Reinventing at 55, Thriving in Her 70s: Mary Newell’s Running Journey

Are you ready to redefine what’s possible at any age? Dive into this “best-of” episode, where we revisit the inspiring journey of Mary Newell, a true embodiment of reinvention and resilience. At 55, Mary took her first steps into running, and at 74, she’s still going strong, challenging stereotypes about aging and athleticism. Discover how she transformed her life and how you can, too!

🔑 Key Points from Mary’s Journey:

1. From Non-Athlete to Marathon Runner: Mary started running at 55 with no athletic background, proving it’s never too late to begin. She’s since completed marathons around the world! 🌍
2. Finding Joy and Community: Running has brought Mary immense joy and a sense of belonging, connecting her with diverse communities globally. 💞
3. Commitment to Consistency: Her routine emphasizes the importance of consistency, accountability, and a balanced approach to nutrition and rest. 🍏🛌
4. Small Steps, Big Changes: Mary’s journey highlights the power of small steps in achieving personal goals and the transformative nature of self-care and mental preparation. 🏆
5. Universal Connection through Running: Mary explores new cultures and cities through her races, illustrating running’s universal bond and the adventure it brings. 🌆

Join us as we celebrate Mary’s story—a testament to the power of perseverance and passion. This episode is one of our most popular for a reason! Don’t miss the chance to be inspired by Mary’s wisdom and vitality.

Listen now and discover how you, too, can embark on your reinvention journey!

Bonus: Stay tuned for Mary’s anticipated return to the podcast in season 7.

Mentioned in this episode:

The Ageless Traveler Podcast: Discover the ultimate resource for breaking barriers to lifelong travel.  It brings you the know-how and inspiration to explore enticing destinations, enjoy luxury travel for less, plan grandparent and solo adventures, and embrace cultural and culinary experiences.  Each episode connects you with experts and innovators who make travel easy and accessible at any age. 🎙️✨

Kick your midlife fears and uncertainty to the curb and start your Reinvention Rebels journey today. Learn about my audio program, Midlife Reinvention From The Inside Out: 8 Essentials to Greenlight Your Life.

Chapters

• 0:00 Reinvention Rebels
• 11:11 Overcoming Limits
• 22:13 The Power of Reinvention and Possibilities
• 34:16 Strength in Community for Reinvention
• 40:39 Running, Travel, and Self-Care
• 57:23 Age-Friendly Travel Podcast Recommendation

Transcript

00:00 - Mary Newell (Guest)
I started running and then, all of a sudden, I started noticing my clothes were a little bit looser. So this thing, this thing that I had been fighting from at least puberty on the weight thing, took care of itself. I'm in the best shape, talking about my body, and that at 71, I am so strong and so fit, and you know the confidence that I have as I move, as I run. It's amazing, it's amazing. 

00:36 - Wendy Battles (Host)
Welcome to Reinvention Rebels Stories of brave and unapologetic women, 50 to 90 years young, who have boldly reinvented life on their own terms to find new purpose and possibilities. I'm your host, Wendy Battles. I need to kick your fears to the curb, do it scared and step into who you are meant to be in midlife and beyond. These amazing women, these reinvention rebels, can help light your reinvention path. Come join us and let's get inspired together. Hey, hey, hey Rebels. Welcome to another episode of the Reinvention Rebels podcast. I'm your host, Wendy. I'm really glad you're here and you're hearing my voice, but I'm actually on hiatus between season six and seven of the podcast and I am sharing a series of best of episodes so you don't miss me too much and so you can hear the inspiring voices of our fierce reinvention rebels and the amazing things that they're up to. And I love this episode so much that I'm sharing today my guest, Mary Newell. It is one of the top five episodes ever of the podcast. This now 74-year-old rebel is nothing short of extraordinary. If you listened to her story before, you might remember, but a refresher is always in order because it's so inspiring Her story of reinventing her body and what's possible, and the fact that at 74 she is going strong, running in 100 mile races yes, you heard me right At 74 says everything about all of our potential to reinvent and I know you're going to love this episode. And I know you're going to love this episode and I think you're going to love this episode so much that I want to encourage you, either now or when you're done, to forward this to a friend or two. Forward it to some people in your life, especially women, who would benefit from hearing the possibilities that Mary has created. Let's use this to sport our own reinventions on and help us expand what we think is possible. 

03:15
One more thing I just recorded the season six highlights episode and it is amazing and it is a beautiful compilation of the voices of 18 extraordinary women who joined me in season six. You can hear a clip from each of them. So if you're new to the podcast, it's a great way to be introduced to the Reinvention Rebels podcast. If you're a listener but you know we're all busy you may not have heard all of season six episodes. It's a great way to get a taste for all of the women that I interviewed and then pop into those episodes you really want to listen to and maybe you listen to all the episodes but you want to listen again or get inspired. This highlights episode is a great place to start. Plenty of things to listen to as we get ready for season seven. So here it is. I hope you enjoy this amazing episode with Mary and I'll look forward to talking to you soon. 

