Fountain of Youth

Marc Middleton

Research proves that there are only two things that can add years to your life and quality of life to your years: exercise and socialization. Combine the two and you get rocket fuel for active longevity. You get the closest thing we’ll ever have to a fountain of youth. Fountain of Youth is the podcast that will change everything you thought you knew about active aging. Hosted by Marc Middleton, a masters athlete and founder and CEO of Growing Bolder, Fountain of Youth shares the inspiring stories of men and women of all sizes, ages and abilities who are redefining what’s possible for all of us. From world-record breaking superstars to weekend warriors who are battling back from every injury, disease and disability imaginable, Fountain of Youth is the jolt of inspiration and encouragement you need to get off the couch and get into life. Each week we’ll talk to a masters athlete, coach or active aging experts. If you’re looking for tips and resources to find your sport or refine your game, if you want the rest of your life to be the best of your life, subscribe to Fountain of Youth.

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Top 10 Fountain of Youth Episodes

Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best Fountain of Youth episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to Fountain of Youth for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite Fountain of Youth episode by adding your comments to the episode page.

Episode 24 It’s All Good Training: Travis & “Mace” Macy

Fountain of Youth

02/01/23 • 36 min

As endurance athletes, Mark “Mace” Macy and Travis Macy have run in extreme conditions and locations. Now after Mace’s diagnosis of early onset Alzheimer's, the father and son are utilizing their endurance training and mindset to battle their most formidable challenge head on, "A Mile at a Time."

WATCH Growing Bolder’s story on long distance trucker turned Masters swimmer & Ironman Siphiwe Baleka

LISTEN to Growing Bolder’s full interview with 93-year-old world record setting marathoner Harriette Thompson

VISIT Travis Macy’s website

FOLLOW Mace on Instagram

For great stories about masters athletes from Growing Bolder & the NSGA, visit growingbolder.com/nsga

Follow Growing Bolder & National Senior Games Association

#endalz #adventureracing

#nevertoolate #moreispossible #seniorgames #nationalseniorgames

Episode 22: 71 year old U.S. & World Track Champion Michael Kish

Fountain of Youth

01/18/23 • 36 min

He’s been dubbed the Usain Bolt of septuagenarians, but at 71 sprinter Michael Kish isn’t defying age, he’s defining what is possible. Hear the story of the former HS athlete who returned to the track in his 60s, and how internet training methods and an open mind helped propel him to national and world championships.

WATCH the YouTube video of Kish’s 100m win at the Penn Relays

READ more about Charlotte Sanddal and other athletes smashing stereotypes here

For great stories about masters athletes from Growing Bolder & the NSGA, visit growingbolder.com/nsga

Follow Growing Bolder & National Senior Games Association

@usatfmasters

#michaelkish #masterstrackandfield #trackandfield #runner #nevertoolate #moreispossible #seniorgames #nationalseniorgames

Episode 21: The Pole Vaulting & World Record-Setting Granny, Flo Meiler

Fountain of Youth

01/11/23 • 28 min

She pole vaults, throws the javelin, discus, shot put and hammer, sprints, hurdles and runs the steeple chase. She’s also 88 years old. Flo Meiler, aka ‘the Pole Vaulting granny’ joins Marc to kick off Season 2 of Fountain of Youth. Learn how this former tennis player and water skier came to try masters track and field in her late 50s and the secret that led her to be named the 2022 Masters Track & Field Athlete of the Year by USA Track & Field, earn over 800 medals and set over 30 US and world records. More is possible as we age – listen in.

For great stories about masters athletes from Growing Bolder & the NSGA, visit growingbolder.com/nsga

Follow Growing Bolder & National Senior Games Association

@usatfmasters

#flomeiler #trackandfield #nevertoolate #moreispossible #seniorgames #nationalseniorgames

Episode 23: Still Having Fun - Former Tennis Professional Alice Tym Masters Pickleball, Badminton & Table Tennis

Fountain of Youth

01/25/23 • 34 min

Alice Tym first picked up a racquet in high school and she’s never looked back. After playing tennis at the University of Florida, where she also founded and coached the team, Tym played the international circuit. She went on to a Hall of Fame coaching career, coaching championship tennis teams at UT-Chattanooga and Yale, raised a family and taught college geography. Then Tym picked up some new racquets, transferring her tennis skills to Pickleball, Badminton and Table Tennis. Now 80 and a multiple national and world champion, Tym talks to Marc about what makes competing in the National Senior Games and masters sports so fun.

WATCH Growing Bolder’s story on long distance trucker turned Masters swimmer & Ironman Siphiwe Baleka

For great stories about masters athletes from Growing Bolder & the NSGA, visit growingbolder.com/nsga

Follow Growing Bolder & National Senior Games Association

@usapickleball @usatabletennis @usabadminton

@imgamastersgames/

#masterspickleball #mastersbadminton

#nevertoolate #moreispossible #seniorgames #nationalseniorgames

Episode 19: Fitness Entrepreneurs Betsy & Jon Hughes

Fountain of Youth

05/25/22 • 38 min

Together, they run one of the most successful running specialty and event marketing and management companies in the United States. But the story of Jon and Betsy Hughes is really a love story: a love for one another, a love for running and a love for making a difference in the lives of others.

