The Five-Year Experiment

Stronger
at 50.

A 45-year-old programmer, runner, and lifelong learner documenting a five-year journey to become stronger, more resilient, and more capable at 50 than I was in my 20s and 30s.

Follow the Journey Read My Story
  • Day 1Date to be announced
  • TargetAge 50, five years on
  • 0 daysElapsed
  • 1,826 daysRemaining (5 years)

Who I am

An ordinary programmer. An open question.

I've spent most of my adult life developing my mind. Now I'm spending five years discovering what my body and mind can accomplish together.

I'm a software developer and a recreational runner. I'm 45 years old and I weigh about 142 pounds.

I'm not a coach, an athlete or a fitness expert. I'm the subject of this experiment, and this site is where the evidence goes: measurements, training logs, race results, photographs, setbacks and honest reflection.

Why I'm doing this

Can an ordinary 45-year-old programmer become stronger, tougher, and more capable at 50 than he ever was in his 20s or 30s?

The question this experiment exists to answer

The experiment

Five years. Measured, not marketed.

For the next five years I'm going to train to become stronger and more muscular while staying a capable runner, aiming for roughly 150 pounds by 50 without giving up endurance or health.

Everything gets recorded. The good weeks and the missed ones. If it works, the record will show it. If it doesn't, the record will show that too.

Goals & method

  1. Authenticity over perfection

    Missed workouts, injuries and bad weeks are part of the record.

  2. Data over claims

    Progress is shown with real measurements, or not shown at all.

  3. Consistency over extremes

    Five sustainable years beat five heroic months.

  4. Health over ego

    No dangerous training, crash diets or shortcuts.

Starting point

Where it begins.

Starting age
45
Starting weight approx.
142lb
Five-year target
≈150lb
Duration
5years

Current measurements will appear here after the Day One weigh-in. Until then there's nothing to compare, so nothing is shown.

Strength & running

Two disciplines. One body.

Strength The journey begins here. Push-ups, pull-ups and benchmark lifts are recorded on Day One.
Running The journey begins here. The benchmark run is recorded on Day One.
See the progress dashboard

Latest from the journal

· Milestones

Day One: Why I'm Doing This

I'm 45, I write software for a living, and I weigh about 142 pounds. For the next five years I'm going to find out how strong I can become, and write all of it down.

Read More

Latest video

Coming soon

The first documentary video is coming soon.

About the videos

Five-year timeline

Day One to fifty.

  1. Age 45

    Day One

    The commitment begins.

    Up next · date TBA
  2. Age 46

    Year 1

    Build the foundation.

    Planned
  3. Age 47

    Year 2

    Increase strength and endurance.

    Planned
  4. Age 48

    Year 3

    Push performance and resilience.

    Planned
  5. Age 49

    Year 4

    Refine and peak.

    Planned
  6. Age 50

    The Result

    Stronger, tougher, and more capable at 50.

    Planned
The full timeline

Follow along

Watch it unfold.