Masters athletes and sporting greats share the advice they would give to their younger self.
Masters athletes around the world continue to prove that when it comes to sport, age has no limits.
Our fantastic community of athletes are not defined by age. Instead, they’re discovering new sporting passions, realising new dreams and accomplishing new goals.
Knowing what they know now after long and active sporting lives, what advice do they have for their younger selves?
The Masters community and some sporting greats share advice worth listening to, whatever your age.
Injury prevention is better than injury cure! Eat well, sleep well and look after your joints… you need them for life.
Lulu Alexandra – Masters Figure Skater
If I could go back and talk to myself 20 years ago, I would get on the corrective exercises’ bandwagon. Some of those aches and pain that I have today stem from back there.
Tunde Ridley – Masters Sprinter
I would tell myself that ‘ok, you’ve hurt yourself and couldn’t pitch or play short stop your final entire year… but two years from now you’ll be able to take up baseball again so don’t wait 23 years to do it’.
Steven Head – Masters Baseball player
I would have worked a lot harder. I was a clown and I think I got by a lot on natural ability. I wish back then that I had the same focus and drive that I have now. Things may have been different.
Nick Berra – two-time USATF Masters Athlete of the Year
Stay with it. It’s good for you. It’s fun. I would say do what I did, but get lessons now and not when you’re 50.
Ed Roffey – Master Racquetball player
I would tell my younger self to rest and recover. Foolishly, we didn’t know that playing on injured joints was going to cost us later.
Valerie Lanni – Masters athlete
Stick with it.
Brent Tracey Parker – Masters athlete
Stretch more!
James Proudfoot – Masters athlete
Never say die…I’ve over 100 gold medals in 30 years.
Brian Fothergill – Masters athlete
Stretch, keep doing mobility, and never stop.
Keith Smith – Masters CrossFit athlete
Don’t be afraid to pursue something you love but may not be good at instead of something you are confident you will do well in but dislike….it is important to follow your passions.”
Ashton Eaton – two-time world and twice Olympic decathlon champion
The best piece of advice I can pass on is the value of friendship….It’s a hard lesson to learn and it cuts deep, so make sure you know who your true friends are as they will be the people who stick around when the going gets tough.
Jenn Suh – USA’s 2012 Olympic pole vault champion
Never let go of that fire, drive, fighting spirit and never-say-die attitude because in life champions never give up and never surrender until they get what they want. Keep going no matter how hard the climb. Remember: the view from the top is always the best.
Sunette Viljoen – Olympic silver medallist Javelin thrower
You lack in confidence and are quite shy. You worry if you make a mistake but, please, Laura, try to be a little more confident and believe in yourself. You have all the tools to succeed.
Laura Muir – World indoor 1500m silver medallist and European 1500m champion
Maintaining fitness levels and full health as an athlete in your mid-30s will be hard. But don’t give up. Stick with it and aim to sign off you career on a high. Listen to your body and make the necessary sacrifices. If you do that, you can fulfil your marathon potential and finish your career with a flourish.
Kenenisa Bekele – three-time Olympic medallist and 17 senior world titles
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