04:25
What happens when you rediscover your body at 55 through running and it turns into a passion? And what happens when that passion ignites new possibilities for your life that include new friends and global marathons? Such is the fascinating reinvention journey of my guest today, Mary Newell. At 70 years, young, Mary runs in races around the world, from the storied New York Marathon to marathons as far away as Canada, Brazil, Greece, Sweden, Ethiopia, South Africa and China. Along the way, Mary has gained new insights about herself and her capabilities and fed her passion for travel. She's a fabulous example about what midlife reinvention can foster and how we can continue to reap the benefits of our reimagined lives as we age. You are in for a treat today about how we can kick limiting perceptions about our bodies to the curb as we age and embrace and lean into our fierce, courageous and fabulous selves with joy. Mary Newell. Welcome to the Reinvention Rebels guest chair. 

05:48 - Mary Newell (Guest)
Thank you, it's great to be here. 

05:50 - Wendy Battles (Host)
I am really excited about our conversation today. I have so many questions that I want to ask you about reinventing yourself and running and travel, and I do want to start our conversation by asking you a little bit of a background question. You are doing amazing things with your body at 71, running four times a week. Were you always athletic growing up? 

06:18 - Mary Newell (Guest)
No, and see, this is the thing. This is the beauty of what I'm doing now is I was the kid who my mother used to have to make me go outside to play. I was the bookworm, I was the nerd. I spent my time in the house reading books and watching those black and white. Betty Davis, alfred Hitchcock, all of those dramas, the grand dramas. I love those. And so you know, I just dreamt, you know Rock Hudson, all of that stuff. And then you know, and you might get your head out of a book and get outside and don't come back until I tell you you know. But you know, once I get outside I'd be OK. 

07:02
But I was never, and this has been a change of perception for me. I've never been what I would consider anything close to athletic. I was not good, I was not fast, I couldn't hit the ball, you know and like, and then I just stopped trying. So I went through gym in junior high and senior high, you know, hanging back against the wall and you know, not even trying to run for the 600 yard, whatever. That was the part of the Kennedy program thing. I just walked the whole time, the whole time, and I was just convinced that I didn't have any kind of athletic abilities at all. So no, I was not. I was not the kid who was out there doing anything. 

07:59 - Wendy Battles (Host)
I have to say that totally resonates with me, because I was not a coordinated kid myself. I did not shine athletically. I have two parents who are very accomplished and very well read but not athletic at all, and that must have trickled down to me because I just was in the wrong line for athletic ability. So I totally appreciate what you're saying about sometimes not feeling good in your body. 

08:29 - Mary Newell (Guest)
You know the thing is, I just never imagined that I would be able to do my body, that I can move my body, but it's always been a struggle because I was an overweight. You know I struggled with weight all my life and trying to manage that, starting with Jack LaLanne and going through, and you know every kind of diet and you know the things I did and buying every piece of physical equipment that I would not use. You know, I tried maybe once or twice and then that didn't work. But my relationship with my body was one of. It was like a war almost. 

09:16
I did not love my body? I did not, because it wasn't looking the way I wanted it to look and I couldn't make it look any different. I didn't know how to do that. So there was a struggle with that. And how I got into running was, you know, particularly once I got into menopause and the weight started coming on. I was going to the gym and working out and doing all of the cardio things, but I was convinced I was not a runner. 

09:51
And I live in a neighborhood where people run seven days a week, year round and I would look at them and go like what, what, what don't they have a life? I really I thought like why would somebody be out in a blizzard running? What would make somebody do that? But you know, I was. I was curious as to what would make somebody do that. Why would you do that? But you know I just it wasn't me. I did try running a couple of times and I was so sore afterwards because of course I go into it I did it with, you know, some guy or some group or something and I would run the whole whatever three miles and they would say, you know, we can stop whenever you want, or whatever, and I was like oh no, no, I can't, you just had to go for it. 

10:51
Yeah, Right. And then you know, like the next day I couldn't move and then, as the week wore on, it was worse and and you know, it never occurred to me that that would get better. So like, okay, I did it twice to me that that would get better. So like, okay, I did it twice. That's it Not doing it. I am not a runner, I will never be a runner. 

11:11 - Wendy Battles (Host)
So that's it. I think that's so interesting what we perceive about ourselves not necessarily what other people perceive about us, but how we feel about ourselves and the impact that has. Because here you were, in menopause, when our body is already changing in ways most of us don't like, as in gaining weight and metabolism is slowing down. Then you were being proactive, though, as I heard you say, going to the gym, since you tried running a couple of times, but it really hadn't worked out. So what was it that shifted for you to be able to start running? 

11:43 - Mary Newell (Guest)
So those two attempts I made at running, one was in my twenties, the other one was in my early forties. At the gym, I did all the cardio, the stair master, the recumbent bike, all those things, and I would do brisk walking on the treadmill. Now there would be people running on the treadmills around me, but I wasn't a runner, so I just did brisk walking. And I will never forget I don't know the exact day, in January of 2006, but I was on the treadmill and I was doing a brisk walk and for some reason I just turned up the speed a bit and started running. You know, maybe it had to do with it being a new year, trying something, I don't know. It was subconscious, obviously, but I started running and then all of a sudden, as I'm running, I go what am I doing? Wait a minute, what is this? I am running, I am running and I kept running and it felt so good, you know. So, whatever, 10 minutes, 20 minutes, whatever I did, I finished that and, like the rest of the day, I actually ran and it wasn't so bad, you know. 

