A Timeless Return

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A Timeless Return

What’s going on: Lindsey Vonn just proved why age really is just a number. At 40, she became the oldest female Alpine skier ever to step onto a World Cup podium — shattering the previous record by six years. Even more impressive, she won silver just four months after coming out of retirement. But her comeback has been an uphill battle. As Vonn said, “It’s been a rough season of people saying that I can’t, that I’m too old, that I’m not good enough anymore. I think I proved everyone wrong.” Snow long, haters. 

Our take: For way too long, many have viewed women athletes in their late 20s as past their prime (looking at you, gymnastics). Vonn’s return is a reminder that peak performance doesn’t come with an age cap. She’s not an outlier — more women in their 30s and 40s are proving that experience, skill, and determination trump ageist assumptions (and quiet the critics) in sports. Between Vonn’s comeback and rising stars like the NWSL's 14-year-old Mak Whitham, the timeline for female athletic success is getting a much-needed rewrite.

Related: Women's NCAA Basketball Teams Are Finally Getting Paid, But Are They Still Undervalued? (Well Played)

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TOGETHER WITH BEATS

Play, Sweat, Repeat

You don’t have to be a professional athlete to appreciate a good workout playlist. But we’re extremely excited to report that the power of music goes beyond joy: A recent research review found that listening to music motivates people to exercise longer and harder. If you’re eager to put this science to the test, we recommend snagging a pair of Powerbeats Pro 2 sweat and water resistant earbuds. They’re lightweight, have a flexible earhook design, and come with five eartip options to ensure the perfect fit. Did we mention they can monitor your heart rate? We know, we’re impressed too. Shop to it.

Timeout...

Our Well Played co-hosts and friends of the show tackle listener Qs.

The breakout star of March Madness is coming out of McNeese State University — and he's not even a player. So why is Amir "Aura" Khan going viral? 

Khan — the team manager — became a viral superstar when he led McNeese out of the locker room, rapping with an oversized boombox. It’s his charisma, authenticity, and aura that has led not only to his popularity, but also to reportedly being the first student manager in the country with any NIL (name, image, and likeness) deals. We may not be getting some Cinderella storylines on the court this March, but maybe Khan’s story is the only one we really needed.

FEATURED EXPERT:

Caroline Hendershot

Reporter for the New York Jets and co-host of Well Played

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