, here is Joe’s account of what occurred—and what he learned.

Five Months Injury-Free — Then Failure: The Hidden Science of Setback and Recovery

By Joseph R. Simonetta

For more than five months, I trained without a single injury — no calf cramps, no strains, no interruptions. Just steady progress, steady adaptation, and the gratifying sense that I had finally discovered the formula that had eluded me for much of my athletic life.

This stretch of injury-free training wasn’t luck. It was earned: careful pacing, consistent brick workouts, swimming rhythm, weights and speed bag sessions, compression sleeves, electrolyte discipline, magnesium, hydration, listening to my body, and no jump rope.

Then, suddenly, it failed.

My left calf — the same area that had derailed training cycles before — signaled a sharp, unmistakable warning. Not during a sprint. Not during a hard interval. Not during a reckless push. It happened during a controlled, moderate run. Something I’d done thousands of times.

At first, the frustration came in hot: Five months. Five months of doing everything right. What happened?

But the more I examined it — with science, experience, and honesty — the clearer the answer became.

This setback wasn’t a mystery. It wasn’t a “failure.” It wasn’t even a surprise.

It was physiology. It was predictable. And it carries a lesson worth sharing.

The Body Keeps a Ledger

Four days before the calf injury, I had a gastrointestinal episode. It came on suddenly one evening: bloating, inability to sleep, vomiting, diarrhea, exhaustion the next morning.

It wasn’t catastrophic. But it quietly disrupted the internal balance the body relies on:

electrolyte levels
hydration status
absorption of nutrients
glycogen availability
sleep quality
neuromuscular timing
hormone rhythms
inflammation levels

Even after the symptoms disappeared, the physiological fallout continued — silently, invisibly.

When the stomach settles, we assume recovery is complete. But the body knows better. The deeper systems take time.

This idea is strongly supported by research. Nieman’s often-cited 1994 review in the International Journal of Sports Medicine describes a J-curve relationship between exercise load and infection risk: moderate exercise strengthens immunity, while heavy training or underlying physiological stress increases vulnerability. Illness, dehydration, and disrupted sleep all push athletes into the “high-risk” part of the J-curve—where the body is still compromised even when we feel fine.

The Soleus: The Most Crucial Muscle That Nobody Sees

Most people think of the calf as one muscle. It isn’t.

It is two muscles:

the gastrocnemius (the visible one),
the soleus (the deep one beneath).

The soleus is the engine of steady running. It absorbs shock. It propels the body forward. It stabilizes the ankle. And it does more work at slow and moderate speeds than at fast speeds.

Paradoxically, the slower you run, the harder the soleus works.

It is also the slowest-healing muscle in the body. After any disruption — illness, dehydration, heat fatigue, electrolyte imbalance — the soleus is the first to weaken and the last to recover. And it rarely gives warning. It feels fine… until it doesn’t. That’s exactly what happened.

Research confirms that soleus injuries are among the most common calf injuries in endurance athletes and often take longer to heal than similar injuries in the gastrocnemius. Pedret et al. (2015) found that the recovery time correlates with age, sport, and other factors. They also observed that soleus injuries involving the central tendon require the longest recovery times and are prone to reinjury if athletes resume training before the muscle has fully recovered.

The two main muscles of the calf are the soleus and the gastrocnemius.

The “Silent Vulnerability” Problem

Training load doesn’t break the body. Accumulated vulnerability does. In my case:

GI illness weakened hydration and electrolyte balance
Heat training raised physiological stress
Sleep was disrupted
Overall fatigue increased
The soleus, already a historically sensitive area, was slightly compromised
Running load reintroduced too soon
The internal equilibrium was off
The system gave way

But here’s the important point: The injury didn’t happen because of the run. The run simply exposed the imbalance that already existed.

The run was the match, not the tinder. The tinder came from metabolic disruption, dehydration, and the invisible aftermath of illness.

A Lesson in Resilience — Not Age

I just turned 82. People might assume the injury is age-related. But that’s an oversimplification — and incorrect.

Younger athletes experience the same phenomenon:

They feel fully recovered from a cold. They push a workout. Something strains. They’re surprised

Injury is not a linear function of age.