13:02
And so then, you know, the next time I went to the gym, I did it again and I started just running on the treadmill and then one of my friends who worked out at the gym said to me you ought to sign up for a race. And I'm going why? And he said if you can run for a half hour on the treadmill, you can do a 5K. And so you know, I'm thinking, yeah, hmm, well, that would allow me to check off a race if I can do it. But the question is, you know, like a 5K? First of all I was thinking how fun is a 5K? Cause I've done a lot of things and did you know one and done whatever it was. So, um, I started, I signed up for the Labor Day road race and then I told everybody I knew, so I wouldn't back out of it. I told everybody I knew, I told the mailman, I told people in the store. 

14:10
I signed up for a 5k. I'm doing the New Haven road race. Uh, labor day and you know some people who knew me go you, you do what you do, but that was it. So, you know, I got there. I got there that morning and I was standing at the start, you know, just kind of like of like, oh my God, what have I done? What if I pass out? What if you know? 

14:36 - Wendy Battles (Host)
I don't, I mean. 

14:37 - Mary Newell (Guest)
I had all kinds of horror scenarios in my mind about what, if you know, it doesn't work. And there was a woman there. She was a nurse. I remember that she was talking to me and she understood it was my first race and she recommended that I get this book. It's called the Courage to Start and it's about running, and so you know. So I talked to her and then the race started and I started running and I didn't, I wasn't even thinking, I just kept running, and kept running, and kept running, and then all of a sudden I see the banner, the thing. 

15:19
But you know, I had never seen the finish before and I'm going is that it can't be the finish Cause first I couldn't believe that I had actually run for 3.1 miles and that you know I was already at the finish. So I ran a little past just in case it wasn't, and somebody said, you know, this is the finish, you can stop now. But it was the best feeling. It was just that I had actually done it, I had run a race and finished it. So you know, I went home and, you know, called people and then I went up to Barnes and Noble to look for that book and I got that book and it's the best and I have recommended that book to so many people over the years when they started running, because the guy who wrote the book, john Bingham, was an overweight guy who started running and you know he talked about if you run, you're a runner, and so it's like I'm a runner, you know. 

16:25
And he talked about, you know, going at your own pace and you know, of course I had in my mind the elite runners that you had to be able to run like that. I didn't know you could just run, you know you can even walk, you don't even have to run the whole way or whatever, but I was a runner. That was the ta-da. Mary Newell was a runner, mary Newell was a runner. 

16:48
Yes, and then I started telling everybody I was a runner. 

16:53 - Wendy Battles (Host)
I love it. I love it and I feel like you really claimed it. You said from the very beginning, and because I think that sometimes when we're reinventing ourselves, it's scary. We don't know how it's going to unfold. We can be unsure and I heard you even say when you got to the start line, all these things were going through your head but then you just did it. And one of the things that to me is really important, that I heard you say near the beginning, is that you told everybody. You said I'm going to do this because I think so much of us doing something or shifting, or reinventing ourselves is about actually committing to making it happen and finding ways to hold ourselves accountable. 

17:37 - Mary Newell (Guest)
And it's about accountability, so you know. So then, if everybody's like, so, how did that race go? You know you're not going to say, well, I didn't do it Exactly, exactly After I told everybody, so yeah, but it is about being accountable. 

17:56 - Wendy Battles (Host)
Yeah, and that you really were committed to yourself, like you followed through. You did this because you wanted to do this, but along the way, you learned all these lessons. Like I am a runner, are you loving this episode as much as I am? Are you ready to have inspiration like this on a regular basis to keep you on your reinvention toes? Pop over to ReinventionRebelscom to sign up for my news and notes and meet more amazing Reinvention Rebels. What do you think is the biggest lesson you've learned from running and I know now you've been running for many years that was it. 

18:40 - Mary Newell (Guest)
I just yeah, this just finishes my 16th year. Amazing, and the only time, the only week in the 16 years where I have not at least done one run in there is when I've been injured. So and that's happened three times that I in 16 years that I didn't run for a week, but I at least have always gotten in one run in a week, but my average is four runs a week, you know. So that's my commitment is four runs a week. You know I do extra sometimes, but never less than that. 

19:17 - Wendy Battles (Host)
I really love this idea of your commitment to four times a week and I love the fact that you started this at 55 and you're still going strong at 71. And one of the reasons is that sometimes we perceive our bodies as we age to be getting weaker, more fragile. Sometimes we're overly protective and maybe aren't exercising as much as we should to keep our bones strong. So I love that age isn't even an issue for you. You're like I'm going to just keep running. 

19:49 - Mary Newell (Guest)
Yeah Well, but you know, with that running and the love of running comes the protecting, the ability to run. So I do all of those things. I stretch like crazy. I say if I do a five minute yoga class I'm going to do a stretch afterwards, you know, just to keep everything fluid nutrition, rest, those things are all so important. 

