Ageing isn’t the hurdle you might think - Sally Gunnell on fitness.

When Sally Gunnell settled into the blocks for the Olympic 400 metre hurdles final, she knew the crux of the race would come in the final 50 metres. It was then, in the straight, that she had to change her stride pattern between the barriers from 17 to 16 steps without slowing down.

And though her lungs were burning and her legs weakening, she got it right. Gunnell scraped home for a world record and a gold medal in a time of 52.74 seconds.

That was back in 1992. The British woman had spent years working towards that flying minute, devoting every spare hour to training, diet and recovering while working for an accountant two or three days a week.

And now, Sally Gunnel on fitness (33 years later)? She has a different view. A mother of three boys, the former world, Olympic, European and Commonwealth champion devotes much of her time to showing the over-fifties how to stay – or get – fit and make the most of the rest of their lives.

At 59, she values her wellbeing even more than she did in her athletic heyday. Gunnel has arrived at a kind of philosophy of fitness that she calls optimising your age. “Since reaching our fifties it’s become more apparent to my husband Jon [an athletic coach] and I that we have reached a time in our life where we need to really think about how we look after ourselves, both physically and mentally”, she explains on her site. “While we certainly don’t think of ourselves as old, because of our practical knowledge of how the human body ages through our separate careers, we understand the importance of adapting our behaviour as we age, to get the best out of our minds and bodies.”

Basically, for Gunnell it’s about being fit and healthy enough to live the life you want. And more and more women are embracing that philosophy. The other day I watched a 10-kilometre trail run that was open to anybody. It wasn’t an easy event. The course took in four stiff climbs and three short ones. Of the approximately 350 competitors, no less than 280 were women and they represented all ages and abilities. The expression of joy, almost triumph, as they crossed the line was inspiring to see.

And nowadays women athletes have ever more inspiring role models who are blowing sky-high assumptions about the physical limitations of females, like Anna Rutherford the Scottish ultra-runner.

In June 2025 Rutherford, a 43 year-old mother of three, beat a 600-strong field in a mountainous 100-miler in Scotland in July by a jaw-dropping two hours. Not just the women, the second of whom finished five hours back, but the men too. Rutherford, a lawyer, was so far in front that she was back home and sound asleep before the second runner crossed the line in Edinburgh. A rough calculation shows that Rutherford averaged about 9.2 kilometres an hour [5 ¾ minutes per kilometre] during her 17 hours and 23 minutes of scampering over punishing terrain.

Of course this feat of endurance didn’t happen by accident.  At the height of her preparation she was averaging over 190kms [120 miles] a week. And she obviously has willpower to burn; in the final 30 miles or so, a time of extreme fatigue, she sang a Dolly Parton song to motivate herself.

It may be late in the day but, hallelujah! more men are discovering women’s sport. In the US at least, revenue from pro events is growing four and a half times times faster than that of men’s sports, explains a study from McKinsey that landed in my box the other day. Although ultra-races are unlikely to make prime-time television, McKinsey notes that female stars are dragging male viewers onto a wide variety of sports like basketball, gymnastics, football and volleyball.

While that’s interesting for the future, Gunnell (and BadAss) are more interested in how to optimise your age and she’s come up with six golden rules for staying mentally and physically fit without overdoing it. “Burnout is not a badge of honour”, she insists.  

Pay heed to your body and mind if they are telling you it’s time for time-out. Make light of the difficult moments – “laughter is a mini-vacation to the brain.” Don’t hesitate to put your feet up, mentally and physically – “hit the pause button”. Don’t mix work and leisure, especially when it’s time for loved ones. Have the confidence to ask for advice if you feel you need it. And above all, make your wellbeing a top priority.

For Gunnell, this is a holistic process: “Exercise and diet are very much part of this but it’s about nourishing the mind, body and spirit so you know what makes you feel good to be you and in your body.”

And as this modest woman would be the first to say, you don’t have to win gold medals to optimise your age.

Read more from Sally Gunnell herself at https://www.sallygunnell.com/ or follow her excellent Instagram account - @sallygunnell - for some great tips which are especially helpful for beginners or those building their fitness.