It is a probabilistic outcome of load, recovery, sleep, hydration, stress, and internal equilibrium.

Age changes the timeline of recovery, not the mechanism of injury.

My five months of uninterrupted training prove that age is not the determining factor. My sudden calf strain proves that physiology remains physiology, regardless of the birth certificate. What matters is awareness, adaptation, and wisdom — qualities earned over time.

Setback Is Part of Progress

Training is not a straight line. It is a series of gentle waves:

feeling strong
feeling flat
feeling energized
feeling lethargic
feeling resilient
feeling vulnerable
feeling unstoppable
feeling interrupted

These fluctuations aren’t signs of inconsistency — they’re signs of life.

Progress lives in the alternation between strain and repair. In effort followed by recovery. In balance regained after balance disrupted.

The architecture of endurance is not built in perfect symmetry. It is built in continual re-equilibration.

Setback isn’t the opposite of progress. It’s the mechanism of progress.

What the Body Teaches Us

If there is a larger lesson from this small injury, it is this:
The body is always speaking.
Often quietly.
Often subtly.
Always truthfully.
It tells us when equilibrium is off.
It tells us when vulnerability is rising.
It tells us when recovery is incomplete.
It tells us when we are pretending to be stronger than we are.
And the body does not lie.
When it speaks, it doesn’t punish.
It informs.
This calf strain wasn’t a step backward.
It was a message: Slow down. Adjust. Recover. Rebuild.
A message worth heeding.
A message rooted not in age, but in intelligence.
The body’s intelligence.

Moving Forward

I will recover — as I always do. The calf will return to full strength.

I will run again. I will return to bricks, swims, weights, and steady conditioning.

I will be ready for my next competition and beyond.

But I go forward with a deeper understanding.

Recovery must be respected
Illness affects the body longer than we realize
Vulnerability accumulates quietly
Equilibrium is dynamic
Setback is not failure; it’s information
Resilience is the true measure of an athlete
Wisdom is more valuable than strength

At 82, I train not just to compete — but to learn. And the body remains my greatest teacher.

Closing Reflection

Five months injury-free wasn’t luck.

This injury wasn’t failure.

They were both part of the same continuum.

The body moves in cycles of growth, fatigue, disruption, and renewal.

When we understand this — truly understand it — we become not only stronger athletes, but wiser human beings.

And that, ultimately, is the real endurance sport.

Editorial Summary: What Senior Triathletes Should Take from Joe’s Experience

Joe’s story illustrates several lessons backed by research and highly relevant to senior endurance athletes:

After illness, you may feel fine before your body is fine.

Electrolytes, inflammation, and neuromuscular coordination may still be disrupted for 48–96 hours after GI distress, poor sleep, or heavy exertion, even when symptoms have resolved.

Resume training gradually after any illness.

Use a “50–70 percent rule” for two to three days and assess how the body responds.

What is this “rule?” It means gradually increasing your training volume and intensity from about 50% to 70% of normal over 2–3 days. This gives the body time to rebuild neuromuscular coordination, electrolyte balance, hydration levels, and immune stability before returning to full workload.

The soleus deserves special attention.

It does most of the work during easy running—precisely when many senior athletes get injured. Strengthening (e.g., bent-knee calf raises) and slow progression after illness are essential.

Setbacks are part of the endurance lifestyle.

They are not signs of decline; they are signals. Learning from them is a mark of athletic maturity.

Questions and Comments

Have you had an experience similar to Joe’s? What did you learn from it? Share these with us in the Comments below.

Smart Sugar Strategies for Senior Triathletes: Fueling for Endurance After 50

Terry L. VanderWert on November 18, 2025

Introduction

I imagine that all of us have heard about the evils of added sugar. According to an article titled Metabolism and Health Impacts of Dietary Sugars published in the Journal of Lipid and Atherosclerosis, “Excessive intake of sugars, especially fructose and sucrose (a dimer of glucose and fructose monomers), are highly correlated with metabolic disease including obesity, diabetes, fatty liver, and cardiovascular disease.”

Still, many sports drinks and gels contain significant amounts of added sugars. So, what do we do with this apparent contradiction?