20:16
And you know, the thing is I started by talking about weight and that once I started running I didn't think about weight, I was, I had found something I loved and I just now, certainly on the night before a run, I wouldn't eat anything really heavy because, you know, then it would make it harder to run the next day and that. But over time I got into nutrition and that. But I started running and then all of a sudden I started noticing my clothes were a little bit looser. So this thing, this thing that I had been fighting for all from at least puberty on the weight thing, took care of itself, you know, by me following my passion and protecting that, I didn't have to worry about weight. I only weigh myself when I go to the doctor's office. I don't have a scale, I haven body, and that at 71, I am so strong and so fit, and you know the confidence that I have as I move, as I run. It's amazing, it's amazing. 

21:28 - Wendy Battles (Host)
It is amazing Just seeing the pictures of you, seeing how fit you are, Because I remember since I've known you for a long time, when you were much heavier and now you are so fit and I love the empowerment and that confidence that you have because I think you know it really reminds me that for any of us, we can find that thing, Like you found running, you found your passion, you found something that solved this other issue of your weight, and I think that when we have an openness to looking for whatever that thing might be, that will help us feel more inspired or more excited about life, especially as we age, when our world tends to get smaller, there's something to be said for that. I think it's very empowering and you're an amazing example of that. 

22:19 - Mary Newell (Guest)
Yeah, well, you know, it's just that I think you have to be open to possibilities, that's it, and you will come across whatever it is. You know, it's like you think, what have you been curious about? I always wonder. What is it like? I wonder, should I try? Give it a try. It may fit, it may not, but in doing that you will find whatever that is that you're passionate about. 

22:45
Running isn't for everybody that it turned out to be the thing that happened for me. I just want to put another little addendum in there. You're asking me about if I was athletic as a kid. Now, my sister was kind of tomboyish. I had three brothers, two played baseball and one was kind of football, basketball, but you know they were all athletic. And now the thing is, my youngest brother asked me a few years ago how did you get to be the athlete in the family? Because you know it's like you know, I was the one, like I said, my mother used to have to make me go outside, you know, and. But I became the athlete in the family. I love it. 

23:34 - Wendy Battles (Host)
And I think that speaks to our capacity to change. If we're open to it, anything is possible, and that's it. 

23:40 - Mary Newell (Guest)
It's the openness, the openness to change and the willingness to put the work in, because you know, everything takes an effort, no matter what it is. If you're going to pursue it, you've got to be willing to work for it. 

23:54 - Wendy Battles (Host)
Absolutely, as I can speak to you as a podcaster. I work at it right, just like you. You're following your dream, you're following your dream Right, and you know, and yes, it's a lot of work, but when you're passionate about it, as you're saying, then you don't mind and it really, it really makes it so much more joyful. Mind you don't mind, and it really makes it so much more joyful. 

24:18
So many of the things that you talked about this idea of being open, willing to change, being curious those all speak to our mindset, having this open, expansive mindset, especially as we age, when things aren't always going the way we want with our bodies or whatever the other issues might be. What advice do you have for women that are listening, or men, too, who maybe don't quite have that mindset that you have yet? They want to reinvent themselves. Maybe they're not sure where to start. What would you suggest to somebody who hears this and is really inspired by your story that you started running at 55 and are going strong at 71 in the best shape of your life, and they want to have their own version of a reinvention? 

25:10 - Mary Newell (Guest)
Well, one thing would be is what have they been curious about? Is there anything? It's like God, I wonder what it's like to sail, or I wonder what it's like to ski, or I wonder what it's like to sew. Whatever you know to write, whatever that thing is that you kind of always had a hankering for or curiosity about. Just find out what it takes, what you need to do to get started in it. It won't be time lost. You'll learn something from it, even if you don't pursue it forever. 

25:48
One of the things that I realized with running is like I made this assumption that I couldn't run. What other assumptions have I made in my life without even trying? You know that, and so it opened me up to take other chances, to do other things. You know, just because you know. Once you say I'm not this or I can't do that, then you close off a lot of possibilities and it turns out that a lot of what it takes to accomplish anything is planning and preparation. So you know you can do anything. Now, I could not be a world gymnast, but I can do some gymnastics if I put my mind to it and worked on doing gymnastics kinds of things. My thing is running, and that's whatever it is you want to do. You might have to make some accommodations in there for some of, but that's what we all do in life anyway. We make accommodations for things, but you can still accomplish. 

26:55 - Wendy Battles (Host)
I think that's so spot on this idea that it doesn't have to be all or nothing. Because I think sometimes we think if we're going to do it, I want to be like great at it, I want to be like the best of whatever that thing is, like the best seer, the best knitter, whatever that thing is like the best seer, the best knitter, it doesn't matter what it is. But I like what you just said about kind of assessing where am I right now and how can I just maybe go a step further, right, get there, take another step. So instead of thinking it's like zero to a hundred and then feeling really bad about ourselves if we don't achieve because maybe we have really unrealistic expectations, but instead I hear you saying, OK, let's just kind of take it slow and ease into it and see where that leads. 

