Author: Susie Nelson | Owner of The Cycling Yogi
There’s a concept I keep reading about lately called “The Third Span.” It sounds either deeply academic or like a Netflix documentary I’d half-watch while folding laundry. Either way… I’m into it.
Because it gets at something I think about more and more these days:
What are we actually ‘training’ for?
Most people know the term lifespan. It’s basically how long you live.
Then there’s healthspan. It’s how long you stay healthy, independent, mobile, and capable.
But “third span” goes deeper. It’s about the quality of your life while you’re living it. Your energy. Your confidence. Your relationships. Your purpose. Your ability to fully participate in your own life.
THAT feels like the real goal.
In my 20s, none of this crossed my mind. Even in my 30s, if I’m being honest. I just assumed my body would always bounce back. I thought I could do anything. To be fair… my brain still thinks I can do anything. My body, however, has occasionally provided some strong feedback otherwise. (Some of you may remember a few of my past injuries involving things like ladders, overconfidence, questionable decisions… ANYWAY.)
We made it about shrinking ourselves. Punishing ourselves. Trying to “bounce back.” Fixing flaws. Chasing abs we don’t even really care about. Somewhere along the way, fitness became weirdly disconnected from actual living.
So now, in my much more “mature” era, as the owner of The Cycling Yogi, this is becoming more and more of what I care about.
Not: “How do we look smaller?”
But: Can we keep living fully as we age?
I want people to think about the real goal being;
Can you keep living your life fully as you age?
Can you travel?
Walk through cities all day?
Carry your luggage?
Play with your grandkids?
Get yourself up off the floor?
Keep doing the hobbies you love?
Keep your independence?
Keep your confidence?
Keep your spark?
THAT feels important.
Movement is not punishment. Fitness isn’t a scalpel to “fix” what’s wrong with you. It’s how we keep LIVING LARGE.
The best example I can think of is…OMA!!
My mom, “Oma” is 86.
And she is absolutely crushing life.
Still walking 2-3 miles, swimming almost every day, traveling A LOT, socializing, PLANKING, laughing with her grandkids, spending time with family, enjoying a good happy hour, and fully participating in life.
She’s not sitting on the sidelines watching life happen around her. (You should have HEARD the negotiations happening when the Dr told her she couldn’t drive for a week with her broken hand!😂)
She’s IN it. She’s the cool Oma we all want to be someday.
That’s what I think we’re really building at TCY.
Not perfect bodies.
Strong, capable bodies.
Bodies that let you keep showing up for your life.
Not perfection.
Not punishment.
Not chasing some unrealistic version of ourselves.
Nothing dramatic. No magic fix. Just small, steady wins that compound over years into a life that still feels vibrant and fully yours.
Just building a life we can still fully LIVE for as long as possible.
(WHOA.That got aggressively profound for a girl whose personality is mostly sarcasm and nutella.)
Anyway… see you in class 😅
