“You’ll Never Run Again.” At 70, Loree Bolin Reversed Her Arthritis, And Finished Her 11th Ironman

When Loree Bolin was told she’d never run again, she didn’t just defy expectations — she redefined them.At 70, Loree completed her 11th Ironman triathlon after years of battling knee osteoarthritis. But this isn’t just a story about sport. It’s about service.A retired dentist and lifelong endurance athlete, Loree sold her practice at 60 to launch a nonprofit bringing medical and dental care to underserved communities across Tanzania. Her work now includes safehouses for girls fleeing forced marriage, business programs for widows, and a school for over 200 kids — all in regions where access to care and education was once nonexistent.In this episode, Loree shares how sport fuels her purpose, how she rebuilt her knees without surgery, and why your most impactful years might be the ones still ahead.🙌 Support Loree’s WorkWant to get involved with Health & Hope Foundation — or help fund their next school, clinic, or safehouse? Visit healthandhopefoundation.org to donate or volunteer.🎧 Love the Ageless Athlete Podcast?If this episode moved you, share it with a friend — and leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Your support helps us keep telling stories like Loree’s.🧭 Topics & Timestamps[00:02:00] Why she left dentistry to pursue humanitarian work full time[00:08:00] Her first volunteer trips — and the moment that changed everything[00:14:00] Grandmothers breaking rocks, and the birth of a business program[00:21:00] Starting a school in rural Tanzania for 200+ kids[00:30:00] How she manages teams and funding from Seattle[00:39:00] What most people misunderstand about volunteering[00:43:00] Training for Ironman while traveling overseas[00:56:00] Cultural barriers, custom inspections, and resilience[01:06:00] Reversing osteoarthritis and getting back to racing[01:13:00] What Ironman feels like at 70[01:22:00] Strength, recovery, and mindset for long-term health[01:33:00] Her vision for the next decade — and advice for those wondering what’s nextTimeline: Support cellular renewal and mitochondrial function with Mitopure, featuring Urolithin A. Get up to 20% off at timeline.com/AGELESSATHLETE 🚀 Love the show? Here’s how to support it If something you’ve heard here has stayed with you, made you smile, or helped you keep going, I’d be honored if you’d consider supporting the show. 👉 https://buymeacoffee.com/agelessathleteTopics: longevity, fitness over 40, endurance training, aging athletes, recovery, injury prevention 💜 Want to stay strong and capable as you age? Join the Ageless Athlete weekly newsletter for practical ideas, deeper lessons, and insights that don’t always make it into the podcast.Join here → https://agelessathlete.substack.com/subscribeAgeless Athlete is a podcast about healthy aging for people who want to stay strong, active and capable for life. Conversations explore strength, endurance, mobility, recovery, VO2 max, muscle and bone health, and what it takes to keep doing the things you love as you get older.Follow Ageless Athlete — How to Stay Strong, Curious & Capable for Life for new episodes each week.