27:41 - Mary Newell (Guest)
And it was from my first 5K in 2006, when I was because the race was in September, so I turned 56 the the next year I just ran 5Ks and I ran a bunch of them. I loved it, it was so much fun. But then I wanted to run further. So the Hartford Marathon was sponsoring this group that if you're comfortable with a 5K but would like to move up to a 10K, we're looking for people to put on a relay team for the Hartford Marathon where we'll train you in a group. And so I was going up to Glastonbury every Saturday, you know, from the summer of 2007 until the Hartford Marathon in October, training, and that was that. Once again another. So now I'm running six miles and actually my leg of the marathon they changed the route, so my leg I had the first leg, my leg of the marathon was seven miles, so I ran farther than I had ever run before. So you know I ran, so I did 10Ks. Then I did my first half in April, which is 13.1 miles, in April of 2008. And when I crossed the finish line of that half I knew I could do a full marathon and so then I signed up for the Disney World Marathon in January of 2009, because another guy at the gym told me that would be a good first marathon. So I signed up for the Disney World Marathon. 

29:23
But 2008 was also the year that Obama was running and I was an Obama person and there was a group, runners for Obama, which I was proud of, right Runners for Obama. Of course I had to join that right, of course you did. And so they came up with the idea of doing the Chicago Marathon as a fundraiser for Obama. So they said, if you ever hoped to run a marathon, this would be your chance. And so I was like of course I'm going to do Chicago. So I did Chicago in October and I still did Disney in January. 

30:03
But to do the Chicago marathon, and once again it was that kind of scary, like starting at 26.2 miles, that's pretty far, that's pretty far, that is pretty far. But you know I got out there, there was a hot day and I had I had gotten there with two shoes for the same foot, so I had to buy new shoes at the expo. But you know, and then you know a friend came with me to provide support and you know we had a flight getting out of the, away from the marathon and getting the plane that night back home I didn't even have time to think about what I had done. Night back home I didn't even have time to think about what I had done and by the time I got home it was like after midnight I crashed. 

30:56
The next morning I woke up and I was like I'd started to move into bed and I was sore and I thought I did it. I did, I ran the marathon. It was like it dawned on me that I had actually did the marathon. It was like I couldn't. You know that's when it hit me. What I had done. It was just, it was so amazing. 

31:21 - Wendy Battles (Host)
So I love the journey that you've been on and I like how you are have done it incrementally, which. I think is a great example, for people that are listening, who have this idea, you know, or whatever idea it might be, that they're going to come up with a re-advention and they can see this path you took. That it wasn't. I'm going to start running and then run a marathon. It's like, okay, five Ks Take your time, exactly, exactly, yeah. 

31:54
Yeah, and I think there's something to be said for that. That's so instructive about how we can do this more successfully if we take smaller steps and find success and build on that. 

32:10 - Mary Newell (Guest)
And you know you're a star in your own show. You know you may not be an elite runner, but you know I'm a star in your own show. You know you may not be an elite runner, but you know I'm a star in my own show, exactly. 

32:18 - Wendy Battles (Host)
Exactly, and I know that because every time I look on Facebook and you've gone to some race, you're holding up your medal or talking about how well you've placed in your age group and I'm like go girl, it's so inspiring to see that, yeah that I actually win trophies. 

32:35 - Mary Newell (Guest)
Yes, I win trophies. 

32:39 - Wendy Battles (Host)
I love it, and I think there's something to be said to you that is very exciting about, not that you're doing it for the trophies, but when you actually do well, though, and it's acknowledged, it's also a really good feeling. 

32:53 - Mary Newell (Guest)
Exactly Because I do put in the work, I put in the work and I do the strength training and the running and all of the stretching, like I said, meditating the mental, working on the mental part, because really it's mental, it's mind. First. You've got to believe you can do it. You've got to be you can do it. You've got to be prepared to make the sacrifices. You've got to be able to endure the setbacks, the disappointments. You know, not every race is going to go the way you want it to go, and you know you just keep going. And then there's injuries. You know you run longer and you just you take it all in stride. It's all part of the process. 

33:34 - Wendy Battles (Host)
And I imagine that by meditating and doing all these other things that are taking care of yourself when you are injured because it sounds like you've had minimal injuries, because you've done such a good job of taking care of yourself on multiple levels that it makes it much easier to navigate, I would imagine. 

33:49 - Mary Newell (Guest)
Right, oh, yes, it is. You know. It's like, okay, this is the time when I'm not going to run, but I'm going to do more strength training, I'll do more cycling, I'll do more walks, you know, and you know something else, so that when I start back running, it's like the logical next step. You know that it's not like you got to start from scratch. 

34:15 - Wendy Battles (Host)
One thing I have found that's been helpful for me in reinventing myself as a podcaster is being part of a community of other podcasters who understand especially indie podcasters, because you know, this is not the daily, this is not a podcast produced by the New York Times with a huge production crew this is little old me and my editor and so many indie podcasters. There's like 2 million podcasts in the world and so many yes the majority are indie podcasts. 

34:49
So having community to connect with other people to share ideas, to say hey, have you tried this? Or people give me ideas has been really powerful for me and very encouraging, and it's really like a very warm, open community where people are really willing to share. I get the same idea that you have created this amazing community of people. You know this running community and I'm kind of curious before you started running, were you part of communities that were this sort of cohesive and vibrant, or did that happen through your running? 