As we continue to push limits in triathlon, duathlon, or aquathlon later in life, our nutritional needs evolve. For the 50+ athlete—man or woman—understanding how your body processes sugar is essential not only for performance but for long-term health.

Age, hormonal changes, and medical conditions like atrial fibrillation (AFib) or fatty liver can alter how we handle sugar. This post breaks down what happens when you consume different sugars, how men and women differ in how our bodies handle them, and how to fuel smarter for your next multisport adventure.

What Sugars Are We Talking About?

The three main sugars we are concerned about in this post are glucose, fructose, and sucrose.

Glucose, sometimes referred to as dextrose, is the body’s primary circulating sugar. When you eat glucose it’s absorbed in the gut, raises blood glucose, triggers insulin release, and is taken up by muscle, fat, and other tissues (or stored as glycogen).

Fructose (the other half of table sugar-sucrose-and a big component of high-fructose corn syrup) is absorbed but handled largely by the intestine and liver, not by insulin-responsive muscle. The liver converts fructose into intermediates that can refill glycogen but can also be pushed into de novo lipogenesis (creating fat), raising triglycerides and uric acid in some situations. This is why excess fructose is linked to fatty liver, higher triglycerides and metabolic harm. Fructose-rich added sugars (soda, many processed foods) are more likely to produce unfavorable metabolic effects when consumed in excess compared with the modest fructose in whole fruit. Lest you fall prey to advertising, be aware that some types of agave nectar contain up to 90% fructose and 10% glucose.

Sucrose (table sugar) contains one molecule of glucose and one molecule of fructose. Your body breaks sucrose into the two component sugars and then processes each as above.

Chemically, these sugar molecules are the same whether they come from an apple or from soda. But in the real-world, they behave differently. Whole fruits contain fiber, water, vitamins, and polyphenols slow absorption, blunt blood-sugar spikes, and provide satiety — reducing total sugar exposure. By contrast, refined/added sugars (sodas, sweets) give a quick, large sugar load with few nutrients. Because of this, refined sugars promote higher post-meal glucose, insulin spikes, and more calories consumed. For most healthy people, eating sugar inside whole fruit is not associated with the same harms as drinking a sugar-sweetened beverage.

What Happens When You Ingest Sugar

When you eat carbohydrates—whether from a banana or a bottle of sports drink—your body breaks them into the simple sugars glucose and fructose.

Glucose raises blood sugar and provides quick energy to muscles.
Fructose, handled mainly by the liver, refills glycogen but can also turn to fat if overconsumed.

This is why the type, timing, and source of your sugar intake matter. But, so do other factors, which I address in the next sections.

Men vs. Women: Different Metabolic Responses

Research shows clear sex-based differences in glucose metabolism and cardiometabolic risk, especially around menopause when estrogen levels decline.

Body composition & hormones: Men typically carry more muscle mass and have a generally higher resting metabolic rate. Women often carry more subcutaneous fat and have different fat-distribution patterns and hormonal influences (especially pre- vs post-menopause). These differences affect how glucose is taken up and used and how insulin sensitivity is maintained. They even how carbs are stored and mobilized.
Insulin sensitivity: Women (especially pre-menopausal) often maintain somewhat better insulin sensitivity than men. After menopause, estrogen drop can lead to increased insulin resistance, more central fat accumulation, and a higher risk of metabolic issues.
Fueling strategy: Because of these differences, women may benefit from slightly more cautious carbohydrate dosing (especially added sugars). They may want to rely more on steady, lower-glycemic carbs rather than high sugar loads. Men may tolerate higher absolute carb loads (thanks to more muscle mass) but they too must respect age-related changes.
Endurance performance implications: For both sexes, during long sessions the gut’s ability to absorb carbohydrate becomes a limiter—so specialized blends (glucose + a bit of fructose) may help. But the ideal ratio/dose may differ slightly by sex (and gut tolerance), so personalized testing – before race day – is key.

How Aging Changes Sugar Metabolism

As we age, our bodies gradually become less efficient at handling the sugar we eat. This is true even if we maintain an active lifestyle. Much of this change comes down to shifts in muscle mass, hormones, and daily training patterns. One of the most important factors is the age-related decline in muscle tissue. Muscle acts as a major “sink” for glucose. With less muscle available, especially if strength training has taken a back seat, sugar lingers in the bloodstream longer than it once did.