Listen in as the owners of Track Shack join Marc on FOY to talk about their journey as fitness entrepreneurs, the beginnings of the Disney Marathon, and their commitment to creating a culture of health and wellbeing throughout the country.

Learn more about Jon & Betsy at Trackshack.com or follow them on FB: Track Shack and Track Shack Youth Foundation

And on IG: @orlandotrackshack

GB Classic: Watch Marc’s full interview with Julia Hawkins here

Follow Growing Bolder

Follow National Senior Games Association

For more information on Growing Bolder & the NSGA, visit growingbolder.com/nsga

#mastersathlete #seniorathlete #running

Episode 17: 100-Year-Old Runner & Canoeist Mike Fremont

Fountain of Youth

05/11/22 • 26 min

Scientists have proven beyond a doubt that healthy longevity is more of a lifestyle choice than it is a genetic blessing. Even if we are genetically predisposed to a long life, or conversely, if we're genetically predisposed to a short life, we do have the ability within us to overcome those predispositions, good or bad, by the lifestyle choices that we make each and every day.

The stories of active centenarians certainly illustrate this, as you’ll learn in episode 17 of FOY. Hear Mike Fremont share with Marc how the decisions he made after a cancer diagnosis at the age of 69 enabled Fremont to celebrate his 100th birthday 31 years later with a run on the beach and a party with family and friends.

GB Classic: Listen to our full interview with Flo Meiler

Follow Growing Bolder

Follow National Senior Games Association

For more information on Growing Bolder & the NSGA, visit growingbolder.com/nsga

#mastersathlete #seniorathlete

Episode 20: World Record-Setting Masters Swimmer, Cancer Survivor & Podcast Host Kelly Parker Palace

Fountain of Youth

06/01/22 • 42 min

Kelly Palace is a former division one head swimming coach, an Olympic trials swimmer and a masters swimmer that held four world number one rankings and eight US master swimming number one rankings in 2021.

She's also a breast cancer survivor and saw the towers fall on September 11th. She’s the author of the Amazon bestseller, Take Your Mark: LEAD! and a co-host of the award-winning Champions Mojo podcast. Listen in as Marc and Kelly talk about how swimming is like life, and the takeaways she’s gotten from interviewing champion athletes.

To learn more about Kelly and listen to her podcast, visit championsmojo.com or follow them on IG or FB

Learn more about U.S. Masters Swimming at https://www.usms.org/

Follow USMS on Facebook or IG, Twitter & YouTube

GB Classic: Listen to our full interview with Anne Abernathy

For great stories about masters athletes from Growing Bolder & the NSGA, visit growingbolder.com/nsga

Follow Growing Bolder

Follow National Senior Games Association

#mastersathletics #mastersswimming

Episode 18: The Power of Pickleball with Masters Champion Dick Johnson

Fountain of Youth

05/18/22 • 27 min

Pickleball may have a silly sounding name, but it’s one of the fastest growing sports in the United States. There are more than 4.8 million players in the U.S., almost double the number from just five years ago, and more than 70 countries around the world playing pickleball.

81-year-old Dick Johnson won gold medals in mixed doubles at both the 2022 US Nationals and National Senior Games. In this episode of FOY, the former tennis player tells Marc how Pickleball saved his health by helping him get off diabetes meds and back in shape, and what he enjoys about being part of Pickleball Nation.

Plus, USA Pickleball Director of Media Relations Laura Vossberg Gainor joins the pod to explain how and where you can learn more about the game.

To learn more about pickleball, visit usapickleball.org/

To find a court near you, go to places2play.org/

GB Classic: Listen to our full interview with George Brunstad

Never Too Late: Read our Rock Stars of Aging eBook.

Follow Growing Bolder

Follow National Senior Games Association

For more information on Growing Bolder & the NSGA, visit growingbolder.com/nsga

#mastersathlete #seniorathlete #pickleball

Episode 16 - Weightlifting Masters National Champion Neil Kanterman

Fountain of Youth

05/04/22 • 33 min

More than 90% of all the people who join a gym will quit within three months of first going and of those who don't quit, nearly 10% go to the gym less than once a month. Dr. Neil Kanterman was one of those with an on again/off again relationship with working out. Until he walked into a Crossfit gym and found community. In this episode of FOY, hear Neil’s journey from out of shape ophthalmologist to weightlifting national champion, gym owner, coach and international official.

Learn more about Neil’s gym: CrossFit Hardcore West - "The Park"

Follow USA Masters Weightlifting on Facebook, Instagram and usamastersweightlifting.com

GB Classic: Listen to our full interview with Dr. Charles Eugster

Follow Growing Bolder

Follow National Senior Games Association

For more information on Growing Bolder & the NSGA, visit growingbolder.com/nsga

#mastersweightlifting #crossfit #crossfitover50

#mastersathlete