35:25 - Mary Newell (Guest)
That happened through my running and it has that I have such a community and there's nowhere I go because I've done so many races and that there's nowhere I go that I don't know somebody, even when I go with people, in, that I'm going to run into somebody, then weren't you at? Oh God, there's, you know whoever you know. It's like you know, I went to Kiowa Island just in December with a group of friends and then it turns out there was like five or six other people there that you know just happened to be. I mean, but that's the way it is. The running community is just, it's just, it's all around and you know the same. As you're running down a street, no matter where that is, you see another runner, no matter what country you wave at them, they're going to wave at you. It's that, yes, you're a part of the tribe and the support, it's really supportive and any question, any like I'm having a hard time, I'm injured or whatever, you know, there's instant support. So it is quite a strong community. 

36:35 - Wendy Battles (Host)
That makes such a difference when we're starting something new, when we're reinventing ourselves, when we're trying to figure out where we might fit in to things, and I find it so encouraging. I also think that community to me is so important as we age because often right, our communities shrink. 

36:55 - Mary Newell (Guest)
Right, right, and so you have to add, you have to keep getting, but I think you always need fresh blood, new ideas, new voices, so you need to keep reaching out and making new connections. 

37:11 - Wendy Battles (Host)
Yeah, yeah, I think that that's like really an important part of successfully reinventing ourselves. I know that sometimes, you know we can have fits and starts and it doesn't always work out the way we want, but I think when you take that idea, you have of passion. When you're passionate about something, when you're curious about something, when you're committed, like telling other people, or you have what I call your guides on the side that help you as part of your community, it makes it much easier, I think, to be successful in whatever it is we want to do to reinvent ourselves. And I think about that with podcasting, because one of the things we talk about in the podcasting world is something called pod fade. Pod fade, which is when people start podcasts and they're they're all into it at the beginning and then after a while they just stopped doing it, like so many people don't even get past episode 10. They just like, yeah, you know, cause it's a lot of work. 

38:07
And I think people get into it, they realize it's so much more work than they thought and or are they just still for whatever reason could be lots of reasons they just don't continue, and I heard about that at the beginning. I was like, well, I don't want to be, I don't want my podcast to fade, I want to have this really amazing, vibrant podcast, and so I think, again, that's where community comes in, just like with your running, I've learned so much from the podcast community about how to do this consistently, about how to grow it, and you know, I think, that that has made a really big difference in my own reinvention journey. That, you know, makes it, keeps it interesting and, you know, forward progress, forward progress. Oh my gosh, isn't Mary's story inspiring? Don't you love her body wisdom at 71?. If this episode is inspiring you, and you're loving it. 

39:31
Please leave me a quick review and intro. Have run races throughout the world. You have these beautiful pictures that you post on Facebook of these incredible places you go to, and I'm curious about what you learned about yourself through all of your travels. So this reinvention really ignited something completely new for you on many levels, including travel. What have you learned from all of your traveling around the world, really? 

39:58 - Mary Newell (Guest)
Well, the first thing of which I knew and that goes back to those days watching those black and white movies is I love travel, I love going to new places, seeing people doing different things, and one of the things that I do with running is, even when I'm going to a place for a race, I still go out for the early morning runs by myself, in whatever city. I did it in China, I did it in South Africa. Whatever city I did it in China, I did it in South Africa. No matter where I go, I go out for those early morning runs. 

40:39
It gives you a sense of the city, of the people. It's just something and that really runners are runners no matter where, no matter what, even if you can't communicate language-wise with them. There's that kinship, there's that understanding. You know that and it takes some bravery you talked about brave. It takes, it takes some courage to get out there and to put yourself out there, to open yourself up, to reach out to people, because there's always the possibility of rejection. You know somebody doesn't want to talk to you or whatever, but it's just. You know. The thing that's most amazing to me about this whole thing is that I am still doing it and I love it even more now than when I started. It's the gift that keeps giving. Really, you know it's like and I'm better at it now At 71. At 71. I am a better runner at 71 than when I started and it's just in the feeling. It's such a feeling of being alive and being free. It's just, you can feel it, you know, running down the street. 

42:06 - Wendy Battles (Host)
I could see that and that's something I always wanted to run, but I have bad knees so it never worked out. But it always struck me as this feeling of connecting to yourself and to the world around you and that sense of freedom that you're talking about, and calm where you can really feel yourself moving your body so you're so in tune with it. I was like I want that, yeah. But I'm interested in living through Mary. 

42:31 - Mary Newell (Guest)
I mean a body consciousness. You feel the muscles and the bones and you're breathing all of that. You know it's a package. It really is, yeah. 

42:42 - Wendy Battles (Host)
I love that. I love how you are the strongest you've been at 71. Because I think that you know it's easy to make excuses about not exercising or eating well sometimes or we're really busy and it all comes down to, I believe, our priorities. Right, we have to want to take care of ourselves and you are doing that. So one question I have for you is about how I talk a lot about how reinvention rebels these amazing women like you that I interview, how they are both brave in pursuing their passions, or uncovering and then pursuing their passions and being willing to kind of figure out where that leads Not always clear, and they also are unapologetic. 