At the same time, insulin—the hormone that helps move glucose into cells—tends to become less effective. This age-related drop in insulin sensitivity doesn’t necessarily mean someone will develop diabetes. However, it does mean that larger sugar spikes can occur from foods that previously caused little reaction. Hormonal changes amplify this effect in both men and women, especially during and after menopause.

Finally, as many of us naturally shift toward slightly lighter or less intense training loads after 50, we simply burn through fewer carbohydrates each day. That means more unused sugar circulating after meals unless we adapt our nutrition to match our activity level.

Putting this together, older athletes do well to focus on whole-food carbohydrates—fruits, vegetables, and grains—for everyday eating, and to reserve concentrated sugars for training or recovery when they are most likely to be used efficiently. Strength training becomes an essential part of nutritional health, not only athletic performance, because maintaining muscle helps maintain glucose control.

Fructose, AFib, and Liver Health

Fructose plays a unique role in our metabolism, and its relationship with heart and liver health becomes more important as we age. Unlike glucose, fructose is processed almost entirely in the liver. In modest amounts—such as the natural fructose found in whole fruit—this system works beautifully. Problems arise when the liver receives large doses from sweetened sports drinks, processed snacks, or high-fructose sweeteners common in packaged foods.

Over time, excessive fructose can overwhelm the liver’s ability to store or process it, contributing to fat buildup in the liver and increased insulin resistance. These changes don’t just affect metabolism; they spill over into cardiovascular health. Chronically elevated blood sugar and insulin levels create the kind of inflammation and oxidative stress associated with a greater risk of atrial fibrillation.

For athletes with AFib or those who have been told their liver enzymes are “a little high,” paying attention to sugar sources becomes especially important. Natural fructose from fruit is rarely the issue; it’s the repeated, high-dose fructose exposures from packaged foods and sweetened drinks that create trouble. Fortunately, endurance athletes can still use mixed-carbohydrate fueling during long training or racing. The key is to keep these sugary fuels tied to exercise, when your muscles are ready to use the extra sugar rather than pass it on to the liver.

If you have AFib, fatty liver, or metabolic concerns, it’s wise to keep added fructose low and discuss fueling plans with your doctor or a sports nutrition professional who understands endurance training.

Practical Fueling Summary for 50+ Multisport Athletes

Here’s a handy table summarizing best carb practices across daily contexts:

Context	Best Carb Approach	Fructose Role
Daily eating	Whole foods (vegetables, whole grains, fruit)	Natural fructose in fruit is fine; avoid added sugars
Training < 90 min	Water + electrolytes, such as a banana or other simple carb snack	Minimal added fructose
Long training / race	Glucose + small fructose mix (approx. 2:1 glucose: fructose ratio)	Helps carb absorption and energy delivery if your gut tolerates
Recovery	Glucose-based carbs + whole fruit	Natural fructose from fruit supports glycogen restoration naturally

Remember Your Goal

A major change that occurred during Joy’s and my triathlon adventure was the foods we ate. There were plenty that we gave up. In particular, limiting processed sugar in our diet became part of our triathlon lifestyle.

Natural over processed: Choose fruit and whole carbs instead of sweetened drinks.
Age smart: Adjust carb intake to your training volume and recovery rate.
Gender aware: Recognize hormonal and metabolic differences in fueling response.
Health aligned: Be extra cautious with added fructose if you have liver disease, AFib, or insulin resistance.
Train it: Always test fueling strategies before race day.

Your goal isn’t just speed—it’s sustainable endurance and long-term health.

Disclaimer

I’ve written this post based on my best understanding of the science and research I’ve reviewed, as well as my personal experience as a senior triathlete. However, I am not a medical professional. Nutrition, metabolism, heart rhythm conditions, and liver health can vary greatly from person to person.

If you have questions about how this information applies to your own health or fueling strategy—especially if you have atrial fibrillation, liver concerns, diabetes, or other medical conditions—please consult your doctor or a qualified healthcare provider. The information in this post is not intended as medical advice. I am not responsible for any inaccuracies or misunderstandings.

Questions

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