Two score and ten years ago, I was born—and today, I officially cross into my 50s. For the past few months, I’ve been reflecting on the decade I just closed out. My 40s were, without a doubt, the most transformative years of my life. They were also the most difficult.

Life hit hard in my early 40s, and anxiety was sky high. I faced the deaths of close friends, a marriage on the brink, battled a baseless lawsuit (we won), career setbacks, and even a cancer scare. After two especially difficult years in 2016 and 2017, things took another turn in 2018 when I was hit by a drunk driver. The accident left me with spinal stenosis and began a grueling 32-month journey of pain and recovery. At the time, it felt like everything was falling apart—but in reality, God was laying the foundation for something better.

Despite the pain, my 40s became my favorite decade. I grew more than I ever imagined possible—especially in my faith. When I entered my 40s, I had already lost the 92 pounds that had weighed me down, and I had a few marathons under my belt. But alcohol was still quietly holding me back. That chapter, like so many others, has now closed.

I honestly can’t even remember my last hangover. What I do remember is running four 100-mile ultramarathons—including two just a few weeks apart—and finishing more than two dozen ultras overall, plus 20 marathons and a 1,001-day running streak. Somewhere in there, I became an entrepreneur and a certified DDP Yoga instructor. But as proud as I am of the physical accomplishments, they’re secondary to the transformation in my soul.

I’ve taken inventory of seven key areas of life: faith, marriage, parenting, relationships, health, financial stewardship, and career. Every single one is in a better place than it was ten years ago. And that’s no accident. As I grew closer to Christ, everything else fell into place.

Honestly, I’m a little sad to leave my 40s behind. I’d run them back again if I could. This past decade gave me a kind of clarity that only comes from living more years as an adult than as a kid. Somewhere in your 40s, your perspective shifts—you start valuing time differently. Over the past few years, I’ve said your 40s are like midlife puberty. Your body starts changing again—except this time it’s hearing loss, joint pain, and reading glasses. And let’s be honest: how many of my fellow Gen Xers now watch TV with closed captions on? Yeah, same.

When I was in my late 30s, fitness was about weight loss. Now, it’s about functional longevity. I don’t know how many years God has planned for me, but I do know this: I want to live pain-free with mobility. I don’t want to be in a wheelchair. I don’t want to rely on a dozen medications. When I retire, I want to still be hiking mountains—not just making it out of bed.

I’m thankful. I’m healthy. And I’m not slowing down.

It’s been a wild ride, and I’m not ready for it to end. But here we go…

Bring on the 50s.