43:36
Clear, and they also are unapologetic. They have gotten to a point where they say I am going to put myself first, like you said, right, I am going to take care of myself so I do not get injured. I want to minimize injuries. I'm going to do these things, I'm going to eat well, I'm going to go to bed early. You know, I'm going to get enough rest. What suggestions do you have for women to flex and build that unapologetic muscle? I know it doesn't always come easy because so often we're taking care of everybody else and not ourselves. So that's a shift for a lot of women. But how can women become more unapologetic about really pursuing whatever it is that lights them up? 

44:11 - Mary Newell (Guest)
Well, I think one thing is that you have to set aside time for yourself, no matter what if that means getting up at four or you know if you can't, if you can't squeeze the time out during the day but you can, you can squeeze the time out somewhere in there during the day. But you can squeeze the time out somewhere in there. Set aside time for yourself to think, to write, to meditate. That's what you're trying to figure out, what it is you want to do. So that's where you start. But that has to become a habit, that ritual of getting up. 

44:52
I'm an early morning person, obviously so for me, and that's also what makes I'm making myself a priority by starting my day out doing something physical, doing what I love to do. I'm starting my day out doing that and then the rest of it you know it's like the rest of the day is gravy, no matter what. You know you get to the office. I've already worked and I did good at it, so you know it takes the pressure off what's going on with work and that. But I think that you have to prioritize time for yourself and that's not selfish, because you really can't take care of other people if you can't take care of yourself. That cup is going to get empty real fast and nothing is going to fill it up, and then you're going to be running on empty and you're going to be tired and you're going to be depressed and you're going to be angry and resentful and nobody appreciates me. 

45:51 - Wendy Battles (Host)
You know the song and dance. Yes, yes, I do. 

45:55 - Mary Newell (Guest)
So you've got to give yourself the gift of time and the freedom to pursue whatever it is you want to pursue, and you can make it work. No matter how many responsibilities you have, you, you can make it work. No matter how many responsibilities you have, you can always make it work. 

46:13 - Wendy Battles (Host)
Absolutely. I'm so with you on that, and I do the same thing. I get up 4.45 every morning so that I can work on the podcast before I go to my full-time job, and I also make time to meditate and exercise. So when we want to really do something, as my mom used to always remind me growing up, well, honey, you have time to do those things with your friends. 

46:33 - Mary Newell (Guest)
Right, you know a lot of time to do a lot of stuff. That's you know BS, so you know you. How about putting some of that time into yourself? 

46:44 - Wendy Battles (Host)
Exactly, exactly. 

46:45 - Mary Newell (Guest)
Being becoming the best version of yourself. Really, that's it. 

46:50 - Wendy Battles (Host)
That is it, and you really. I think that is really the crux of it becoming the best version of yourself. You said that so beautifully and it reminds me of an interview I did in season two with my friend, natalie Wester, who traveled around the world by herself when she turned 60, with just one suitcase, just a carry-on bag, all around the world and how? For her, it was about self-permission, giving herself permission to really pursue what lit her up and to say I am making this a priority and she and you know, as you said, sometimes we have to make sacrifices, sometimes we have to change things around, we have to reprioritize. She downsized, she moved to a smaller place, she stopped, you know, going to happy hours and having cable, just so that she could put her resources into the things that she loves to do. It's a reinforcement where you're saying what she said, what so many other Reinvention Rebels have said. It is totally possible. Sometimes it takes a while, maybe, to kind of figure out what that right mix is for you, but that we all can do that. 

48:00 - Mary Newell (Guest)
But there is a right mix for you. That's the thing you have to figure out what it is for you, but there is a right mix for you. There is a right mix. Why would you be a supporting actress in your own play? You know? I mean really think about it, think about it. 

48:17 - Wendy Battles (Host)
I love that metaphor because I like to be in the lead. I want to be on stage. I want to be center stage, right Like hello. I want to take my big bow and you know, yes, I think that is a great way to think about this. I love that. I love that. So, at 71, you are doing your running four times a week. What does the future look like for you when you think about running? And you know, what do you see for yourself with that? 

48:47 - Mary Newell (Guest)
Well, I never intend to stop running, you know. I mean, at some point maybe there's something physical, because you know, you have to realize, after a certain age, you know, I'm up there, if you know, one fall or something could cause an injury that doesn't allow me to run anymore, an injury that doesn't allow me to run anymore. But then you know, they have Achilles, which is the organization for runners with disabilities. So I would have somebody who would guide me, who would, you know, support me, so I could still do races, you know, you know I may walk, even if I was in a wheelchair, somebody would push me. I mean, you know there's all kinds and I could also volunteer at races, you know. But but there's something about being in that crowd, you know, it's like I'm not watching, I'm in the mix, that's. That's the thing about races. I think that I'm in there, not on the sidelines. 

49:53 - Wendy Battles (Host)
Yes. 

49:54 - Mary Newell (Guest)
Or not sitting in my car, like I used to like, when the traffic would be all tied up and you couldn't get anywhere. When is this race going to be? 

50:02 - Wendy Battles (Host)
I know that's what non-motors say in New Haven, right On. 

50:05 - Mary Newell (Guest)
Labor Day. 

