Aging as a Female Endurance Athlete: Perimenopause, Strength Training & Adapting with Jenny Smith

I’ve known Jenny Smith since the early 2000s, back when I was a brand-new pro mountain biker watching her absolutely dominate at Nationals. She’s been a mentor, a competitor, a mom who kept racing when that wasn’t common, and someone I’ve always admired for her longevity in sport.In this episode, Jenny and I talk honestly about aging as female endurance athletes, especially navigating perimenopause, hormone changes, recovery shifts, strength training, anxiety, inflammation, and evolving expectations.We discuss how training needs to change as estrogen fluctuates and why strength training becomes even more important for bone health, metabolic health, and performance. Jenny shares the reality of needing more recovery, setting goals that reflect your life stage and responsibilities, and how to embrace aging with flexibility, wisdom, and self-compassion instead of fear. Plus, we cover hormone replacement therapy and getting medical support.This conversation is for women who love endurance sport and want to keep performing, not by pretending nothing is changing, but by adapting. Aging doesn’t mean decline, it can mean agency.Here’s what you’ll learn:Perimenopause changes training needsStrength training is non-negotiable for aging athletesRecovery matters more than everGoal setting must evolve with life stageAging brings wisdom and agencyLINKSFollow Jenny Smith CoachingLearn more about Aim High PerformanceAuthenticity and managing pressure with Sarah SturmAging athletes with Joel FrielHow women should train differently with Dr. Stacy Simms--------------The Grow the Good Podcast is produced by Palm Tree Pod Co.