50:06 - Wendy Battles (Host)
It's like really Come on. 

50:09 - Mary Newell (Guest)
You can't get out of East Rock on race day. 

50:15 - Wendy Battles (Host)
It's so true, and I do remember that, having lived in East Rock for years before I moved across town. 

50:21
I totally know what you mean about that. I love it. But I love this idea though Basically, you're saying I can reinvent myself multiple times, multiple ways, even as I age. Age is not even an issue, no matter what circumstance you're in, you can, you can keep reinventing yourself, and I love that mindset that it's not like a one and done reinvention. This is something that you know as we we all grow and change, no matter what the circumstances are, and that you can grow with this. 

50:51 - Mary Newell (Guest)
And even though I'm running well at 71, there are a lot of women older than me who are running, so it's not like I have role models, that I can see other people that are still running, like I said, who are older than me. So that tells me I can keep going as long as I want to do this. 

51:12 - Wendy Battles (Host)
Exactly, exactly. That is some serious inspiration, mary. I just got to say that. Seriously inspiring, I love it. As we wrap up, I'm wondering if there are any parting words of wisdom that you'd like to share with our audience. 

51:30 - Mary Newell (Guest)
Find your passion and go for it. That's it. 

51:36 - Wendy Battles (Host)
Yes, and I couldn't agree with you more Absolutely. Let's take center stage, find that passion and run with it. 

51:51 - Mary Newell (Guest)
I couldn't help myself, and then let's just run with it. Be a star, be a star, right. 

52:01 - Wendy Battles (Host)
Run to that stage, wherever that stage might be. 

52:05 - Mary Newell (Guest)
Right, right, I love it. Whatever that stage is, yeah, be in the center of it. 

52:08 - Wendy Battles (Host)
Be in the center of it, be in the center of it. There may be people who hear this episode and are really excited because they may not be runners, but they may see something in your story that inspires them to think about their own reinvention. If people want to, is there a way they can get in touch with you, like on social media? 

52:34 - Mary Newell (Guest)
The best way to reach me would be probably through my email, which is maryatmarynewellcom. Awesome maryatmarynewellcom. 

52:48 - Wendy Battles (Host)
Fabulous. We will put that in the show notes so people can just scroll on down through the show notes and find your contact information. This is great, mary. I cannot thank you enough for gracing me with your presence, for sharing your reinvention story, for inspiring all of us about what's possible, which is really anything, as you have proven. I just think your story really will resonate with so many people this idea that at 55, you started this. You're 71. You're going strong and are not planning to stop. 

53:25 - Mary Newell (Guest)
Never, never. 

53:26 - Wendy Battles (Host)
Never, never. I love it, I love it. 

53:33 - Mary Newell (Guest)
Well, this has been a real pleasure to talk to you about this. You know, and I love, I love talking about running because it's just been such a life changer, a totally newly. I mean, you know, I said there's a book and I got to get it. Um, like you have two lives and the second one starts when you realize you only have one. 

54:03 - Wendy Battles (Host)
That's, I feel like that I feel like this this is, this is my second life. You know, it really is, and what, oh, what a life it is. 

54:07 - Mary Newell (Guest)
What a beautiful life, and I'm going to milk it for everything it's got. 

54:11 - Wendy Battles (Host)
Yeah. 

54:12 - Mary Newell (Guest)
I'm going to bring every ounce I can out of this. 

54:16 - Wendy Battles (Host)
It's very exciting to see you, especially having known you before. Yeah, and now seeing you Good job, man. I mean it's awesome because I, you know, I can see how we all have this capacity to change if we so choose, and you just exemplify that. So, thank you, my friend, thank you. Mary is amazing, right, her wisdom, her possibilities, what she's done and, honestly, what she continues to do to me is nothing short of extraordinary. And what I love is that, coming up on season seven, mary is coming back on the podcast. She's going to be sharing what's happened in the last three years because she is still going strong and I'm really excited to hear the insights she's had, how she's continued to reinvent herself in the last few years and is going strong in her 70s, and that's the kind of role model that I want and is going strong in her 70s, and that's the kind of role model that I want. That's the kind of person that I want to look to as someone who's just turned 60 and has, I hope, lots of years ahead of me. I want this kind of inspiration in my life. So I'm really excited to share this with you in season seven, and I do want to mention, if you love this episode as much as I did. Please do me a quick favor and leave a review on your favorite listening platform. It could be Spotify or Apple Podcasts. I would totally appreciate that, because it makes it easier for people to find the Reinvention Rebels podcast. And one more thing Speaking of inspiring podcasts and amazing women doing things as they age, I want to tell you about the Ageless Traveler podcast. 

56:16
It's hosted by my friend, adrienne Berg, and it is phenomenal. If you're thinking about traveling, you want inspiration. Thinking about traveling as you age what might be possible this is the podcast for you. Adrienne interviews really interesting people. She shares all kinds of helpful information about how to travel solo or with a group, especially as you age Really great information. I really encourage you to listen. Details are in the show notes and Adrienne is going to be a guest on the podcast in season seven as well. Until next time, rebels, keep shining your light. The world needs you and all that you have to offer.